The Yule Log – A Tanka

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Happy Winter Solstice!

Welcome to my contribution for my weekly Tanka challenge. This week, I tweaked the prompt words: “warm = warmth and cheer = cheery.” Both words have many connotations and can change the meaning of your Tanka poetry in many ways. By the way, please link your Tanka to my post found here.

My husband and I decided to initiate a new tradition this year. We are celebrating the Winter Solstice in place of Christmas!

A few months ago, my brother in law had his DNA analyzed. The results were astounding! My husband’s family scored high for a Viking heritage. We were not surprised because they are all rather tall folks. My husband is 6 ft. 7 in., his brother 6 ft. 4 in., and his sister is 6 ft. tall! Let’s just say that the weekly television show called, The Vikings took on new meaning in our household. 😀

vikings-giphy

Image credit: Giphy.com

It seemed fitting to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Christmas had lost meaning for us through the years after the kids moved away. I did some research and found a great site that explains the tradition. Click here to learn more about a Winter Solstice Tradition. I also talk about my plans for our celebration on Mindful Monday on A Mindful Journeysite.wordpress.com, my other blog.

The cheery Yule log –
flames burn to honor the sun,
spreading warmth and light.
Our token good luck ashes
protection for the next year.

©2016 Colleen M. Chesebro

However, you celebrate the season, may you find peace and joy. Hugs!

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About Colleen Chesebro: WordCraftPoetry

Colleen M. Chesebro is a Michigan Poet who loves crafting syllabic poetry, flash fiction, and creative fiction and nonfiction. Colleen sponsors a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called #TankaTuesday, on wordcraftpoetry.com where participants learn how to write traditional and current forms of syllabic poetry. A published author, Colleen is also an editor of “Word Weaving, a Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse, also found on wordcraftpoetry.com. Colleen’s mission is to bring the craft of writing syllabic poetry to anyone who thinks they can’t be a poet. Recently, she created the Double Ennead, a 99-syllable poetry form for the Carrot Ranch literary community at carrotranch.com. Colleen’s poetry has appeared in various anthologies and journals including “Hedgerow-a journal of small poems,” and “Poetry Treasures1 & 2” a collection of poetry from the poet/author guests of Robbie Cheadle on the “Treasuring Poetry” blog series on “Writing to be Read." Colleen published “Word Craft: Prose & Poetry, The Art of Crafting Syllabic Poetry,” which illustrates how to write various syllabic poetry forms used in her Tanka Tuesday challenges; and a collection of poetry, flash fiction, and short stories called, “Fairies, Myths & Magic: A Summer Celebration,” dedicated to the Summer Solstice. She contributed a short story called “The Changeling,” in the “Ghostly Rites Anthology 2020,” published by Plaisted Publishing House. Find Colleen at Word Craft: Prose & Poetry at wordcraftpoetry.com.
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32 Comments

  1. Erika Kind
    21 Dec 2016 at 12:48 am

    A very nice tanka for today, Colleen, and what a lovely photo to go with!

    Reply
  2. adeleulnais
    21 Dec 2016 at 3:11 am

    Happy Yule Colleen. Coming from Orkney I’m very happy that you have Viking genes. Skal x

    Reply
  3. olganm
    21 Dec 2016 at 5:08 am

    Very apt. I hope they don’t get up to the same goings on as in the series… Mind you, it makes for good watching. Have a lovely time and enjoy the winter solstice.

    Reply
    • Colleen Chesebro
      21 Dec 2016 at 6:55 am

      LOL! In their younger years they might have acted like Vikings! 😁 Thank you. We just lit our candles and incense. My meditation was successful. I felt the old hurts slip away. We have our stew in the crockpot. I have the bread and Yule cake to back for our celebration dinner. It’s a wonderful day. ❤🎄

      Reply
  4. IreneDesign2011
    21 Dec 2016 at 6:45 am

    Happy Winter Solstice, Colleen 🙂
    I haven’t celebrated Christmas since I lived in Denmark either.

    Reply
  6. archer44
    21 Dec 2016 at 9:04 am

    Your Tanka is beautiful Colleen, and Happy Winter Solstice.
    Greetings, Norma

    Reply
  7. Annette Rochelle Aben
    21 Dec 2016 at 9:05 am

    Wonderful! Awesome! Cool! I know that you’ll be having a groovy YULE! <3

    Reply
  8. roughwighting
    22 Dec 2016 at 4:57 am

    Your Yule Log Tanka warmed me up, as did the entire post. Happy Solstice! <3

    Reply
  9. vivachange77
    22 Dec 2016 at 5:49 am

    Wonderful celebration of the Winter solstice to honor your husband’s Viking heritage. I love your Tanka and the burning logs. <3

    Reply
  10. jazzytower
    26 Dec 2016 at 4:39 pm

    I just started getting into that show Viking. Awesome find on that DNA search. I’ve been thinking about doing it myself:)
    I love you tanka:)

    Reply

  11. Pingback: Colleen’s Weekly #Tanka #Poetry Prompt Challenge #14 – LAST & NEW – Colleen Chesebro ~ Fairy Whisperer

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