The Versesmith

 Ronovan Writes Weekly Haiku Challenge #492 Words: night and bird  ©Lisa Smith Nelson 2023 owl - silent night-bird waits in the cedar watching too late vole spies him  ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved The image is of bones from an owl pellet found under my cedar trees.  Pellets aren't the only thing owls have left behind.  I've found several large birds without their heads. #ronovanwritesweeklyhaikuchallenge #ronovanwrites #haiku #haikupoetry #owlpoetry

 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 11 Heavy Snow (December 7 – 20) Taisetsu 大雪 "... choose a kigo word or phrase from the seasonal kigo list on the post, or you can choose from the winter category (world kigo database) on the kigo word list links below. Share your kigo word on your post ." I have chosen two to include in a shadorma.  " North wind " from In the Sky , and " rosemary " from In the Ground and Water .  The prostrate rosemary will be blooming all winter in zone 8b. photo credit: Lisa Smith Nelson ©2023 ROSEMARY   Rosemary laughs in North Wind’s face. She laughs and flourishes, unmoved by Wind’s biting chill, his sharp icy gusts. ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdaypoetrychallenge #tankatuesday24seasons #kigo #japanesepoetry #24seasons #taisetsu #rosemarypoetry 

  24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 10 Light Snow (November 22 – December 6) Shosetsu 小雪 " The 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry challenge is inviting participants to write three dodoitsu, a form of Japanese poetry, following a 7-7-7-5 syllable count pattern. Each poem should contain a specified kigo phrase relating to either the northern or southern hemisphere ."  Use one kigo phrase in each of your three poems. #1: “early winter dusk” #2: “chilly north winds blow” #3: “warmth around the hearth” in the neglected flower beds the browned leaves swirl, a wild dance a last bright petal rises chilly north winds blow strive to keep my usage down make do with nature’s lighting it’s harder in December early winter dusk  sparks fly from the shifting log small out-of-season sparklers  children squeal in mock alarm  warmth around the hearth  ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdaypoetrychallenge #tankatuesday24seasons #dodoitsu #kigo #japanesepoetry #24seasons #sh