Creative Writing

Adventure 244 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [13]

/ intrepidjane

firewoodI’ve had a total head-jammer of a day today, working on my website. I’ve started to really look forward to my daily adventures because they bring me back to the present moment, they close the door on work.

And my haiku adventures are right up there when it comes to creating presence. Within a few short minutes, I find myself immersed in the very essence of nature, checking out my emotional responses to the world around me, immersed in the very essence of myself.

I think I must have had Winter on my mind today : I went out to check the firewood supplies. When I looked at the pile of wood, it made me smile. I got to thinking about how things (including humans) can look old, and yet still be full of life.

You can read today’s haiku here. I read it out loud in today’s video-blog too.

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

 

Adventure 243 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [12]

/ intrepidjane

Autumn leavesYou know what? I’m really enjoying my poetic adventures : I’m enjoying taking pictures, I’m enjoying learning about nature, and I’m enjoying the experience of super-slow presence.

Whilst I was taking my dog for his morning walk, I noticed how one of the trees (it’s a common lime) is racing towards autumn. Many of the tree’s leaves are already golden ; some of the leaves are already on the ground.

I wondered what it would be like to be a leaf on that tree. I wondered what the “younger” leaves might say to the “older” leaves as the inevitable fall approached.

Today’s haiku (which is an attempt to translate the autumn rustle of leaves into words) is called “Leaf,” and you can read it here. I read the poem out loud in today’s video-blog.

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

Adventure 241 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [11]

/ intrepidjane

owlFor today’s poetic adventure, I had to do quite a bit of detective work. With the help of “Birdwatching For Beginners” and BBC Radio 4’s Tweet Of The Day archives, I was able to work out which bird I’ve been hearing at dusk throughout the summer : it’s the long-eared owl!

You can hear the call of the elusive long-eared owl here; you can read today’s haiku about this nocturnal bird here; and you can listen to me read my haiku out loud in today’s video- blog too 🙂 .

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

Adventure 240 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [10]

/ intrepidjane

Whitepark Bay Northern IrelandToday’s poetic adventure was inspired by the sea! I live very close to the Atlantic Ocean and made today’s video-blog on the beach at Whitepark Bay (Northern Ireland).

The sea was actually very calm this afternoon, but I always think of the ocean as a powerful and brooding thing, and I think that energy comes out in today’s haiku.

You can read today’s haiku here , and I read it out loud in my video-blog too.

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

Adventure 237 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [9]

/ intrepidjane

robinFor the last couple of weeks “our” farm robin has been very noisy indeed! Listening to BBC Radio 4’s “Tweet Of The Day” I learned why that might be . The robin’s autumn song is distinctive, and it is very different from its song earlier in the year : the purpose of the new song is to defend its winter territories.

Robins often make their hones in hawthorn hedges and, since the farm is surrounded by such hedges, this mighty-small creature must feel at home with us!

I’ve not been quick enough to get a picture of the robin or to record its “tweeting” ~ it’s worth checking out the Radio 4 link to listen in (I expect it will sound familiar to many of you!).

So, our robin has inspired today’s poetic adventure. You can read my haiku about the robin here, and I read it out loud in today’s video-blog too.

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

Adventure 236 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [9]

/ intrepidjane

honeysuckleToday’s poetic adventure was inspired by the honeysuckle on the side of my mother-in-law’s house : the agile shrub seems to be attempting to climb its way out of the turn of the season. It’s doing a really good job too : it’s trumpet blooms are still eye-catchingly healthy, and it’s still reaching skywards to the fading sun.

I’m really enjoying using this poetic form. It requires the creation of a dense and compressed essence , and it really helps to know a little about the element of nature you’re describing too (beyond its appearance). So, it’s encouraged me to learn more about the world around me ~ I like that 🙂 .

Today I learned that honeysuckle is also known as fairy trumpets (I can see why!) and woodbine (it winds and binds itself in the hedgerow). According to folklore, if honeysuckle grows outside your house, it’ll protect you from evil. If you bring it inside, it’ll bring wealth into the house. Although you’d think that everyone would want to take it into their house, some people don’t because they believe the sweet, pungent aroma causes “racy” dreams!

You can read today’s haiku here, and I read it out loud in today’s video-blog too.

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

Adventure 230 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [7]

/ intrepidjane

Evening ash treeFor today’s poetic adventure, I experiment with extending my range : I’ve managed to create a riddle-haiku!

The haiku was inspired by one of the old ash trees on our farm. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil (The Tree Of Life) is an ash tree and is closely associated with one particular god in the Norse pantheon.

I wonder if you can work out which of  the Aesir I am describing? (All the clues are “hidden” in the haiku 😛 ).

You can read today’s haiku here, and I read it out loud in today’s video.

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

Adventure 229 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [6]

/ intrepidjane

Rushes blown over in the windHaving camped out last night, I feel very close to the essence of the wind (it roared at me for most of the night 😛 ). To me, it sounded like a winter warning, a song of things to come ~ perfect material for today’s poetic adventure.

You can read my haiku about wind here. I read it out loud (in very windy conditions!) on todays video too.

 

 

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

Adventure 228 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [5]

/ intrepidjane

Thistle For today’s poetic adventure, I write a haiku about the thistle. Over the past couple of months, I’ve grown to love this intrepid weed : from humble beginnings, it carves out great empires for itself.

As the wheel of Nature turns, the bright purple flower-heads transform themselves into ethereal whisper-clouds of seed : I’ll miss the warrior army as it goes off to conquer new lands.

You can read today’s haiku here. On today’s video, I read the haiku out loud and show you the warrior army as it prepares to move camp!

 

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT

 

Adventure 227 ~ Write A Collection Of Haiku Poems [4]

/ intrepidjane

Dog Rose Berries AugustOut on my walk with my dog this morning, the jiggling dog rose bushes caught my eye. They’re not in flower yet here in Northern Ireland, but their berries look fit to burst!

When I stood still and observed the berries, I noticed that I had quite an unexpected (and powerful) emotional reaction to them. I hope that today’s haiku captures the energy of the emotion :).

In today’s video, I talk about how I experience the dog rose (sometimes known as the briar rose), and I read my poem out loud. You can read today’s haiku here.

 

I am just going outside and may be some time.

JT