Kyrosmagica Publishing – The Magical Home of Books, Writing, Photography and Inspiration
I wrote a series of short poems inspired by photographs I’d taken during a walk at my local country park lake.
Hidden behind reeds,
Swan sits, her neck curls, twirling,
Twigs bend in circles,
I pause, observe, imagine,
White tiny cygnets hatching.
© M J Mallon
A White Mound,
I see you flash by,
Concealed, nest.
© M J Mallon
No White Mound
Trees, lake, hidden life
Bright Yellow
© M J Mallon
I hope you enjoyed!
Image Credit: D.L. Finn
This week we have a photo prompt from Denise. And a truly inspiring one it is. A lady in blue hugging a tree. Here is my take expressed in a series of haiku.
Her blue snow soaked gown
Holds a silent hug to bark
Trees weep heart’s full tears
***
Vital friend severed
Bark ‘s finger accuses sky
The winter mist spreads
***
Dryad masked in blue
Once full, her kind heart splinters
The tree holds her face
I hope you enjoyed the series of haiku.
Before you go I’d love it if you could pop over to Sally Cronin’s blog. She is sharing the latest review for my poetry collection: Lockdown Innit Poems About Absurdity. https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2021/03/27/smorgasbord-book-reviews-poetry-lockdown-innit-by-m-j-mallon/
If you are an avid poetry reader and would like a copy to review (no obligation, of course,) let me know. Happy to send you a copy!
Please consider adding to your Goodreads and check out some of my other books.
Thank you peeps!
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This week, Kat Myrman, from Like Mercury Colliding, selected the words:
So, I decided to write about my recent walk in the botanical gardens in Cambridge. It was a glorious autumn day which filled my spirit full of imagination and gratitude. There is a small area which is normally for school children only but this has been opened to the public.
I took various photos. I particularly loved this lovely writers throne which I shared on my Instagram…
Visualise
A writers garden
Blessed with thanks
And this was so unusual, just a couple of broken branches but they looked like a crocodile’s head and tail!
My head’s tail!
Give crocodile thanks
Picture this…
These are so cute too…
The autumn colours are fabulous.
This week’s photo prompt from Colleen is an excellent one. It’s so evocative. Who can this young girl be? And what might her plight be? She looks desperately sad, so I decided to write a poetic haiga in her honour.
Abandoned, she slumps down
A blade of grass caresses skin
Her pregnant bump hides.
***
The tree waits
Nature together
Babe in utero.
***
Daughter
Accepted
By tree.
The haiku poem was inspired by the photo of the girl resting by a tree, looking melancholy, a blade of grass reaches upwards towards her chin. It made me wonder what was making the woman so sad.
As it’s a haiku with a tight syllabic count there’s an immediate need to express her plight, so I decided upon an unwanted pregnancy – a girl sitting in nature – leaning against a tree – a symbol of life giving. The tree and nature (the grass,) will not judge her as others might – Daughter accepted by tree. Is the baby the daughter, or is the pregnant woman? Or are all females daughters of nature?
Yes, my mind does work in strange ways and this is only heightened during lockdown.
Via Colleen’s Blog: The HAIGA IN ENGLISH: 5/7/5, 3/5/3, 2/3/2 syllable structure. Haiga is called observational poetry because it contains an image with either a Haiku or Senryu written on it or near it. There are a few hard and fast rules for creating Haiga. The Haiku is the most important part and must standalone.
To join in with Colleen’s weekly prompts: https://colleenchesebro.com/2020/04/21/colleens-2020-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-174-photoprompt/
And might I suggest some poetic reading? A lovely, heart-warming and magical read suitable for lockdown…
Mr. Sagittarius is a collection of poetry, prose and photographic images inspired by the beautiful botanical gardens in Cambridge.
It’s a light-hearted, magical story about two fictional characters, twin brothers Harold and William, their sister Annette and the sibling’s connection to the beautiful botanical gardens in Cambridge.
Moreover, it celebrates many aspects of day to day life including: humour, sibling relationships, beauty, nature, the seasons of the year, love and ultimately magic.
I love spending time in nature taking photos – my favourite photos in this collection are the robin, trees and the dragonfly that grace this little book.
Photography is in my genes – Both my uncle and grandfather were photographers. My grandfather A.G. Ingram was originally with the photography company Ingram, Gordon & Co in Haddington up until the mid thirties. Then he ventured on his own to form the Scottish Pictorial Press in Edinburgh supplying photos to the press. When war broke out Scottish Pictorial Press became defunct. After the war he started AG Ingram Ltd, Commercial Photographers, at three successive locations in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The photographic images in the book are all my own, apart from two images kindly given by Alex Marlowe – a talented photographer.
To buy this book, please visit Amazon, click on the link below:
Available for free on kindle unlimited and to buy in kindle and paperback: http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius
I’m thrilled to announce I am included amongst some wonderful poets in Colleen Chesebro’s poetry book store with my poetry, prose and photography collection Mr. Sagittarius: https://colleenchesebro.com/poetry-books-for-sale/
Thank you for entering my worlds. I hope they bring you a touch of magic. And thank you to all the kind people who read and review my work. I appreciate you.
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-J-Mallon/e/B074CGNK4L/
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This haiku is inspired by the river walk near where I live. Yesterday, my daughter and I saw two swans, one was tranquil and the other angrily hissing at two guys on their barge. The two swans couldn’t have been any different!
Believe this Swan’s cute
Elegant fellow’s so calm
Near me’s no problem
Swan wife’s intention
Her whim is to hiss angry
At barge men in boats!
Synonyms of Idea and fancy : belief, intention, elegant, whim.
I have a new review for Mr. Sagittarius to share with you from Willow, that cheered me up no end as I haven’t been feeling too well today. Thank you Willow for reading and reviewing. 🙂
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-reviews/R3MH2KY5PXN0GX/
Available for free on kindle unlimited and to buy in kindle and paperback: http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius
My daughter Natasha and I saw this beautiful mural in Glasgow when we were looking at accommodation for her course starting in August. She is going to Strathclyde university to study to be an English secondary school teacher. It is the work of Australian artist Smug and depicts the patron saint of Glasgow, St Mungo, appearing to be breastfed by his mother, St Enoch, while a robin – said to signify one of his later miracles – perches on her wrist. It is alleged that St Mungo restored life to a robin, that had been killed by some of his classmates.
This is my HAIGA in response: 5/7/5, 3/5/3, 2/3/2 syllable structure. A Haiga is an observational form of poetry which contains an image with either a Haiku or Senryu written on it or near it.
A new adventure
Such a wondrous sight – robin!
It’s a good omen.
A surprise!
Beautiful robin
Let’s go!
Mother
Daughter time
Explore!
Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 167, #Poet’sChoice
My new release: Mr. Sagitarrius, poetry, prose and photography is now available in full paper paperback, kindle and free on kindle unlimited. Buying Link: http://mybook.to/MrSagittarius.
Latest review: 5 stars! https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2020/03/04/smorgasbord-book-reviews-poetry-and-prose-mr-sagittarius-by-m-j-mallon/
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
An archway of trees
In this bright winter garden
Red-coated lady
***
Who is she?
I would like to know
Her secret
***
Perhaps
She will say
One day.
I happened upon this beautiful pathway in the Cambridge botanical gardens, ( in the winter garden section,) which inspired me to write the haiga above.
In the distance I saw this intriguing lady with a very bright red coat! It appears as if she’s reading a book but I can’t remember what she was doing…
So I wrote a haiga, an observational form of poetry with the following haiku syllabic format: 5/7/5, 3/5/3 2/3/2.
Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 163, #Poet’sChoice
Buy Book Links:
YA Fantasy:
My latest book:
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Amazon USA:
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Sagittarius-Poetry-Prose-Mallon-ebook/dp/B084DQV3HW/
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
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Photo via Willow Willers.
Trying out the differing haiku formats
In the 3/5/3 format:
Summer time
Holiday tattoo
Memories
In the 2/3/2 format:
Henna
Tattoo time
Sun fun!
https://colleenchesebro.com/category/colleens-2020-weekly-poetry-challenges/
Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 161 #PhotoPrompt
And a new form I’ve never come across before:
Gogyohka – no restrictions…
A simple silver band
Could be overlooked
Amongst henna tattoos
Flowers escaping
Fingernails unpolished.
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
“Clear & Nature” are the synonyms but we can’t use them! Boo hoo… So for clear I chose (clean) and Nature: (character.)
The photo below is taken from my recent trip to Cromer, Norfolk Coast with my hubby.
Mr Seagull’s boat
Seagull’s character
To clean the ocean of boats
And bring them ashore
Haiga:
The haiku is the most important part and must stand alone.
In haiga, it must add something to the reader/viewer’s appreciation of the scene. I hope this works! The photo alone would make you think of a seagull dreaming or looking for his next meal, whereas the haiku makes the seagull do something unusual which he can’t do in reality!
The image can create for the reader/viewer an alternative reading to the one conveyed by a literal reading of the poem.
https://colleenchesebro.com/how-to-create-haiga-poetry/
Colleen’s 2019 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 138 #SynonymsOnly
Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’
“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)
Social Media Links
Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_MallonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
Amazon Synopsis:
This is a magical journey through a year in the life of a poet, presented in the format of haiku. Be entertained,and enlightened as you enjoy the worlds of reality and imagination are combined artfully. Dreamers will love this book. Writers will enjoy this book. Readers will enjoy this book. Even those who think they could never appreciate poetry, will enjoy this book. Come and be enchanted by the verbal imagery of A Haiku Perspective 2018.
Thank you to the author for a copy received in exchange for an honest review.
My review:
This is an enchanting book of poetry. So many wonderful haiku! I love short form poetry and Annette Rochelle Aben’s book covers a multitude of poetic topics in a warm and inviting way.
The first poem Strings is a poignant haiku love story. I read this particular poem several times and seemed to take more from it on each reading. I read it down and then from the bottom up! The family dynamic in this poem changes when a new baby is welcomed and Annette Rochelle Aben captures this to perfection in this thought-provoking poem. The message within will no doubt resonate with many. Love can be the most exquisite emotion. But, there are many loves. Can the love of a child be so consuming that your partner, wife, or husband feels neglected? I loved how this was expressed in a musical way.
Thereafter, the haiku flow in short bursts of inspiring magic. There are no images to break up the poems. This is pure poetry. And it works.
This is such an amusing, warm-hearted compilation of poetry.
My recommendation: Definitely read! You will be uplifted, you’ll smile and perhaps you might cry. Poetry takes our hearts on a journey. This poetry collection succeeds in transporting you to this special place and this feeling lingers long after you have finished reading.
My rating: 4.5 stars.
Annette Rochelle Aben’s Blog: https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/
Link to buy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Haiku-Perspective-2018-Annette-Rochelle-ebook/dp/B07BRBDF19/
To read a selection all my A – Z reviews please follow these links:
https://mjmallon.com/2015/09/28/a-m-of-my-book-reviews/
https://mjmallon.com/2016/11/27/my-kyrosmagica-reviews-n-z/
Have you read Annette Rochelle’s poetry? Do let me know if you have. I love comments. 🙂 x
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Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime
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