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1
Religio / Re: Buddhist Haiku
« on: May 06, 2013, 01:54:17 PM »
David: Thanks for your insightful response.
All Love,
Al
All Love,
Al
2
Religio / Re: Death Poems
« on: May 06, 2013, 01:51:19 PM »
David: Thanks for responding and your comments. And the beautiful Michael Dylan Welch ku that is visually and tactilily impactful with the warm interchange between driver and tool booth collector. Quite memorable. Thanks for sharing.
Al
Al
3
Religio / Re: Buddhist Haiku
« on: April 15, 2013, 07:30:01 PM »
I was attracted to Buddhism at an early age and read Herrigal's "Zen in the Art of Archery" when it first came out in the American edition in 1960 (oh so long ago). But it left a lasting impression. Enjoying these great poems in honor of the Buddha. Here's one I wrote recently:
sudden downpour
the stone buddha's
rain-filled smile
All Best,
Al
sudden downpour
the stone buddha's
rain-filled smile
All Best,
Al
4
Religio / Re: Death Poems
« on: April 15, 2013, 07:15:30 PM »
Wonderful topic..many lasting and memorable ku. I wrote this haiku recently and would like to share it--followed by the backstory that inspired it
crossing over. . .
the warmth
of unseen hands
This was written after reading an article "Hospital and ER Personal Experiences"
Another hospital worker, Sheila, along with her colleagues' witnessed a remarkable crossing over of a dying patient that forever changed her views about death, dying, and the period of crossing over, causing her to look “upon her dying patients with new eyes and dignity.” Wills-Brandon details the story:
One night in 1982 she was working a night shift, attending to a man who was not thought to be in any immediate danger or extremely ill, when at about eight P.M., he began talking very lucidly about a loved one whom he longed to see. Sheila could not tell who this person was, but it was obvious that the man had not seen her in many years and never expected to do so again. The impression is that she must have passed away some years before…. At about 9:30 he began talking about this person again, and his vital signs also began to fall. Fearing the worst, more medical staff was brought in. The patient became wonderfully alert, as some people do very near the end. As time went by, it was clear he could see someone there whom no one else could see. Suddenly, his face lit up like a beacon. He was staring and smiling at what was clearly a long-lost friend, his eyes so full of love and serenity that it was hard for those around him to not be overcome by tears.
Sheila follows by saying “There was no mistake. Someone had come for him at last to show him the way.” Minutes later the man died, in a state of sublime peace and happiness."
All Love,
Al
crossing over. . .
the warmth
of unseen hands
This was written after reading an article "Hospital and ER Personal Experiences"
Another hospital worker, Sheila, along with her colleagues' witnessed a remarkable crossing over of a dying patient that forever changed her views about death, dying, and the period of crossing over, causing her to look “upon her dying patients with new eyes and dignity.” Wills-Brandon details the story:
One night in 1982 she was working a night shift, attending to a man who was not thought to be in any immediate danger or extremely ill, when at about eight P.M., he began talking very lucidly about a loved one whom he longed to see. Sheila could not tell who this person was, but it was obvious that the man had not seen her in many years and never expected to do so again. The impression is that she must have passed away some years before…. At about 9:30 he began talking about this person again, and his vital signs also began to fall. Fearing the worst, more medical staff was brought in. The patient became wonderfully alert, as some people do very near the end. As time went by, it was clear he could see someone there whom no one else could see. Suddenly, his face lit up like a beacon. He was staring and smiling at what was clearly a long-lost friend, his eyes so full of love and serenity that it was hard for those around him to not be overcome by tears.
Sheila follows by saying “There was no mistake. Someone had come for him at last to show him the way.” Minutes later the man died, in a state of sublime peace and happiness."
All Love,
Al
5
Religio / Re: Death Poems
« on: January 18, 2012, 06:01:17 AM »
Hello Dave & Marion C:
Dave: glad you related.
Marion C: thank you so much for sharing your bedside vigil poem. Bittersweet. But you did your best. We learn from every experience--esp those moments imbued with heartfelt emotion.
Al
Dave: glad you related.
Marion C: thank you so much for sharing your bedside vigil poem. Bittersweet. But you did your best. We learn from every experience--esp those moments imbued with heartfelt emotion.
Al
6
Journal Announcements / Re: NFTG 3:3 is live
« on: December 12, 2011, 04:25:22 AM »
Col: Innovative layout...interactive...structurally, a joy to read and since my eyesight is failing, the ability to click and enlarge is a blessing!
Al
Al
7
Religio / Re: Death Poems
« on: December 12, 2011, 03:59:51 AM »
Thank you so much , Jack! Pleased that you were touched and moved to comment.
Al
Al
8
Religio / Re: Death Poems
« on: December 11, 2011, 04:49:28 AM »
Awesome poem, Jack..Thanks for sharing!
I've read where the greatest wish of a dying person is to hold hands with a loved one. I've witnessed it.
hospital vigil. . .
her firm grip
softens
--Al Fogel
I've read where the greatest wish of a dying person is to hold hands with a loved one. I've witnessed it.
hospital vigil. . .
her firm grip
softens
--Al Fogel
9
New to Haiku: Free Discussion Area / Re: All aboard, for the Haiku Train ....
« on: October 27, 2011, 04:04:15 AM »
clean underwear
a noon breeze weaves
the clothesline
~ Don
clothesline--
fifteen yard penalty
for a personal foul
~Andy
foul throw—
seventy-thousand groans
rent the air
~John
airborne & weightless
finally able
to slam dunk
~Al
a noon breeze weaves
the clothesline
~ Don
clothesline--
fifteen yard penalty
for a personal foul
~Andy
foul throw—
seventy-thousand groans
rent the air
~John
airborne & weightless
finally able
to slam dunk
~Al
10
Religio / Re: Death Poems
« on: September 10, 2011, 03:58:33 PM »
One of my favorites:
a yellow leaf
touching the green ones
on its way down
--K.Ramesh
the dying touching the living for the last time...this resonates deeply with me
a yellow leaf
touching the green ones
on its way down
--K.Ramesh
the dying touching the living for the last time...this resonates deeply with me
11
Other Haiku News / Re: Passing of Jan Bostok
« on: September 05, 2011, 01:34:40 AM »
I love Jan's poems--all so evocative and heartfelt. She will be missed. One of my favorites (among so many others):
in and out of fog
the yellow line of highway
runs with the train
. . and in between the highway to heaven and the golden train is Jan ascending
RIP
Al
in and out of fog
the yellow line of highway
runs with the train
. . and in between the highway to heaven and the golden train is Jan ascending
RIP
Al
12
New to Haiku: Free Discussion Area / Re: reading like a sentance
« on: September 04, 2011, 03:01:23 PM »
Thanks, John , for posting this wonderful one-sentence haiku by one of my favorite contemporary haiku poets.
I love the way Roberta compares the unripe plums (immature?) with the bitter relationship that seems to have turned sour or acrimonious. In 7 words and 10 syllables and only one sentence, she is able to depict a failed relationship that stays with you long after the plums have ripened.
Al
I love the way Roberta compares the unripe plums (immature?) with the bitter relationship that seems to have turned sour or acrimonious. In 7 words and 10 syllables and only one sentence, she is able to depict a failed relationship that stays with you long after the plums have ripened.
Al
13
New to Haiku: Free Discussion Area / Re: reading like a sentance
« on: September 04, 2011, 02:24:28 PM »
Darrell: There are no set rules regarding sentence, frag/phrase, phrase/jux etc but the tendency in recent (last 2 decades) ELH poems is the frag phrase or phrase jux format--in order to create more tension and resonance. The Cor and Kerouac poems that you cited I believe are from the 1950s or 60s--long before the frag/phrase structure (btw, first introduced, by Jane Reichold I believe in the late 1980s) came into prominance and has now become a mainstay in haiku workshops. IMO, a one sentence ku can still be effective if the imagery is powerful enough to sustain it.
Just thinking out loud,
Hope this helps,
Al
Just thinking out loud,
Hope this helps,
Al
14
Religio / Re: Haiku as Magic Spell
« on: August 30, 2011, 08:19:10 PM »
Are you left handed, Al?
No, not in this life altho because of my belief in reincarnation, I believe that I was left-handed (artistic) in many lifetimes and also right-handed--but since right-handed predominates this time around, I'm probably more inclined to be less artistic than in other incarnations. But I'm glad I discovered haiku which (when successful) enables me to create less with more impact--probably a carryover from a left-handed /right brain branded prior life.
I'm happy for the residual carryover of creative artistic energy manifesting in the form of haiku/senryu poetry--no matter from what hand it issues forth.
Al
No, not in this life altho because of my belief in reincarnation, I believe that I was left-handed (artistic) in many lifetimes and also right-handed--but since right-handed predominates this time around, I'm probably more inclined to be less artistic than in other incarnations. But I'm glad I discovered haiku which (when successful) enables me to create less with more impact--probably a carryover from a left-handed /right brain branded prior life.
I'm happy for the residual carryover of creative artistic energy manifesting in the form of haiku/senryu poetry--no matter from what hand it issues forth.
Al
15
Religio / Re: Haiku as Magic Spell
« on: August 30, 2011, 06:33:14 PM »
This 'feeling', you mention, does it come from the haiku image or the haiku words - or are these two distinct experiences, one haiku's verbal and the other haiku's iconic effect?
John: It's both. For me, the words trigger an image in my mind's eye which travels frrom the left brain logic to right brain feeling (or visa verse). It's so interrelated that the experience seems to occur simultaneously with the reading of the words.
A simple example: the pressing of various symbolic keys on my keyboard requires the coordination of three distinct but closely related bodies: the gross,(physical) the subtle (pran, energy) and the mental (mind). In rapidfire succession and almost simultaneously, when my gross body is activated by the subtle (energy) & mental (mind) it presses the selective keys.
Simarily, when my gross eyes and brain are stimulated and energized by haiku words, it sends a selective message to both parts of the brain for either continued visualization (resonance) or discontinuance.
Hope this clarifies,
Al
John: It's both. For me, the words trigger an image in my mind's eye which travels frrom the left brain logic to right brain feeling (or visa verse). It's so interrelated that the experience seems to occur simultaneously with the reading of the words.
A simple example: the pressing of various symbolic keys on my keyboard requires the coordination of three distinct but closely related bodies: the gross,(physical) the subtle (pran, energy) and the mental (mind). In rapidfire succession and almost simultaneously, when my gross body is activated by the subtle (energy) & mental (mind) it presses the selective keys.
Simarily, when my gross eyes and brain are stimulated and energized by haiku words, it sends a selective message to both parts of the brain for either continued visualization (resonance) or discontinuance.
Hope this clarifies,
Al