American Thanksgiving

Today is Thursday, November 28. I have not been available for a few days.  I have a series of poems to post, but for now, if you are in the United States, enjoy your Thanksgiving; if not, good night.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#124 - Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day and anything that I could think of would not be a good enough poem.  Please enjoy this poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

 

The Charge Of The Light Brigade

Memorializing Events in the Battle of Balaclava, October 25, 1854
Written 1854

Half a league half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred:
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd ?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do & die,
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd & thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack & Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke,
Shatter'd & sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse & hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Monday, November 11.  Today is Armistice Day, or Veteran's Day.  I have had the pleasure of finding Veteran's from all the wars of the 20th Century excepting World War 1.  Each of these individuals have taught me more able Honor, Sacrifice and Humility than any other person or experience I have ever had.

In the United States, we consider patriotism a great and exemplary trait.  I am proud of our Veteran's.

#122 - 123 - Seven and Later

Reaching out, forward;
Grasping straws of silken strands
await the seven

Each breathe tempts
The times that try all men's souls
Scream defiance

Warning: There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Sunday, November 10.  10 days into Movember and I must say  that the beard is coming in very thick.  It is past the itchy phase and not its nice and silky soft.

Since my wife and daughter came back from visiting family, my daughter has been sick.  No temperature or anything, but she is coughing and cannot sleep through the night.  On friday, my wife decided that we should try to make honey cough drop suckers, becasue we cannot find anything that was making my daughter feel better.  Let's just say it din't go very well.  So I have a few pro tips for candy making:

1.  the clear plastic candy molds they sell at Micheal's Craft Store is not meant for hard candies
2. honey doesn't make a very good hard candy by itself, it needs help

Till tomorrow,

Thoams

#117 - 121: A few non trads

Running wild, 

the youth adopts

simple trepidation

Jump, skip,

Falling forward

Tearful laughter

Timid Acceptance

Brings wild sensations

Full circle

Laughter, chilling sounds

Await the unexpected

Purpose drive ones

Tunnel vision stokes

The calm imagination.

Couples chatter on.

 

Warning: There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Wednesday, November 6.

I don't have much to say today.  I was at an event this last weekend and thought of these non-traditional haikus.  Hope you enjoy.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#116 - Grass

Grass

Sweet, crisp, and tender

Moisture beads on every tip

Blades of grass glisten.

 



Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Tuesday, November 5.  Today was another day in allergy paradise. No more complaining.

Today is the 5th day of Movember.  Every day in November I will be growing a substantial beard and moustache.  On the last day of November, I will be taking suggestions on how to style and trim the facial hair.  If anyone wants to donate to the Prostate Cancer, please do so. 

One man in six will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, one in six of those will die of the disease. 

It has been more than a week since I last posted.  I am truly sorry.  I have a good weeks worth of poems for everyone.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#115 - Even More Finishing of Projects

Gossamer strands writhe

 On Sunlit fluttering wings

Child's warm smile

Warning:  No poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Saturday, October 26.

Today we took my daughter to "The Boo at the Zoo".  L got to be a pony at last, specifically, Rainbow Dash.  She had a blast and I got a large dose of allergies.

Here is my daughter and wife.  My wife designed the costume and I made it all, excepting the wings, we purchased those.

I am writing this at 10:47 at night because I haven't posted in a few days.  If it wasn't for that, I would have put this off for a few more.  My allergies make me feel like a zombie.

Its amazing how one feels after completing projects.  The costume is done and a pay-it-forward gift was completed tonight as well.  I cut out pieces for my wife's shirt that I will be making in the next few days, and pinned a blanket.  It has been a good day.  Time for some benedryl and claritin.  If anyone has any suggestions on allergy remedies pertaining to Redwood pollen and duff, please leave a comment.

#114 - Completion

Finishing projects

One at a time, completion,

Finally all done

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Tuesday, October 22.

I finished a number of projects today.  I completed a cross stitch for my wife, my daughters costume, and cleaned my office.

Feeling good, but tired.

Time to go to bed.

Awesome.


Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#113 - Grey

Contrasting details

Of our black and white lifetimes 

All are shades of grey

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Monday, October 21.  

Today we are highlighting Haiku Heights prompt of the week.  This week's prompt is grey.

This is going to be a short post because I am sick.  I'll tell you a story tomorrow.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#112 - Jack O' Lanterns

Happy masks smile

Laughing children run around

Tricking and treating

 

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Sunday, October 20.  Today my family went to the pumpkin patch.

My wife loves to go to the farm and pick your own...whatever.  I do to, by the way, so this not something that I do just for the benefit of my wife.  Where we used to live, there wasn't many pumpkin patches and here on the North Coast, pumpkins are not, would you say, native.  

So there isn't many farms growing pumpkins or pick your own pumpkin patches.  Today we went to one of the two pumpkin patches here in the North Coast.  We drove about 20 minutes and made it to this farm that let you ride on a hay ride out to a pumpkin field, that was, by the time we got there, pretty much picked over.  You get your pumpkin and bring it back to the cashier.  

We bought three pumpkins for approximately 8 dollars and tonight we carved pumpkins.  I posted a picture below of my daughter's, wife's, and my jack o'lanterns.  

 \

I have spoken with my wife about this for a while.  If I can ever get good enough credit and enough down payment, we are going to buy a farm so that we can have an Easter Egg Hunt, Pumpkin Patch/Harvest Fair/Halloween Fair, and a Christmas Tree farm.  This is my utmost dream.  Here's hoping.  

 Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#111 - Oh the weekends

Lighted eyes of old

Peer through dead lidless hollows,

Viscous jowls jeer.

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Friday, October 18.  Today is Friday.  Tomorrow is the weekend, and, for once, I am not working on the weekend.  There's a great 80's song about Working for the Weekend...I'd sing it, but I do not think anyone wants me to do that.

Tomorrow, my wife is going yarn shopping at an invitation only clearance sale at our local yarn shop.  While she is doing that, my daughter and I will be chasing pigeons.

Sunday we will carve pumpkins.

A fun time will be had by all.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas 

#110 - Where does Daddy live?

My Priorities?

Nights wasted away from you.

Daddy, please come home.

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Thursday, October 17.  Today my daughter broke my heart.

As always, I take care of my daughter during the morning to let my wife sleep.  When it was time for me to go to work, my daughter said that it wasn't fair.  This didn't break my heart.  I know that I work a lot, but my real world job is what keeps a roof over my and my families head.  Writing blog posts/poetry doesn't do it, and playing with my two year old doesn't either.  So I am used to her crying when I leave or saying that it wasn't fair that her daddy had to go instead of "playing stickers."

But today was different.  Today my daughter was playing a game with my wife and I.  She was telling us where all her friends and relations lived.  When she came to me, "Daddy," I lived at work.

I live at work.

I live at work.

What am I telling my daughter by "living" at work.  I just don't understand.  I have to take care of my family.  I have to support them.  I have to be a father. 

Everyone needs a balance.  I just don't know where mine is.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#109 Lost in Space

Lost amongst others,

 Full of bravado and hope,

The man steps blindly 

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Wednesday, October 16.  Today was another day on the road. 

I made a mistake today.  I assumed that my location would be in a normal location, but no it wasn't.  I needed to go to Smith River today.  Look it up, its in Northern California off of the 101.  The problem is, on the map it looks like it is right off the 101, in reality it is about 15 miles off of the 101.

This isn't the first time this has happened.  Earlier this year I had to go to Glide, Oregon from Northern California.  I missed the turn off for Glide and was in Bend, Oregon, before I had to turn around.  Again, look it up on Google.

So to say that I get lost easily is an understatement. 

Here's to hoping I get some sort of directional sense.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#108 Neither Here nor There

Contrails leave the mists

Of a thousand shifting dreams

Neither here nor there

Warning: There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Tuesday, October 15.  Today has been a day of choices and changes.

In my Real World Job, I utilize and manage others to get things done.  Today I have decided to change the way in which those people are managed.  I cannot stand meetings.  Meetings, I was told once, are what happens when supervisors don't know what to do next.  And I agree.  Every night is a new meeting it seems, I am fed up with them.

I am beginning a process where these meetings will occur virtual.  No more board rooms, more like forums.

I spent the morning with my daughter and then I was on the road for the rest of the day.  I cam home in time to have dinner with my wife and then write my post.  When you spend the day on the road by oneself you would think that but not really.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#107 - Rat Race

Clouds

Puffy whiteness form

The thoughts of child's summer

Animals abound

 

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Monday, October 14.  I have tried to write all weekend.  I have two or three poems to post, but when ever I finished the poem I didn't like it.  I will be posting a few poems to catch up, so please bare with my consistent inconsistency.

Today's Haiku Height's prompt is clouds, so I am posting a poem for it.

Everyday feels like I am living a rat race.  Never completing what I want or need, but completing enough to stay afloat.  Can one ever drown in incomplete thoughts?

My daughter is going through, what I would call, her terrible twos.  She gets so frustrated all the time, and the way she deals with the frustration is scratching my wife and myself.  Its terrible, but all three of us are working on it.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

#105 and #106

Endless driving on

Yellow lines a-glistening 

Muted souls crushed

Mind rushing madness

Constrained, dash'd and broken.

Whistling rushes dance

Warning: There is no poetry past this point. You have been warned.

Today is Thursday, October 10.

I feel like all I do is run around from place to place getting nothing done.  I know this is not true because the parameters that I measure success are moving steadily closer to my goal, yet on a day to day basis nothing seems to go anywhere.

  FRUSTRATION!

I have one belt to do to finish my daughters costume, pictures will definitely be posted of the costume on Friday.

Saturday is another conference, so expect more poetry about driving. 

Till tomorrow.

Thomas

#103 and #104 - I Thought This Was 1 Daily Poem, Not Every Other Day

#103

Running everywhere

Leaves everything frustrated,

Nothing completed

#104

Computers crashed

Through binary minds unlocked

To many zeroes

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Monday, October 7th.  I need to get better at this posting thing.

Yesterday was so long.  I tried to get a lot of things completed yesterday and got nothing done.  Today is seeming to do the same thing. 

The spinning wheel is not working properly.  My wife is worrying over my daughters costume.  We are almost done.  I will be posting pictures of it tomorrow.  Bare with it, it is handmade.

My work is going okay.  I got a call from my supervisor about excess use of work property.  I racked my brain about it for a good couple of hours.  He wasn't inferring that I was stealing or anything, but I do not like my word questioned.  Anyways, I finally figured out what happen.  We put on a new program and the unintended consequence was excess use of property.

Phew. 

Anyways,  time to work a couple more hours before I go to bed.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Poems 97 - 102

Readers,

I owe you a few haiku poems.  Here are some poems for the last week that I have not been able to post anything.

#97

Splitting the fires smoke

The Quiet Contemplation

Shatters completely

#98

Deafening stillnes

Sink thoughts of ones wanderlust

Upon porous minds.

#99

Heavy footsteps fall

Upon mannkinds muted ears,

Cry body's stillness.

#100

Anticipation

Sing, the body Divinity,

Ones future secure.

#101

Lifelong in longing

Awarded to ones full conscience

Not giving it back

#102

Sleep, dreams unwanted

Revert the minds to nothingness

 Blossums flutter down.

 

Warning:  No poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Saturday, October 5.  It has been five days since my last post.  Since that post, i have come back from my Conference and completed a trial for an honor that I have sought since I was twelve.

I think that I have matured a bit from when I was 12, so when I wanted this award when I was 12 it was because I thought I deserved it.  Now I know that I do not deserve, but guess what, I am not giving it back.

I will post again tomorrow, but today, right now, I am tired. Sleep evaded me last night and I am going on 4 hours of sleep in the last 37 hours.

Good night.  Till tomorrow,

Thomas

 

#96 Rainy Days and Sundays, oh and Free Zoo Day

A crooked aisle

Built for each of our choices

Tilts our perception.

 

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Sunday, September 29.  

For the last few days I have taken it easy.  Recuperating from my family issues. I still need to post the poem in honor of Amadeo Manigbas.

Today, I took the family to the local Zoo.  It was free admission day at the Sequoia Zoo for World Red Panda Day...yeah, I don't know either, except it was free Zoo Day. 

There was only one problem with this.  The weather here in Northern California stated a 90% chance of rain, and yes, it rained.  The Zoo is predominately outside, so the family got a little wet.

After putting L down for the night, I decided to update my blog and do some actual work.

Tomorrow starts the first couple of days of a conference back in Southern Oregon.  I will keep you informed on the interesting events to come.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

95#

Rippling droplets fall

Cascading across windows

Caverns of blankets

Warning: There is no poetry beyond this point. You have been warned.

Today is Wednesday, September 25. 

Today was the viewing. My wife went to the viewing and I took care of our child. It was a little surreal. My wife was in the funeral parlor with her grandfather and I was playing tag with my 2 year old at the cemetary.

So after the viewing, my wife, child, and I drove to our aunts house. It had rained earlier. My wife was looking out the window and gasped, "Look. A double rainbow.  L (our daughter), it's grandpa smiling at us." 

I had never thought of rainbows like that, but I like it.

So today my wife's grandpa smiled at us from above.  And it was good.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas 

#94

Sinking through an abyss

Caricatures of mindless

Always strive onwards.

Warning: there is no poetry beyond this point.

Today is Tuesday, September 24. Haiku Heights prompt for today is strive.

Today will be a short update. On Sunday, September 22, at 8:45 pm, my wife's grandfather passed.  He was 93 years old.  His funeral will be on Thursday. I will post a small biography of him and a special poem.

Until then, I will be getting back into the habit of posting daily.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Rough Couple of Days

An eternal myth 

Struggling to comprehend

Come, Sweet Death, Come home.

 

Warning:  There is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is September 19.  It has been a rough couple of days. 

Saturday and Sunday, September 14th and 15th I worked on my daughters Halloween costume. I have a love/hate relationship with sewing.  I am a moderately okay tailor.  I can sew seams, and materials, and for the last three years I have made my daughters costumes: Princess Leia and Boo from Monsters Inc.  This year, the costume has defeated me.  I am making Rainbow Dash from My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic.  I have completed her pants, shirt, and started on her mane and tail.  And here is the problem.

The mane and tail is made of fleece.  This fleece is unforgiving, so every time I make a mistake I have to do it all over again.  Frustrating to say the least.  So, on Saturday I put my daughter down for the night, got out the sewing machine, scissors, and clear thread(I didn't want to have to change colors every time being that the mane and tail are rainbow hews) and started to build the mane first. 

My wife had designed the pattern, and I cut out the pieces and pinned them together.  As I started to sew the mane, a couple things happened: the bobbin thread broke, the pins did not hold the piece together, and part of the fleece got wrapped around the foot.  I pulled out the piece, snagging parts of the fleece and tearing it, fixed the bobbin and rethread the machine, and proceeded to cut out pieces again because of the torn material.

Cut the pieces, and it happened again.  This continued until 2am, at which point, I screamed and called my machine a series of inappropriate names and I believe I hinted at its mother promiscuity.

The next night, I changed thread to a stronger thread first.  I also didn't work on the mane.  I finished the tail that night, but it was so late I decided to wait until monday to post again.

Monday, my wife gets a text from her mother.  My wifes grandfather just had two heart attacks and we need to get to him to say our good byes.  So that night, I put my wife and child into the car and we drove until 2am to make sure she was with her grandfather.  That was monday/tuesday.   I had to go back to work on Wednesday and drove the four hours home just to drive another four hours to meetings last night. 

I am tired.

Today will be the last haiku I post until at least a couple of days.  I hope I can post one tomorrow, but I just don't know.

Till later,

Thomas

Haiku Heights Day 13 - #93

Haunt Gray porches call

A Victorian moreys 

No superstition?

Warning:  No poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is Friday, September 13.  The Haiku Heights prompt for today is "superstition." 

Today has been mostly uneventful.  I had the pleasure of having most of my meetings cancelled on me, so I worked from home today.  I was able to finish my 2014 budgets and get some other items completed, but in the long run nothing happened. 

Hopefully tomorrow will be more interesting.  I guess, one ting did happen.  My wife and I watched Now you See Me.  Very good movie, I strongly suggest that you watch it.  Mark Ruffalo is my new favorite.

Anyways, I am rambling.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights Day 12 - #92

Humble beginnings

Reinforce a lasting thought

Clean and reverent

 

Warning:  There is no poetry beyond this point.  You have been warned.

Today is September 12.  Today's Haiku Heights prompt is "holy."

Today has been mildly boring.  I had to drive north along the Northern California coastal highway to do a sales call.  The call was a success for all involved and my customer is extremely happy with the situation.  Sadly, that is not always the case.

I came home, put my daughter to bed, and took my allergy medication.  Nothing says I love you more than scratchy, watery, red, allergy filled eyes.  Being almost three, my daughter didn't care. 

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights #11 - Poem #91

Respectful closeness

Reminders of time long past

Mobius timeloop

 

Warning: No poetry beyond this point.  You have been warned.

Today is September 11.  Haiku Heights poem prompt is "tradition."

Hmm, tradition.  Traditions are both my favorite and least favorite thing.  Traditions cover all sorts of evils because these evils are, well, a tradition.  However, traditions are great.  They are important.  Like the tradition that once a year I am treated moderately better for a day than any other day of the year just because many years ago my mother gave birth to me. 

Another one of my favorites is Christmas cookie baking and eating.  I love baking Christmas cookies, but I especially love eating said cookies. 

One tradition I do not like is the taking up and down of Christmas lights.  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas lights, but putting them up and taking them down is pointless.  Oh well, first world problems, right?

Anyways, today has been reasonably boring.  I stayed home today and rested. After about 5 minutes of resting, I became bored and decided to clean the house and let my wife rest. 

A couple of days ago, my wife found plans on how to make a dodec spinning wheel.  So today, after my daughters nap, we went to the lumber yard and bought the materials to make the spinning wheel.  I have to wait until the weekend of the 19th of September to complete the project, but I'll post pictures when I do.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights #10- #90

Pots and pans and racks

Stifling the sinks cleanliness

Await soapy hands 

Warning:  The following contains no poetry.  You have been warned.

Today is September 10.  As I stated two days ago, yesterday was a long and very unexciting day.  The fundraiser was a success, but my part in it was  very small and minuscule. 

At 2:30am I woke up and got dressed for a four and a half hour drive.  I swung by my office and picked up some pop up pavilions and was on the road north by 3 am. 

I had packed my ipod full of podcasts, mostly paranormal and sasquatch related, so that I would not fall asleep.  This proved helpful.  The podcast Mysterious Universe freaked me out so badly that I had to turn it off for fear of my imagination running away from me.

Anyways, I spend the day riding golf carts, serving beer, and running errands.  Pretty boring but effective.  I left the fund raiser at 6pm and made it home about 10:45.

I hate days like yesterday. 

Today was a little better, but it is now pretty late.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights Day 9 - # 89

Haiku Heights prompt today is descision.

Decisions made last.

Question all fruitful choices

Karma follows all

Haiku Heights Day 8- #88

Around lonely necks

The Gaudy ropes and ribbons

Halt tomorrows hopes.

 

Warning:  Their is no poetry beyond this point.  You have been warned.

Today is September 8.  Haiku Height's September poem a day prompt is "Garland."

Today was spent cleaning so that tomorrow when I leave for my 20 hour work day, my wife will not have to do anything.  Because I will not be available tomorrow, I will be posting only a poem and will let everyone know about my adventure on Tuesday.

It is now time to go to bed.  Tomorrow I leave at 2:30 am

Till Tuesday,

Thomas

Haiku Height's Day 7 - #87

 Mourning Dove cooed

Lovers respond wantonly

Never more alone 

Warning:  Their is no poetry beyond this point.  You have been warned.
Today is September 7.  Haiku Height's prompt is "Dove."

Today was our local Natural Fiber Fair and my Anniversary Weekend. (Sadly I have to work a 20 hour day during my Anniversary.)  So for my wife, I bought her a class on how to use a Rigid Heddle Loom.  For me and my daughter, we spent the day at the playground.  She got nice and brown due to her ancestry, I got burned due to mine. 

However, my wife had a good time and came home with a new project.  I won't be able to start this project for a couple of weeks.  When I do start it, I will let you know.  Long and short of it, it will be awesome.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights Day 6 - #86

Must you educate

Unraveling false knowledge 

Guide the guide-less

Warning:  Their is no poetry past this point.  You have been warned.

Today is September 6.  Today's Haiku Heights prompt is "Teacher."

In the 17 years of teachers, I have had two that have made a difference in my life, and many teachers who have been terrible.  I have never understood why a person in which we place our future in the palm of there hands want to then utterly cripple you as an individual.

Without to much false praise, I am a relatively intelligent individual. When confronted with an individual with less intelligence, I have, in the past, been less than patient with them.  Mos to of my teachers have been that way.  I have been less than patient with them and therefore they and I never saw eye to eye.

That being said, the two teacher that have changed my life were Mr. Aleccia, my high school english teacher for three years, and Dr. Tom Nash, my linguist professor.  Both of them challenged me to be beter than I was.  I do not think that either of them really know how appreciative I and many like me are to their guidance.

And I think that is the difference.  The teachers that failed me tried to teach me something, the ones who were successful guided me on the path to knowledge.

Let those of you who are teachers, want to be teachers, stop teaching and start guiding your students.  Be the mentor instead of the educator. 

I do not mean to insult anyone with my musings. If I have, I beg your forgiveness.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights Day 5 - #85

Lime light flashes bright

Imagine child's delight 

Swift leaping dancers

Warning: There is no poetry beyond this point.  You have been warned.

Today is September 5.  Haiku Height's prompt today is "ballet."

I have always liked the ballet.  When I was five, my mother was a junior seamstress for the Alabama Ballet.  I would watch her work throughout the night, after coming home from waitressing, and sew these beautiful Tu-tus.

One of the last ballets she worked on was the The Nutcracker.  A side benefit of her work was she was able to get us tickets to the show.  Here I am, a 5 year old boy, going to a ballet.  I told no one.  I was embarrassed to be there, but I went because I was made to.  As I sat their in the back of the auditorium, I watched the ballet.  When the Nutcracker finally arrived, I was amazed.  Here was this man dancing. Launching himself into the air and spinning wearing this monstrous nutcracker head, mind = blown.

I watched every dance, and by the end I wanted to be a ballet dancer.  I was able to go back stage and meet the dancers and I found out that most of the dancers who I thought were women were actually men.  Again, I was so amazed by this.

Fast forward 20 years, I never was able to take ballet or dance classes, to expensive, I took my wife to the local rendition of The Nutcracker.  I was quietly enthusiastic.  The lights went down and the curtains opened and...it was not the same.  Oh, it was fine, but...the ballet was not what I remembered.  The Nutcracker himself was a deflated memory.

Now that my daughter is growing up, I want her to experience that wonder of the ballet that I did.  I hope she can.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights Day 4 - #84

Crossier of life's hope

Lay betwixt thoughts of others.

Shepherd lose your flocks.

 

Warning:  There is no poetry beyond this point. You have been warned.

Today is September 4.  Today's Haiku Height's prompt is "Shepherd." 

I spent the entire day running market analysis for my real world job.  It was exceptionally boring and void of creative thought.  So as I begin to write today's poem, one would think that I would have creative juice wanting to explode out from me shouting "Today's the day.  Write this idea."  Nope, no such luck.

Sheepherding is something that I am so far removed from that anything that I can think of is either grossly overly generic or filled with cliches and tropes.

As far as my personal life is concerned.  My daughter was a little sick today, especially grouchy, and potty training is not going well.  She is having problems letting me and her mom know when she needs to go.  Its enough to pull my hair out.

Please try to enjoy this poem.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Heights Day 3- #83

Broken and empty

Tarnished black and bittersweet 

Love-lorn locket rests

Warning: The following contains not poetry. You have been warned.

Today is September 3.  Today's prompt from Haiku Heights is "silver."  

I was think of silver and its ability to tarnish easily if not cared for.  You know, all things are like that. If not cared for properly or at all, parts of your life will tarnish and become black.

I think of this as I clean my office. I do not treat it well. There are stacks of paper that need to be filed, scratch paper every where, and boxes if materials that continue to multiple.  I think these boxes are related to tribbles.

I spent most of my day cleaning this mess and still is not done.  Like the tarnish on silver, one cleaning will not affect the tarnish, but missing one cleaning will create it.

So on this last note on silver and tarnishing, fun fact: actual silver utensils, or silverware, used to be coated with animal fat after being cleaned so that the utensils would resist the tarnish or oxidization.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

Haiku Height's Day 2 - Poem 80, 81, and 82

Stoic watchmen all,

Faithful servant gives himself,

 The child must survive.

Warning:  The following contains no poetry.  You have been warned.

Today is Monday, September 2, in the United States today is Labor Day.  Today's prompt from Haiku Heights is Gaurdian. 

 This whole weekend has been great.  I was able to let my wife sleep in every day until lunch time, and with a two year old that is quite the accomplishment.  I have been up-to-date on my poems and my real world job.

We were not able to go to the beach yesterday, so we went today instead.  The water was cold, the sky was grey, and the beaches crowded...at least for this area.  My wife made us a picnic so we ate lunch out on the sand.  All in all it is now perfect.

I finished my portion of my daughters costume last night, sorry still no photos.  My wife has a wig and wings to make and then my daughter will be Rainbow Dash. Can't wait.  Because I do not have any photos of the costume, I have placed photos at the bottom of this post of our afternoon trip to the beach each with their own Haiku.  Sorry, no pictures of me, my wife, or child are posted (and probably never will be).
 
Fast forward to right now.  My real world job is, metaphorically, calling me.  We have a large fundraiser that starts tomorrow and I do not have all of my ducks in a row.  I wish it was otherwise, but alas.  Ladies and gentlemen of the internet, keep your fingers crossed that the fundraiser is successful, I could really use a success right now.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

 

 Moisty Mountains break
Dragging worrisome sailors
Driftwood marks silent

Cloudless sand and smoke
Drifting upwards and onwards
Honest forgetfulness

Haiku Heights September Poem a day - 79

Speckled green and brown,

Twilight song ends at dawns break,

The happy frog rest.

Warning: The following contains no poetry.  You have been warned.

Today is Sunday, September 1st.  Today starts Haiku Heights' September Poem a Day writing month.  This is the first time I have participated in the event.  I am really looking forward to the prompts.

Today the sun shines in the Redwoods.  The family will be going to the beach and play in the sand for a while this afternoon.  For those of you who have never had the pleasure of going to the North California Coast, it is unlike any other.  You wear long sleeves, maybe a jacket, and try not to get to cold.  The beach is beautiful though.  

Tonight I will sew my daughters costume and try to post some pictures.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

78

Morning mist looming 

Breaking wavering sunbeams

Hot tea is calling

Warning: The following contains no poetry.  You have been warned.

Today is Saturday, August 31.  Today has been a long day.  My daughter decided she wanted to wake up at 5am and so I went to be a dad for a few hours and let my wife sleep. 

When my wife woke up, we started on the cleaning process in my daughters room.  We took all of her summer clothes and exchanged them with winter ones.  We will take all of her old clothes to this local children's exchange.  These places are awesome.  We bring in old clothes and toys, then the store gives us either cash or credit toward other purchases in the store.  I now have two bags of clothes and a box of toys to take to the exchange.

 My wife and I intended to go to the park with my daughter, but the weather was terrible most of the day.  So we stayed at home and play blocks with my daughter.  We ate blue cheese hamburgers, which my daughter loved. 

Today was a good day, all things considered. 

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

77

Crisp air that transforms

The frolicking summer fun

To Harvest delight

 

Warning: The following contains no poetry.

Today is Friday, August 30th.  The week has been exceptionally long, but in the United States, today starts, what I feel, is the last weekend of summer.  However, summer is relative.  Instead of 65 degrees Fahrenheit and raining, it will now be 55 degrees and raining.  However, I digress.  The last weekend of summer is upon us, and what is my family going to doing...we are going to clean.  Clean out all of the summer clothes and change it out for winter clothes. 

I look forward to this every year.  I know what you are thinking, "Wow Thomas, get a life," but truly this is when the fun happens.  I'll start to pack away all the spring/summer things and bring out the fall/winter items. 

One of those items is Halloween. My family really loves Halloween and dressing my daughter up as things that we are fond of.  In the past she was Princess Leia and Boo from Monster's Inc.  This year she told us what/who she wanted to be.  So in addition to cleaning, this weekend my wife and I will be making Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic."

I am looking forward to it.  As we create the costume, I'll try to post pictures of the costume.

Enjoy the last weekend of summer.

Till tomorrow,

Thomas

 

76 - Computers Frustrate Me

Computer Error

Remove Hard drive and reset

Insert Money Here

I am not a Luddite, but sometimes the world would be better off without computers.  Today was supposed to be an easy day.  I had an appliance repair person coming to my house today, sometime between 10am and midnight, so I new my day was shot anyways.  I had hoped to get some work done while my daughter was taking her nap and I was waiting for the repair man.

Against all norms, not only did the repair man show up on time, but he took one look at my dishwasher, giggled a few buttons (I had already giggled these buttons, but...), looked at me and said, "Machines Fine, thanks for doing business with me."  Gave me the bill, I signed for it, and he left happy for the five minutes of work and hundreds of dollars that he was going to be paid (mind you, I rent, so...).

I was pretty happy.  What I expected to be a long arduous problem, was done in a jiffy.  So I made my daughter lunch and then put her down for her nap. Life was good.  That is until I opened my computer.

I have a love/hate relationship with this machine.  I know all its quirks (which there are many), and I do not want to learn another computers issues.  This computer will do...most days.  Today was not one of those days.  

First, the internet would not work.  So I puttered around with my modem and after about 30 minutes, it started to work again.  Then my computer fan made a lovely noise that reminded me of a helicopter taking off.  I opened up my Task Manager and I had a million tasks occurring that was taking up 99% of my memory.  2 gigs of memory being taken up with documents.  Readers, this computer is not a gaming computer.  The most tasking thing this computer does is run Excel workbooks.  What in gods name is taking up 2 gigs of memory.  

Fast forward 2 hours.  After cleaning up about 10 gigs of documents, cleaning my temporary files, and removing some programs that I haven't used in 3 years, the computer is once again happy with me...for now.

I do not know what it is about computers that both excite me and frustrate me at the same time.  Computer code is simple and beautiful, but sometimes I believe that it is not written with 1's and 0's as we are led to believe, but rather a series of three consecutive 6's.

So this is to date, my longest post.  I am hoping that more of my posts are like this: a poem featuring either my own musings or a prompt from places like Haiku Height's  and a quick update on my day or feature of my life.

Let me know if there is something specific anyone is interested in.

Thomas

75

Incorrect coding

Combined words and musings all.

Damn HTML 

Haiku Heights Prompt #272

Today's haiku is courtesy of Haiku Heights. This is Haiku number 74. I hope you enjoy the poem.

Soaring Silent flights, 

Now dives to abyssal depth, 

Nightly guardian. 

I truly appreciate sites like Haiku Heights that give each of us a chance to read each others poetry and in some cases, give voice to the desire to create.

 Today has been a difficult day for me in writing. My real world job doesn't allow me much time to think, but it does allow me a glimpse into other peoples life. I was hoping for that today. However, after driving steadily for an hour to an appointment, I got stopped by our state's Transportation Department. An accident occurred and the road that I was riving on was closed till further notice. So, dejected I returned home. Things like this happen all the time and for me they are creative blackholes.

Hope you enjoy the poem.

Getting up to date

In order to get back up to date, this post will pretty long. Readers, please bear with me.

Thanks.

63

Crackled glass scattered

Parts askew without remorse

Grass rustles jolly.

64

Circles winding down

Grasping awkward devices

Against awe struck need

65

A cunning linguist

Eschews most liquid courage

Alas ambrosia.

66

The wild rogue wanders

Roughshod over wanton souls

Raindrops drill slowly.

67

Music calls the ear

Through major chords spirit lifts

Minor keys atune

68

Wavering motions

Symphonic illustrations 

Be little the mind

69

Nationally proud

Forgetting dividing thoughts 

Forgiving each other

70

High heels, lacing strung

Corseted lovely, Beauty.

A lucky fellow.

71

Shoe shopping at night

Wincing, flinching...Beautiful?

Is it worth the price?

72

Want to rule the word?

Apply inside for details.

Opportunities!!!!

73

Glazed spectacles

Glaring a cold dominance

Bemoan arrogance

62

Upon autumn winds

Cascading colors orange and red

Winter is coming.

61

Rubber mats smell bad

Brittle, crunching substance

Great to fall upon.

60

One child's laughter 

Engages the all senses

Like one child's cry.

Minute in the life of an author

Warning: This is not a poem.

So, I live in the Redwoods of Northern California. They are beautiful but they have two problems: they are logistically far from everywhere and everyone; I am allergic to them. So for the last three hours I, and my family, have been driving for my business, not writing, and to visit with family. As of writing this, we still have about an hour of driving left. We decided to pull over and eat. While watching m family eat, I noticed that my daughter, who is a toddler is a trooper. We do this trip at least a couple of times a month and she never yells or complains. I am smiling right now because I know it won't last. Sigh oh well.

59- Fresh part 2

Continuing on yesterday's Haiku Heights prompt "fresh."

Running, laughing wild

River misting craggy rocks

Satisfying life.

58- FRESH Part 1

I just ran across a blog called Haiku Heights.  They have prompts that you can respond to.  I thought it would be nice to respond to those prompts for the next couple of days.  I will probably continue to respond to as many of these prompts as I can find time to do so.  This will also help in keeping my daily haiku's coming.

Enjoy these "fresh?" haiku's.


Waking early morn
Chirping , rustling, lively ones
What is for Breakfast

Inspired by the theme at

57

Blackberries ripen

Bitter sweetness condensing

Cars puff unknowing

56

Whispering grass blades

Dueling rappers fencing

The man sips his tea.

55

All time crawls slowly

Through the minds of one and all

Butterflies flitter.

54

Twilight harkens to life.

Shadows deep, shades of gray,

Relish husbands and wives.

Darkness reigns, souls at bay.

Moonlight sharpens senses,

Heightens pure sensations,

Caressing lovers arms,

Proving all provocations.

Twilight's beauty seduces,

Dawns witness, Loki smiles,

Nothing but memories.

Daytime remains, deniles.

What moon brings, sun changes;

Smiles fade, luck betrays.

52

Away From all distress,

The lonely hearts progress

Through all estranging moods

From which longing eschews.

Abutting thoughts confess

Feelings strangled, compressed.

Ones prevailing moreys

Compare the hearts of strays.

Us, alone, divided

Search for those responded,

Willing each, another,

Minds, souls, hearts aflutter.

Complete, heart's home found

Each in one; combined, bound.

53

Tribulations end

When sufferers quit their trials

Smiles find faces.

51

Light of day dawns cold

When mountainous seasons turn

Winter is coming

50

Grasses cling to ray

In sunshine dabbled forests

While pariahs stare.

48

Bubbles of laughter

Pealing soundly through the air

While quiet cold arms grasp.

47

Softly falls the night

Curtailing dark actions all

While mankind destroys.

46

The murder of crows 

Call catastrophic voices all

While children sleep deep

45

Stumps mock understanding

Of time and age withstanding

Nature demanding

44

Green, khaki, and blue

Relish outdoor actions.

Quite time escapes.

43

Bleachers scratch the pants

Of sitters watching children

Entertaining us

42

Mattress fails soft test

Moonlit wandering aimless

Sleep evades us all

41

Moons shade the forest

Meadows seek hummingbirds kiss

Soft folds, a man's quest

40

Sticks stack randomly

Beavers cause dismal damage

Man images self

39

Water dripping soft

Through old luminous ethers

All swords cut wounds twice

38

Purple flowers sway

Wind gusts pull up soil harshly,

Releasing dead souls

37

Stupidity reigns

Admidst channels discordant

Lilies dance blissful.

36

Death quickly strikes all

Who lighten loads of others

Lightening strikes twice.

35

Broken bones collide

Adrift rising ether falls

Faltering crossing.

34

Canoes silver wake

Cutting through the lake cleanly

Lonely paddle lost. 

33

Squirrel tale grasses sway

With hazy dust settling

On crosses reverent.

32

Children run in woods

Dark soil floats abyssal

Boats breakthrough silence.

31

Sadness rides the waves

Of downy wafts a plenty.

Chirping bats awake.

30

Rusted hinges swing

Solid wooden doors ajar

Lighted tv's glow.

29

Stars twinkle brilliant

Closing gaps in consciousness.

Printer lights blink, "Change!."

28

Black lines crisscross eyes

Bedazzling anxious minds.

Wind rustles leaves. Quiet.

27

White pages flutter

Ink splattered against the sign

Saw dust blows wildly.

26

Correlation rises

With soft teeth masticating

Theosis rising.

25

Blue the door remains.

Seeking others randomly.

The ground quakes again.

24

Down the waterfalls

Rushing away my dark thoughts.

Thunderclaps streghthen.

23

Yellow roses bloom

Covering fields in colors.

Carpeting bones white.

22

Magnificent one

Morose slumber silently.

Water lilies bloom.

21

You spin me around

Stressfulness of life surrounds.

Blow me a kiss, Love.

Daily Postings

Visitors,

As the name of the blog states, I post a blog everyday, mostly every morning.  These blogs are English haiku and senryu.  I am working on some sonnets in iambic tetrameter, but those take more time.

For my real world job, I am on the road 20-30 hours a week.  I listen to podcasts and news radio, and when an interesting turn of phrase is spoken or read, I quickly jot it down for later use.

Haiku is fairly simple to construct for me.  There is a specific number of syllables and I have a style that is frankly, a little dark and morbid, so I work with words that I feel embody those stylistic ideas.

Sometimes though, let's be honest, mostly though the poems are iffy, not very good, and very sophomoric.

I recently read that poets in the 21st century have been told over and over again to reach within you and experiment.  "Good poets are avante garde."

I am not going to argue for or against that point.  I am not a good poet.  I look around my surrounding, observe, and make poetry about those observations.

I am telling you this so that you, Visitor, can understand where I as a poet am coming from.

Read my work or not.  Judge me or not.  But in the end all I am are my observations.

Until we meet again,

Thomas

20

Monotony is

Clothes that look like table clothes.

Dinner is served.

19

I come on runnin'

Needin' what you got for me, girl.

Sayin' the right words.

18

Equality now

Continues to divide us

No equality.

17

Dappled sun diverts

Drivers eyes scan warily

Check engine light blinks

16

Thoughts bereft of skill

Drives the engine of knowledge.

Mechanics needed.

15

Marsian cats relax

Considering many acts.

The sun dimly sets.

14

Real folk deny thought

That notifies aspects of

Downhill spoils of war.

13

Grandfather Oak breaks

Tumbling rocks fill the road.

Diamonds in the rough.

12

Stow the salvage seed

That guides the running river.

Chubacabra bites.

11

Grinning crowds astound

The sickly paunch of science.

Crash the rotted branches.

10

Computers abound

Casting anxious fingers in

Effervescent skies

9

Heart filled with murder

No alibis holds him down.

Wild iris blossoms.

8

Rapid beats the drum

That drives the loved lost ones.

Pruners cut the stem.

Happy Father's Day

Today is Father's Day. For all those fathers out there, enjoy. I know I will.

7

Babbling brook breathes

Condescending notions

The trout swims, peaceful

6

The crisp field of blue

Cresting waves overwhelm one

Sandcastles stand firm

5

Weary is the world

Conscientiousness gone

A child's laugh remains.

4

Wicked is the wind.

The rain beats a semblacing sound.

Flowers propogate.

3

Windy is the road

That guides the path of piety.

Truth is yet unknown.

2

Evening darkness falls.

Stars, perfect candles,twinkle.

Immortal life ends. 

1

The clock strikes quickly,

Stops the sounds of the people.

Peaceful, the child sleeps.

About This Blog

I have been writing poetry for myself for many years.   I do not hazard to say that my prose is in anyway what a critic would call good.  However, I am interested in honing my craft.  For good or I'll, I will be posting one original poem a day, mostly English Haiku and Senryu.

Once a week I will also have a longer post discussing a topical subject or talking about my own life. 

I am pretty private, but if I am posting poetry online, I guess I should open up a little as well.

Feel free to respond to any, all, or none of my poems.

Until we meet again,


Thomas