TANKA TUESDAY POETRY CHALLENGE STARS | CHALLENGE NO. 207 #EKPHRASTIC #PHOTOPROMPT

Posted byColleen M. ChesebroPosted inPrior Years Poetry StarsTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Image by Vlad Vasnetsov from Pixabay

In a few short weeks, Christmas has once again snuck up on us! Happy Holidays everyone. Congratulations to everyone who finds the time to jump into this challenge. I know many of us are alone for the holidays, so I want to let you know that I will have a challenge up for the next two Tuesdays: 12/22 and 12/29. If you’re bored… hop on and get creative!

My first poetry challenge in January will (hopefully) be on the 18th! Fingers crossed that I have Wi-Fi by then in the new house.

January will be busy! A special thank you goes out to Frank J. Tassone, who graciously went through my manuscript for Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry. He’s acted in the capacity as my Japanese poetry content editor for the book. I couldn’t have done this without his knowledge and expertise. Thank you, Frank!

I have the first round of edits to complete and then the book is on the way to my regular editor to see if we need any more edits. I’m thrilled that I will publish this book in the coming months. It is truly a dream come true.

Many thanks to everyone this week for all the lovely poetry written this week using the image below. Here’s everyone who joined in:

1.Trent McDonald8.anita dawes15.Goutam Dutta
2.willowdot219.kittysverses16.Linda Lee Lyberg
3.s. s.10.kat17.Vashti Quiroz- Vega
4.The Versesmith11.D. L. Finn18.Kerfe Roig
5.Ritu Bhathal12.Jules19.D. Wallace Peach
6.Robbie Cheadle13.Eugenia20.theindieshe
7.Jude14.Myrna21.Ruth Scribbles

We had a great turnout of poets who accepted my extra challenge of creating a wakiku to accompany my hokku.

Here is my hokku based on the image. 

hazy reflections—
crows gather to remember
the gifts of summer

The different wakiku’s follow:

Seasons whisper to the deer.
Gently as they ride with crows.

Willow
Pyramids built on hot sands
Dream reflections of lost time…

Anita
As winter slowly creeps in
Burying those sweet memories.

Denise
a brief moments of respite
dispelled like a soap bubble

Jules
migrating thoughts never lost
peaceful times for spirits loved

Eugenia
ancestors speak in voices
carried by skies singing wings

Kerfe

I really enjoyed this collaborative style of poetry. Renga can be a lot of fun to write. We will have to try this again. I’ll see you tomorrow for another Tanka Tuesday challenge, Word Crafters!

Happy Winter Solstice!

Many Yule blessings—
may the joy of gratitude
find its way to you

©2020 Colleen M. Chesebro

READ: The magic of December 21, 2020

Published by Colleen M. Chesebro

An avid reader, Colleen M. Chesebro rekindled her love of writing poetry after years spent working in the accounting industry. These days, she loves crafting syllabic poetry, flash fiction, and creative fiction and nonfiction. In addition to poetry books, Chesebro’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of her writing community on Word Craft Poetry.com by organizing and sponsoring a weekly syllabic poetry challenge, called #TankaTuesday, where participants experiment with traditional and current forms of Japanese and American syllabic poetry. Chesebro is an assistant editor of The Congress of the Rough Writers Flash Fiction Anthology & Gitty Up Press, a micro-press founded by Charli Mills and Carrot Ranch. In January 2022, Colleen founded Unicorn Cats Publishing Services to assist poets and authors in creating eBooks and print books for publication. In addition, she creates affordable book covers for Kindle and print books. Chesebro lives in the house of her dreams in mid-Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes with her husband and two (unicorn) cats, Chloe & Sophie.

63 thoughts on “TANKA TUESDAY POETRY CHALLENGE STARS | CHALLENGE NO. 207 #EKPHRASTIC #PHOTOPROMPT”

        1. Oh… cool! Today in the Northern Hemisphere, December 21st is the winter Solstice. This is the shortest day of the year when measuring sunlight. Ancient and current Pagans celebrate this day with bonfires dedicated to the return of the sun. Starting tomorrow, there will be 2 seconds more of daylight, which continues to increase until we reach the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. Pagans burned a Yule log, a huge tree truck burned for days. It is said they saved the ashes from the Yule log by placing them under their beds, believing the ashes would bring them good luck in the new year. That’s the abreviated version. Here’s a great site to check out: https://www.learnreligions.com/about-yule-rituals-2562970

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          1. I really respect religions, tho I’m Catholic. I fail at thinking ours is the only way. It’s just the way I chose, so I’m quite open

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  9. Your beautiful prompt inspired a lot of muses! Happy holidays, Colleen, and thanks for the year of poetry. Your challenges were a wonderful diversion and break from the stress that seemed to hover over. And congrats on the progress with your book. I’m looking forward to it. 🙂 Merry Christmas and here’s to a happy, healthy, creative new year! ❤

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  12. To all: May your shared lights make your lives bright!
    Happy first day of Winter everyone!! My days will get marginally longer. 🙂

    Colleen, Thanks in advance for the last two prompts of December. Here’s hoping your move goes smoothly and the unpacking is full of joy at the discovery of rearranging all of the belongings you’ve decided to keep!

    I enjoyed the different wakiku. ~ Jules

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    1. Many thanks, Merril. This solstice is special and includes the junction between Saturn and Jupiter. We are now in the new age of Aquarius! YES! Good energy will return and push out the destructive influences of the last four years. Happy Holidays, my friend. ❤

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    1. A Blessed Yule to you, Denise. Wasn’t that fun experimenting with the renga. I love collaborative poetry. Especially when we all play off one another’s poems. Happy Yule. ❤

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