Snow at Dawn

crisp winter, pre-dawn
waiting for the air to breathe
snow gently falling

Photo credit: Jason Hollinger, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

On Loan

library book stack
guides to financial freedom ~
more overdue fees

Photo credit: CCAC North Library / CC BY 2.0

The Point of the Pen

modern haikuist
divining nature's beauty ~
a pen strikes the earth


Photo credit: Mixy Lorenzo, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

The Wild Wild Web

web exploitation:
the modern day prospector
claims last urls


Photo credit: Luke, via BurningWell.org

Vandalized

love vandal at work
heart splattered in graffiti ~
passion is misspelled

Photo credit: MaxiuB, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Original art by unknown graffiti artist near Fuengirola, Spain.

Kauai

double rainbows dance
arching over canyon walls -
the joys of summer

Photo credit: Bryce Edwards, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Note: I chose this photo over one with a double rainbow because this is the canyon that I was visualizing when I wrote the poem. You see so many rainbows in Hawaii! It's no wonder the state license plate has a rainbow on it.

Impasse

I learned about Sedoka last night over at Joseph Harker's poetry blog, naming constellations, so I wanted to try one. According to AllPoetry.com, a Sedoka is a poem with the syllabic form 5/7/7 5/7/7, where each stanza (or, more accurately, katauta) comes at the same subject from different perspectives. I thought it would be fun to try one, which is how I came to write Impasse.

such impassive frost
devours heat from my soul
snow-bitten, withered, I lie

you lie before me
imposter, super-imposed
yourself, burnt in effigy

Photo credit: Gordana Adamovic-Mladenovic, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Reaction to "Chocolatetown"

I was cruising through flickr, looking for a picture to go with a different poem, when I happened upon this photo. I was immediately sucked into the frame, wind upon my face at dusk, hazy maritime air heavy in my lungs. So, of course, I had to write a poem.

window draped in dusk
flashes iridescent light
sunset’s stolen kiss

Photo credit: Petar Krizmanic, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Short Flight

flying in circles
the helicopter buzzes
baby's toothless gums

Photo credit: Naomi, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Win a copy of 2010 Writer's Market!

This contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered!

[Update: Well, the 10-sided die has been cast ... and lightverse, you are our winner! Congratulations! Please contact me and let me know where you'd like me to send your book. And thanks to everyone who entered. You made my day!]


To celebrate the launch of this new blog, I am giving away an unused paperback copy of the 2010 Writer's Market published by Writer's Digest Books. This tome is a great addition to any writer's toolkit, containing listings for 3,500 places to publish your work. I already own a copy and received this extra one at Christmas -- a perfect opportunity for a giveaway!

To be eligible for the drawing, please leave me a comment about science, poetry, or both, on this post only.

• Tell me about your favorite scientific subject, describe a fun science activity, tell me what you like about my other blog, Mama Joules, provide a link to a family-friendly science website, or tell me anything else about science.
  

• If science isn't your thing, (drop by my family-friendly science blog, Mama Joules, and then) talk to me about haiku, tanka, haiga, alliteration, Robert Frost, Gwendolyn Brooks, or anything else relating to poetry.

• And if, like me, you enjoy both science and poetry, share your thoughts on Scifaiku, Fibonacci sequence poetry, or some other topic similar to both.

You must include something about science, poetry, or both, in your comment to be eligible for this drawing. I reserve the right to delete any comments that contain spam, sexually explicit references, swearing, or other overtly troll-like content. Please make sure to include enough contact information that I can E-mail you back if you win!

I'll be accepting comments here for roughly two weeks (until 8 pm EST January 20th) and then I'll have my husband, Itinerant Cryptographer, help me pick a winner at random (since he does that sort of thing for a living). At that time, I will announce the winner here, by updating this post, and I will request that you contact me by E-mail to claim your prize.

If you are chosen as the winner and haven't contacted me by 8 pm EST January 24th, you will forfeit the prize and I will draw another name from the list.

I look forward to reading your comments. Good luck!


Photo credit: Francis via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Tiny Temper

terrible spasms
red-faced twisting and writhing
toddler tantrum

Photo credit: Pedro Klien, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Babycakes

pregnant at 40 ~
I didn't know I missed you
until you were born

Photo credit: Lawyer Mama, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Guardians of Dusk

magical dragons

reveal themselves at sunset ~
fire-breathing clouds

Photo credit: *Micky, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Housekeeping Under Duress

torment awaits me
twirling the brush in circles
shiny clean toilet

Photo credit: Evil Erin (via flickr). CC BY 2.0

Evil Eye

~ with shimmering eyes ~
~ diabolic fixation ~
~ he unzips her soul ~

Photo credit: Ky Olsen through a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License via flickr.

Sibling Scuffle

rec room spin cycle ~

the endless agitation
of siblings at play

Photo credit: Sharon Mollerus, through a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License via flickr.

(Note: I liked this picture so much that I changed my subject from "brothers" to "siblings." The word "scuffle" in the title is my nod to Sharon's photo caption. Her shot embodies what I was trying to capture.)

Meditation

majestic fir stands
crowned with glorious snow caps
arms outstretched in prayer

Photo credit: Sharon Mollerus, through a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License via flickr.

Escape Artist

tumbling before me

the agile contortionist
fights the diaper change

Photo credit: David Goehring, through a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License via flickr.

Nature's Act of Contrition

fierce incessant wind ~
anguished sobs at my front door
her pleas for mercy


Photo credit: Gordana Adamovic-Mladenovic through a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License via flickr

Fingertip Embrace

our first hand-made heart ~
diamond-dipped fingers embrace
on our wedding day

Photo credit: Tammra McCauley through a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License via flickr

Baby Meets Kitchen

tiny explorer
conquers new territory
Cheerios bouncing

Welcome!

This summer, I joined Twitter to promote my family-friendly science blog, Mama Joules. I expected to post about science - which I do - but then something unexpected happened. I discovered the #haikuchallenge offered by @baffled and suddenly, I found myself writing haiku. Historically, I haven't been a big fan of haiku, so this came as quite a surprise.

I've found that I enjoy writing these little poems. They bring a few moments of peace to my otherwise chaotic life. Through them, I have been given the opportunity to glimpse stars in my sugar bowl.

I'm not the most organized of people, so I thought it would be nice to have a place to collect my thoughts. Welcome to my virtual catchall drawer for snippets of poetry. I expect to update this blog irregularly as the muses move me.

Thank you for stopping by.