THE FUTURE OF DREAMS (Five Scifaiku)

Death (XIII), a Tarot card,

by Stephanie Pui Mun Law

I've recently started organizing my haiku and other small poetry forms files. Although I've always kept paper copies of all my poems, with various computer crashes and the piles of unorganized paper copies, they have been in rather a mess for some time. Many don't have any date on them at all or any mention of where they may have been published, and too many aren't even on my current computer. It's quite an undertaking but I feel up to it.

The poems below of mine are scifaiku, a haiku based form with science fiction, fantasy or horror themes. I unearthed these as I began this big organizing project. They were all written back when I first discovered the form, probably all in 1998 or '99, and I've edited a couple slightly where I thought I could improve them. I've selected them because they all reference dreams.

THE FUTURE OF DREAMS
(Five Scifaiku)

refugees
they ride starships
we, dreams

invaded by bodies
the dream ship fades
lost in space

centuries
of frozen dreams
haunted cryo-ship

strange dreams, these
the elders say they are of earth
genetic flotsam

seventh generation
dreams of earth burn away
under the constant sun

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‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blogs ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL and ROSWILA’S TAIGA TAROT.

SCIFAIKU: Response to One Deep Breath Prompt for 4/23/07

an unopened
braille book by the crater
memories of earthrise

One Deep Breath's prompt this week is to consider Earth Day. The piece above is a scifaiku, a haiku inspired form with science fiction/fantasy/horror themes. In the case of this scifaiku it may not be one for much longer. Humans have stood on the moon and looked at earthrise. However, I don't believe a blind person has yet had the joy of remembering earthrise from beside a moon-crater. :-) May we all remember our earth's many beauties and joys, and treat Her accordingly.

The photo is from Liquid Sculpture and is used by permission. You can visit One Deep Breath (link above) to read the wide variety of others' responses to the prompt.

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‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blogs ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL and ROSWILA’S TAIGA TAROT.

REVIEW OF "WHAT I WANTED TO SAY," poems by Iris Litt

Shivastan Publishing*

Years back when I first heard Iris Litt read her poetry in New York City, I was quite struck by her open and honest work. I eventually took one of the inspiring poetry workshops she offers occasionally in the Woodstock, New York area of the Catskills. So it was with great pleasure that I awaited receipt of her newest collection of poems. I now keep “What I Wanted To Say” next to my easy chair for quick access when something reminds me of an image or observation in one of her poems and I wish to re-savor the gem within its full setting.

Litt’s work is not only enjoyable and admirable for its original and often very moving images and observations, but for its easy flow of language. I find myself at home with her words, even as she travels to Italy and the tropics, or speaks to the realities of heartfelt relationships and painful losses, or wonders and remembers. Her subjects range from the very personal to the more societal in scope. Two poems on recycling both make their points with humor, and those about the theft of her purse while traveling demonstrate her awareness of the probable child thief’s need.

I could go on, citing examples of the honesty, humor and insight that inform her poetry. But I’ll simply close with the last two stanzas of one of my favorites in this new collection, that I feel speak more clearly than I can:

[from HABITS]

....I try to use our magic
like a pail of lime
which they say dissolves
all things including rage

so I can get to the clear
rippleless surface
of the love that lives
beneath these waves
like a fathomless pond.”

Litt’s work offers many unique, fascinating and illuminating reflections on that pond, in which we lovers of poetry can take great delight.

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* Available directly from the author:
Iris Litt, 21 Cedar Way, Woodstock, New York 12498
$13.35 per copy ($12.00 + $1.35 postage).
Also availabe through Amazon.com and
at St. Marks Books on Third Avenue & Ninth Street,
Manhattan, New York, NY

* * * *

‘til next time, keep dreaming,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blogs ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL and ROSWILA’S TAIGA TAROT.