The Versesmith

dVerse OpenLinkNight #415 "Please consider this quote by Gloria Steinem to inspire you :" When you’re lucky enough to have lived a long life, as I have done, your role is to remind us how far we have come. –Gloria Steinem We were doing well. Now our steps forward are blocked. A change is needed. We came too far to forget, some live to impede freedoms. ©2026   Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  

I am thrilled to share these five poems that were  published  today on  I Write Her: The Short of It , edited by Susi Bocks. She “ aims to find those poets and writers with something big to say in as few words as possible .”  I wrote three haiku, one tanka, and a short free verse (4/4/4/9) in the style of a haiga .  These forms are usually not given titles, but have been here.  Feathered Messenger  poised on the lamp post raven's keen dark eyes stare down harbinger of news Benny  my house panther snores a big boy once, now wasted spends last days with me   Moon Music sultry summer night cicadas shrill serenade nocturne in moonglow Silent Muse   the poet fails, sobs words have left him, blank paper laying on his desk mock the once great man of verse his muse no longer whispers Portrait of a Nun The new submission cycle for The Short of It will open July 1, 2027. #haiku #tanka #theshortofit #iwriteher #shortpoems...

 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

 The Sunday Whirl  Wordle # 685   Prompt words in red.  In the remote and misty mountains the fresh snow dusts the path I follow . My candles provide minor light, but still the snow sparkles as if by magic , as the moonlight breaks through the clouds.  I reach the slippery steps leading up to a heavy oak door. It opens to my knock, and I hear the laugher from within. I carefully scrape the snow off my boots, leaving them in the entryway as I bask in the warmth of the fire within. my friends awaiting in the sunken living room strings ready to strum and crystal champagne flutes filled ready to toast the new year ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved

  Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge: Synonyms Only  I have written a tanka.  The synonyms are in red. your word is your bond yet I hear the double-talk  actions speak louder like an umbrella with holes  no relief from rain or tears   ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdaypoetrychallenge #tankapoetry #syllabicpoetry #tankatuesday #synonymsonly

  Tanka Tuesday Halloween Poetry Challenge: Witch's Brew Poetry Colleen tells us " Witches and their potions are synonymous with Halloween. Let’s create a spellbinding poem. (longer syllabic forms work best). You can write freestyle, but you must include a syllabic form too! Write a syllabic poem about a witch brewing a potion. Include vivid descriptions of ingredients and their effects.  You can make the poem a rhythmic chant or incantation, enhancing the magical feel of your words. The idea is to have fun, so humor works! Feel free to use end rhymes on forms that don’t usually have them. Please let us know the form and if you’re using end rhymes. (The use of end rhymes is optional). For this challenge, if you’re using end rhymes on forms that don’t usually have end rhymes, you’re creating experimental syllabic poetry. Or, write from the perspective of an ingredient, expressing its fear or excitement at being used in the brew." A very good thing were are e...

 Poets and Storytellers United #150 : How High is the Moon? "For your optional prompt this week, I invite you to write about the moon." I have written a photo tanka.  photo ©Lisa Smith Nelson #phototanka #tanka #moonpoetry #poetsandstorytellersunited 

  Tanka Tuesday Poetry Challenge  Synonyms Only & a Specific Form Selma has asked us to write a tanka using synonyms for Mindless and Humdrum .  After reading some of the synonyms (on  www.thesaurus.com ) I was reminded of something my niece's uncle said about the music at her wedding reception.   credit  no pleasing uncle he always criticized her down to little things called wedding music  white bread we just called him  moronic      ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdayweeklypoetryprompt #tankatuesday #synonymsonly #tanka #synonyms

24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 41 The Summer Solstice (June 21 – July 6) Geshi 夏至 "This week: Your writing invitation is to choose one of the 24 Forms for your poem. You can use the kigo words and phrases from the Part I challenge post HERE , or you can use the phrases I’ve created...  Use one kigo phrase in each of your three poems in whatever order you’d like. " I chose " summer celebrations" and " melons " from Colleen's phrase list, and "ants" and "evening primrose," found here .  Yes, four instead of the requested three. Three haiku and a tanka.  The tanka is a true memory.  As a child, in the cool of the summer evenings my father would call to me, "The Oenothera is opening!"  I'd come running to watch the papery petals slowly unfold as we watched, standing side by side.  A dry time of year these summer celebrations fireworks rain down hot anticipation juice dribbles cool down my chin Hermiston...

24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No.39 The Summer Solstice (June 21 – July 6) Geshi 夏至 " Your syllabic poetry writing invitation is to choose a kigo word or phrase from the seasonal kigo list on the post, or you can choose from the summer category on the 500 kigo word list links below. Share your kigo word on your post. " I chose the kigo words " Strawberry Moon " and " Cicadas ." I gather berries light from the strawberry moon sufficient this dawn loud in the dappled shadows  cicadas buzz their love songs ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesday #kigo #tankatuesdaypoetrychallenge #tankatuesday24seasons #tanka #syllabicpoetry #cicadapoetry #strawberrymoon  

 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 20 The Beginning of Spring (February 3 – 20) Risshun 立 " ...choose a kigo word or phrase from the seasonal kigo list on the post, or you can choose from the Winter and Early Spring categories ( Yuki Teikei Haiku Society ) on the kigo word list links below.  Share your kigo word in your post. " I chose, for a tanka and a haiku, " shallow spring ," " lingering cold ," " cats in love ," and a take on " plum blossoms ," using plum buds, as my plum blossoms (actually a pluot) are only buds at this point.  The cats have been " in love " outside the windows in the night for the past week. this pale shallow spring flowering quince disregards the lingering cold plum buds swollen with promise outside my frosted windows cats in love shrieking nocturnes - shadows under dim shallow spring moonlight ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  #tankatuesday #kigo #tankatuesdaypoetry...

  24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge, No. 17  Part III: Early Cold (January 5 – 20) Shokan 小寒 – Poet’s Choice "This week’s TankaTuesday challenge invites poets to choose kigo words from a past season or the Early Cold challenge. The poetry form and season are open, but a kigo word must be included. Optional art prompt provided." I wrote one haiku and two tankas.  The kigo words are in red.  Winter in the Country , by George Henry Durrie winter morning chores sweet aroma of grass hay cattle’s soft warm breath the plough in the shed dreaming this winter morning clear dawn sky, cold light star sparkles – another plough* above my head to the east ©Lisa Smith Nelson steam from the saw mill reaches for the waning moon pink sky a portent of cold clouds before mid-day of barn cats chasing their tails** ©2024 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  *The Plough is another name for the Big Dipper. **It's said that barn cats will chase their ...

Tanka Tuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge No. 8   The Beginning of Winter (November 7 – 21) Ritto 立冬 "Below you will find the three kigo phrases (five syllables each). You can use them as the “turn lines” or “pivots” (third lines) for each of your three tanka, or as the first line of your tanka. You must use one kigo phrase in each tanka as either the first line or the pivot line in each of your three tanka poems." The kigo phrases are: #1: “the first month with sleet” #2: “late winter garden” #3: “blanket by the fire” the first month with sleet these early cold days are hard since I've been alone the nights are so much longer I don't know how long I'll last squash dead on the vine withered tomatoes turned brown late winter garden  hang up the garden hoses close the garden shed door tight the first cold morning mug of hot cocoa in hand blanket by the fire warms my legs and the old dog memories for when he's gone * ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights R...

Tanka Tuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge No. 5  First Frost (October 23rd – November 6) Soukou 霜降 " ... choose a kigo word or phrase from the seasonal kigo list on the post, or you can choose from the autumn category... Share your kigo word on your post. " I have chosen " first frost ," as I am expecting my first frost tomorrow night.  One of the kigo phrases is " preparations for winter ," and I have switched that to " not prepared for winter ."   The photos are from last year. first frost due tonight I need to leave my warm house prepare the garden the faucets are still unwrapped I'm not prepared for winter ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdaypoetrychallenge #tanka #tankapoetry #syllabicpoetry #kigo #tankatuesday 

 Tanka Tuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge No. 332   "This week's challenge invitation is to explore the world of collective animal nouns." "Select one of the animal collective nouns and write your syllabic poem using the collective noun." one more skein of geese black stitches against grey sky honking their way south I glance up to watch them pass harbingers of cool weather ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdayno332 #tanka #syllabicpoetry #syllabicpoem #goosepoem #tankapoem 

Tanka Tuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge No. 313 "This week, share the view outside your window by writing a poem in syllabic form.  If you write a freestyle form, please add a syllabic form to your post.  Have fun!" I view my garden,  waking from too long winter, from behind the glass. Years of masks, vaccinations, with my guard down, COVID strikes. ©2023 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved #tankatuesdayno313 #tankatuesdayweeklypoetrychallenge #tankapoetry #tankapoem #COVIDpoetry #syllabicpoetry #syllabicpoem #COVIDpoem #COVIDtanka 

 Tanka Tuesday No. 292 #tastetherainbow color poetry  ©Lisa Smith Nelson   should we tell the bees the autumn crocus isn't crocus after all or leave them to the lilac petals checkered in sunlight   ©2022 Lisa Smith Nelson. All Rights Reserved  #tankatuesdayno292 #tankatuesday #tanka #tankapoem #tankapoetry #tastetherainbow #colorpoetry #colorpoem #autumncrocus #poetryprompt