Thursday, February 28, 2013

#59 (2) Whispers of Spring


Carpe Diem Prompt: Coming of Spring

lilac's lingering scent
whispers of springs arrival
winter wind long past

Laughing Large



our noah came to play this week
who delights in garden birds and
enjoys the brilliant flowers
who dances with mickey mouse and
loves to jump on beds
good natured noah who
laughs and laughs and laughs and 
leaves a sad void when it's time to go


noah who laughs large
loves to play in the garden
with birds and flowers



Wednesday, February 27, 2013

#58 (2) Bright Meadow

Carpe Diem Special #24: Butterfly by Chiyo-Ni


Photo from MS Image Gallery

colorful meadow
delightful butterflies flit
among flora bright


Hawks, Strangers in Grass, and Birds

Photo from  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ARed-Tailed-Hawk.jpg

the hawk sails high overhead
scans the snow covered ground
for brave souls who dare to venture
dangerously into the white open space

hawk sails high
scans for brave creatures
in white open

Photo from MS Image Gallery

Carpe Diem prompt: Strangers
Haiku Circle prompt: Grass

gathered in tall grass
glittering with morning dew
strangers watch balloons

Photo from Google Images

http://www.fullfreesoftware.com/post/bl/bluejay.html

blue jays and cardinals
join robins, finches, starlings
in daily food search

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Caterpillars and Heros


Carpe Diem prompt: Caterpillar

striped yellow and black
caterpillars enjoy the herbs
growing in the garden pots
growing enough for both of us
i enjoy the lovely show

caterpillars bright
chow down on growing herbs
in the garden pots

Photo from Google Images
http://www.aim.org

Haiku Circle prompt: Hero

unsung hero
avoids spotlight bright
action over fame

Monday, February 25, 2013

Crows, Snow and the Moon

Photo from Google Images
http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/2010/02/27/earthsky-tonight-feb-28-2010-full-moon-comes-february-28/

Carpe Diem Prompt: Full Snow Moon

dying light succumbs 
to a full snow moon
shining down from the heavens
on the crows' last search
in new fallen snow


crows' last search
newly fallen snow
full snow moon

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Sun-catchers and Forsythia

Photo from Google Images
Haiku Heights Prompt: Shimmer

watching in fascination 
the rainbow as it shimmers
oh so briefly on the floor
the sparkling sun-catcher turns
slowly in the morning light


morning light
sparkling sun-catcher
shimmers brief

Carpe Diem Prompt: Forsythia


photo from Wikipedia Commons

early morning light
forsythia sparkles bright
diamonds of dew


Saturday, February 23, 2013

Castle Shelter

Image from Google Images
born into castles strong
lovingly sheltered from trials
in a world we do not yet know
but stones begin to crumble 
towers fall from view
as inner battles commence
toward the realities of our life


sheltered in castles
towers crumble with the weight
of life's knowledge gained

Friday, February 22, 2013

Distrust

Photo from MS image gallery
"We should distrust each other, it is the only defense against treason." Source unknown

posted by a friend
no knowledge of source
to "distrust each other"
as a "defense against treason"
how sad and lonely 
a life that would be


to doubt against pain
all who choose to come your way
lonely life that be

Haiku Circle prompt: Roots

lonely life it be
if distrust our roots be based
no one could we trust

Thursday, February 21, 2013

3 Prompts, Verse and Haiku

Photo from MS image gallery
Haiku Circle Prompt: Sorrow

a rare weather day
first in two years
children dance happy
no school today!
no sorrow here


bad weather
children dance happy
no sorrow


Photo from MS image gallery

Carpe Diem Prompt: Courage

ice thick on the roads
courage and skill to drive safe
accidents occur


Photo from MS image gallery

NaHaiWriMo Prompt: Living Room


freezing rain, fierce wind
the living room is cozy
fire blazes warmth 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Late Season Storm

Photo from MS image gallery
tension rises with the news
forecasting gloom and doom
for those in the path of the storm

grocery stores are packed with people
concerned about being stranded for days
in their homes without enough to get by


gloom and doom forecast
concern for being stranded
for those in storm's path


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Calm Before the Storm

© 2011 Salem Gray
finches forage in the sleeping garden
the sunlight is bright, not a cloud in sight
no sign of the coming storm
threatening with rain and snow and ice

finches forage seed
sunlight bright, no cloud in sight
coming storm unseen

Monday, February 18, 2013

Frost and Ice

Photo from MS clip gallery

Carpe Diem Prompt: Iceberg

Frosty tension is common in those who do not know,
massive iceberg typical in those who do not wish to know.
The thaw is quicker for the Frosties, 
sometimes hours, sometimes days.
Icebergs take much longer,
sometimes years, often never.

massive icebergs norm
in those who don't wish to know
thaws often never

Sunday, February 17, 2013

The Mission Bell


Photo from MS clip art gallery

a whiff of smoke arrives in the cool breeze
with the melancholy sound of the mission bell
the bell tolls for the past, and for the future
warning lingers in its lonely sound
heed the lessons of the past
to mend the promise of the future


a warning lingers
as the mission bell tolls clear
heed past, mend future


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Dream World: Dream of Dreaming

© 2010 Dana Norberg

i dream of dreaming of those who came before
though clearly known to my dream self
i have no remembrance of these smiles
terrified of the dream, she closes her eyes
to the sight of their faces, and she wills us awake
as the smiles dissolve in morning mist

dream of dreaming past
no memories of the smiles
dissolve into mist

Friday, February 15, 2013

Light

Photo courtesy of Microsoft clip art gallery
I'm not sure where this came from, but I was compelled to write it down as soon as I woke...


see the sky, behold the light
see the light, behold the truth
see the truth, behold the wisdom

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Summer's Last Bounty

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

sparrows spar for prime positions
on a bush nearly bare
greedy for summer's last bounty
as mother nature prepares renewal


bush near bare
greedy birds spar
for last seeds

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Life's Storms


the sky is darker before the tempest
the clouds blacker before the rain
but after the roiling storm
gray becomes light, vision clearer
we find we are wiser for the tumult


after the dark rain
gray turns light, vision clear
wisdom from the storm

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

La Dolce Vita

© 2011 Dana Norberg

my heart longs for friends far away
it misses a language not yet its own
it dreams of lively gatherings, animated conversation
wholesome food, great wine and plump olives
my heart longs to be away to a life 
lived less hastily and with verve

Monday, February 11, 2013

Call Gone Bad

Courtesy MS clip art gallery
a conversation began in good faith
a simple informational call meant for 5 minutes
turns accusatory and tense 
as faulty meaning is accorded my words
whoa! whoa! whoa! i say, surprised by this turn
i back up, my purpose explained with fresh clarity
as i wonder just how her day has been


Sunday, February 10, 2013

Teachable Moments

© 2012 Dana Norberg
Into the classroom my students bring
hopes, fears, experiences, preconceptions
to learn a language not their own
but the teachable moments are mine
as they share struggles, troubles, disappointments
yet holding fast to dreams that brought them here


students bring hope
to learn language unknown
holding fast to dreams


Saturday, February 9, 2013

Waiting for Nature's Nod




the garden is dead, says she
no, say i, only sleeping
but nothing grows, says she
i point to rosemary green
to garlic fronds and spreading thyme
and to green native plants peaking through brown
not dead, say i, only awaiting nature's nod



garden nothing grows
native plants peak through brown grass
not dead just waiting

Friday, February 8, 2013

Unfocused



My mind is unfocused
unable to stay the task
as random thoughts
parade past my mind's eye

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Darkness Returns

Photo courtesy of MS clip art gallery

darkness makes a return attempt
dulling senses with gray gossamer 
pushing desperately against the dark omen
preferring the sunny days of late

the darkness returns
gray mist dulls the senses
push back hard for sun

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

An Image of Me



on a light day I peruse the past
studying photos of old
I gaze at the image of a granddaughter
with her blond hair, her happy smile
the face is hers, but the eyes are blue
with surprise I realize the photo is mine
and my granddaughter is the image 
of her grandmother with brown eyes

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Barking


a neighbor angry about incessant barking
a sleeper by day, a nurse by night
frustrated by the difference in schedules 
preventing the meeting she desires
to ask the owner to muzzle his dogs
or expect legal retaliation from her

Monday, February 4, 2013

Spring's First Show


delicate white flora is presented
as spring's first show arrives
encouraged by the rains and balmy air of previous
she braves the cruel cold-snap of the moment
to present a promise of spring to come

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Sparkling Conversation


a sparkling young lady strikes up a conversation
waiting for her mother busy with the stylist
she confesses that her hair is very short
because "by accident" she cut it
ms. sparkles tells me conspiratorially
that when her hair is long
 like shelby's, rapunzel's, and sara's
she will wear it in braids and ponytails
with bows and feathers and beads

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Morning News

today we hear about a man
furious to be denied a gun
by a pawn owner following rules

into the shop comes a borrowed caddie
guided by the angered customer
three injured, all will live

the reporter reminds us of dual facts
the mandatory background check did its job
and one only needs a vehicle for attack

Friday, February 1, 2013

The Language of Migraines


dizzy, nauseous, throbbing
lost in fuzz, throbbing
sharp pain, "don't talk so loud!", throbbing
light too bright, "close the shades!", needles throbbing
cold pack, can't see, throbbing
ice pick pain, ugh, throbbing
my lovely day