Haiku & Other Poetry, Random Rants, tutto e niente

September Ends: So What?

As someone who lived in the Midwest United States, I am obsessed with the weather. It’s hard not to be. It can shift rapidly, not just daily but hourly.

I also know that when I talk about the weather, I often say “when I was a kid ….” And although it may be annoying to the youths, it is the truth. When I was a kid, September meant the end of summer (not just the start of school), Halloween costumes were almost always hidden by our winter coats, it often snowed at Thanksgiving, and we always had snow at Christmas. What this September taught me AGAIN was that the weather has shifted. It was as hot as hell. It was nearly 90 degrees (Fahrenheit) last week. Every day I would shake my fist at the sky and yell I need summer to STOP!

Thank goodness, the second week of October has finally brought some cooler temperatures. October means sporty jackets and cute boots and hot chocolate and afternoon walks and fall foliage and … Oh NO! October is already halfway over. November looms with its dark days and cold nights and … actually, November last year was beautiful. Did I mention that the weather has shifted. Climate change is undoubtably real and really bad for the planet, but it is nice that it rarely snows before January now. (We need a sarcasm font.)

And now quick verse to summarize the above rant. 

when September ends

Summer’s green days fade away

A fable once told   

now October’s sun burns red

an admonitory tale  

Thanks to FOWC (NEED) and the writer’s workshop and dVerse for their challenges to reflect on September and October. 

Plus, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Green Day’s Wake Me When September Ends

 

Haiku & Other Poetry, Random Rants, tutto e niente

Tanka Tuesday – Synonyms Only

time crawls and I vow

rye to sooth my looming dread

‘til the day dawns blue  

promise-and-comfort-1

Welcome to Tanka Tuesday. This week is Synonyms Only. That means you will be using synonyms for the given prompt words.

Today, I wrote a senryu that sums up the state of my current “human condition.” 

What is a senrue?

A form with 3 or more lines following the short-long-short, 3-5-3, 2-3-2, (5-7-5 traditional) approximately twelve syllables. Senryu do not rhyme, nor do they contain metaphors and similes.

A senryu is written about love, human foibles relating to a personal event, and should have an element of irony present somewhere in the form. Humor and sarcasm are two of the most favorable elements in a senryu. But not always… think in tone. What is the tone of your senryu? 

Senryu focus on the awkward moments in life making the human, not the world around them, the subject of their creative endeavor. Senryu poetry deals with the human condition. The most important distinction between haiku and senryu is the tone of your poem.

Think of it this way: Haiku wants to create a feeling, while senryu wants to make a point.
Focus on sexual matters, family relations, religion, politics, and anything that touches on the pain we experience through sorrow, prejudice, oppression, anger, and frustration. Humor and sarcasm are two of the most favorable elements in a senryu. No title.