Wednesday, April 1, 2009

the place of the tao

blossoms pink and hot
at my age returning
to the dojo

a sign of spring
points the way

spring morn
reading directions
on the bottle

old log in the river
a plug in the jug

skinny dippin'
in pools of moonlight
evening glory

our love affair
with blue and white

thank goodness
the roof leaks
correctional facility

awakened to find
dreams have made their escape

the height
of rising thermals
cold crow

true love's safe passage
winter mountains

wilderness school
towards her voice
i travel

first saw her
couldn't look nor look away

learning her name
dove wings
beating

light dances on water
return of the spirits?

autumn deepening
the day of the dead
piercing my heart

relinquish your heart
and this moon shall be mine

expectations
these old photographs
watching me

father in-law
plum tree spliced with apricot

family tree
a trick of the light
in shaded wood

cherry blossoms
the DNA of tao

empty sky
as far as the mind can see
buddha's birthday

barely spring
gnats still confused

Completed April 9th, 2009

verses 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21
William Sorlien

verses 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22
John Merryfield

16 comments:

bandit said...

Note the addition of a different kiyose; reference-moonflowers, late summer, also called evening glories.
My neighbors had moonflowers, and I remember how they would luminesce
on moonlit nights.
I've left glory singular; it may be a bit ambiguous just who or what is "skinnydippin'"

John Merryfield said...

I love that moonflower verse!

John Merryfield said...

I was confused with winter/summer following the jo in verse 9, so I made a change... hope it still flows for you.

bandit said...

No sweat...I've been editing a lot lately; a lot of distraction in my world of late. Makes it hard to calm my mind. It seems only physical gut-ugly work soothes my brain. Actually that's why I'm late now. Me and the sundance kid put a slam dance on this shack-we beat that sucker silly. Feels good!

John Merryfield said...

I hear ya.

bandit said...

hang in there-gotta see a man about a horse-a very expensive horse-hopin' the man's not a horse thief-I'll bve back!

John Merryfield said...

No rush cowboy... good luck with the horse.

bandit said...

sorry I took so long-
we got swamped, then me and sundance (my son) knocked down close to 3 large over the weekend. Then our guy 'went missing' for a while.
He turned up when I neglected to return the only key. Oops!

We primed and colored about 6000 square feet interior-that was after
we 3rd coated the main floor drywall and textured the ceilings.
We sprayed and back-rolled the walls with promar 200-it didn't flash anywhere-then cut in the ceiling angle. That flat blended in
without a hitch.

I think the dude freaked out.
Then to top it off the plumber turned on the water with the third floor shower wide open. Water ran down three floors! It took out an arch on the main then poured through a soffit in the lower.
The plumber tried to claim it was a compromised line in the basement.
Crazy!... I love my job!

John Merryfield said...

A metaphorical horse!
the cloud faster
than the moon

John Merryfield said...

I like so many of your verses Willie. Sorry about jumpin' the gun with the last blossom position... still learning. Overall, I like our effort very much and am truly honored to be included with you on your blog in renga and elsewhere. Thanks.

John Merryfield said...

Hey Willie-

After writing....

barely spring
nats still confused

...at the hotel, I got to thinking that this verse seems more appropriate than...

barely spring
bugs learning to fly

...opinion?

John Merryfield said...

....I went with confused.

I like the juxtaposition to your wonderful Buddha reference.

bandit said...

I like it-sorry I didn't respond;
I was runnin' since this morning.

It definately is a learning experience for me-you needn't be so conciliatory. I'm glad there is someone to practice this form with.

Interesting we both work construction-Of course in our fields we both have spent most of our lives seeking the truth in eternity, so to speak.

I hope you can make it to Northern Cal. Haiku Club-I mentioned to Fay Aoyagi you would try to stop by.

She is a nice lady; I think she liked the moon viewing party idea.
She is even sending me a book of her haiku! It would be the first actual haiku book I own-every thing
else I've read has been on the internet. I still love books-something you can hold in your hand. A good book is like a good friend, something to cherish.

I'm gonna get cleaned up and then
go watch the moon-the weather here
is glorious today, as though spring is finally here.
We've waited so long!


thanks for bearing with me and your writing; you're a good friend.

Willie

bandit said...

Hey, I just realized we need a title.

John Merryfield said...

"dojo", literaly meaning, the place of the tao....

how bout, "the place of the tao"?

bandit said...

cool-the place of the tao

Moon renku-I'm on it-shanna suggests a sketchbook rendition, with photos-people all over the world