Red River Gorge

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #60 The Quest For A Masterpiece goes on … journey

Deep in the woods surrounded by sandstone walls. The damp smell of decaying autumn leaves mingles with pine.  The only sound the cascading leaves as the bounce off other branches and the occasional  rustling of your shoes.  We hike past the cathedral windows carefully picking our way along a narrow ledge.  I peer over the edge and take a step back.  The path disappearing in the undergrowth. We hike further then we feel anyone has gone.  Reaching for a rough ledge I pull myself up, only to make a realization that many have been here before and left their mark.

deep in the woods
totems decorate an outcrop
honoring the gods

Orchid

Carpe Diem #1548 orchids (ran) (classical kigo)

edge of battlefield
samurai dismounts
to pluck an orchid

Renga

Carpe Diem #1547 Renga With … the big five haiku poets

long this road
goes no one
this autumn eve                                       © Basho

only the wind and leaves
journey this desolate way

when I go out of the gate
I also am a traveller
in the autumn evening                             © Buson

following colorful path
toward new adventure

autumn’s bright moon
however far I walked, still afar off
in an unknown sky                                    © Chiyo-Ni

dimly lighting the path
of unbridled dreams

two houses!
two houses making rice-cakes:
autumn rain                                               © Issa

knocking at the door
begging for reprieve

with the autumn tempest
the small drum
falls from its shelf                                     © Shiki

beat of the thunder
like a line of tin soldiers

it is seen
in the papier-maché cat
the morning of autumn                          © Basho

colors glisten in its eyes
glowing on wet leaves

Waterfowl

Carpe Diem #1545 The Water Fowl (crossroads)

the water-fowl
pecks and shivers
the moon on the waves  © Zuiryu

scooping up the moon
in the wash bassin,
and spilling it   © Ryuho

I kept hanging the moon
on the pine tree, and taking it off,
gazing at it the while  © Hokushi

 

gulping the moon
water fowl spills its contents
into the waves

gulping the moon
shaped biscuits secretly
gull races away

water fowl spills its contents
as plover and willet
peck and scoop

into the waves
a pelican dives
dosing the moon

Moonlight

 

subtle movements
playing catch the moon
with the maple

moon caught in the oak
spilling its radiance into
the birdbath

Autumn Lamplight

Carpe Diem #1544 autumn lamplight (aki no hi)

by Igor Logvin Expression

fog and raindrops
hang from the maple tree
wrapped in soft glow

 ““““““““““““““““““

frost filled night
fog and lamp light
draw me out

Autumn

Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #58 Quest For A New Masterpiece “autumn”

fields heavy with frost
sliver of autumn moon shines
creating a dim path

early harvest moon
sipping tea on the back porch
shadows grow stranger

trees stripped of color
savage autumn winds raging
our hearts too, left  bare

full beaver moon
unrelenting north wind howls
night grows longer

 

Chrysanthemum

Carpe Diem #1540 chrysanthemums

November celebration
festival of happiness
chrysanthemums

replanted garden 
marigolds spilling over
last garden flower

Autumn’s Voice

Carpe Diem #1539 Autumn’s Voice (aki no koe) (classical kigo)

whistling arch
the voice of autumn
swirling leaves

silent woods
distant caw of a raven
soft rustle of leaves