Category: Poetry

Haiku: Butterbeans and Lovage

close up shot of chopped tomatoes on a yellow plate

meeting again
butterbeans and lovage
on solstice day

© Xenia Tran

side on view of a plant-based meal simmering in a frying pan

This has been a regular dish for us during the lockdown, once fresh tomatoes and spinach were available. We experimented with many different seasonings and lovage became our favourite.

We’re delighted that this haiku is featured in Haiku Dialogue: The Way of the Chef, Troutswirl, The Haiku Foundation Blog, 24 June 2020. A very big thank you to guest editor Craig Kittner and post manager Lori Zajkowski for putting this edition together.

Thank you again for all your good wishes before we went on our blogging break and we hope you had a lovely week and Solstice too!

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/2.8 – 1/25 s – ISO 100 and f/2.8 – 1/10 s – ISO 800.

Frank J Tassone’s Weekly Haikai Challenge #144: Summer Solstice

Jez Braithwaite’s Fan Of … #73: Taking a Break

Word of the Day Challenge: Celebration

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals:

Haiku: A Small Fish

a grey heron stalking fish in a tidal lagoon

disappearing
in the heron’s mouth
a small fish

© Xenia Tran

a grey heron with a freshly caught fish in his mouth while wading through a tidal lagoon

It is a treat to see how patient herons are when using these trusted old methods to catch a new meal every day.

At the same I felt for the small fish and said a few prayers for him and his family.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.2 – 1/2000 s – ISO 100.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #99: Old and New

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: For Our Good

Haiku by Issa

macro shot of a snail on the edge of a wall

the life of a snail
he goes to bed and gets up
just the way he is

– Issa

macro image of a snail between leaves

Watching this snail move through our garden I had to think of Issa’s haiku and thought I’d share it with you here.

Wishing you all a blessed Monday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.5 – 1/160 – ISO 100 and f/3.5 – 1/125 s – ISO 100.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday #43

Haiku: Lily of the Valley

close up shot of lily of the valley flower and buds

north wind
lilies of the valley
shelter in place

© Xenia Tran

macro shot of lily of the valley flower and buds

We’re delighted that this haiku is featured in Haiku Dialogue: Haiku Prism – White, Troutswirl, The Haiku Foundation Blog, 20 May 2020. A very big thank you to guest editor Tia Haynes and post manager Lori Zajkowski for putting this edition together.

The return of the arctic winds inspired a number of poems, including Arctic Breeze on our sister blog Whippet Wisdom.

Wishing you all a peaceful Wednesday and may you stay safe and well,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.5 – 1/800 s – ISO 100 and f/3.5 – 1/500 s – ISO 100.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday #42

Dutch Goes the Photo Tuesday Photo Challenge: Return

Cee’s Flower of the Day

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals:

Tanka Prose: The Pier at Findochty

One of the pastimes my husband and I enjoy during this lockdown is going through old photographs of places we visited.

On a beautiful day in December 2019 we drove to the small fishing village of Findochty on the Moray Coast. We chatted with some friendly local people, walked around with our dogs and took a few photographs. It was the first time we had come here in Winter and we loved the beauty of the light in the cold air. I wrote a few poems while we were there, including this one.

white sculpture of a seated fisherman overlooking Findochty harbour

Most of the sailing boats are on the quayside, masts folded. Fresh paintwork glitters in the morning sun. There is still the odd ice patch, in the shadows of the harbour. A small dog slips as he scampers up the brae.

watching over us
a seated fisherman
full of stories
my eyes begin to wander
past the lighthouse, out to sea

© Xenia Tran

the piers at the harbour mouth of Findochty

The Pier at Findochty was first published in Ribbons, Winter 2020: Volume 16, Number 1. A very big thank you to Susan Weaver and the team at Ribbons for putting this beautiful edition together.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/4 – 1/640 s – ISO 160, f/4.5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 200 and f/5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 160.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #97: Pastimes

dVerse Poets MTN: 5-Line Japanese Poetic Forms

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals:

Haiku: Fruits of Tomorrow

Apple Blossom

close up shot of apple blossom, buds and leaves

awakening
first apple blossoms
brimming with hope

© Xenia Tran

close up shot of apple blossoms with rhubard growing below

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 100, f/3.5 – 1/400 s – ISO 100 and f/3.5 – 1/500 s – ISO 100.

Carpe Diem’s Time Challenge: First Blossoms

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Cee’s On the Hunt for Joy Challenge #17: Start a Garden

Sunday Stills: Awakening

Haiku: Pink Flow

the top branches of a cherry blossom tree with the top of a victorian style lamppost

cherry blossom
going with the flow
of our new normal

© Xenia Tran

close up shot of flowering cherry blossoms hanging from the branch in a heart-shaped cluster

We’re delighted that this haiku is featured in Haiku Dialogue: Haiku Prism – Pink, Troutswirl, The Haiku Foundation Blog, 29 April 2020. A very big thank you to guest editor Tia Haynes and post manager Lori Zajkowski for putting this edition together.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday and may you stay safe and well,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX60 HS, Settings: f/6.5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 125, f/6.5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 200 and f/5.6 – 1/800 s – ISO 100.

Frank J Tassone’s Weekly Haikai Challenge #136: Late Cherry Blossom

Discover Prompt #22: Tempo

Cee’s Flower of the Day

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals:

Haiku: Lunaria Annua

close up of lunaria annua, part flowering, part in bud

spring leaves
the space in my heart
a new fountain

© Xenia Tran

macro shot of flowering lunaria annua

These images of the lunaria annua in our garden were taken on 5 April, 15 April and 23 April respectively.

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday and a peaceful week ahead,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.5 – 1/200 s – ISO 100, f/3.5 – 1/1000 s – ISO 100 and f/3.5 – 1/100 s – ISO 100.

Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge #94: Home

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Discover Prompts #25 and #26: Magic and Hidden

EarthRise Rolling Haiku Collaboration 2020

Year of the Nurse

We are deeply honoured and delighted to be part of EarthRise Rolling Haiku Collaboration 2020, a collaborative poem created by haiku poets from around the world.

The theme for 2020 was The Year of the Nurse and we submitted six previously unpublished haiku for this wonderful project. We are sharing three of them here today, the other three were posted on our sister blog Whippet Wisdom on Monday 20 April 2020.

flowering tulips
retelling the story
how she survived

© Xenia Tran

a black and white old photograph of a woman standing next to pillars with a vase of flowers

great aunt Faye
the bell in her voice
still ringing

© Xenia Tran

rainbow coloured hearts displayed in a cottage window during lockdown

deep gratitude
when nothing is expected
rainbow windows

© Xenia Tran

In the Scottish Highlands people are displaying rainbow colours in their windows in gratitude for all the hard work key workers are doing and as a greeting to anyone passing by on their daily walk or exercise during the lockdown.

The woman in the photograph is my great-aunt Faye Doherty (1914-2006), who was a nurse. Some of the haiku in today’s post and Monday’s post were inspired by her, her kindness and her dedication to the work she loved.

The full set of contributions to EarthRise Rolling Haiku Collaboration 2020 is available as a free download here. A very big thank you to all the contributors and to Jim Kacian and the Haiku Foundation for putting this edition together.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday and may you stay safe and well,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photographs by Xenia Tran, edited in lr. The photograph of Faye Doherty was taken by my late grandfather.

Friendly Friday Photo Challenge: Something Good

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Discover Prompt #14: Book

Discover Prompt #19: Three

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals:

Haiku: Little Blue Flower

Grape Hyacinth

macro shot of a grape hyacinth flower

grape hyacinth
the child I once was
in the garden

© Xenia Tran

macro shot of a grape hyacinth flower

We’re delighted that this haiku is featured in Haiku Dialogue: Haiku Prism – Blue, Troutswirl, The Haiku Foundation Blog, 15 April 2020. A very big thank you to guest editor Tia Haynes and post manager Lori Zajkowski for putting this edition together.

Wishing you all a wonderful Wednesday,

with love from Xenia xxx

Photograps by Xenia Tran, edited in lr.

Camera: Panasonic Lumix FZ200, Settings: f/3.5 – 1/250 s – ISO 100 and f/3.5 – 1/320 s – ISO 100.

Sunshine’s Macro Monday #37

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Rag Tag Daily Prompt: Anniversary

A further selection of recent publications in online and print journals: