Gravity

the gravity of her words wailing moon

*

die Anziehungskraft ihrer Worte Klagemond

Chrysanthemum 10, Oktober/October 2011

 

Haiku ©  Kirsten Cliff 2011

German translation by Chrysanthemum editors

Covered

          I lie still
          covered in pain & exhaustion
          busyness all around
          and in my mind
          poetry happens

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

Tanka © Kirsten Cliff 2011

My Body

          so many ideas
          that'll never be realised
          my body
          always fighting
          with itself

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

Tanka © Kirsten Cliff 2011

brush strokes haiga

Issa's Untidy Hut, Wednesday Haiku #40
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

(click image to view larger)

This Small Piece

          i give you
          this small piece
          of myself -
          anymore & i
          should fall apart

Notes from the Gean, volume 3, issue 2

Tanka and photograph © Kirsten Cliff 2011

Under the Rain

          under the rain

          of cherry blossoms

          a rusting pickup

Notes from the Gean, volume 3, issue 2

Haiku and photograph © Kirsten Cliff 2011

With Good News

                    each time

                    with good news

                    seems to come bad

                    the wind snatches thoughts

                    of our future

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

 

Tanka © Kirsten Cliff 2011

Photograph by Cameron Elliot

Re-negotiating

          re-negotiating
          my drug regime
          with the doctors
          I tell them that today
          they may see me cry

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

Tanka © Kirsten Cliff 2011

Photograph by Cameron Elliot

For Greer - In Memoriam, Richard Burt

Notes from the Gean, volume 3, issue 2

(click image to view larger)

spring sunlight haiga

Notes from the Gean, volume 3, issue 2

(click on image to view larger)

Thinking Twice

          winter sun
          I think twice about
          destroying this web

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

Haiku and photograph © Kirsten Cliff 2011 

New Neighbour

          new neighbour

          a peony blooms

          through the fence

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

Haiku and photograph © Kirsten Cliff 2011 

Extinguished

          extinguished
          after love-making
          a single candle

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

Haiku © Kirsten Cliff 2011

Photograph by Cameron Elliot

Hoping

               hoping
               my head will clear
               hazy moon

paper wasp, volume seventeen, number 3, winter 2011

Haiku © Kirsten Cliff 2011

Photograph by Cameron Elliot

September Round-Up - An Inspiration of Cherry Blossoms

Two activities hit my personal poetry Refresh button in September: an afternoon with my local poetry group 'Pacific Poets' in Papamoa and a brief spot of cherry blossom viewing in Greerton Village. I came back reinvigorated from both with a steady flow of poetry for days afterwards. It always amazes me how a small change in my routine or environment can make such a positive difference to my writing. I'm grateful to have been well enough to appreciate the experience.

Here's how I'm doing on my 2011 goal of submitting poetry to a publication or competition every week:

• week thirty-five - submitted ten haiku to The Heron's Nest, awaiting outcome
• week thirty-six - submitted ten tanka to Notes from the Gean, one tanka accepted!
• week thirty-seven - submitted ten haiku to Notes from the Gean, one haiku accepted!
• AND submitted six tanka to Simply Haiku (first time submitting here), two tanka accepted!
• week thirty-eight - submitted two haiku to the HIA Contest
• week thirty-nine - submitted ten haiku to DailyHaiku (first time submitting here), awaiting outcome

Lots of submitting this month, but not much coming out as Notes from the Gean and haijinx are still working on getting their respective issues out. I look forward to seeing my poetry in these journals, both for the first time, in a matter of days; and in Chrysanthemum and Simply Haiku in mid October, also both for the first time.

At the beginning of September I had one haiku appear in The Heron's Nest, an image feature as cover art on Kokako and my first haikai column in a fine line. I've been working on my second column throughout September and am almost ready to put it to bed. Happy October 1st all and a warm welcome to my new readers!

Greerton Village Square - September 27, 2011
Both photos by Kirsten Cliff