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Lady of the Snows

Our Lady of the Snows is one of the oldest representations, or titles, for the Virgin Mary. There is a rather stunning stained-glass portrayal of her in the Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral here in Reno. I’ve tried to capture some aspect of it here in this tanka.

Lady of the Snows

This poem has been published in my book an inkling hope: select poems, available in Kindle and paperback formats. Out of consideration for those who have purchased a copy, I have removed it from this post and online viewing in general.
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Morning Novena

At Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral here in Reno, there is a morning novena held most days of the week at 7am. Once in awhile my wife will ask me to take her so that she may participate.

Morning Novena

This poem has been published in my book an inkling hope: select poems, available in Kindle and paperback formats. Out of consideration for those who have purchased a copy, I have removed it from this post and online viewing in general.

Not always, but sometimes I’ll go in and sit next to her as she prays the novena and, out of respect for others present, I’ll repeat the motions, but while observing as well. It’s not the same as attending mass. At novena there are much fewer people, mostly women, who carry with them that unmistakable air of purity and faith that only a life-time of spiritual devotion can instill. I much prefer to attend novena with my wife, actually, than mass, for at novena I can almost smell the spirit of faith wafting through the air, a sort of acceptance and trust that almost vibrates through the tall open space. For some reason this appeals to my animistic sense in a way that I can really enjoy and relate to.

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The Offering

I find mass and communion to be a very interesting thing. Not being religious myself, I find myself observing and analyzing with great curiosity when I attend with my wife. There is a certain beauty to the proceedings that is difficult to put into words. Perhaps tanka are ideally suited to the attempt because they allow one to isolate and portray poignant bits and pieces thereof. Years ago I would have considered myself religious, but this was slowly supplanted by an ever-growing and broadening animistic view of my surroundings, life experiences, and the world and universe at large—An animism I have only recently struck a sort of peaceful equilibrium with.

The Offering

art deco saints stand
in stained-glass archways over
rows of tilted heads
in the muralled alcove arms
lift up a golden chalice

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Communion

Not being religious, I just observe during communion when I join my wife at church. Winter has finally arrived here in Reno. I noticed during services that just about everyone had their jacket or sweater on, some plaid, some checkered. All colors present very much reflected the season—Reds, dark yellows, deep oranges, shades of brown.

Communion

faint waves of heat curl
from small yellow flames like stars
at the altar’s edge
autumn colors sift through pews
to water the bread of life

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Water of Life

I found myself today appreciating the large, apparently copper, mountain facade that rises up behind the alter at my wife’s church. A stream is depicted coming down from the hills, very much the color of copper rust, which connects with a tiled depiction of a stream that runs across the altar and the length of the nave to the baptismal font which is situated just in front the main entrance.

Water of Life

copper mountains rise
behind deep green gesturing robes
a teal river rusts
from the hills and tiles past pews
to the caged baptismal font

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Monday at St. Rose

Saint Rose of Lima is one of the churches my wife attends. The stained glass windows are very unusual for a cathedral in that the effigies are lightly engraved into clear glass via abrasion rather than depicted through colored glass panels as is more common. The effect is striking in that the natural light from outside refracts through the abraded glass, illuminating the effigies in a very ghostly manner.

Monday at St. Rose

This poem has been published in my book an inkling hope: select poems, available in Kindle and paperback formats. Out of consideration for those who have purchased a copy, I have removed it from this post and online viewing in general.
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Usal vespers

Though I did a lot of journaling while I was out on my seven day walk on the Lost Coast Trail at the beginning of the month, I only wrote one small poem. This wee tanka.

Usal vespers

This poem has been published in my book an inkling hope: select poems, available in Kindle and paperback formats. Out of consideration for those who have purchased a copy, I have removed it from this post and online viewing in general.

Usal Beach is at the southern end of the Lost Coast Trail. I have on many occasions driven all the way out there from Ukiah just to spend a night under the redwoods and alders.

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valley dusk

I found myself enjoying a cloud mural painted in the skies above Ukiah’s western ridges this evening. I felt it deserved a tanka.

valley dusk

This poem has been published in my book an inkling hope: select poems, available in Kindle and paperback formats. Out of consideration for those who have purchased a copy, I have removed it from this post and online viewing in general.
Posted on by EAT

atari

I have decided it’s time for me to take on the game of go. The rules are easy to learn. Easier than chess even. But it is a difficult game to master, or to even become proficient at. More difficult than chess even! Much more difficult.

So, my first go tanka. Atari occurs when your stones have been placed in jeopardy.

atari

dark stone taps bamboo
light stone taps and slides to place
beyond the window
a rustle of autumn leaves
falls silent as the dead stones

Posted in go, poetry, tanka 
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final thought

An out of season sakura poem. This is a tanka. I think the cherry tree could be a lifelong source of inspiration for me.

final thought

cradled in new growth
a single cherry blossom
trembles in the breeze

below the rain has gathered
petals into bright white pools

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ocean song

This was written to demonstrate to an acquaintance how a strong poem could be written that closely emulates the style and approach of another strong poem, using entirely different subject matter. The poem this is modeled after is “desert song,” also a tanka.

ocean song

This poem has been published in my book an inkling hope: select poems, available in Kindle and paperback formats. Out of consideration for those who have purchased a copy, I have removed it from this post and online viewing in general.

Publication History:

The Alchemy Post (web-based) — November 2005