Poetry Friday - Wabi Sabi - My Broom

 

created by Linda Mitchell

It's Poetry Friday, and Tricia Stohr-Hunt is hosting HERE on her blog, The Miss Rumphius Effect. Thanks for hosting, Tricia! 

           I've read a book that discusses Wabi-Sabi and have that special picture book of the same name. If you don't know it, here's a picture. The way some discuss the concept seems like an un-definition, a feeling, a 'thing', that is impermanent, something that is not necessarily thought to be beautiful, yet has beauty. I am not an expert, but trying out the feeling this time for the challenge by the Poetry Sisters, here at the end of June! 

          This month, the Poetry Sisters have given us this challenge: In June, we’re writing poems about Wabi-Sabi, with Wabi-sabi as the title. In Andrew Juniper's book Wabi Sabi: The Japanese Art of Impermanence, wabi sabi is defined this way. 

Wabi-sabi is an aesthetic that finds beauty in things imperfect, impermanent and incomplete. Taken from the Japanese words wabi, which translates to less is more, and sabi, which means attentive melancholy, wabi-sabi refers to an awareness of the transient nature of earthly things and a corresponding pleasure in the things that bear the mark of this impermanence.

             In his book Wabi-Sabi Simple, Richard Powell described wabi-sabi as a philosophy that acknowledges a lifestyle that appreciates and accepts three simple truths: "Nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect." Will you write with us? Good! You have a month to craft your creation and share it in a post and/or on social media with the tag #PoetryPals. We look forward to reading your poems!  

          I'm unsure if it's okay to share a picture, too, but I have!

Wabi Sabi

My beloved broom

sweeps away

leaves blown onto the porch,

offers time 

      for thoughts of the day,

      the week,

      sometimes even a life.

It brings a sweet swish of a sound–

my background music.

 

Linda Baie ©

          Thank you, Poetry Sisters, it was satisfying to write about my broom. I am a sweeper at heart!

NPM19 - Day 29 - My Broom

   I've strayed from the book sometimes but enjoyed parts that did inspire me to write in new ways. 

Tabatha Yeatts has created a link to poems teachers and librarians can print for poetry month, titled "Poetry in The Halls". I'm grateful to be one of the poets!

Jama Rattigan has a post HERE with many poets' goals for April.

The Progressive Poem schedule can be found on the right.

First, I want to thank Irene Latham and Jone MacCullough for my wonderful postcards. It is a pleasure to receive "real" mail and when it's a poem, even better. (Click to enlarge.)

 















        I have told some people and written at other times about my penchant for sweeping with a broom. When sad, when frustrated, when overwhelmed, I usually find a porch or patio to sweep clean. In my old home, if cold, I swept the garage. Now without a garage, I brave even bad weather, bundling up, and sweep away (when needed). Thus, my poem.

Lament

My broom is dead,

here lies its head.

It swept away

my dust-fraught days.

Frustration pushed

out with a whoosh.

The broom and me,

my therapy!

Another broom

will take up room,

but I’ll recall

this one did all.

Linda Baie ©