Fireflies' Light, Issue 23

First time in Fireflies' LIght! I have a bunch of haiku, senryu, tanka, cherita, and haiga included in the current issue. These are my haiga created by playing with alcohol ink, gel prints, and doodlng. If you want to read the full issue, here it is. Missouri Baptist University (mobap.edu)

Ribbon (Spring/Summer 2020: Volume 16, Number 2)

 The second issue under my editorship. Another stunning artwork by Tiffany Shaw-Diaz. 

My tanka in the Tanka Cafe section. 

This is my scratch art included in my editor's message. I gave Elisa Theriana the chance to write a tanka to pair with it because I chose her tanka for the book cover in the previous issue. 

Add caption

Inaugural Issue of Ephemerae (part 1)

I'm so honored to have this tanka sequence, a collaboration with fellow poets, published in the first issue of Ephemerae. Thanks to the editor, Shrikaanth Krishnamurthy, for accepting this!

Different Paths


the wattle dies
from too much water—
all the ways
he finds to avoid
saying 'I love you'                                                   David Terelinck

low clouds
swallow the echoes
thicken the dark—
for the last kilometer
no words between us                                             Violette Rose-Jones

full stop
at a fork in the road
this time
will we choose
different paths                                                         Carol Judkins

row upon row
of casino slots . . .
the odds
of loving for life,
of beating the house                                               Donna Buck

street kids
jingling coins
in tin cups
weighing the value
of the little we've left                                               Christine L. Villa

patterns
across the cliff face
lives sculpted
by summer dream
and winter storms . . .                                             Carole Harrison

Prizes for Winning the Annual Tanka Contest 2017

     I feel so blessed! As the 1st prize winner of the Annual Tanka Contest 2017 at Mandy's Pages, I did not only receive $100 cash but also these wonderful gifts. Thank you so much, Amanda Mittra Dcosta, Debbie Strange, and Pamela A. Babusci!

     Two years ago, I won first place. I received $100, a bag, a certificate, and a bunch of poetry books. Amanda always make sure that there are tons of prizes. Why don't you check out the contest next year and consider submitting? Most probably, I will be judging again since I won this year. :-)

Annual Tanka Contest 2017

     July was not only a month of celebrating my birthday, but also a month of celebrating honors received from different contests. It started earning the name as Haiku Master of the Week, making it to the merit list of Sonic Boom's 3rd Annual Senryu Contest, then ending the month with an unexpected surprise—garnering the 1st place in the Annual Tanka Contest 2017 in Mandy's Pages. The latest award was a very wonderful surprise because I had won 1st place in 2015. I am so honored! I was the judge last year and blindly selected Debbie Strange's tanka as the first prize winner. This year as the judge, she picked my tanka. She wrote to me and say that we must be kindred spirits. I agree!

     This year the contest attracted 84 entries. I was not surprised because she had so many prizes in store for the winners.

First Prize : USD 100.00 + Books + Certificate + a tanka bag

Second Prize: USD 50 + Certificate

Third Prize: Certificate

(Cash Prizes sponsored by Mandy's Pages)

Debbie Strange donates copies of the following books:

• Warp and Weft : Tanka Threads, Debbie Strange
• More Grows in a Crooked Row - Tanka Conversations of Angela Leuck with 15 Poets
• Bright Stars 1 Tanka Anthology, edited by M. Kei

Poet Pamela A. Babusci awards the first prize winner a copy of A Solitary Woman.

Blue Butterfly Bags sponsors a  tanka bag for the first prize winner. 

     Since I already have a copy of A Solitary Woman, Pamela A. Babusci gifted me this beautiful bracelet.

     I'm still eagerly waiting for my books from Debbie Strange, certificate from Mandy's Pages, and bag from Blue Butterfly Bags. :-)

Wild Voices: an anthology of short poetry & art

     Perfect timing! I received my copy of "Wild Voices: an anthology of short poetry & art by woman" a week before International Woman's Day. I am taking my time savoring each page and celebrating all these female experiences expressed in poetry and art. Kudos to all the contributors and most especially, editor Caroline Skanne!

Here are three of my poems included in this anthology.

cajun moon . . .

when all it takes
is just one look

where petals unfurl
into subtle shades
like clouds in the sky
I am a birdsong waiting
to be heard

roaring waterfall—
within me the will
to carry on

Cattails May 2016

 

 

Cattails May 2016
 

Cattails January 2016 Edition

    Here's a collage of my 3 tanka/tanka art appearing in the latest issue of Cattails. If you'd like to read the full issue, here's the link. http://www.unitedhaikuandtankasociety.com/

 

 

Atoms of Haiku

    14 of my haiku are appearing in this collection. Thank you to the AU team!

a tinge of pink

on a widow's cheeks . . .

cherry blossom buds

***

 

silence between us

braiding the moonlight . . .

last evening walk

 

***
 

winter wind

I tighten my scarf

with his memory

***

 

the whip

of the winter chill—

recurrent cancer

***
 

winter gales

the first few nights

without him

***

 

butterscotch sun

his voice slides into

my bedroom door

***
 

summer afternoon

I let the clouds weave me

another dream

***
 

spring rain

a cypress tree

begins to twinkle

***
 

winter night

a howling dog

brings out the moon

***

 

summer night

warming his hands

on the piano keys

***

 

mimosa blooms

butterfly wings draped

with fragrance

***

milkweed seeds . . .

how the wind catches

me and my dreams

***
 

wine moon . . .

drowning myself

with lies

***
 

broken pot

what marigolds

in full bloom


     Atoms of Haiku may be purchased on Amazon. Another book to add to my Wish List.
http://www.amazon.com/Atoms-Haiku-Collection-Author-United/dp/1511831022
 

Seize the Poem (January 2015 prompt - April 2015 prompt)

January 2 prompt: branches

See comments here.

summer clouds

the taste of a moment

as it melts away

January 9 prompt: cloud watching

See comments here.

February 3 prompt: moon

See comments here.

healing after a good cry cloud break

February 5 prompt: one-liner/monostitch

See comments here.

magenta lips the kiss of summer wind

pink moon the taste of our make-up kiss

summer clouds my dreams sailing away

apple blossoms blowing kisses in the wind

Kathy Uyen Nguyen's response:

falling myrtle your apology a kiss away

fishtailed sky another wish woven through bubble wands

koi pond I stir my hopes into the patchwork of clouds

February 5 prompt: one-liner/monostitch

See comments here.

February 5 prompt: one-liner/monostich

See comments here.

watching

a seagull glide against

the overcast sky . . .

I forgot to tell the driver

to turn right

February 6 prompt: road signs

See comments here.

February 8: sky colors

See comments here.

February 9 prompt: straight lines

See comments here.

Kathy Uyen Nguyen's response:

opal blue skies

a robin pens its story

with a throaty flourish

February 10 prompt: grey

See comments here.

scarlet sky

diluted with dreams

of having you near . . .

this winter I dwell on

the love, not the pain

February 17: winter palette

See comments here.

February 23 prompt: petal

See comments here.

barn door . . .

horse grunts slide out

into the sunshine

* Previously posted at NaHaiWriMo. Thanks to Kathy Uyen Nguyen. I love the way she revised the second line for me.

February 21 prompt:

See comments here.

the frays of sadness

fading into the sunlight . . .

the yellow flowers

we planted together

now in full bloom

March 26 off prompt

See comments here.

thunderstorm —

our pillows strewn

all over the floor

March 27 prompt: thunderstorm

See comments here.

not knowing

the exact moment

I knew I loved you . . .

footsteps of a flamingo

at the edge of the lake

April 2 prompt: sneak, light walking

See comments here.

the sparrow's last sip

from a birdbath . . .

on your birthday

how I didn't want to believe

in your goodbyes

*Thanks again to Kathy for helping me revise this.

April 3 prompt: drink, drought, birdbath

See comments here.

Tanka Poets on Site (October '14 prompt - December '14 prompt)

 

morphine moon . . .

fading in and out

my courage

as you ask me

where you are

 

 

October 13 prompt: morphine moon

See comments here.

 

days when the tone

of my voice is like ice . . .

all it really needs

is the warmth

of your hug

 

 

November 11 prompt: days of ice and frost

See comments here.

 

holding hands

we carry on our shoulders

the lightness of clouds

what can bog us down

in this journey

 

 

November 20 prompt: how we walk together

See comments here.

 

every now and then

the flicker of a firefly . . .

still in my hand

all of you I need

to let go

 

November 26 prompt: firefly

See comments here.

 

I watch a firefly

spiraling into the sky . . .

do you mind

carrying this message

way up to heaven

 

 

November 26 prompt: firefly

See comments here.

 

stitching the spaces

between the silence

of twilight . . .

I sigh and let go

of all my worries

 

 

December 13 prompt: twilight changes

See comments here.

 

Tanka Poets on Site (August 16 prompt)

     Kathy Uyen Nguyen and I ended up writing a tanka sequence!

 

where petals unfurl
into subtle shades
like the clouds in the sky
I am a bird song waiting
to be heard       

                   (CV)

the bird songs

I remember from yesteryear . . .
are they not
the same hues
as your wild, wild heart?
                                        (KN)


I cannot wait
to see the other side
of the mountain
these new names
of scented wings
                            (CV)

mountain echoes

from the edges

of our lips

my heart becomes lost

in those painted skies

                                     (KN)

 

prompt: where I find myself

See comments here. 

15th Annual Tanka Society of America Contest 2014 - Honorable Mention

     I was so thrilled when I received the good news from Janet Lynn Davis, TSA vice president and contest coordinator of TSA International Tanka. From among more than 500 entries, my tanka was selected to receive an honorable mention. I'm grateful to the judges - Michele L. Harvey and Susan Constable. This was really a big surprise!

only remembering
how he loved me...
in a clear brook
white clouds gather
in my hands

     Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions! Here's the link to the official announcement page: https://sites.google.com/site/tankasocietyofamerica/tsa-contest/winners-and-judges-comments/2014-tsa-international-tanka-contest-winners
     You can also read it on TSA's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TankaSocietyOfAmerica
     The complete writeup including judges' commentary will be published later in the year, in the Fall issue of Ribbons (the TSA journal) as well as on the TSA website.

Carribean Kigo Kukai #49

puffy clouds

a seagull soars higher 

than my kite

4th place

prompt: kite
See results here.

Tanka Poets on Site (April 24 prompt)

where two ponds

merge into white clouds
the early stirrings
of our hearts 
become boundless



prompt: two ponds
See comments here.
 

NaHaiWriMo #22-28 Prompts

   

our fingers touch

on the elevator button . . .

floating clouds

Feb. 28 prompt: button

See comments here. 

between life and death

we meet again . . .

butterfly wings

Feb. 27 prompt: bridge

See comments here. 

coffee stains . . .

what you shouldn't have

told me

Feb. 26 prompt: brew

See comments here. 

our silence

braiding the moonlight . . .

first kiss

Feb. 25 prompt: braid

See comments here. 

empty sea . . .

in a fisherman's net

a bucketful of stars

Feb. 24 prompt: boat
See comments here. 

latest buzz . . .

she spreads more butter

on her toast

Feb. 23 prompt: beehive

See comments here.

barn door . . .

the grunts of horses

slide out into the sunshine

Feb. 22 prompt: barn

See comments here.