Peter Newton & Bart Solarczyk: Wednesday Haiku, #102

 Play It By Trust by Yoko Ono

winter afternoon
my father explains
the strength of a pawn

Peter Newton

 

Dali Atomicus by Philippe Halsman

Tune in a bucket
swinging
in the afterglow

Bart Solarczyk

Well Bucket and Bush Warbler

the fish
unaware of the bucket...
a cool evening

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

  

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Gimme Some Truth: Issa's Sunday Service, #157

The Lennonos by Jack Mitchell

The solo career of John Lennon was a marvel. No matter how much one thought in terms of marketing and smoke and mirrors (it is, after all, rock and roll, and John was one of the most savvy of rockers), one got the sense of watching an artist grow in public, personally as well as artistically.

Thank you, Yoko.

This song goes right to the heart of where the personal and communal converge - put succinctly it's stop the bullshit, stop the bullshit.

Thank you, John. 

The literature connection in this one is John's referencing the old English nursery rhyme "Old Mother Hubbard."  Fittingly, the book in which it was published, The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and Her Dog, was believed by many to be political satire though of what is still a question for the ages.  

And, finally, just in case the youtube video above disappears into the ether, here is Jakob Dylan and Dhani Harrison in pursuit of the same old truth: 



         

a dog rolling
in the highway...
a long day

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

  

PS. Get 2 free issues. Get 2 more free issues

Lillie poem archive

Send a single haiku for the Wednesday Haiku feature. Here's how.

Go to the LitRock web site for a list of all 157 songs

 

War Is Over (Now)

Hope everyone is enjoying the various holidays celebrated around this time of year and all have a friend, a companion, perhaps family to spend time with.

Currently, I'm reading two books on classic Chinese love poetry. I hope to be taking a longer look at these in a future post, but, for now, here is a poem of love, from the Peter Pauper Press book, Chinese Love Lyrics, to go with the idea of peace. Enjoy.

Among the Bamboos

Bring me no more flowers. Bring me
cypress branches in which to plunge my face.

When the sun has disappeared behind
The mountains I put on my robe of blue
With the thin sleeves and go and sleep
Among the bamboos she loved.

Tu Fu
translated by Gertrude L. Joerissen

in night's winter rain
a face...
his parents' gate

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

Happy holidays,
Don

Audre Lorde & Yoko Ono: Revolution

Today is the shared birthdays of two revolutionary poet/artists, Audre Lorde and Yoko Ono. Revolution often foments in rage and anger and these women certainly have brought that. Also, and perhaps more importantly, there is the love that is the goal of all souls looking to truly revolutionize who we are and how we conduct ourselves. Each of these artists, in their own transformative way, does just that.

Equality is the word and the word is love.

Coal

--I
is the total black, being spoken
from the earth's inside.
There are many kinds of open
how a diamond comes into a knot of flame
how sound comes into a word, coloured
by who pays what for speaking.

Some words are open like a diamond
on glass windows
singing out within the crash of sun
Then there are words like stapled wagers
in a perforated book - buy and sign and tear apart -
and come whatever wills all chances
the stub remains
an ill-pulled tooth with a ragged edge.
Some words live in my throat
breeding like adders. Others know sun
seeking like gypsies over my tongue
to explode through my lips
like young sparrows bursting from shell.
Some words
bedevil me.

Love is a word, another kind of open.
As the diamond comes into a knot of flame
I am Black because I come from the earth's inside
Now take my word for jewel in the open light.

Audre Lorde

Door Piece

Make a tiny door to get in and out
so that you have to bend and squeeze
each time you get in . . . this will
make you aware of your size and about
getting in and out.

Yoko Ono
Spring 1964

In memory of Audre Lorde and happy birthday, Yoko.

You rock the world.


best,
Don

Brand New Work by Yoko Ono

For the best view, click on the image.


And from an old work by Yoko Ono:

Peace.


best,
Don

PS A tip of the hat to Ron Silliman for pointing this one out.