April is #NPM18 - National Poetry Month.
"Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket."
~Charles Simic
And, see what many others are doing for Poetry Month, by looking HERE at Jama Rattigan's post at Jama's Alphabet Soup.
My goal for Poetry Month: A haiku diary that may include other forms related to haiku, like haibun, haiga. monoku or renga. My first poem speaks of why I am handwriting the poems.
April’s garden,
growing poems
on lined pages
Linda Baie
Poem TenPoem Eleven
Poem Twelve
Poem Thirteen
Poem Fourteen
Poem Fifteen
Poem Sixteen
Poem Seventeen
Poem Eighteen
Poem Nineteen
Poem Twenty
Poem Twenty-One
Poem Twenty-Two
Poem Twenty-Three
Poem Twenty-Four
Poem Twenty-Five
Poem Twenty-Six
I know, I know, Karla Kuskin said to "Write about a radish. . ." but still I often am inspired to write about that fabulous thing in the sky, coming round every month, helping me know one thing that's dependable. The moon is full this coming Sunday, the Full Pink Moon or the full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon, take your pick. I watch for the moon each month, I've 'moon-journaled' with students, seen more than one lunar eclipse and more than one moon landing, on television, yes, but still awesome. It's the just-right time to write, the final Poetry Friday in April, three more days of my diary and how could I not include our moon!
And then, on Wednesday, from David Gerard, the haiku guy, this arrived:
Buddha's Fourth Month
Eighth Day...
red flowers
1818
.御仏のう月八日や赤い花
mi-hotoke no uzuki yôka ya akai hana
mi-hotoke no uzuki yôka ya akai hana
Uzuki means, literally, "Rabbit Moon" or "Rabbit Month." The Rabbit is the fourth zodiac sign and the name of the fourth lunar month. Gautama Buddha's birthday is celebrated on the Eighth Day of Fourth Month.
This poem Twenty-Seven is meant to be:
I love your "teapot steams" in this poem. Thanks for the heads-up on the Moon this weekend–I love looking at it but don't always keep up with its phases. "Rabbit Moon" and Rabbit Month" these are fun, I wonder if the rabbits know about it, they've come out in droves in the last week, enjoy the full moon, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michelle. I wrote about the rabbits yesterday, maybe it is because of the moon?
DeleteI can just picture that steamy kitchen! I hope insomnia is only a poetic inspiration--like the moon!
ReplyDeleteActually, I am much more wakeful and energetic during this time before a full moon, but that's okay. I do love that moon! Thanks, JoAnn!
DeleteI do love that "teapot steams", too - unexpected, yet absolutely fitting.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tara. That tea is a welcome sight late at night!
DeleteI'd much rather write and read about the moon than radishes anyway - I've never been much of a fan of their peppery bite! :-)
ReplyDeleteHa! They are very different and few do write about them, I know. Thanks, Jane.
DeleteI love that steaming tea! I suspect my teapot may get a workout this coming week.
ReplyDeleteYes, it has already, Kay. Thanks!
DeleteAmy LV has proved that you can't really write about one subject too many times, right? Thanks for the info about Buddha's birthday and Rabbit Month.
ReplyDeleteI read that "In 1793 French revolutionaries set aside the 5th day of the Flowering month [April] to honor nightingales." I had to wonder about that...what did they do to honor nightingales? It feels like there's a story in there somewhere.
I'm just reading K. Hannah's The Nightingale where the last name of the 2 main characters is Rossignol, which is 'nightingale' in French. I wonder about that too, Tabatha, will look further. I think the 'rabbit' moon is from people imaging a "rabbit" in the moon during very clear times, like April, instead of the elusive "man" Thanks!
DeleteI love your haikus this month!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have many rabbits around here, but a couple of days ago visiting my daughter in PA, I watched a gray squirrel and a rabbit chasing each other. Looked for all the world like a game of tag. I'll remember "rabbit moon". I forget that the man in the moon can also be the rabbit! Thanks for the reminder to watch!
ReplyDeleteLinda, it seems to be getting more difficult to keep up with reading all of the wonderful happenings and poetry surfacing this month. Kudos to you for keeping up with your challenge. Tea is the elixir of choice. I hope you offer some of your #NPM18 poetry for my gallery. It is always interesting to see handwritten poetry. I got my cup right next to me but it needs more steaming water. I have a hot water faucet at my disposal right on my sink and I just love it.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your handwritten haiku on social media, Linda. As a sometimes-insomniac, this latest installment struck a chord with me.
ReplyDeleteOh, this is lovely! And thanks for reminding me of the upcoming full moon. Love the line - "sleep-stealing orb." I had an acrostic moon poem that I shared yesterday with students. And the moon is definitely present in this year's progressive poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone, I spent the rest of the afternoon into the evening with Ingrid, visiting a park, sketching the animals, looking for old cattails kept us happy! Home now, and saw that moon up already tonight! Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteTeapot steams is so unexpected! I love it. Also all this moon-lore. Wow, I have a lot to catch up on. Congratulations, Linda, on almost a month full of poems! xo
ReplyDeleteLove this one -- might be my favorite of all the haiku you wrote this month. Like others have mentioned, the "teapot steams" is unexpected and perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Irene and Jama. When I'm awake, a first thing is to put on that teapot, especially in this full-moon time.
ReplyDeleteI cannot be the first to see that you have a serious collection going on here....have you thought about gathering all your moon poems for a greater audience? I'll bet they would be an illustrator's dream! I'm checking in on Sunday during a busy teen-centric weekend in my house. Sunday morning is a sure bet they will be asleep until I let them know it's time to get up for church ;) I agree that the teapot steam is unexpected....but similar to the mist that often accompany's moon. More steam haiku, please!
ReplyDeleteGood Sunday morning to you, Linda! Hope you have a wonderful day! Thanks for the ideas, will look for the different poems, think about steam, too!
DeleteSleep? What's that? :)
ReplyDeleteExactly! Thanks!
DeleteOh, that moon! She winked at us as we left the joyous live music and dancing last night.
ReplyDeleteYes, I saw her too. Looking forward to tonight!
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