Sunday, June 9, 2013

Haiku Month

Performing haiku in last year's Nimbin Poetry Festival, I made some valuable connections with people in the Australian creative writing scene. I was contacted via this blog for a sample of the haiku that I read. Then today, I stumbled across some delightful banners that showcased some of my work as part of the "Haiku Month" at Co-West Coworking+Writing Studio, a real delight to be featured amongst some of the masters of the haiku craft including: George Swede, Hakusuiro, Shiki, Zuiryu. Here are some pictures of the banners :) I'll write what Co-West Coworking+Writing Studio said about each banner above each picture...

Haiku month at Co-West - starting with the work of Vuong Pham...




Day three! Thanks Vuong. He read this haiku at the Nimbin Poetry Festival...




Day 4: ... from George Swede




From the masters of the craft...



SHIKI



Enuff said...



The last one for the month - exquisite and immortal...



Lastly, I saw this banner while at Nimbin-- one of my favourite Bible verses in Psalms:


"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." -- Psalm 23: 1-6

Friday, June 7, 2013

Snapshots


As part of the "Friday Fences" blogroll, I've taken a snapshot of my backyard fence:


This picture of my backyard fence has some history to it. In the foreground is an old chicken pen fence that has been unused since our chickens have left us; it now serves as a sort of trellis for some sun-aspiring vines. The fence in the background is the fence dividing ourselves from the neighbours. Coincidentally, they too have chickens, and, sometimes the odd one flies over to graze our yard. The trampoline has been unused for years now, it takes me back to childhood when we'd laugh ourselves silly just jumping on it. And also a memory of bouncing on it with my brother at Easter, and we were talking about how Mum used to buy us presents in the form of video games whenever we got certificates of Merit at school. How Mum tried to encourage us in our education, and my brother and myself agreed on not to ask for more video games, because back then, we were poor... really poor. As the first generation of migrants from Vietnam, you can imagine all the sacrifices my parents made. Wow, I didn't realise I could say so much on one picture. So the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words", but I better stop there, otherwise, the words won't stop!

I find it lovely that nature is harmonising itself through the years in this photo. The old trampoline is now a sleeping place for my cat, Ramsay, during the day so he can sunbake. The old fence and chicken pen fence is now like a trellis for other plants. On a similar note, my favourite words are "trellis", "petrichor", and "halcyon".

Here's a haiku I wrote a while ago, it appears in my first collection, Refugee Prayer:

our conversation
leans into the trellis...
bursting buds

I submit this haiku as part of the Carpe Diem blogroll.

I hope you enjoyed this flashback post, I'll leave you with a verse from the Bible that spoke to me today: "He reached down from heaven and took hold of me; He pulled me out of deep waters" -- Psalm 18:16.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Love Poems


E.E. Cumming's poem, "i carry your heart" describes well the emotions and experiences I'm feeling at the moment towards someone special. Hmm, I'd best keep it captured in this poem I've written, "All Our Bones & Dust". I'm not the most articulate person in expressing emotions face to face. I'm more of an introverted poet, who captures those emotions and experiences in writing form. Here's a beautifully crafted video of E.E. Cumming's poem, "i carry your heart":