BW15: N is for Nature

National Geographic: Bamboo Forest, Japan

As I mentioned last week, April is National Poetry Month so I'm going to continue with the poetry theme this week.  I was never a huge fan of poetry growing up and I know the reason why.  When I learned about it in high school and college, it seemed complicated. I really didn't understand the art form and it was just something to memorize, analyze and get through. Instead of appreciating the words, we'd get lost in the verbage - Iambic, anapest, pentameters, blah, blah, blah.   I wasn't taught to appreciate it, because the ones teaching it, didn't seem to appreciate it either.  If you want someone to get excited about something, you have to be excited about it yourself.   I was just reading in A Thomas Jefferson Education that you can have the greatest teacher in the world, but if the student doesn't care about what their teaching, the lesson is lost. And if the teacher doesn't care, well....    In one ear and out the other. 

With age comes wisdom and with wisdom comes appreciation.  I've come to appreciate the art form, love Haiku, love the poets who think out of the box and break the rules.   I was listening to NPR the other day and they were interviewing Billy Collins whom I have never heard of.  He intrigued me so I looked him up on the internet and read a few of his poems.  He's one of those who thinks outside the box.  I spotlighted one of his poems on My Two Blessings.

Inspiration for poetry comes from all forms but it think the main inspiration is nature.  Nature is beautiful, emotional, awe inspiring.   My mouth literally drops open when I see some of the shots National Geographic photographer have taken, whether watching documentaries on the television or wandering about their website.    Makes me want to write a poem myself.   There are many different forms including:  Ballade, blues, cento, cinquain, elegy, epic, haiku, prose and sonnets just to name a few.   Have you ever tried to write a Haiku. Some of the greatest traditional haiku poets are Basho, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki.  I learned about Basho when doing Five in a Row with James. Grass Sandals: The Travels of Basho was one of the books we rowed and I fell in love with the Haiku. 

The first day of the year:

thoughts come - and there is loneliness;

the autumn dusk is here.

                           --    Basho

A haiku is made up of simple words and grammar about nature, feelings, experiences and consists only of 17 syllables.  The first line 5 syllables, the 2nd line 7 syllables and the 3rd line 5 syllables.  It doesn't rhyme but paints a picture in your head.  I have a challenge for you this week, besides reading poetry and that is to write a poem in any form including a haiku.  Post it on your blog or post it in the comments, but I dare you to try and see what you can come up with.  I  flexed my writing wings a bit and attempted a poem and a haiku from that poem.  Here's my attempt. 

Poem by Robin of My Two Blessings

Unity

We are the branches.

He is the tree.

Stately, strong

All in unity.

One without the other

like dead branches fall

together, three in unity.

Roots stretch deep,

Anchored to the ground.

Branches reach high,

Seek the sky.

There are no bounds.

Flowers bud.

Fragile, but strong.

Green vine cling

tenacious and long.

Deep brown limbs

lift to the sky.

We are the branches.

He is the tree.

Stately, strong

All in unity.

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Haiku

Green vines, cling and twine
deep brown limbs stretch to the sky

fragile flowers bud.

Your turn!

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