I took these photos last autumn while I was travelling in Portugal. So, with colour poetry, taste the rainbow as the theme for Colleen Chesebro’s Tanka Tuesday, it seemed the perfect opportunity to share these now, along with some haiku.
Vila Nova de Castelo
muted life’s colours
tranquil portuguese autumn
bringing me much joy
Almancil
blue sky and blue sea
green leaves but autumnal earth
orange underfoot
Val do lobo
golfer’s paradise
val do lobo is so green
autumn algarve day
Altura Beach
my favourite spot
empty of souls only shells
autumn on the beach
I’m excited to reveal that I am working on my next poetry collection: Do What You Love… I will share more about this soon!
Also, I’m delighted to be a contributing author in Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships compiled and edited by Kaye Lynne Booth and Robbie Cheadle.
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.
This week, Kat Myrman, from Like Mercury Colliding, selected the words:
Imagine & Gratitude
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…
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.
Image Credit: Unknown
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: TheHAIGA 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.
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:
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.
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. 🙂
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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)
