I bought some red geraniums at the nursery, and the depth of color left me gobsmacked. I love deep color. It draws me like bees to a sweet pickle jar. So I had to write about it...
Geranium's green fists
soon flutter prayer flags
drenched in crimson
-- Karen Eastlund
So the question comes... is it a haiku in hiding? If I move the word "fists" to the second line, I'm close to the 5-7-5 configuration for a haiku. That was my original plan. But then I did a little more investigating and learned haiku do not include metaphors or similes. Well... I liked my metaphor more than I liked the idea of a haiku. I moved "fists" to the first row and that's how it ended up as it is. Let me know what you think.
That's my little poem for today. I hope it speaks to you. If you are a poetry fan, please feel free to join the Poetry Friday gang, hosted today at the ever so talented Michelle Kogan's. Don't miss her gorgeous illustrations, plus...you will find plenty of poetry to please you there! Thanks for hosting, Michelle, and happy birthday!
no metaphor or haiku in a simile? uh oh! I got some editing to do....ha! I love deep color too. Although, you'd never know it by the neutrals in my home...I'm one of those scaredy cats of paint color. So, I admire designs of others. Just this week I listened to the Brene Brown podcast interview of Justina Blakeney....and am obsessing just a little over her instagram account and website that has gorgeous designs. I'll take a red fist waving a red prayer flag any day!
ReplyDeleteYes, Karen, I do like the arrangement you used. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the process because you found the right approach to share. I like the words prayer flag-just a right thoughts for Memorial Day weekend.
ReplyDeleteKaren, I do love the form and poem. I'm glad you explained about the haiku. Like Linda, I would have some editing to do. I'd never heard that haiku "rule." Good for you! You don't need rules for poetry! I love geraniums too, and I love their green fists in your poem opening to prayer.
ReplyDeleteWonderful poem, Karen. Love deep colors too!
ReplyDeleteTime for me to get some geraniums, my only annual in pots, Karen! I will remember those 'green fists' - love it, haiku or not! Happy Memorial Day weekend!
ReplyDeleteThe poem works for me. Once you know the rules of a form, you can break them if you want or need to, can't you? I love that deep red.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think you can. I just chose not to...
DeleteI love the prayer flags! Perfect! I have read that about metaphors and haiku, but I sometimes do it anyway. And I've seen metaphors in work by Japanese haiku masters, too.
ReplyDeleteI love the images your metaphors paint, and like Ruth and others above I've seen those rules too, though your poem sings strong in its own voice, thanks Karen!
ReplyDeleteLove the crimson. Like others, I didn't know about the haiku rule, but I tend to break a lot of writing rules, so .... :)
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