This month Mary Lee had our Inklings challenge. She invited us to write a series of haiku about poetry without using the word poetry. I wish I’d had more time to linger with this prompt, but March holds madness not only for basketball players and their fans. This was my liberal translation of the prompt :).
Turn, Turn, Turn*
a rush of syllables
whispers in leaf-lush trees
songs on the breeze
a quickening
leaves and light, autumn-gilded
the haunting cry of geese
skies clear to moonlight
snow cloaks each branch
all is aglow
a tree exhales—
feathered buds transform
blackbirds take flight
©Molly Hogan, draft
*title credit to Pete Seeger
We’re in the midst of a winter/spring storm as I write this post. School was cancelled today and has already been cancelled for tomorrow. With no power at home, we hear only the crackle of the fires in the wood stoves and a far off hum from neighbors’ generators. Every so often we’re startled by a crack and crash as tree limbs break under the weight of this heavy, wet snow. We’re thankful to be safe and warm.
shattering tree limbs
winter silence splinters
weathering the storm
If you’d like to see what the other Inklings did with this haiku challenge, click on the links below.
Linda Mitchell
Heidi Mordhorst
MaryLee Hahn
Catherine Flynn
Margaret Simon
The PF Roundup is hosted this week by Irene Latham at her blog, Live Your Poem. She’s got all sorts of exciting things to share! Be sure to swing by and check it out.
Nix the comfort zone 
A rush of syllables… gorgeous, Molly! Thank you for sharing. And wow for that storm. Thinking of you. xo
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Gracious! Now I feel embarrassed at my complaints about the weather here, awash with rain and gray, way chillier than I’d prefer. But not snowing! Maybe you didn’t quite write about poetry, but you defaulted to your sweet spot and wrote some BEAUTIFUL haiku.
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I thought of this as writing about those poetic moments in nature that catch me and fill me with joy–sort of transcendent in a natural way? Poetry in nature? Actually my first title was along those lines, but then I thought maybe I shouldn’t say “poetry” anywhere in the series…even in the title. lol Too much thinking!
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Oh, I did hear about that storm coming your way! Wow! Stay safe. That first haiku makes me hear the wind whispers with the /s/ and /sh/.
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All your haiku are good, Molly, but I especially love the last one. I hope you get power back soon!!!
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I think your haikus are cousins to Linda’s — written by/about the ultimate poetess, Nature! GORGEOUS!
That snow, however…I hope your willow makes it. We had a heavy wet snow a few springs ago after trees were starting to leaf out and some of my favorite buckeyes and magnolias had their tops broken down. They’ve recovered their shapeliness now, but they looked ragged for a few years.
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“a rush of syllables” is unexpected and delightful. I love that you start with that.
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I particularly love your last haiku, Molly! Lovely. I hope that your power has returned. Stay warm!
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I’ve been watching your weather, like ours just a couple of weeks ago, everything closed! Sorry about your own power out, hope all is better. Your haiku feels like the soft gliding that I think of poetry. I know, sometimes it’s stark & sad, but much sets a soft and beautiful tone, no matter from where. The tension early, then “a tree exhales—”. I love that, Molly. Hope the weekend finds better days.
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Your haiku are a beautiful collection of beautiful moments. Hope the storm doesn’t do too much damage.
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I think this is a tough prompt! And your poetry-without-poetry is gorgeous, all the more so that it was written during a storm.
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The quickening, the rush, the aglow-ness…wonderful series, Molly. And that snowstorm–magical.
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Molly, what beautiful poem. I especially was moved by the last stanza. WOW!
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I want to grab hold of all of your last lines and let them linger:
songs on the breeze
the haunting cry of geese
all is aglow
blackbirds take flight
Such beautiful imagery.
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