Simple pleasures

Writing in my little book
really brings me pleasure
just crafting lines of poetry
to hold and yes, to treasure
I just can’t stop myself I find
I simply have to write
be that in the daytime
or late into the night

As when the words are out there
the poet has no choice
but to sit and write and capture them
so others can rejoice

For when the reader sits there
and sees in their mind’s eye
the place the words they came from
and smiles and breathes a sigh
that magic is repeated
time and time again
with lines re-read, repeated
in a poem’s sweet refrain

And if as me a poet
can, when writing takes a hold
capture just a part of that
it’s as precious as pure gold

For though stopping isn’t possible
it’s really nice to know
that pleasure is repeated
from my words when in full flow
So I’ll take that simple pleasure
as I really like to give
pouring out the joy that comes
from words that simply live

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Hot III

I thought I’d write a poem
but my pen was really hot
I’d left it out in sunshine
so the poem it was not
At least for just a while
til the pen it had cooled down
then I could write the words
on this page without a frown

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Beautiful words

The beauty of words
Ones so full of meaning
To capture the essence
Of life so endearing
The palette of poets
To paint and to capture
And bring to the reader
The joy to enrapture

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Bussokuseki week III (Tuesday)

3 of 7

So Tuesday is here
and my week is well started
and now in full swing
But first of a morning here
some time to spend with my words
for they are friends to cherish

©Jemverse

[Bussokuseki is an archaic Japanese poetic device in which lines are written in a 5-7-5-7-7-7 ‘mora’ pattern]

Photo – ‘Half Moon Bridge’ (1940) by Yoshida Toshi (1911-1995)

Lockdown writing III

Late into the night
when sleep does not come
my mind wanders freely
until it is done
Gives me the words
that I pluck from the air
and fashion to paper
with rhythm and flair

For you can take freedom
and prevent me from seeing
but you can’t take the substance
that’s part of my being
So I’ll use this abandon
and give it some form
as the gift of the poet
here pending the norm

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Lockdown writing II

The comfort I find
at this time of contagion
is the knowledge that here
and of likewise persuasion
other poets like me
have taken to paper
with words that will capture
the gist of this caper

The tragedy yes
but the happiness too
as good human nature
with hope battles through
and comes to the fore
across every land
as poets together
are making a stand

Our words will be steadfast
and wholesome and true
as we live by the hope
that will carry us through
and they’ll capture the essence
of what life’s about
some with a whisper
and some with a shout

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

As a tree

1 of 3 in the ‘Tree’ series from Jemverse

Though I am a poem
I am often as a tree
spreading wide my branches
to the winds and fancy free
Sometimes I am majestic
growing strong and very tall
and other times I’m minuscule
insignificantly small

But whether reaching to the sky
or staying close to ground
you can be quite certain
I will spread my words around
For there are many synergies
as I guess you are aware
between me as a poem
and all the trees out there

So I’ll not waste my breath on those
keep the obvious sublime
although if you really push me
I’ll maybe share sometime
For now though I’m a poem
tall in stature like the tree
sharing a few lines with you
about the things I see

©Jemverse

Photo – Jempics

Tanka week VII (Saturday)

7 of 7

My tanka week ends
Seven days and many words
every one from heart
And every one fashioned here
for reading delectation

©Jemverse

[Tanka – Japanese expressive poetry comprising 31 syllables over 5 lines in a sequence of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7]

Photo – ‘Kamikochi Heights’ from the series “Eight Scenic views of Japan” by Koga Kano (1928)

 

Tanka week VI (Friday)

6 of 7

The penultimate
Nine lines more to speak my voice
Not to wane or waste
but here for ‘carpe diem’
Seize the day and capture all

©Jemverse

[Tanka – Japanese expressive poetry comprising 31 syllables over 5 lines in a sequence of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7]

Photo – ‘Kamikochi Heights’ from the series “Eight Scenic views of Japan” by Koga Kano (1928)

 

Tanka week V (Thursday)

5 of 7

And then to rhythm
with the timbre and syntax
sounding as a drum
with feet tapping to the beat
allows this tanka to speak

©Jemverse

[Tanka – Japanese expressive poetry comprising 31 syllables over 5 lines in a sequence of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7]

Photo – ‘Kamikochi Heights’ from the series “Eight Scenic views of Japan” by Koga Kano (1928)