Lavender -- Challenge Poem

What does red and blue make?

Red and blue make purple they say

A violet hue akin to

Field of lavender, beams your way

Hands of red amid hands of blue

Each has a story of its own

Telling it silently to you

None is alike, not all made known

Everything you can imagine

Children all, each a precious stone

Together sweet and sour wine

Vulnerable, at play today

Squint a little, lavender lined
_ _ _
 

Photo and Poem Copyright,
© 2015 Jimmiehov,
All Rights Reserved

 

Today I'm linked with Hannah at Transforming Thursday/Friday with Nature's Wonders

where she tells of Lavender Fields and the Lavender Plant.  Then she tells us to write as we are inspired by reading her page.

Note:  The hands are actually prints of adults, workers at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in the Woodlands, Texas.  Click on the picture and you can see their individual signing.  In my poem they would be hands of children, each representing a child, as that is what I can "see".

One Drop of Blood ~~ A spine poem

 .

.

One Drop of Blood

. 

Everything I never told you

Adult onset

Our mutual friend

The Departed
 .

- - -
 .

Photo and Poem Copyright,
© 2015 Jimmiehov,
All Rights Reserved

 

Linked to  Kerry O'Connor's post with Real Toads, The Tuesday Platform

 

Notes: 

 - I took a little poetic liberty and changed the last line, title word Deported to a word better fitting with my 'poem', Departed.

 - The first line was from the title of the book selection for Book Club reading on our cruise last week.  It was "Everything I Never Told You" by Celeste NG.  She told a fictional story of a teenager who drowned, either by suicide or by an accident.  I chose by accident. (The cruise was a seven day Caribbean one on the Emerald Princess, departing from the Port of Houston.)

 - My title and lines are all from the spines (titles) of books I found in the ship's library.

The Lover's Boat -- a Play it Again Challenge poem



"The Lovers' Boat" Albert Pinkham Ryder 1881

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The Lover's Boat
 
The sun has risen, flowers are awake
Wake up little lovers, they're calling you
 
We've seen it all, asleep still in embrace
No movement from them is seen, still they sleep
 
All night long they embraced and cooed and kissed
Time to go now, a blossom for your hair
 
Smell the fragrance sweet! Awake now she is
Alluring and fresh, what about her guy?
 
Kiss him on his brow, then his ear you kiss
He will smell you sweet and reciprocate
 
Awaken he does, and kisses her sweetly
Sweeter than the flowers, Your boat awaits
 
Into the sunset he rows while she sings
Love songs they are, tonight another beach

 Poem Copyright,
© 2015 Jimmiehov,
All Rights Reserve

 

Picture from Margaret's Play it Again, Toads! #13 to which I'm linked today for her instructions.  I chose Option # 1, "1)  Imagined by Kerry - Wednesday Challenge - Write a flowery poem in a non-cliched way."

 

Note: Comments may or may not be returned, but I appreciate them greatly.  We are in Caribbean Sea returning to Houston in the morning from an Emerald Princess seven day cruise. (Home now--Monday--after a day and night with the kids and grand-daughter, KP)

Our friend? Winter came

Nature's Price;
Winter in Life

Hermit he became
Lived on Ramen Noodle Soup
Alone in the pond
What went wrong with our fellow?
Some say aging takes its toll

Snapped at his old friends
Wife and kids abused, put down
Now in bitter cold
All are gone, him they have left
Bad alligator's remorse

- - - - -

Poem Copyright,
© 2015 Jimmiehov,
All Rights Reserved

Photo courtesy of Fireblossom at
Real Toads, Fireblossom Friday: Winter  
where I'm linked today.

Alligator is subject of an MSN News story found here:  http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/officials-seize-alligator-2-dead-cats-in-box-in-la-yard/ar-AA8bkqk

My Lemon Tree -- It doesn't fare so well

My Lemon Tree

.

My lemon tree has had a hard time

Hard time in life you will agree

Potted in same pot was in the store

Regularly watered not, survived

Bees don't come here anymore.   Got to

pollinate somehow.  An aside here,

I taught a friend how to pollinate

Hers had almost dozen oranges

This year for the tree and me bees came

Three lemons, that's enough for a pie?

Maybe not but there won't be a pie

Lemons were forgotten in the fridge

Bees' work in vain, promises gone wrong

Lemons wait and rot, no thanks they got

Next year will the bees come?  Think not

They're dying by the millions, why plant

Government doesn't care, politics

Cut taxes for rich, let the bees die

A machine can't a lemon tree make

Tree, dumb mute, can't tell you how it is

 

  Photos and Poem Copyright, © 2015 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

 

I'm Linked with Grace at Heaven at

the Real Toads, Sunday's Mini-challenge: David Huerta (Link)

It is also linked with Kerry O'Connor's Challenge at 
the Real Toads, TheTuesday Platform  
  

There Grace wrote of David Huerta, his poems and other literary work he has done.  Then she challenged us to write an original poem for this Sunday's post based on his poetry or something inspired from reading his poetry. 

 

Since I can't visualize (hardly) I decided on his poem, Fruit, which prompted me to pay a little tribute to my Lemon Tree and also a dirge (or ding) to our political scene.  My senator says 'why should the U.S spend money on determining why the bees are dying and on how to save them?'  I would say that the Honey Business doesn't have a very powerful lobby.

 

David also wrote a poem called Machinery (click here, and scroll down or click on Machinery in the index).  That poem prompted me to write in my poem the line chiding the machine, which can not make a lemon tree.  As if it could, would there be lemons?

The truck -- Poetry Challenge -- Road Trip

The Ford truck

Black it was, all shiny and new
My dad bought it for me to drive
School far off, miles more than a few

Fourteen a sophomore in school
Knew how to love and did it fine
Gears please don't grind, double clutch do

Time passed, Dad got his truck anew
Off to college the son did fly
Missed the girl, friends since it was new

Later in need I got it soon
Now old, truck brought for me in bind
For my broken bones, Dad came through

Dad's love now but his son's to use
Rattle there clunk here still ran fine
Shiny and black no longer new
Four wheels dent or two, it would do

It was my car, really it was. Just that I didn't own it, my dad did. A 1949 Ford pickup, all shiny black and new. Ready for me to drive it to high school.

My first two years I rode Minnie, my pony, to high school. That school was in the country three miles from home but only went to the tenth grade. So I had to go to town to finish, but it was too far for Minnie to walk, about ten miles. So Dad bought me a 1937 Ford, a very nice one, one-owner, low-miles, owned by a "little old lady" (LOL).

No that wasn't the pickup truck. I think Dad had wanted a pickup for himself but instead he got me this. Then he decided that the little '37 Ford didn't have good brakes because they were mechanical and not the new improved hydraulic ones. He did want his son safe. So he bought himself a new pickup truck and I got to drive it every day to high school. Oh yes, it whistled when going down the road.

Fast forward to the summer after graduation, I had a job with a construction company paving a road. Dad let me drive it to work and back. But when college started I couldn't have a car so the truck sat home.

A year and a half later, in my third semester I broke my foot. It was winter and cold in Nebraska; my dad felt sorry for me as I lived a mile from the college and the buses were undependable. So he loaned me the pickup until my foot healed.

Three more months had passed, my foot was healed, I had dropped out of college (I came back to finish eleven years and four children and a non-working wife later). I didn't tell Dad about dropping out though until about a couple or three months later when I had a job in the watch factory.

In the meantime, before I told my dad, I had my first steady girl friend.  She liked the truck too. 

[at right, Linoma Beach and lighthouse, Wikipedia picture]

Those six months the '49 Ford and I renewed acquaintances. Our relationship became quite intimate. When early summer came around a couple of buddies and I would load it up with eats and drinks and head to Linoma Beach with it.

Another time the buddies and I took it to Ames Iowa for their then famed annual rodeo.  I have no idea how many miles I had put on it when I took it back but I am sure the odometer number was much higher than Dad was expecting.  He didn't say anything about that though.

What Dad did say was, "Jim, I think you are old enough now to have a car of your own."  Reading between the lines he was saying, "I want my pickup back."  In Nebraska back then a person under age 21 could not buy a car on his own, butt now my dad would sign for me.

Dad had already found a nice care for me, it was another one-owner, low-mileage car.  Not a little old lady this time, it was Dad's friend and my high school principal who had traded it in.  The car was a nice 1950 Studebaker Starlight Coupe, light green.

So I said good-bye to the 1949 Ford Pickup, Dad was in title. I courted the Studebaker for a year.  She couldn't put up with me anymore and I had to trade her in for another Ford, my own this time.   The '52 Sedan was to last me for about three years.  I treated her nice, hopped her up and let her reigns loose against the Chevys. She never lost a race.  But she was fickle too, lost interest in me so I had to buy a new one.

Years and years past now, I would love to have the '49 Ford pickup back again, preferably restored.  I think she truly loved me and would come if we could only find each other.  She probably thinks I dumped her.  In reality Dad took her back.  Can't trust you own father sometimes.

[picture of my toy 1950 Studebaker Starlight Coupe, a cast iron model of my first car]

[for a list of all the cars I have owned, see item here]

[I have quite a few cast iron 1:18 scale toy cars, this one included.] 

[Also I have one similar to most of the older cars I have owned (my 1948 Ford pickup is red).]

 

Poem Copyright, © 2015 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved;

 

I am linked with Herotomost at  Real Toads, Road Trip!!!  

Carpe Diem Time Glass #16, Rainbow

Credits: Rainbow Colored Sky

Rainbows not seen
Overpowered by lighted sky
God's promise still holds

 - - - - -

Poem Copyright, ©  2014 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

Photo and prompt supplied by  Kristjaan Panneman at Carpe Diem Time Glass #16, Rainbow

 

This is a time challenge.  Write a Haiku based on the picture above and the word, "Rainbow" in as little time as possible.  I started my post after completing the one below.  My time spent on the Haiku was less than five minutes.  The rest was in generating the post.

 

- - - -

 

Sunday, December 30, 2007 -- Picture and material Copyright, ©  2006 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

Rainbows, the sign of the covenant between God and the earth

[large picture] [super sized]
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth
Genesis 9:8-13 [New King James (link to Chapter 9)]:  (rest of this post is found here, http://jimmiehov.blogspot.com/2007/12/rainbows-sign-of-covenant-between-god.html )

 

Sacred Rope

 

Savior is born

 

string of lights, balls, boughs

angel announces king's birth

saves us from our sin .

 

 - - - - -

Photo and Poem Copyright, ©  2014 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

Today I'm linking with  Kristjaan Panneman at http://chevrefeuillescarpediem.blogspot.se/2015/01/carpe-diem-642-sacred-rope-shimekazari.html

Origin of NOEL: French noël Christmas, carol, from Old French Nael (Deu), Noel Christmas, from Latin natalis birthday, from natalis natal -- First Known Use: 1811 (Merriam-Webster Dictionary On-line -- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/noel)

Haiku (poem) about Grandpa's Spring Kimono

[click on picture to enlarge]

 

 

(For Sale)

 

Grandpa's kimono

formal robe, many colored

one owner, come spring

 _ _ _ _

 

 Poem Copyright, © 2015 Jimmiehov,  All Rights Reserved

top picture credit, kyoto kimono

@ http://www.kyotokimono.com/whatsforsale/mens-kimono.html

 
Today I am linked with Kristjaan Panneman at Carpe Diem #641, Spring Kimono (Harugi)

 

list of kimono parts from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimono

First Sun (of the new year)

 

Shining on hillside

Jack Rabbits welcome first sun

Scurry home, make nest

_ _ _ _ _

 

Photo is from file "2015 OP" and it came from our neighbor who sent us a 'snow picture'  from her back porch at her other place

Poem Copyright, © 2015 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

 

Today I am linked with Kristjaan Panneman at Carpe Diem #640, First Sun (Hatsuhi)

Coolness

Credits: photo

Oh to be cool

Hot days dream of icy lake

Skate into the spray
_ _ _

Poem Copyright, © 2015 Jimmiehov

Today I'm linked with Kristjaan Panneman 
at Carpe Diem Special #125, Sogi's first "this autumn sky"

Kristjaan wants us to write in the vein opened by Iio Sogi, a pre-Basho haiku poet.  Here is a model for us, one of his works (I believe that his early copyright has expired by now). 

ah, for coolness,
it rivals the water's depth -
this autumn sky

© Iio Sogi (1421-1502)
_ _ _

(in my PJs)
 .
Me?  I got cooled off
just going out this morning
getting the paper

 

An Orange 'play it again' -- Carpe Diem

Orange Cézanne

 

Wonderful find

Flowers, roof, heart, in orange

Paul Cézanne in Albi

Original painting in

Henri Lautrec's Museum

[large picture] [super sized]

[Mrs. Jim and I] found this original in the Lautrec Museum in Albi, France. It is by Paul Cézanne (1839 to 1906) and yes, he was pretty quirky, both artists were. (Cézanne Wikipedia link)

In just a lot of his pictures you can see Mont Sainte-Victoire as in this one. It is a mountain in Provence, France. Cézanne can see the whole view of the mountain from his house near Aix-en-Provence. He drew a series of oil paintings about or using his favorite mountain of his.
 

Photos Copyright, © 2009 Jimmiehov (link);

Poem and written material Copyright, © 2015 Jimmiehov,

All Rights Reserved

 

Today I am linked with Kristjaan Panneman at Carpe Diem's Time Machine #1, Orange

We were requested to find a haiku written about "orange" from the past posts.  I wasn't writing many haiku back then, certainly none emphasizing "orange".  But I did have this wonderful picture with Orange find from a travel post back in 2009 (link).

Other Orange pictures in posts:  Cable Car and Lady Bug.
 

One Poem from Last Year -- "The Barren Woman" Repeated -- Carpe Diem

Fix my goof.  The assignment was to comment with Haiku about last year's writing here.

Very good last year
Learned some new forms and techniques
Can't remember now

At first this is how I thought I was supposed to go.  WRONG but here it is:

Our instructions for the first post of the new year is to choose a poem from last year's writing and make it the first post of the new year for Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem #639, Last Year (Kozo) (link). 

I choose this one:

Friday, November 21, 2014

The Barren Woman -- today's poem for Carpe Diem    

 

The Barren Woman

 .

Try to make amends

Help puppies; orphaned children

Barren woman dire

.

- - - - -

 .
Picture and Poem Copyright, © 2014 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

Notes, on how I felt about my attempt to follow the instructions given below:
 - Puppies for my seasonword (kigo),  from list of season "words" approved for haiku, link.
 - Comma  for my  cuttingword (kireji, in western mostly interpunction) to start revert thought to basic theme (link to explanatory definitions and examples)
 - First and third line interposed (might make it better?):

 - - Barren woman dire
 - -Help puppies; orphaned children
 - -Try to make amends

- A short moment.  This was hardest of the criteria for me as I think it reads better if the woman used 'helping puppies' as a lifetime avocation rather an immediate action.  It would then read thus:

 - - Tries to make amends
 - - Helps puppies; orphaned children
 - - Barren woman dire

 - I will let the last, a deeper meaning, for you to be found.  To me it's meaning was in line with Jesus Christ's love for children (Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven”).

- - - - -

Today I am linked to Carpe Diem "Sparkling Stars" #13, " "

 - Following is a part of the Carpe Diem instructions for today found in the above linked site.  It includes directions.  I tried to diligently follow the six-part instruction list printed in GREEN for my haiku.  See my "notes" above about my feel on how well I followed.

"""- the childless woman,
- - - -how tender she is
- - - -to the dolls!

© Ransetsu (Tr. Blyth)

[photo furnished with directions (below), courtesy of  Kristjaan Panneman]
 

"It’s a gorgeous haiku full of compassion for this woman without children. He sees her taking care for the dolls as were they real children. How much pain and sadness this woman will have had as she couldn’t have children or maybe she had children, but they died ... it’s not clear.

Use your  imagination to see this scene in front of your eyes and try to write/compose an all new haiku following the classical rules:"
+ 5-7-5 syllables
+ a seasonword (kigo)
+ a cuttingword (kireji, in western mostly interpunction)
+ a moment as short as the sound of a pebble thrown in water
+ interchangable first and third line
+ a deeper meaning

Not an easy task I think, but I know you will succeed """

_ _ _ _ _

 

Labels: Carpe Diem, Children, Haiku, Katrin, Poem, women