Why this urge

why this urge

to reinvent myself?

with a shovel

I flip over the mulch

until it looks new

—A Hundred Gourds,  2:4, September  2013

Tanka Prose

Fine roots

"No more hurting people

Peace" *

with pebbles

I prop them back up—

my lavender

barely past seedling stage

uprooted by wind

April 15, 2013, mid-afternoon. Staring out the window, I notice that some of them are bowing heavily, a few others passed out. Just a couple of days ago, I had planted them carefully in a neat row down the center of the bed. Now, I must painstakingly tuck them back in.

After I return inside, I learn that a horrific attack has occurred at the Boston Marathon. Much more news would follow: so many serious injuries, a child among the dead. What do parents say to their children, even those not immediately affected? 

________________

* Words on a sign made by Martin Richard, eight years old, one of the three people killed.

—LYNX, February 2014   

"with pebbles" first published at Haiku News, August 2013. 

Wishing you peace.

Announcement: Tanka Society of America spring events and deadlines

A few reminders:

TSA Members' Anthology — April 30 (deadline)

If you haven't already done so, submit 5-10 unpublished tanka for this exciting project open to all 2014 members. Make sure your membership is up-to-date.

Ribbons/Tanka Café — April 30 (deadline)

Submit to the spring/summer issue.

Celebration of Tanka on Facebook — now through end of April

Post to weekly themes during this National Poetry Month.

15th TSA International Contest — May 1 through June 30 (deadline)

Gather up your entries for this prestigious contest.

Building a fence

building a fence

out here in the country

still this need

to neatly section off

the empty spaces

—kernels, July 2013

A thimble; from my mother

a thimble,
my Monopoly piece ...
and for years
the only metal thing
I wore on this finger

— cattails, premiere issue, January 2014

from my mother

the wisdom in saving

scraps of cloth ...

inevitable,

the patching to be done

— red lights, Vol. 10, No. 1, January 2014

Announcement: Spring Tanka on Facebook

Please join us on the Tanka Society of America (TSA) Facebook page for a "Spring Tanka" event in recognition of National Poetry Month and the TSA's anniversary. Read all the poems posted there to this week's theme of "spring flowers." Post your own tanka too. There will be three additional themes during the month of April. Celebrate, enjoy!

almost painful
the sweet girlhood fragrance
of apple blossoms
I close my eyes
and sniff again

—Above tanka and photo by Margaret Chula, TSA President

The porch bench

the porch bench

dusted with pale yellow

this spring

our closeness breaks down

into a fine powder

—Fire Pearls 2 (anthology), 2013