Winterberry Branch Near My Porch
Photo by Amy LV
Students - Did you know that a poem can be very short? This short poem is simply an image (winterberry branch) and my personification of that image (calling birds for breakfast). It's a haiku.
The Poetry Foundation explains haiku - "A Japanese verse form most often composed, in English versions, of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables. A haiku often features an image, or a pair of images, meant to depict the essence of a specific moment in time." This branch right outside of my front porch here at The Poem Farm is full of berries now...but likely not for long once the birds find it. So this IS a specific moment. Here I fell in love with bright red against white snow and brown barn and branches....
If you are on a school break this coming week, or even if not, keep your eyes open for images specific to the season where you live. Find a moment, a specific moment when the season seems to define itself to you. Write or draw or take a picture.
Right now, as I type to you....about 20 goldfinches are enjoying the feeder outside my window. Another moment! Our world is very beautiful, and we can often find this beauty in small and surprising bits.
Over at my other blog, Sharing Our Notebooks, you can find a very cool peek into Julie Patterson's notebooks. Leave a comment...and you just may win a book!
Buffy is hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup over at Buffy's Blog. She's offering up a fun personal holiday poem and a current political poem by our Young People's Poet Laureate Margarita Engle. Please stop by if you'd like to visit many different blogs, all celebrating poetry. We meet weekly, and everyone is invited!
Please share a comment below if you wish.
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ReplyDeleteHope your birds listen to your winterberry branch's invitation! Happy bird watching and happy holidays to you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo and haiku. I hope you and your family have a joyous holiday. xo
ReplyDeleteI saw this photo before, and it is lovely, Amy. I have some berries waiting, too, but no goldfinches spotted lately. Happy Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThose red berries are so striking against the snow, it's like they;re just begging to be turned into poetry!
ReplyDeleteI love how you include the definition of haiku. Lately, I've been mesmerized by definitions....and have been responding to them poetically. Lovely haiku, Amy. Thanks for the beautiful moment wrapped in red.
ReplyDeleteAmy, this a lovely image and a wonderful reminder of the power a few words can create upon a page. Somehow, the birds seem to gather joyfully together this time of year. I wish this for us all, not just for a winter season, but for every year of every season.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Kiesha
Your winterberry branch is a beautiful winter image as is the accompanying haiku. Enjoy your bird watching. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteLovely moment that you captured in your haiku and photo. I love watching any wild animal through the winter, but the birds with their songs are quite special–enjoy your birding! And Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteA toast -- To the beauty found in small moments!
ReplyDeleteLovely photo and haiku. I hope the birds find their breakfast feast. Now to go capture the image from last night of sandhill cranes chortling overhead as the flew to warmer climes.
ReplyDeletealone in the dawn
ReplyDeletesudden Sunday morning gust
drops a shattered branch
Thanks for helping me go back and grab that specific moment, Amy. Happy, merry and bright to you and yours, my friend!
Hope you had a nice Christmas, Amy - I love that winterberries grow all around here, as I love using them in our evergreen decorations.
ReplyDeleteYour haiku is lovely! I miss birds in winter--not many in my neighborhood at this time of year. "Our world is very beautiful, and we can often find this beauty in small and surprising bits." YES. Thank you for always finding and highlighting the beauty! Happy New Year, Amy!
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