Mindful Writing Challenge – day 18

clock tick
tractor rumble
bird song
leaf rustle
house creak
computer whir
cow moo


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 17

the tears come suddenly 
and itch on my cheeks as they dry


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In Memoriam: Kat Creighton

I was very shocked and saddened to hear today that fellow writer Kat Creighton has passed away. She was a lovey and talented woman, whom I had the pleasure of writing with in 2012. 

Kat was going through a tough time emotionally after Hurricane Sandy hit her home town on the Jersey Shore. I reached out to her and asked if she'd like to write with me as I'd found collaborations to be a beautiful way of connecting and inspiring during and after hard times. I'm so glad she accepted my offer! 

Below is our tanka sequence, the first Kat had written, which was published in LYNX. Rest in peace, Kat. You will be sorely missed in the haiku community, especially on Facebook, by myself, and many, many others.

Uncharted Depths
by Kirsten Cliff & Kat Creighton

heatwave--
seeing myself reflected
in his sunglasses . . .
how long have I been
inside this chrysalis

these ruins
swaddled in fresh snow
and I
beneath boundless stars
wriggle out of the darkness

hoping I'll know
when I've become whole . . .
so much to learn
watching the sunflowers
watching the sun

morning frost
reaching for a source
of warmth
I rearrange by color
the sea glass on the sill

lightning storm--
still this humid air
remains . . .
my mixture of old
and new scars

where the ice ends
and the river begins
uncharted depths . . .
the measure of this life
mapped in ebb and flow

on the wave
of a cuckoo's song
we drift again
over last night's dream
. . . this need for control

every leaf
from every branch
long gone . . .
so much starlight to carry
my endless prayers

watermarked
across this expanse of sky
two rainbows
shedding the shadow
from my heart

finally free of winter's grasp
the footlamps along the path
guide me
to a space wide enough
for wings

Please go and read more of Kat's poetry on her blog my ninth life. You can also read her work in the Living Haiku Anthology here and find out more about her here where she was featured as a NaHaiWriMo prompter.

Mindful Writing Challenge – day 16

the wind's swirl hugging the house
searching for the cracks in between


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 15

walking to the car after a blood test
I feel a warmth on my arm and find it
bright red, running down to my wrist


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 14

summer morning chill
I find a patch of sunlight and become a cat


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 13

break in the wind
the neighbour's dog barking 
then not


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 12

swaying gums
my mind sways too


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 11

I open the curtains and see the cows
even before I put on my glasses
slowly walking in a line down the track
back to a fresh paddock after milking


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 10

a man leading his child along on a white pony in the morning sunlight


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 9

a tissue in the washing
creating snow as I hang it on the line


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 8

the moon phases missing from my new diary
I vow to look out the window tonight instead


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 7

the musicality of the word musicality


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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 6

my eczema

set to 'high itch'

summer heat

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Mindful Writing Challenge – day 5

Monday morning after the holidays and the world seeps back to normal
I take down the Christmas tree, leaving an emptiness behind me


Find out more about the January Mindful Writing Challenge here.