childhood
ringed by mountains —
flatlands terrify
***
‘from whence
cometh my strength?’ —
the mountains
***
my dad’s painting
Mount Roland blue and craggy —
our favourite
***
in Peru
mountains are deities —
I lift up mine eyes
***
‘cloud catcher’
our local mountain
caught me too
***
four years
under The Pinnacle —
guardian
All photos mine.
My response to the latest NaHaiWriMo prompt. Later: NaHaiWriMo was back in February, but I'm sharing this (in June) with Poets and Storytellers United, for Friday Writings #180: Stubborn About the Small Things.
Mountains are not small, LOL, but haiku are! Anyway, I'm stubborn in my love for mountains and my dislike of flat country. A friend who was brought up on the plains always loved flat country dearly; others have told me they feel 'hemmed in' when surrounded by mountains. But I grew up that way, and experience it as an opening up to the vastness above, and a reassurance of safety. I'm ecstatic to be living surrounded by mountains again in my old age.
(I'm also stubborn in the belief that 5-7-5 syllables is the least important rule of haiku – and in fact, for English-language haiku, is not a rule at all.)
Rosemary, I like your Haiku mountain collection and it's finding personal value is each 17 syllables. In El Paso, Texas, we lived below a mountain, I forgot its name. Really nice, I climbed up and rode a cable car back down.
ReplyDeletep.s. New Mexico was on the other side of the mountain.
and I'll show it when appropriate, perhaps later today,
maybe not.
Jim
Yes, nice to live near mountains; also nice to go to the top of them (when young enough).
DeleteIt is wonderful to see the mountains both in picture and in words..perhaps a solid base of memories and a reminder to always look up and out - Jae
ReplyDeleteI think that becomes instinctive and natural for those of us who grow up in such surroundings.
DeleteA beautiful ode to the mountains. I grew up in the flat Netherlands but couldn't live there anymore. i came to love the mountains as well which are a beautiful backdrop of Christchurch
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have come to love the mountains too – particularly as you now live among them!
DeleteBeing from the mountains too, I enjoyed these small poems about big things.
ReplyDeletePris cilla King
Ah, then you would understand perfectly!
DeleteI love the haiku tribute to mountains. We have rolling ones here.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like the sound of that! I'll have to look yours up online.
DeleteI enjoyed these little gems about mountains, the fortresses surrounding your heart and mine here in British Columbia.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that many in our poetic community share the love of mountains. Nice to know!
DeleteGreat pictures.
ReplyDeleteAll that means a lot is a big thing & not small at all! :)
Ah, very true.
DeleteFirst, I agree with you that the 5-7-5 syllables rule for English haiku should not be a rule at all. But it must be strictly adhere to in the Japanese language.
ReplyDeleteI love all the takes on the mountains. It's lovely. And you have been to Machu Picchu. I can only dream about it. Maybe one day. And the Plains of Nazca too. :)
I never got to the Plains of Nazca. But I got to a lot other places, so I shan't complain. Machu Picchu was very, very special. I loved what other bits of Peru I experienced, too.
Delete👍
DeleteA nice ode to the mountains, I too love e mountains. It's an experience in itself
ReplyDeleteIts so nice to discover, by sharing this, how many others also love mountains.
DeleteWonderful! Give me mountains any day, forget the beach!
ReplyDeleteWell, I grew up on a mountainous island, so I love both, and fortunately have both here as well – not an island, but close to the coast.
DeleteWonderful set of haiku and lovely mountain photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you much.
DeleteGreat photos accompanied by inspiring haiku
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Delete