24SSPC 12 Heavy Snow (2nd Week, Dec 7-20) Taisetsu

Why does winter choose unvarnished midnight to gift clarity of truth? Cold capriciousness may mercifully be veiled — white breath’s forgetting. Late to the party but finally here.  I chose to write using the 12th of the 24 forms, mondo, where it can be written with 2 people or one person writing both parts.  I…

24SSPC 11 Heavy Snow (1st Week, Dec 7-20) Taisetsu — Dark Season’s Lessons and OLN

Buddha, Teaching Fourfold Path walking winter grove finds boot tread-shattered snow bones mud’s deep-cloven tracks posted signs by armed unread honor between neighbors stretched iced breeze reddens cheeks, fills heart cold crows overhead scold earthly expectation squirrels rustle through dried oak leaves pond willow’s storm-fallen limbs red pine lean east from long winds chickadees hop…

24 SSPC 10 (2nd wk — Nov 22 – Dec 6) Light Snow — Shosetsu

when early winter dusk comes birds fly to hidden branches humans couch up, sip toddies, to netflix and chill image link watch: when chilly north winds blow chipmunks tunnel in snowdrifts one furry little face may suddenly pop out “A Warm Hearth,” by Christopher Holmes midnight warmth around the hearth punctuated with a knock neighbor…

24 SSPC 9 (1st wk — Nov 22 – Dec 6) Light Snow — Shosetsu

November’s Hourglasses donning hoody and quilted vest, she makes her way out to the mailbox. a pale, weak sun washes cold; no relief from wind, no warmth found between junk mail. in disappointment she turns. her steps scuff gravel gray path of the forgotten across the globe, on her deathbed, a woman mourns there’s no…

24 SSPC 8 (2nd wk) — The Beginning of Winter (Ritto) (Nov 7-21) — global warming theme (disturbing image warning)

the first month with sleetremains to be seen; it’s moot.snow dropped its blanket,pulled from Mother Nature’s hat;random, crazy bingo balls late winter gardenappears early Novembercrazy bingo ballswhere doom, rather than luck, rulesMother Nature’s imbalance blanket by the firewinter where icebergs existdistant memoriestimes before drought and floods rulebefore bears became extinct tanka formtop image link Colleen…

24 SSPC 6 (2nd wk) — First Frost (Soukou) (Oct 23 – Nov 6)

Perennial Funeral The growing season has included a give and take with the local seed bank. I picked up sulphur orange cosmos seeds from them and donated the rest of a pack of black beauty zucchini seeds to them after keeping and planting five. I also donated the rest of a pack of mammoth sunflower…