sweet wine on her breath,
mother earth attempts to catch
the departing sun–
she’s certain that he’s falling,
yet she’s the one who’s tipsy
–photo by me
intoxicated
Tag: tanka
a natural thing (tanka)
established foes don’t
know that they hate each other–
until they’re informed;
love is a natural thing
while hatred has to be learned
–photo by me
new-found faith (tanka)
the sun aligning
with a porthole in the clouds
is like new-found faith–
suddenly, we see the light
but who can hold on to it?
–photo by me
perspective (tanka)
sometimes i change my
perspective to see things the
way they really aren’t
every new perspective
gets me closer to the truth
–photo by me
early birds (tanka)
the migrating birds
have returned to the northland–
a little too soon
so for now, their nesting plans
will have to be put on ice
–photo by me
alone together (tanka)
for many of us
the middle of a crowd is
the loneliest place
but at least we are never
alone in our loneliness
–photo by me
look back (tanka)
people tell us to
keep moving ahead in life
and never look back–
but if we never look back,
then what are we climbing for?
–photo by me
The Battle for Love
So many young folks get married without actually understanding what true love is, and consequently end up in a stormy marriage, always battling for a love that seems to be forever beyond their reach. This tanka is for them:
the battle you fight
for love can only be won
by surrendering
for love cannot be taken;
it must be given to us
–photo by me
simple secrets (tanka)
the simplest patterns
observed in nature betray
her deepest secrets–
from the formation of stars
to the rise of life itself
–photo by me
faces (tanka)
perhaps our souls are
not somewhere deep in our chests,
but in our faces–
why else do people end up
with the face that they deserve?
–photos by me
michaeljordahl 