Happy Haiga Day!

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Photo courtesy Library of Congress.

Poetry Friday--Easter Senryu

Easter is coming up on Sunday. For those of you who believe, I wish you a joyous celebration. For those of you who don't believe, my wish for you is the same as the wish for myself--dark chocolate and a marshmallow chick.

The following is presented as a commentary on human nature, so, you'll find this labeled as a senryu.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Postcard courtesy riptheskull.

Hop over to the poetry celebration being held today at A Year of Reading. Have a great weekend!

Haiku Sticky #194

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

I attended a Peace Conference on Saturday, a combined project of NH Peace Action and Rivier University. I enjoyed a little sanity in the discourse about violence after months of viewing the comments of internet trolls. I was beginning to lose hope about the future of our country.

The only thing that bothered me about the conference was the poor attendance by young people. I think that the few who did attend, were only there because it was part of a class requirement. Sad, but, the haiku above was a result.

I want to leave you with this quote from the keynote speaker, John Dear: "We claim the imagination for peace."

Happy Haiga Day!

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Some topics we haiku people visit over and over again. See Haiku Sticky #181.

Poetry Friday--Ear Candy

I took this photo from a distance, in poor lighting, so it's not good.
I was, however, able to crop most of the audience heads out of the picture!
Two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of attending "POEMJAZZ: A Conversation and Performance" by Robert Pinsky and three jazz musicians.

Pinsky performed several poems accompanied by music. Most fittingly, two poems were about musical instruments--one a green piano!

He also included a poem by Ben Jonson, a poet and playwright who was a contemporary of William Shakespeare. Someone who lived long before the development of jazz! Pinsky introduced the Jonson poem by telling us that Jonson was like a musician in his use of words, and that his poetry was "ear candy." I neglected to make note of the title of the poem Pinsky performed, but in looking for it afterwards, I found that it may have been "His Excuse for Loving," which Pinsky also performed as part of this Valentine's Day production at Boston University:



In browsing some of the Jonson poems posted online, I came across this one, which I like for its brevity, and for the point it makes about simplicity and beauty:

The Noble Nature
by Ben Jonson

      It is not growing like a tree
      In bulk, doth make man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:
          A lily of a day
          Is fairer far in May,
      Although it fall and die that night—
      It was the plant and flower of Light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in short measures life may perfect be.

Here's a short introduction to Jonson from the Kennedy Center:



You gotta go to GottaBook where Gregory is hosting the Poetry Friday Round-Up for this week.

Haiku Sticky #193

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Happy Haiga Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sláinte!

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Photochrom print, between 1890 and 1900. Photo of flax processing, between 1918 and 1921. Both courtesy Library of Congress.