How do you treat your Best Friend?

You are rock-solid for your best friend in times of need

You comfort your best friend in times of sorrow

When your best friend is hard on herself

you are gentle with her

You remind your best friend of all the unique and

special gifts she offers this world

When your best friend wanders in darkness

you guide her to the light

You forgive your best friend her shortcomings,

her human frailties, her mistakes

You support your best friend in all her endeavors

You give your best friend a hand up when she is down

You love your best friend with all your heart

Treat yourself as you would your best friend

Excerpt from the book “I AM” by Pen

https://tsw.createspace.com/title/3785376

Available for Kindle for 0.99: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H14FFF8

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Patterns

By Pen

there be a window
facing an opposite wall
patterns of the sun

www.penspen.info

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Flames

By Pen

red holly berries
in the middle of winter
flames amidst snowfall

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The Brightest Stone in the Road

The road of life is never easy

with all its ups and downs,

harder still with rocky ground;

and when all the stones in the road are gray

despair is an easy companion,

all too willing to lead us astray

into a void of darkness.

But from time to time a stone

in the road catches our eye,

its color dazzling,

its brightness, its brilliance providing

a stark contrast against the gray;

its beauty catches us off guard,

stuns us until we

stop and stare

in admiration of one that would dare

survive

to outshine all others.

And that stone often speaks to us,

converses with our very hearts

and tells us

we, too, have the power to shine,

to stand out against

the desolation that surrounds us;

we do not have to be

a part of the gray;

we can be apart from the gray,

and then we continue along our way,

a little wiser for the wisdom,

a little brighter for having been touched

by the brightest stone in the road.

For Jeremy Swartz

May 22, 2000

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Journey’s End

I made a journey
and I reached my journey’s end
I stood at the edge of a chasm
deep and wide
wondering if I should take
that first step
And when I finally did
I found that
I could fly

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Painting Emotions with Haikus

The American Haiku form differs vastly from the original Japanese Haiku form.

Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is often necessary to Americanize things – from writing to food – so that these things are more palatable to the American palate.

As a result, American Haiku forms follow specific standards. The most familiar is the 5-7-5 syllable count. It is the most recognized and accepted form of Haiku in the United States. As a standard, most Haikus have a nature theme to them. This does not preclude a Haiku tackling other topics. But the nature theme gives more impact to the Haiku itself.

There are other lesser-known forms of Haiku. There is the Lune which consists of 3-5-3 word count or 5-3-5 syllable count. And the Zip which consists of a total of 15 syllables written on 2 lines with a caesura or double space between words in the middle of the two lines.

Examples:

Lune:

Grasshopper

blade of grass

new roots in earth’s soil

home to grasshopper

Zip:

Feast

red-tailed hawk           circles in azure sky

spots dead carcass     a feast

Regardless of which form of Haiku is written they are all designed to elicit emotional responses from the reader.

I recall an English teacher (I cannot recall her name) who defined Haiku as follows: it should be stark. Each line should be able to stand on its own. It’s best to use contrasting images. It should take the reader by surprise. And it should make the reader feel something.

Not every Haiku written follows every one of these guidelines as set forth by that wise woman. But one guideline each and every one should follow is that last one: it should make the reader feel something. Everything I write tells a story. But it’s about more than telling a story. It is about eliciting an emotional response in the reader.

This is one of the most important jobs of the writer. An emotional response has a lasting effect. A reader will remember how a certain piece of writing makes her or him feel and will be more likely to share that experience with others. Painting emotions with Haikus takes practice and careful consideration. It is imperative to give thought to the words used. Considering how these words make you feel gives you an idea of what the reader may experience.

Innocent  

the mountain lion

poised to pounce upon its prey

innocent rabbit

Do you sympathize with the rabbit? Or do you feel the lion has the right to survival?

Try this one

Warm

snow falls in fat flakes

warm fingers

cup of hot choc’late

This one immediately brings to mind a cold winter day. The feelings of safety and comfort from being inside where it’s warm when it’s cold and snowing outside are the emotions this Haiku elicits.

A Haiku should take the reader on a wonderful journey in a short span of time. Within that short span of time the reader can experience every emotion from fear to comfort to romance to elation.

Consider your pencil, pen or computer a paintbrush when writing those Haikus. Make them feel something.

 

www.penspen.info

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Warm

snow falls in fat flakes
warm fingers
cup of hot choc’late

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Japanese Maple

red leaves drenched with rain
resembles wet paintbrushes
nature paints picture

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Downtime

sunlit path through woods
fishing pole over shoulder
catch, release: downtime

 

www.penspen.info

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Lullaby

By Pen

sky turns gray and bleak
branches sway in cold repose
winter lullaby

www.penspen.info

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