As I write I explore a landscape that changes around me. Sometimes I follow narrow paths that lead me to strange and fantastical places. Sometimes I struggle to clamber over fallen rocks, looking for paths that have been shattered and hidden. I see a temple on a distant mountain, and start making my way there, but find myself distracted by a silent pool, or a particular tree. I start to walk about my garden and end up diving into an ocean wave. I want to explore what it would be like to be a tree. I want to visit a silent world of dark roots. I want to fly with rooks. I want to dance on a moonbeam. And I’d like you to be there with me. I’ll try anything – give me a form and I’ll have a go. Give me a prompt and I’ll roll it round in my hands a few times, until it gives me a new path to venture down, a new scene to describe. I want to live a thousand lives, and take all the roads I couldn’t follow.
Evening grass is green
morning grass is pale with dew
soon there will be frost
Toni is hosting at dVerse, and wants to know why we write the way we do. I never think of myself as having a recognisable style – though I probably do. And I’ve just realised that my haiku probably says much more about me than I intended it to…but that’s poetry, isn’t it?
Sarah writes poems 
This is just wonderful.. all the paths you can follow with your words, the exploring to be free to fly with rooks… great end to the prose too.
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Thanks, Bjorn. It was a challenging prompt for me.
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A wonderful write! I most especially love this:
“Give me a prompt and I’ll roll it round in my hands a few times, until it gives me a new path to venture down, a new scene to describe.” I’m smiling as this is really what we do here at dVerse when given a prompt…it rolls around in our heads, our hearts, our hands, our pens to paper…
For me, writing is an outlet sometimes. Sometimes, as you say, it’s being inside the fantastical, or the beauty of nature, or some other soul’s life that you imagine and feel…
VERY interesting to read these different takes on Toni’s prompts. I suspect we will learn a lot about our fellow dVerse writers with this one! 🙂
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I found it a leetle uncomfortable, and felt a little exposed. I think that’s probably my next step.
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Nice haiku. It makes me think there is no time to waste in finding that temple in the distance even though one will get distracted along the way.
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Yes, the haiku does imply we need to get a move on…
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I agree with what Lillian said totally and had picked the same bit -Give me a prompt and I’ll roll it round in my hands a few times, until it gives me a new path to venture down, a new scene to describe. I want to live a thousand lives, and take all the roads I couldn’t follow.
Perhaps we do live a thousand lives. XX
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I think this is probably the only way to do it! 😌
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You have a gift of vision, and ability to take us along. It’s interesting to see us describe ourselves, isn’t it?
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Thank you, Beverly! I found it surprisingly hard, actually.
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All the paths — whether real or fantastical, dark or sunny. I love this lyrical look into your world, Sarah.
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Ah, thank you, Sarah.
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Aah, to dance on a moonbeam. What a marvellous thing to do.
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Oh yea, something everyone should try 😌
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Writing does give this freedom. I specially love: I want to live a thousand lives, and take all the roads I couldn’t follow. I want autumn to slow down a bit, not yet with frost. Love your haibun response ~
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Yes, the haiku is a bit melancholy, isn’t it? That’s probably the key to it all…
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What a cinematic write up! I could picture you gazing at pools, then diving into oceans. You described the ‘transportational’ (not a word, I know) power of words. Loved it.
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Thank you so much. It was a bit of a “meta” write – using your style to write about your style.
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I like it!
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Can I get pre-approved for the following Autumn kigo?
Shrike (butcher bird) – mozu
Grave visiting – haka mairi
Hungry ghosts – gaki 餓鬼
These are from the world kigo database. I can provide links if desired.
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Oops! Wrong thread. Apologies!
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No worries. I would have approved them, though 😚
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a wanderer – an adventurer – you take us on a poetic journey when you write 🙂
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Thank you! I hope I capture something…
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This is almost like a mirror. I wrote similarly about my style. Although different, it is familiar. 🙂
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Thank you! I posted fairly early and haven’t done much reading yet. Looking forward to it.
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I love this, Sarah, writer and explorer, discoverer of ‘strange and fantastical places’. And I’m with you when it comes to trying anything. I especially like: ‘Give me a prompt and I’ll roll it round in my hands a few times, until it gives me a new path to venture down, a new scene to describe’
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Thanks, Kim. I do enjoy it.
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Sarah, this is wonderful! It says so much about your journey and brings a great light to your work. I’m enjoying the “whys and how comes” of it, for sure!
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Thanks! I prefer to hide behind an alter ego when I’m writing, though perhaps we always only write about ourselves…
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Thank you for taking me along!
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“tree. I start to walk about my garden and end up diving into an ocean wave.” Yes! And I think you capture so much of the process.
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Thank you! I’m glad you dropped by 😌
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Writing poetry is a relief and a refuge. For sure it is. As you clearly state. For to function, though, there must be beauty of it. The beauty of …
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Beauty? Or meaning?
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Or achieving. There was a famous psychologist stating that the “thing” was to have an urge to achieve. I disagree with that. We are not programmed. The “thing” is to achieve. (To God be the glory.)
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Love your work! It sounds like you are deeply connected with nature.
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Thank you!
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Oh, this is dazzling and lovely, Sarah. (I think we are kindred spirits a bit.) 🙂
I love that poetry can take us down familiar and unfamiliar paths–and that you’re ready and eager to go!
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