The Versesmith

dVerse's  Quadrille #241 : Swearing by all Flowers  Pen us a poem of precisely 44 words (not counting the title), including some form of the word flower. Dead Winter is not the time to view my flowers. An ugly wasteland of crumbled seed heads, rotting leaves. Dead Winter is not the time to view my flowers. Although, even now, I have last summer’s memory, and visions of the one to come. ©202 6 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writing #198: October Writes "...write poetry or prose from the point of view of October. Let October write and tell." Ahhh… to be the warming months of spring to welcome bud and blossom with heady scents of jasmine and the buzzing of the bees to hear the joyful cries of children sporting in green meadows deprived by long white winter No... instead of one last summer bird song one lazy afternoon my lot’s to bring a bitter breath a freezing death to flowers mere nodding heads on drooping stems come morning Alas… my displays of color (gone the greens) ocher russet gold and crimson last too short a time then f a l l in drifts unwanted raked and burned blown into grungy gutters Ahhh… to be a gentle April the month of poetry and prose to hear the multitude of cheers “ Spring is Here !” on eager tongues and know they cheer for me ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

 Poets and Storytellers United  Friday Writings #196 " ...for today's optional prompt, I invite you to write poetry or prose inspired by Autumn (rituals, foods, colors, celebrations… or anything that makes autumn memorable and/or special) ." ©2021 Lisa Smith Nelson summer's last hurrah  has come and gone, once again brisker nights arrive one more blanket on the bed  long sleeves and socks for morning  ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #autumnpoetry #autumntanka #poetsandstorytellersunited #fridaywritings #syllabicpoetry

Poets and Storytellers United Friday Writings #188  Rather than the optional prompt, I've gone with a triolet .   The summer days are long this year. Our garden planted dry as bone. With scorching sun, the skies are clear. The summer days are long, this year I miss you more than last, my dear. I tend our garden all alone. The summer days are long, this year our garden planted dry as bone. ©2025 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

 Tanka Tuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge No. 1  The Autumn Equinox (September 22 – October 7) Shubun 秋分  " You must use one kigo word or phrase in your poem.  Please add your kigo word or phrase on your post... You can create a poem from the 24 forms listed. " I chose to use a kigo phrase from the resource found here ,  https://worldkigodatabase.blogspot.com , first rains .  This resource is very helpful; I learned that rain itself   is not a kigo.  The first rain of the season happened just yesterday, after a long hot, dry summer in southern Oregon.  The photos accompanying the haiku sequence were taken this morning. right on time first rains usher forth winged termites   first rains bead to flow down petal revive rose petals gleam bejeweled by the first soft rains dampwood winged termites (alates) swarming ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesday #haiku #24seasonssyllabicpoetrychalle...

 Tanka Tuesday No. 334 Colleen of Tanka Tuesday has provided the following instructions for this week's poetry challenge, as well as a list of kigo words to choose from.  I have chosen, from under Human Affairs, prayers for rain and from Sky and Elements, scorching,  used in a haiku sequence.  It's the story of my August. This week, choose a kigo (season word of seasonal phrase) and write your syllabic poetry using the word of seasonal phrase... Please share your kigo word on your post. stay inside thick smokes blocks the sun pray for rain   wildfire smoke snakes under the door dog sneezes   scorched garden withered Brandywines uneaten   ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdayno334 #syllabicpoetry #syllabicpoem #kigo #haiku #haikusequence #summerpoetry #summerpoem 

  They say that March comes roaring in, then sheepishly departs.   I disagree for me, you see, it’s a month of fits and starts.   March warms the bulbs who peek their heads, then hide beneath the snow.   The peas I planted hoping spring, rot in the earth below.   March is fickle. March is cruel. Eliot was wrong.   April is the kinder month, March winter does prolong. ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved

The Whirligig #403 Prompt words in red.  image source Hail , rain and bitter sleet , not weather fit for man, nor beast .   Do we resign ourselves to joyless cold, in heartless days of winter?   My one request that soothes my soul, the one that sends my fancy bird -like soaring, a roaring fire, with someone dear, who can bank it for the morning.   ©2022 Lisa Smith Nelson.  All Rights Reserved 

MindLoveMisery's Menagerie   Wordle #302 Prompt words in red. Winter is here. The solstice past, now snowflake s heap high in the garden.   The flames on the grate waver tremulous ly. Unnoticed in autumn, a crack in the mortar lets a channel of air breeze in.   I recline on my pillow, pull the afghan closer. Glancing to the window, nothing to see. A black pane, darkness absolute .   I’m content with the seed catalog in my lap, painted daisy dreams contrary to the calendar. I bid “ Goodbye ” to winter, welcome spring. ©2022 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #mindlovemiseriesmenagerie #wordle #wordlewordprompt #weeklywordle #writingprompt #winterpoem #springdreams #seedcatalogs

Tanka Tuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge No. 199 Theme prompt from Eugi: The Gray Scarf  For this prompt I have written a ukiah, which is an invented form of reverse haiku.   Invented by Robert Ropars, the syllable count is 7/5/7, each line rhymes, and there is a title.   image: public domain  My angora scarf of gray in puff stitch crochet keeps winter chills at bay ©2022 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesday #tankatuesdayweeklypoetrychallenge #tankatuesdayno199 #themeprompt #syllablicpoetry #syllabicpoem #ukiahpoetry #ukiahpoem #reversehaiku 

 Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge No. 296 Taste the Rainbow - Color Poetry "For everything there is a season..." Ecclesiastes 3:1   gone the lilac days as tender morning glories cede to autumn red    ©2022 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  #tankatuesday #tankatuesdayno296 #colorpoetry #poetryprompt #tastetherainbow #haiku #syllabicpoetry #syllabicpoem