ALL DAILY DREAMKU POSTED IN JUNE 2008
Phew! What a month. The ups and downs have been enough to put me off even thinking about ever going on a roller coaster again (not that I would have before this month...:-D). I can’t really choose a favorite out of this batch, though I do sort of like this one, from June 12:
he sweats over singing
the old ballad properly
boxer outside the ring
I chuckled on remembering the dream. I’ve started singing in the chorus here and it’s raised a slew of old family issues for me (my father was a professional singer, and his parents sang in Vaudeville, etc.). But I’ve been very determined not only to give it a really good shot, but to enjoy it.
Ultimately, I think the following dream tanka from June 6 draws me most. If nothing else this month I was nudged again and again to see how truly mysterious life is at core and to be nourished by that:
THE LONG WALK
A very long walk
through brick halls to the kitchen
following their leads.
At the center her husband
cups mystery in his palm.
ALL DAILY DREAMKU POSTED IN JUNE 2008
June 1, 2008
a son plays poker
to engage his distant father
old back alley game
June 2, 2008
she thanks Johnny Depp
for the strawberry ice cream
so many dark seeds
June 3, 2008
embrace from behind
a lively blond woman
only vaguely recalled
June 4, 2008
he tries to cut
my little yellow purse strap
subway encounter
June 5, 2008
DANCING WITH A STAR
(experimental dream tanka pair from one dream)
The rich star and I
dance together for a while.
She is deeply moved
when I say: Do not let your
bright fire burn you out.
As we catch our breaths,
she pulls out her pen and asks:
How can I help you?
Afraid she’ll feel used again
I can’t think of anything.
June 6, 2008
THE LONG WALK
(dream tanka)
A very long walk
through brick halls to the kitchen
following their leads.
At the center her husband
cups mystery in his palm.
June 7, 2008
UPLIFTING
(dream tanka)
the floor of the lift
dissolves from under my feet
softly suddenly
at the bottom of the cliff
I grasp for hand holds back up
June 8, 2008
joyful desert hike
I move my new backup disks
to deeper cover
June 9, 2008
distant view
that dark haired Don Juan hurries
to help the new maid
June 10, 2008
getting ready
no need to thaw the soup,
tomorrow’s Thanksgiving
June 11, 2008
tryst in the dark
she, a liberated woman
or he, the seducer
June 12, 2008
he sweats over singing
the old ballad properly
boxer outside the ring
June 13, 2008
WISE WOMAN*
The car is crowded
with a family’s seven kids.
One teenage daughter
gives birth during the long ride,
she is now considered wise.
*"Wise woman" is a positive term for crone or elder. Although not specifically referenced as such in the dream, it was my immediate association on waking and therefore has relevance to the dream. On googling it I came across the Native American Hopi Indian statement "When the Grandmothers speak the earth will be healed."
June 14, 2008
WE EACH TRY
(dreamku & tanka pair from same dream)
we each try on
various sized mailing tubes
orderly chaos
I put her in a
long mailing tube to help her
it’s quite difficult
to fit down the curved sink drain
I let her breathe, then try again
June 15, 2008
she wants me I him he her no exit*
* "No Exit" is the title of an old movie in which just this scenario is a metaphor for Hell. The dream did not feel "hellish," I was only vaguely disappointed during it. However, I frequently do not feel the deep underlying emotions of a dream until I wake and work with it. On writing out this dream and recognizing its "no exit" triangle I did have much deeper feeling than vague disappointment.
June 16, 2008
baseball size droppings
thud all around
birds perch high above
June 17, 2008
children in the surf
my two empty satchels
under the moonlight
June 18, 2008
a young boy shows us
how to work the locked door
starlit beach
June 19, 2008
first day on the job
lost in the large office
I wash my hair instead
June 20, 2008
the dark-haired beauty
aces the entrance exam
pedicurist school
June 21, 2008
WHERE IN THE WORLD
(dreamku pair from one dream)
flying to Barbados
north of Africa, I say
she overshoots twice
rooftop discotheque
checking door after door
for Barbados
June 22, 2008
he kisses each eye
but doesn’t get to my mouth
a sick woman needs help
June 23, 2008
CYCLES
(dreamku pair from one dream)
a large plaque of white
uncooked pastry dough
her motorcycle logo
transparent around
and open at the front
my motorcycle shield
June 24, 2008
he rolls end-over-end
in his rose-colored carton
life on the streets
Jun 25, 2008
SUBWAY*
I rush again down
subway stairs to a station
this time strange men pace
in the dusty dark corners
dare I ask one to help me
dropped conversation
an old male friend turns to ask
if I want a token
where am I where is there to go subway
*A dream tanka, a regular dreamku, and a one-line dreamku, written about the same dream.
June 26, 2008
one way only
the relaxing train ride
up the rocky coast
June 27, 2008
LOSS
she lost a child
he, his mentor and friend
they keep their own counsels
he softly asks
where she’ll send her writing now
she answers, Cleveland
June 28, 2008
IF ONLY
grief tears out of me
before the plate glass window
bitter relief
grief’s turbulent wake
if only she’d lived and he’d
not been abusive
June 29, 2008
he dictates a note
about a dying tenant
slumlord doctor
June 30, 2008
MOVEMENT*
the bright light
of the popular movement
seductive young man
crowded boulevard
he tells us to spread out
and form a circle
too many seekers
a man mashed up against me
from behind
I step away from
the entranced circling group
the masher runs off
he stuffs something
in the trunk of his waiting car
my grey coat is gone
old convertible
I describe its long lines
to the police
the loose green fringe
of a borrowed shawl
safety pin repair
*A dream from June 28, 2008, in seven dreamku.
June 1, 2008
a son plays poker
to engage his distant father
old back alley game
June 2, 2008
she thanks Johnny Depp
for the strawberry ice cream
so many dark seeds
June 3, 2008
embrace from behind
a lively blond woman
only vaguely recalled
June 4, 2008
he tries to cut
my little yellow purse strap
subway encounter
June 5, 2008
DANCING WITH A STAR
(experimental dream tanka pair from one dream)
The rich star and I
dance together for a while.
She is deeply moved
when I say: Do not let your
bright fire burn you out.
As we catch our breaths,
she pulls out her pen and asks:
How can I help you?
Afraid she’ll feel used again
I can’t think of anything.
June 6, 2008
THE LONG WALK
(dream tanka)
A very long walk
through brick halls to the kitchen
following their leads.
At the center her husband
cups mystery in his palm.
June 7, 2008
UPLIFTING
(dream tanka)
the floor of the lift
dissolves from under my feet
softly suddenly
at the bottom of the cliff
I grasp for hand holds back up
June 8, 2008
joyful desert hike
I move my new backup disks
to deeper cover
June 9, 2008
distant view
that dark haired Don Juan hurries
to help the new maid
June 10, 2008
getting ready
no need to thaw the soup,
tomorrow’s Thanksgiving
June 11, 2008
tryst in the dark
she, a liberated woman
or he, the seducer
June 12, 2008
he sweats over singing
the old ballad properly
boxer outside the ring
June 13, 2008
WISE WOMAN*
The car is crowded
with a family’s seven kids.
One teenage daughter
gives birth during the long ride,
she is now considered wise.
*"Wise woman" is a positive term for crone or elder. Although not specifically referenced as such in the dream, it was my immediate association on waking and therefore has relevance to the dream. On googling it I came across the Native American Hopi Indian statement "When the Grandmothers speak the earth will be healed."
June 14, 2008
WE EACH TRY
(dreamku & tanka pair from same dream)
we each try on
various sized mailing tubes
orderly chaos
I put her in a
long mailing tube to help her
it’s quite difficult
to fit down the curved sink drain
I let her breathe, then try again
June 15, 2008
she wants me I him he her no exit*
* "No Exit" is the title of an old movie in which just this scenario is a metaphor for Hell. The dream did not feel "hellish," I was only vaguely disappointed during it. However, I frequently do not feel the deep underlying emotions of a dream until I wake and work with it. On writing out this dream and recognizing its "no exit" triangle I did have much deeper feeling than vague disappointment.
June 16, 2008
baseball size droppings
thud all around
birds perch high above
June 17, 2008
children in the surf
my two empty satchels
under the moonlight
June 18, 2008
a young boy shows us
how to work the locked door
starlit beach
June 19, 2008
first day on the job
lost in the large office
I wash my hair instead
June 20, 2008
the dark-haired beauty
aces the entrance exam
pedicurist school
June 21, 2008
WHERE IN THE WORLD
(dreamku pair from one dream)
flying to Barbados
north of Africa, I say
she overshoots twice
rooftop discotheque
checking door after door
for Barbados
June 22, 2008
he kisses each eye
but doesn’t get to my mouth
a sick woman needs help
June 23, 2008
CYCLES
(dreamku pair from one dream)
a large plaque of white
uncooked pastry dough
her motorcycle logo
transparent around
and open at the front
my motorcycle shield
June 24, 2008
he rolls end-over-end
in his rose-colored carton
life on the streets
Jun 25, 2008
SUBWAY*
I rush again down
subway stairs to a station
this time strange men pace
in the dusty dark corners
dare I ask one to help me
dropped conversation
an old male friend turns to ask
if I want a token
where am I where is there to go subway
*A dream tanka, a regular dreamku, and a one-line dreamku, written about the same dream.
June 26, 2008
one way only
the relaxing train ride
up the rocky coast
June 27, 2008
LOSS
she lost a child
he, his mentor and friend
they keep their own counsels
he softly asks
where she’ll send her writing now
she answers, Cleveland
June 28, 2008
IF ONLY
grief tears out of me
before the plate glass window
bitter relief
grief’s turbulent wake
if only she’d lived and he’d
not been abusive
June 29, 2008
he dictates a note
about a dying tenant
slumlord doctor
June 30, 2008
MOVEMENT*
the bright light
of the popular movement
seductive young man
crowded boulevard
he tells us to spread out
and form a circle
too many seekers
a man mashed up against me
from behind
I step away from
the entranced circling group
the masher runs off
he stuffs something
in the trunk of his waiting car
my grey coat is gone
old convertible
I describe its long lines
to the police
the loose green fringe
of a borrowed shawl
safety pin repair
*A dream from June 28, 2008, in seven dreamku.
* * * *
‘til next time, keep dreaming,
**** [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, and Yahoo DREAMJIN: Group for Dreamku – Haiku-Like Dream Poems ****
Labels: daily dream haiku, daily dreamku
posted by Roswila @ 7:42 PM
2 Comments:
Hi,
Just wanted to let you know that I dropped in. Great work as usual. I noticed more Tanka. I think that you are hooked on them too. I have been busy on my book. Will be back to Dreamjin to visit soon. Can I mention Dreamjin in my online Poetry list with IWW? I was thinking of submitting my Haibun, The Art of Falling, and I wanted to explain it a bit and mention you and/or Dreamjin.
-VCW
Hi vcw,
Good to see you visited, and I hope your book is going great!
Yes, please cite DREAMJIN if you'd like on IWW.
Yes, I'm enjoying tanka. I think I'm moving away from so much puncutation, though. Back to the more spare way of punctuating, as with haiku. And from the little bit more reading I've done about the form, it does seem to require more "open-endedness" than I'd first thought. I'll see how that fits with writing about dreams as I go along (all in my newbie-to-tanka-writing opinion, of course :-D).
Happy Summer!
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