Contemplations of a Closet Curmudgeon

How fine it would be
To sit awhile longer and
Talk the night away.
Duty demands that we part:
Tomorrow is a work day.

(Scribbled on a napkin at Coco's at 11:40 PM, 4/2/13.)

It's getting to be that time!
Here's the concept:
Write one tanka (waka)* a day for the month of April.

*Resources on tanka:
http://www.ahapoetry.com/TANKA.HTM
http://www.americantanka.com/
http://www.wodefordhall.com/heianpoetryjam.htm

The spirit of this poetic form being the impermanence of this dewdrop life, no other make-ups are permitted. If you miss a day, you miss a day and as in real life, you never get it back. (You're on the honor system here....)

No limits on subject matter other than any you chose to impose upon yourself. Hopefully, some moment in your day will inspire you to write about it.

If you write more than one tanka a day, fine. However, you may not carry over tanka to other days. You have to write a poem on each day.

(If you are inspired to "answer" someone else's poem, great. Personally, if I do so, I am not going to
count it toward my daily assignment. The idea is to come up with something myself each day. What you do is up to you.)

Adherence to the 5-7-5-7-7 line/syllable count is required, otherwise it's not a tanka.

It's poetry, not stereo instructions. It should say something and it should make sense.

No rewrites. (I know, I'm evil, but it's part of the process of practicing this form. At least for me.)

If you want to share your poems, you may post them to http://tankachallenge.livejournal.com/21121.html
This challenge originally premiered in 2008.

Good luck everyone!

...means convincing your boss that coming in to infect the entire office is counterproductive, then logging in to review PDFs of new hire packets for an hour,* running them all through E-Verify because the temp doesn't have access, and emailng her back with a list of who needs what done with them. *Probably could have done it in less if I hadn't had to toggle back and forth between tabs, not to mention not having a number key pad on my home laptop, which slowed me down a bit.

So Ken emails back and says, fine, feel better, make sure to count up what time you put in and note it as regular time instead of sick time on your time card next week. Thought number one: does it really matter? Thought number two: isn't it going to send up red flags with the Payroll folks when you put it in?

Whatever. I did my bit. I've encouraged Denise to ping me with questions on anything she needs me for, though she strikes me as the type to plow through as best she can before sending up a flare.

On that note, I'm going to go back downstairs for more tea.

Just in time for the holidays! Gorgeous art photography by the incomparable didjiman in calendar form.

http://www.richardmanphoto.com/calendar.html

I just ordered three for Christmas presents. Might order more....

Another month ends
In a rush of raindrops and
Cold winds off the sea.
I reach for brush and paper,
Thinking of friends far away.

A break in the clouds
Piled high like rumpled bedclothes
Reveals a pale sun.
The wind rattles the branches
Of a defiant maple.

So small yet fearless,
He cocks his head to watch me
With tiny bead eyes.
I try not to startle him
As I drop crumbs on the bench.

(Who knew sparrows like Subway?)

Another still night,
The neighborhood seems empty
And the streets are dark.
High time to douse the lanterns,
Bank the fire and say goodnight.

Our harvest feasting
Overlooks the sparkling bay
Before the sun sets.
Smiles make the best seasoning
At a table among friends.

The stash of quarters
Dwindles inevitably
With each trip downstairs.
One thing is unchangeable:
There is always more laundry.