This is Part I of 2, Winter Solstice (December 21 – January 4) Touji season for Colleen Chesebro’s #TankaTuesday challenge based on the 24 Japanese seasons.
I decided to try an abhanga, which is an Indian form of 6-6-6-4 syllables with lines 2 and 3 rhyming. Generally, this form is–I believe–a religious poem form. I have bolded the kigo words.
This first poem is about Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women. In the book, Mrs. March shows the girls how to begin their Christmas by delivering food and care to a starving, freezing German immigrant family. In the mid-nineteenth century, Germans were one of the main groups immigrating to the United States. But the March family was living without the father for the time-being, and they were quite poor themselves. The girls ate bread and milk for Christmas breakfast because that was all that was left after feeding the strangers.
DELIVERING THE FAMILY’S BREAKFAST TO THE POOR IMMIGRANTS
Alcott’s Little Women
models Christmasy love
gifting others above
that of one’s self
***
Here’s another poem that uses kigos that fit with my daily life.
THE SEASON OF DAILY WALKS
on my pink sunrise walks
the wren and the robin
sing sweet carols, all in
for the season
***
I submitted the second section of my unpublished memoir to the Tucson Festival of Books contest. I received notice that it is a finalist for the contest. Last year the first section was a finalist in the same contest. I have been joking that I’m “always a bridesmaid,” although I am grateful that it is a finalist
Here’s a fun 101-word story published by the journal 101 Words. Hope you find it humorous!
https://101words.org/small-battles/
I’ve been working on the 5 minute challenge hosted by The Ugly Art Club. These are the first three spreads I completed. The prompts, in order, are CYCLE, LUNAR, and SLOTS.
May your holidays be healthy and happy. XO