Part II:
This is the second week of The Beginning of Winter (November 7 – 21) Ritto 立冬. Every two weeks we will move into another season in the 24 Japanese Seasons HERE. We said it… the W-word: Winter. 🥶
Colleen’s writing invitation: Compose a series of three tanka:
Below you will find the three kigo phrases (five syllables each). You can use them as the “turn lines” or “pivots” (third lines) for each of your three tanka, or as the first line of your tanka.
You must use one kigo phrase in each tanka as either the first line or the pivot line in each of your three tanka poems.
Please write each of your tanka in the five-line 5-7-5-7-7 form.
#1: “the first month with sleet”
#2: “late winter garden”
#3: “blanket by the fire”
🔥 🔥 🔥
sickly but somehow
the chrysanthemum survives
the first month with sleet
the others’ morale-boosting—
I hear their chant in the wind
© selma
by the old temple
lay priests in aprons clean up
late winter garden
voices of children singing
mingle with the sound of rakes
© selma
a tub blows around
I look up from my book and
blanket by the fire
the old dog turns around once
settles back down beside me
© selma
Thank you so much for reading. Happy Merry November.
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Well done!
Thanks, Lady Annette. I appreciate this. Xoxo
Excellent tanka, Selma. I love them all! 💟
Love them all. Wowser! A huge morale booster for me, Colleen. I feel like the Chrysanthemum in the first tanka. Thanks so much. Bless you. Xoxo
You’re so welcome. I love when you share the sights in Japan. It makes our syllabic poetry and kigo so much richer. xx
Oh so well done my friend
Sadje. 🙇🏽♀️ 💗
🩷💜🩷
😍😍😍
Love & like three tanka poems.
Extra ordinary doing in three month & written simerly tanka.
The best Season syllabic poetry.
Thanks, Selma ☺️
Aww 😊 your comment made me smile. So happy you enjoyed my tanka. Bless you, my friend. Xoxo
You make me good morning!
Thanks, Selma 😁
So happy to know, my friend. 😃 Good Morning
Thanks!
wonderfully weaved, Selma 🤍🙏
Thanks, Destiny my sweet. Blessings on your new week. Xoxo
Wonderful images you created with just the right measure of sentiment.
VJ what a lovely comment. I feel empowered by your words. Thanks most dearly. Happy Thanksgiving to you, lovely lady. Happy Thanks&Giving 👏🏽
You are most welcome, Selma. All the best to you too
Thanks dearly. Xo Happy Thanksgiving VJ.
I like the second one especially. (K)
Makes me so happy to know, K. It’s my fave too 😊 happy new week to you. Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you don’t need to travel ‘over the river and through the woods…’ for your celebration.
Thanks for being such a lovely supporting presence to me. So grateful. Always. Xo
Gorgeous, Selma. 😊
Aww. I’m so grateful for you, dear Gwen. Thanks and happy thanksgiving day to you. Xoxo
All beautiful but my favorite is the mystical first one.
Aww, how kind of you. The mystical one where the other flowers encourage the sickly one and succeed. So happy you liked it. Bless you, Lisa.
I’m grateful for your support. Thanks always. Happy thanksgiving xoxo 🦃
Lovely writing, and interesting cultural background, Selma!
Hi Selma, all three of these are lovely. I like the one about the priests best. Which is your favourite?
You asked—I really liked the one about lay priests best of all. Same as you.
Thanks my sweet.
You celebrate in S A? Happy Thanksgiving to you. Xoxo
Oh, sweet to have you read these. A blessing. I’m so grateful to you, Ingrid.
Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in London? Happy thanksgiving my lovely lady. Blessings. Xo
Oh, sweet to have you read these. A blessing. I’m so grateful to you, Ingrid. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in London? Happy thanksgiving my lovely lady. Blessings. Xo
My pleasure, Selma! We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK, but we do go crazy about Christmas, which is when we eat turkey 🦃!
I thought as much. It’s an American celebration.
On the 23rd of November Japan celebrates a holiday called Labor Thanksgiving: for citizens to express gratitude to one another—a modern name for the ancient ritual of The Harvest.
This year it coincides with the American Thanksgiving Day.
Blessings and more success to you. Xoxo
All three are lovely, Selma, and I love the last one the best. xo
I see. I see. The last one involves a dog. Copper—I see. You resonate best with the dog. Adorable is You, Ma’am. Happy.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Lauren.
I’m grateful for you. 🤗 🐕 ✨
Lovely Selma! ❤️
Aww, thanks my sweet. Happy thanksgiving xoxo
My pleasure Selma.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
Dear friend 👍❤️ so beautiful images you created and 3 poems also I like so much 🌹🙏😍💖 graceful wishes 👏🏼
Thanks, Thattamma. Glad you liked my selection. Blessings. Stay sweet. Xoxo
🌹🙏🥰💗🌹so welcome and graceful wishes my dear friend ✍️👏
All three are wonderful! 👏💖
Aww. You’re the sweetest, Jennifer. Gratitude (touches heart) Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving, Selma! 🧡🍁
Selma, this is one of the most beautiful tanka I’ve ever read. What is a lay priest? I know what a lay person is, and I know what a priest is… but I thought those were opposite things…
<3
David
David, Sir—I doubt it’s the most beautiful… I’ve seen you line up some amazing words that mesmerize me. But I’ll take the compliment. Thanks so much. 🙇🏽♀️
could you explain about the “lay priests” please?
Oh yeah. 🙇🏽♀️ Wiki says “The church of JC of Latter-day Saints uses the term lay priesthood to emphasise that its local congregational leaders are unpaid.”
Terms such as lay priest, lay clergy and lay nun were once used in certain Buddhist cultures, esp Japanese, to indicate ordained persons who continues living in the wider community instead of retiring to a monastery.
I think the custom/practice prevails.
*They’re volunteers*>>I’ve seen them tidying up sometimes.<< you gotta agree that lay priests paint a better image than saying volunteers 👏🏽 (less syllables too 😆) I’m so happy you liked this one. It was my fave of the three 😛 Be safe, dear David. 🤗🤗
oh, thanks! 🙂
I love learning stuff like this!
Your poetry is so beautiful, Selma. I love the unique details that you sprinkle throughout. Your imagery is stunning. I hope you’re going to submit to Literary Revelations Anthology. If you need the link…. let me know.
You’re sweet to me, dear friend. Thanks. I like Colleen’s writing prompts. She has given us all the go ahead to speak about our worlds. This is mine and I’m so glad my sprinkles, though seen through eyes that are not Japanese, have found a warm nesting place here.
As you must know, this country centers you in presence. I love it here.
Did I say too much? Maybe. 🙇🏽♀️
Thanks for being so sweet. I bless you.
I did send in the limit amount to Literary Revelations. I’ve yet to hear back from them—that’s where things are. Thanks so much for your kindness again, Diana.
Happy Thanks&Giving —I bless you.
(I hope you submitted yours to LR as well) 👏🏽
I did, Selma, just yesterday, so it was fresh on my mind when I read your post. I’m so glad you submitted. <3 Have a beautiful week.