japanese lanterns
rubenesque and rosy red
beautiful decor
balancing the inward and outward
marrying material and spiritual as an artform
showcasing the objective and subjective
conjuring both philosophical construct and aesthetic ideal
the aspiration a way of life
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Don’t be fooled, they carry
nothing of the Orient’s allure.
These voracious beetles,
if they had the appetite,
might easily bring down
the loftiest sequoia.
Depraved sexual deviants,
they deflower helpless roses
in broad daylight; and, like
Medieval artisans of yore
turn hardy zinnias into
empty-ribbed cathedral windows.
Their shells are hard like
scarabs, but charmless,
slicked with an iridescence
cheap and tacky like carnival glass.
Eager to reproduce their kind,
they feed and copulate
at the same time.
Sex has never lost its need
with any creature on this planet,
least of all these pesky beetles,
so a potent sex attractant does
the job. And even in the heat
of destructive flames, they go
at it mindlessly one last time.
japanese chickens
produce for bright orange egg yolks
carotene diet
off putting maybe
salmonella neutralized
safe and edible
Carpal tunnel twinges
punctuate a torpid afternoon,
as row on row we line the aisles
and stare at nothing
with the guarded anonymity
of urinating men.
My thumb is on the lever,
moving almost imperceptibly,
as marbles rocket into space
and filter down
through obstacles designed
to keep the management in business.
The captive of a chain reaction
freed from craving by acceptance
of the preordained,
I decompose, am compromised,
incorporated by the convolutions
of this artificial universe.
But something breaks
the moment I let go.
The single thread
that holds the world in place is cut,
and once again I fall away
with all my individual needs exposed.
Japan, 1968
Previous version published in Outposts, England
seventeen onji
phonetic not syllabic
seasonal tristich
Many believers find from faith in God that He is "the source, the force and the course" that leads to peace and joy and heaven.
Bill Stafford on Romans 11:34-36
It is what it is; once death is certainty.
He was my night and day for forty-eight years;
as yet he's counted a dear friend among peers.
No matter how small the opportunity -
no matter how distant in eternity -
our kids' achievements from heaven he still cheers.
It is what it is.
It is well with his soul ~ his identity.
It is true, through it all, troubles, doubts and fears
it's fact, we trusted in God with smiles, with tears.
It's redemption through Christ - immortality.
it is what it is.
Some things cannot be changed.
However, you need not react;
It is nonsensical to do so.
Keep your focus on the things you can change
And let the things that you cannot change go.
Take time to let them roll off your back
And stay peaceful.
Getting injured cannot be helped with cries or screams
And requires the positivity of focusing on rehabilitation.
Naturally, there are many more situations when all you can do is
Accept them with grace and resilience because
“It cannot be helped.”
Shikata Ga Nai.
Amidst the city's relentless pulse and roar,
Lies a sanctuary, the Japanese garden’s core.
Stepping through its gates, a portal to a dream,
Into a realm where Zen's whispers gleam.
Bonsai trees, like ancient elders, bow,
Their emerald whispers, a silent vow.
Evergreen sentinels sculpted with care,
Stand as guardians in the tranquil air.
A teahouse hovers, a tranquil pond’s embrace,
A crimson bridge, a poet’s arching grace.
Below, Koi fish drift in a painted dance,
Stone lanterns cast shadows, a mystical trance.
Waterfall's lullaby, nature’s own hymn,
Cherry blossoms and maples with limbs so slim.
Their petals, whispers of springtime’s kiss,
In this Eden, find your tranquil bliss.
Bamboo groves whisper secrets old,
Gravel paths, stories silently told.
Each step a journey from strife and toil,
In this sacred soil, let your spirit uncoil.
Use melasma cream
Refill nutrients for skin
Boost up self-esteem.
When I first saw you
sparks flowing from heart- to heart
you mesmerized me my dear
when I first saw you
I knew I had met my fate
you were my forever love
Matsuo Basho
My brother, it’d snowed so much
That the Sun had died.
Poems are vital
For a better Society
Du Fu is happy.
Su Shi is proud too
Yes, Poetry is important
For the Universe.
Copyright © December 2023, Hébert Logerie, all rights reserved.
Hébert Logerie is the author of several collections of poems.
I am now learning
How to write a good haiku
‘Tis my real first poem.
Copyright © December 2023, Hébert Logerie, all rights reserved.
Hébert Logerie is the author of several collections of poems.
Fluttering fireflies
Above the creek baited sly
Hoodwinked in high skies
Genji's ruthless ruse
Foiling Hotaru's scheme
In summer rains' reprise
Pattering musical notes
On screen to wilfully tease
Dark nights dashing dream
Fireflies sparking muse
Unveiling the radiant allure
Of Tamakazura's fair silhouette
Smitten Hotaru pens love pure
A waka to win her heart yet
Hear Hotaru's heartbeat
In relentless petition
Seeking solemn retreat
In love's glorious rendition
** In Spirit with Trees **
I feel sad, feeling a kind of tragedy
When I see that a storm
has broken…
has felled trees.
Grass everywhere green, rises.
Flowers splendidly gracing…And
Blessed crops progress us all… But,
The fig, olive, walnut, willow, ash, and magnolia —
The palm, maple, oak, redwood, and evergreen —
The any and every kind of tree affect me,
As I breathe and dearly perceive.
I must confide, my curiosity
about trees has deepened
Since decades ago, when I read
some Japanese folklore
Tells of the believing their ancestors
Could remain here becoming spirits in trees.
That idea — plus the knowledge about how eons of trees
evolved since their days amidst the dinosaurs —
Has
…increased my awe of them, as I see
growth and strength for purposes, and to possibly
inspire as towering sillouhettes against the sky…
Beautifully awakening wonder, with a mysterious
Sensing
Trees may stand waiting communicate.
———————————————————————————————————
(c) sally young eslinger 7/6/23
Thanks be to God—-
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