Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Proper Papa Papaya

 I like to say that inspiration for creative writing can come from literally anywhere.

Today, during Aleesha's and my morning walk, we passed by a small papaya tree. It didn't have any fruit on it, so we began to banter back and forth about why that might be. From that banter came the following poem.

But before you read it, you need to know that, in Thailand, papaya isn't pronounced "pah - Pai - yah". Instead, it's "pah - pah - yah". There's no emphasis on any given syllable.

With that necessary detail out of the way, here's the poem!

Proper Papa Papaya

Walking down the street and what do I see?
A fruitless fruit tree staring back at me
I said I don't see any fruit on ya
It laughed and said it's a family man tree
A peaceful proper papa papaya!

"The lady trees know me near and far
Drive any direction in a fast car
Fruit-laden ladies who will speak to ya
say I'm a fertile pollination czar
a promiscuous proper papa papaya"

I laughed and said I didn't mean to offend
He waved it off as he prepared to send
another wave of pollen gloria
He said to me that he's in the end
a prosperous promiscuous peaceful proper papa papaya!

Saturday, July 27, 2024

Haikus and Microfiction from dX Live Open Mic

 It was a busy day of writing at today's Open Mic!

Haiku



Slowly roasting seeds

Not caffeinated legumes

Fresh aroma


Ghostly steams swirling

Or ectoplasmic faces

Can smell but can’t touch


Cast iron basin

Oils harken to prior roasts

Release even heat


Roastery hidden

Nondescript location

But noses know


The fate of nations

may depend on this one roast

no pressure


Microfiction

After writing these Haikus, I still wanted to write some more but wasn't sure what to write. Seed Word Germination to the rescue!

Work, twerk, dance, lance, glance, look, like, close, closed, finished, complete, end, endless, less, minus, missus, matron, nurse, cure

I used Finished, Matron, Glance:


The shift nearly over, the day’s duties almost complete, tasks approaching finished. Space now for plans, dreams, aspirations. Hope o’clock. Time soon to wrap up and head home, to…

“Oh good - you haven’t left yet. We need you to stay.”

I dare not look directly at Matron Madeline. “But I’ve already covered three shifts. I need to go home.”

"You can grab a quick shower in the staff room and a bite in the cafeteria. Here’s a voucher for a small salad. And nap when you can but keep your pager with you. But we need you to stay.”

Water starts to leak from my eyes as the shift is nearly starting, the day’s duties undone, tasks soon to begin. Plans, dreams, aspirations set aside, put back in mental Tupperware inside the mental refrigerator.

“Ok.”

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

I Could've Been a Hero

I could've been a hero - the champion I'd dreamed myself to be. I'd felt the confidence, the surety of being, and an energy rising through my body that would've enabled victories against all of life's obstacles, no matter how difficult. I was endowed with complete faith in my abilities, spiritual strength worthy of the most hallowed divinity, and Oneness with the Universe. I felt omnipotent!

Until I felt the discomfort of the zit inside my left nostril. Ouch!

Maybe tomorrow I'll try feeling like a hero.

Saturday, July 20, 2024

Haikus from an Open Mic prompt

 


age-coated grounding

rough clasps march through time

refusal to fail



strength under strain

defying time and tide

Atlas would be moved



storm tossed craft

rock burrowing bow

what need then these links?



ostrich boat

hiding its head

from the sun



derrière upright

publicly exposed

shameless



transport for thousands

now in makeshift dry dock

proudly it would float



water there was

pit there is

baked relic



ungainly tripod

sticks, hull, and crossed fingers

unlikely embrace



points set on flat

appointed future failure

stave rots underneath



trees call to poles

brothers, how do you fare?

so far so good



hardening coast 

forest retreats

metal root holds fast



bedrock to boulder

then to pebbles and sand

and always the chain



wood, rock, metal

utilitarian brown

incomplete bleaching



forcibly retired

seeks gainful employment with

reimbursed travel

Friday, July 19, 2024

My #dailyhaiku collection (so far...)

 rocketing fur balls

watch wait wiggle rinse repeat

postponed attack cat nap


---


aaaaaand filming begins

count down. Action. Recording.

Parz nails it first time!


---


pondering thoughtful

wholistic moment breathing

purpose realized


---


curved lines creating 

illusion within darness

inner tangled weaving

breath released


---


quiet moments alone

meditative creative pause

thoughts melt breathing slows


---


pausing, timeless, alone

glance hermetic symmetry

expansive moment


---

- Aleesha Sattva

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Buddha statue in our garden - a Haiku study

 



serene inward gaze

contemplates nothingness

infinite openness


see the smile

feel the peace

embrace the wisdom


adorn with meaning

clothe with adoration

sit at his feet equal


The Buddha teaches

Noble Truths and Paths

find your freedom


The Middle Way

balance of opposites

dance on the knife's edge


faced with vile intent

it dissolves to nothing

all is illusion


a breath, a sigh

erect and head held high

no one's watching


swim the cosmic stream

chop wood, carry water

same same

Saturday, July 13, 2024

Snail on Jade - a Haiku study

 I love the images and words that serve as dX Live Open Mic prompts - they just call to me to be Haiku'd (perhaps not a word... or perhaps is... or perhaps now is because I just wrote it!)


Prompt = Jade(d)


Spiral sits on jade flat

A world’s edge approached

What lies underneath?


From where did you come?

And to where do you go?

Is this a side trip?


Fibonacci round

Burnished golden ratio

Time in rotation


Clockwise rotation

Snail and plant and living things

Root of five growth


Jade calls to wealth

Money magnet garden 

Did snail hear the song?


Magic within leaves

Ingest mystical force

Imbue yourself


Grown wherever

No obvious wealth here

Feeling jaded?


Gaelic jade plants

Tended by leprechauns 

Atop pots of gold


~ Parz

Two Daily Haiku

 light shines bright within

emanating vibrations

deep flowing release

---

stagnant pooling swirl

slowly shifting emotions

imminent release

---

- Aleesha Sattva

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Three drinks too many...

my work during Parz's LIVE on YouTube

Slouched in my chair, I reach for my glass... aagh, blocked again. 

"Are those voices? Distant... foggy... focus... focus... focus... Is that my voice?" 

The sting of a slap on my cheek brings my focus bleary eyed... back to the room.

Late into the next day I woke with a jerk of realization, "oh crap, did that really happen BEFORE my appearance on Ed Sullivan?"

- Aleesha Sattva

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Mosquito Repelling Incense - a Haiku study

 Inspiration can come from anywhere - including enjoying not being bitten by mosquitoes!


Incense - my muse


 

Noxious tendrils waft
Whining vampires finally flee
Peaceful coffee time


Together like straw
Separately like fence posts
Alive as glowing coals


Ashen tops orange
Black descends a tan rope
Only a stick remains

Old hands teach new
mix, grind, age, dry, dip, roll, mold
Ancient knowledge burns


Stunted forest
Hallmarks of bygone picnics
Will be tossed aside


~ Parz



Mediative moment

 languishing upright

breezy thoughts, focus dissolves

silence envelops

our garden


Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Kakagori

 frozen slivers melt

berries sweet filled nectar

delightfully mine!

- Aleesha

Japanese shaved ice




Monday, July 8, 2024

My Heart

 sleeveless expression

guarded enveloping cage

safe within self containment

- Aleesha 


Sunday, July 7, 2024

Spryte

 weary eyes smiling

paws wrapped around my heart

garden santuary

Spryte - one of our outdoor kittens

- Aleesha Sattva

Saturday, July 6, 2024

Neighbourhood gifts

 fragrant scented buds

pungent salted mackerel

nostrils symphony

- Aleesha Sattva



keifer limes - from over the fence

A(nother) Haiku Study

Haiku - My New (Not So) Guilty Passion

I don't blame myself. It's just that the prompts from dX Live Open Mic speak to me strongly. In Haiku.

I think Haiku fit in nicely with my world view - let's start with something simple and from there create something extraordinary. Or at least I hope extraordinary!

My Latest Inspiration

Just look at this image and tell me it doesn't ask, nay, scream, for Haiku:

Prompt word = rose


Properly inspired, I wrote the following:

Petal strewn path

Discover what lies beyond

Is that the hare?


Perfumed obstacles

Miasma tickles my nose

Misstep and I sneeze


Graceful tawny neck

Ink spattered fused amber scales

Pink stained toenails


Party detritus

Wedding guests dance elsewhere

Nature clambers on


Paused tortoise movement 

in dangerous surroundings

Prowling calico



I can't wait to see what the next dX Live Open Mic brings!


~ Parz


Aleesha here!!!

 This is what I wrote during Parz's live on YouTube today. The topic was patterns...  Bending deep and low Reaching as balance shifts… D...