This brief collection of plum blossom haiku celebrates the “Winter Gentleman”. In the art of Chinese painting, the “Four Gentlemen” are plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. The order of these flowers agrees with their corresponding seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall. In addition to their importance in Chinese painting, the Four Gentlemen, also called […]
Haiku, with its gentle guidelines and rules, is much more than counting syllables! Matsuo Bashō (1644 – 1694), the father of traditional haiku and one of the most revered poets in Japan, is credited for refining the haiku from a stylized form of 17 syllables to a poetic framework of simplicity and depth of meaning. […]
Basho’s haiku about lilies consists of only three short lines, containing a few brief words. Those of us who love this haiku have discovered that it gets deeper and more meaningful on each consecutive reading. Try memorizing it, and starting or ending your day with it. Try saying it when you’re on the verge of […]
For some of us, a constant buzzing, clicking, humming sound is the very epitome of summer. What would a balmy July night in the garden be without the never-ending songs of crickets and cicadas? The envelope of sound is so constant, so all-consuming, that we would feel lost without it. In fact, when the cicadas […]
The morning breeze is refreshing after the oppressive warmth of the hospital ward. John pushes my wheelchair slowly along the path towards the park. He doesn’t speak; I guess he can’t just yet, can only reach down and squeeze my bony-thin shoulder at regular intervals. The hum of traffic seems distant, surreal, as though in […]
We’re pirates searching for treasure exploring the reservoir on the outskirts of town. The babbling creek calls to us. Letting our bikes fall on the bank, we quickly remove our sneakers and socks and wade in the cool, shallow water. A frog sits frozen, hoping to avoid detection. We smell the heavenly perfume of the […]
It’s been really difficult to get any parts at all these last few months, even auditions, so I was thrilled when they offered me Titania. In my enthusiasm, though, it didn’t register that only an outdoor production would be allowed this summer. Haven’t they heard of hay fever?! The directors soon found a bank that […]
The moon was high and full on this Beltane night. Once again, I was voted the most powerful within my coven and others too, the greatest among my sisters. What are Circe, Medea, Morgan Le Fey, Glinda and Elphaba compared to me? Just amateurs! And let’s not discuss my stupid cousin in her silly gingerbread […]
For a moment, Bella wondered how she came to be confronted by this striking artwork. She had wandered into the gallery in a daze, her mind fogged by the fact that she was supposed to be on honeymoon. The wedding had gone the way of everything else that season – cancelled, or at least postponed […]
Deep breaths. The scent is sharp and sweet. Calming, yet. Not the pretty perfect flowers. She loves the flawed ones. This one’s cream-petalled, pale pink fingers inwards. Woodbine. Two minutes. That’s how long it took me to spot her. The white petals curve toward the center. Held back by the shape. It hits home. Me. […]
She turned off the news, but the words still reverberated through her head. Rising cases. Reopen schools. Reclose restaurants. Wear masks. Wash hands. Keep your distance. Day after day, the same. She just couldn’t bear it any longer. She had to do something. With a fury born of frustration and helplessness, she rushed outside and grabbed a […]
Abigail’s granddaughter Lucy has an imaginary friend who eats at the family dining table, buckles herself in the middle seat belt in the car and likes the light left on when she goes to sleep. Abigail also has an imaginary friend. He accompanies her when she walks the dog, stands beside her at the kitchen […]
People First, software second - Since 1985...
