Moondrunk

Wow, a month since I've posted here. That's how exhausted, strained, stressed and busy I've been. But things are looking up. Decisions are being made. I'm writing again, and submitting again. Have just started a summer kasen with two other poets and am looking forward to working and playing my way through that process. Collaboration is good for my soul.

moondrunk

we speak of God
in whispers . . .
my ache for touch bathed
in the music of his eyes

Skylark 2:1 (Summer 2014)

 

My haiku journal, which I also used for recording all manner of creative thoughts and ideas, was thoroughly soaked when a big storm left my home open to the elements this Easter. Mid-week I went in search of a new journal, and after 5 shops I finally found the journal that spoke to me.

 

Having a beautiful journal is not necessary for writing, but lots of the nice things we have we don't need, but they inspire us. The smallest things can bring joy. I hope you find a haiku / writing / creative dreaming journal that speaks to you. Maybe it's one of the ones that I created to help bring a little joy into this world. View them here in my online shop, Haiku On: http://www.cafepress.com/haikuon/11141019

 

June - winter for New Zealand, and being mid-year, a good time to take stock of where one is at. Through Facebook I'm participating in a month of daily "Abundance is . . ." (fill in the blank) to shine light on things I'm grateful for and to notice the abundance all around me. A haiku and two tanka of mine came out in A Hundred Gourds this month. I'd completely forgotten about them with everything that's been going on, so it was a nice surprise to find my work amongst the pages. And of course, there's the calendar of haiku and photography that I did with my hubby this year, for friends and family. Below is the June  2014 page, by Cameron Elliot:

 

 

Haiku & Photo by Cameron Elliot



I'll miss you

mountain of green
how I'll miss you
when we're parted . . .
the moon won't taste as sweet
without you to hold it high

Kokako 20 (April 2014)

The Catch

afternoon moon
the catch of satin
across her breast

Presence #49 (February 2014)

Mindful Writing Challenge – day 8

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


Find out more about the January Mindful Writing Challenge here.

Damaged goods

When you have a car accident (although emergency services don't believe in accidents, so they call them car crashes) if the damage to your vehicle is greater than its perceived worth, then it is written off. As I drain my savings account, and that of my parents, seeking to fix what is broken within me, I wonder: is my damage greater than my perceived worth? Maybe nothing is ever an accident . . . 

low moon
the drive home
in silence 

Contemporary Haiku Online October 2013, vol 9, no 3

Pull of Sadness

I sense
the pull of sadness
all around me
and tonight
I cannot see the moon

Moonbathing 8, Spring/Summer 2013

Moonbright

moonbright

my anger takes form

before me

a handful of stones, Wednesday, 10 April 2013

National Haiku Writing Month 2013

It's on now! Write a haiku-a-day this month -- the shortest month for the shortest genre of poetry. Do it at home by yourself, or join hundreds of folk doing it on-line through the Facebook NaHaiWriMo page here. Michael Dylan Welch is doing daily prompts to spark our senses -- this week was all about food. Here's my highlights:



fantail song . . .
this bird's nest of
angel hair pasta

'pasta' prompt

duck egg blue that look in his eyes

'eggs' prompt

the spice

in his argument--

lightning moon

'spice or spices' prompt

All you need to know about NaHaiWriMo can be found on the main site here: https://sites.google.com/site/nahaiwrimo/ Enjoy!

Mindful Writing Challenge: Day 30

O, the moon!

Blue Moons

Painting by Sheryl McCammon

This painting by artist Sheryl McCammon was inspired by my haiku below, and done for the When North meet South exhibition, now on at Ballamy's Gallery, Dunedin.

 only through

this wash-house window

blue moons

 

 

 

Organiser Ruth Arnison brought together haiku poets from the North Island and artists of all kinds from the South Island to create this unique fundraising event. A percentage of the proceeds of all sales goes to Ruth's amazing Poems in the Waiting Room project.

 

 

Haiku Hawk

Painting by Jenny Longstaff

This painting by Jenny Longstaff was inspired by my haiku below, and done for the When North meet South exhibition, now on at Bellamy's Gallery, Dunedin.

 misty moon

above the mountain range

hawk's cry

Organiser Ruth Arnison brought together haiku poets from the North Island and artists of all kinds from the South Island to create this unique fundraising event. A percentage of the proceeds of all sales goes to Ruth's amazing Poems in the Waiting Room project.

Day of the Dead #2: A photo-haiga with Cara Holman

Haiku by Cara Holman / Image by Kirsten Cliff (click on image to enlarge)

See Margaret Dornaus' full Day of the Dead post on her blog Haiku-doodle.

A Blackbird Sings

I'm very pleased to let readers know that the 2012 anthology of small stones is now available on Kindle, and for pre-order on Amazon. A Blackbird Sings: a book of short poems is edited by Fiona Robyn and Kaspalita and will have a special launch on November 1st, the first ever Mindful Writing Day. Once again, people from all around the world with gather to pay attention and write it down. These small stones will be gathered by Fiona and Kaspa and published on their Writing Our Way Home blog, where they'll be giving away five free paperbacks of A Blackbird Sings to their favourites. And also on this day the Kindle version of the anthology will be FREE! Find all the Mindful Writing Day info here. I hope you'll join us. :)

Here are my two poems in the anthology, which are in good company, including many of my haiku poet friends:

Cover by Ken Hurd

gold moon

my nose pressed against

cold glass

                         empty glass
                         the sound
                         of his sobs

The Broken Latch: A Rengay with Aubrie Cox

The Broken Latch

Aubrie Cox & Kirsten Cliff

rain ripples

across my skin

fibromyalgia

finally home

I sink into tears

sunlight slips

between the bedroom

blind slats

no moon

my sleepless night

of silent prayers

thoughts tangled

in the thickening fog

lost butterfly

the broken latch

on this pill box

Published in Kokako 17 (September, 2012)

This rengay was written from our shared experience of living with the chronic illness Fibromyalgia.

Moon-viewing

August 31st NaHaiWriMo prompt is "moon-viewing", provided by Alex Benedict. 

moon-viewing . . .

all that comes to life

within me

Find out more about the 31 Different NaHaiWriMo Prompters for August 2012 here.

Fence

August 30th NaHaiWriMo prompt is "fence", provided by Terri L. French. 

spring moon

a tuft of lamb's wool

caught in the fence

Find out more about the 31 Different NaHaiWriMo Prompters for August 2012 here.

Full moon

August 2nd NaHaiWriMo prompt is "full moon", provided by Judith Gorgone. 

harvest moon

I find myself back

where I belong


Find out more about the 31 Different NaHaiWriMo Prompters for August 2012 here.

Moon Tanka...

Don't forget to share your moon-themed tanka with Maragret Dornaus for her birthday bash giveaway. You have until July 20, and go into the draw to win a copy of Modern Japanese Tanka. Here's mine:

          Why did my DNA

          mutate...

          pacing this shoreline

          my answers come bathed

          in healing moonlight

© Kirsten Cliff 2012

He Snores

My photo of last month's super moon rising. Click on image to enlarge.

 full moon tonight he snores louder

DailyHaiku Cycle 12 (December 2011)
Haiku & photograph © Kirsten Cliff

The Night He Left...

                    the night he left...

                    the many sounds

                    of summer rain

DailyHaiku Cycle 12 (November 2011)

Haiku & photograph © Kirsten Cliff