You are currently viewing TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge
24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 17, 1/16/24, Part III: Early Cold (January 5 – 20) Shokan 小寒 – Poet’s Choice

TankaTuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge

Welcome to the 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry challenge says Colleen at Tanka Tuesday,
where the atmosphere is always warm.

Colleen has suggested a poet’s choice challenge this week:

  • Your poetry writing invitation this week is to choose kigo words from a PAST season
    OR work with the kigo words and phrases from the Early Cold challenge HERE.
  • You choose the form, and you choose the past season, and the winter kigo words.
    You must use at least one kigo word in your poem.*
  • *Remember, if you write a haibun or a haiku, the kigo word is required in the haiku.

If that doesn’t work… I’ve added a piece of art below: Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday.
Image credit: Winter in the Country, c. 1859 by George Henry Durrie, Artist from
the National Gallery of Art
(adding the image in case you wish to give it a try too).

Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday Image credit: Winter in the Country, c. 1859 by George Henry Durrie, Artist from the National Gallery of Art
  • You can write your syllabic poem using the WINTER season kigo words of your
    choice from various sources on the Saijiki-Kigo page HERE.

Kigo words: swirling rivers of gold and gray light
and silence

Winters here are mild but with the trees bare of foliage nothing stands between us
and the chill. Nothing stands between us and the swirling rivers of gold and gray light.
The interaction of the barely perceptible wind beguiles me in a dance of Eastern light.

mejiro visits
wind and light enact a dance
in veil of silence

© Selma

Below is a short video I made yesterday: “Feel” the ballet of the swirling rivers of
gold and gray light that the wind afforded me as I hid from the cold and bird.
Incidentally, Blaininjapan tells me that mejiro (warbling white-eye) know in milliseconds
if you are glancing at them, so it takes an experienced birding photographer to capture
an image of them, or you might get lucky, but probably only once. This was my once!

Source: https://www.blaininjapan.com/blog-post/birding-in-japan-warbling-white-eye-slurping-the-sweet-nectar-of-fatsia-japonica

Swirling rivers of gold and gray light. And one mejiro.

Thank you for reading.

Selma Martin
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This Post Has 43 Comments

  1. ben Alexander

    Selma, your haibun beautifully captures the delicate dance of winter, where swirling rivers of gold and gray light mingle in a veil of silence… The imagery, especially the mejiro’s visit, adds a touch of nature’s grace to the serene scene! Sooooo good <3

    ~David

    1. Selma Martin

      David. I’m so pleased you enjoyed this. I could (and do) spend my day appreciating the dance of light and shadow on everything outdoors.
      Thanks, tomodachi. (Casual reference to friend) XO

  2. beth

    what a lovely haibun, selma – ah, winter

  3. trE

    In your video, I can really see the wind in action. That’s a great piece of footage, Selma!

    1. Selma Martin

      Right?! I’m so happy to checked it out, trE. Now, we have seen the wind 🌬️ 👏🏽 blessings. Thanks for the comment.

      1. trE

        You’re most welcome!

  4. rajkkhoja

    Amazing leaves wind dance. So beautiful dance video!

  5. Sadje

    Lovely haibun. Love your video too.

  6. Bianca Alina

    Lovely haibun, Selma! ❤️🌹 Love the video too.

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for viewing the video, dear Bianca. Thanks for reading and commenting. Xo 💃🏼

  7. Sunra Rainz

    I love your words and your film! It was gorgeous to watch. Honestly, I clicked on it thinking it was you reading the poem cos I misunderstood your note, and then was bewitched by this magical scene ❤️ Just the kind of arthouse film one would see in an art gallery! Except yours is better than many! 🙌🏽

    1. Selma Martin

      You’re sweet for saying. But lovely that you saw such loveliness in it. Thank you. Blessings.

  8. Colleen Chesebro

    What a lovely haibun, Selma. Remember the kigo words go in the haiku portion of the poem, not the prose portion. Haibun and haiku are the only forms that require kigo words. This year, we’ve been using the kigo words for inspiration. Cool video too! I love the way the light changes this time of year. ❤️

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for reading, dear Colleen. Yes, thanks for the heads up about the kigo 🙇🏽‍♀️
      Gladiator you had time for the short video. Xoxo

  9. memadtwo

    I love that image of wind and light dancing. (K)

    1. Selma Martin

      Magical, I think. And then the little megiro…So glad you liked, K. 💃🏼

  10. Miriam Hurdle

    Lovely poem and video, Selma! I like the little bird.

    1. Selma Martin

      So happy you came, Miriam. Glad you liked it. Blessings and happy new year.

  11. msjadeli

    You’re so right about the bare branches leaving us exposed to chill, and in multiple forms of it. Could not see the video but the photos at the link are magnificent!

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for checking in, Lisa. Happy you enjoyed.
      Yes, the link. Beautiful photography. Blessings. Please be warm.

    1. Selma Martin

      So pleased you appreciated this dear Yve. Blessings.

  12. Gwen M. Plano

    Beautiful, Selma. I love the movement in your haibun and the images it evokes. Lovely. ❤️

  13. Gwen M. Plano

    The movement in your haibun is captivating. And the imagery is lovely. ❤️

    1. Selma Martin

      Gwen. Thanks for saying this twice, my lovely. You lit me up—twice. Xo

  14. Jules

    Lucky you! You reminded me when I saw a Bluebird at my feeder – just in passing. I only knew what it was as I had visited some family that had a feeder of mealworms just for them… a few weeks earlier (last autumn).

    I also spotted a hummingbirds in my pines – nipping at rainwater after a storm. Not fast enough to capture either on in an image. Just in words 🙂

    1. Selma Martin

      Flitting moments. Happy moments. Xoxo hugs 🤗 Jules.

      1. Jules

        One has to be observant and always looking – less talking and less electronics. 😉
        Old school, ready and willing to accept natures gifts. (((Hugs))) 💕

  15. robbiesinspiration

    Hi Selma, a most beautiful prose poem and a lovely capture of the bird.

  16. Ingrid

    ‘ a dance of Eastern light’ made me smile 😊 thank you, Selma 🙏

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