Writing prompt for Issue 15.1
It’s another new year and with it another writing prompt from your friends here at tinywords. This photo is courtesy of writer, blogger, photographer Dave Bonta. We invite you to submit your poems in the comment section below. We look forward to reading what you come up with. The best of the best will kick off our new tinywords issue 15.1 due out in early February.
Happy New Year one and all.
About the photographer:
Dave Bonta lives in the woods of central Pennsylvania, where he posts brief daily updates about what he sees in his yard at The Morning Porch, maintains the poetry-film website Moving Poems, and blogs poetry at Via Negativa.
December 27th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
Who will go first
on the path
of newly fallen snow
December 27th, 2014 at 12:42 pm
footprints in the snow
following power lines
possibly lost
December 27th, 2014 at 12:45 pm
Pure snow in winter's embrace
Vacant footprints proof
that others also walk on water
December 27th, 2014 at 12:47 pm
between the trees
the cold creeps forward
snowprints
December 27th, 2014 at 12:48 pm
.
wind-spun flakes…
a child’s world escapes
the snow globe
.
January 24th, 2015 at 3:37 am
Laura,
I love your own haiku, with its scent of woodsmoke, and voted for it as soon as I read it:
season's greetings
the scent of woodsmoke
first to arrive
warm regards,
Alan
January 24th, 2015 at 8:21 am
Love this one Alan!
January 24th, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Thanks Terri,
I'm delighted, especially as I love Christmas, and work very hard to make it special for families too.
warm regards,
Alan
January 24th, 2015 at 9:18 am
I like any thing that mentions snow globe but if the poem's image works, i love it. love your haiku; love it!
January 24th, 2015 at 1:49 pm
Thanks Roberta,
There is something really special about snow globes, and I'm so pleased this one works for you. Thank you! :-)
warmest regards,
Alan
January 24th, 2015 at 1:46 pm
Thanks Laura! That's very much appreciated.
warm regards,
Alan
January 30th, 2015 at 3:30 am
I'm with Roberta on this one, Alan – if there's a snow globe in it, it gets my vote! :)
I love the movement in yours. It's magical.
marion
January 30th, 2015 at 3:46 am
Thank you Marion, you are also a good supporter of my work! :-)
warmest regards,
Alan
December 27th, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Bitter cold and slushy
My boots can't anymore…>
Meet you back home, brrr!
December 27th, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Sorry, I forgot "go" in 2nd line
December 27th, 2014 at 12:53 pm
overhead
the hum of power lines
the crunch of crusted snow
December 27th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
Winter arrives
Cold and grey…
Alive with purpose
December 27th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
the world between
worlds, seraphim
trail
December 27th, 2014 at 1:10 pm
line in the snow
the beginning
of a hummingbird?
December 27th, 2014 at 1:10 pm
despite cold feet
I still proposed–
merry Christmas
December 27th, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Dead tree stands in the back yard,
limbs long since broken and burned
laughter of children who once scaled its heights,
only an echo, a faded memory
December 27th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
shadows on the snow
sharp
as the frost
December 27th, 2014 at 1:56 pm
me barefoot forward
his heavy boots right angles off
this heavy snow
December 27th, 2014 at 2:04 pm
A riddle playing with the land
Cryptic glamour game of angels touching in a dance
Here they bow, there they kiss and fly.
December 27th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Over glittering oceans
So barely touched by traces of mystical beasts
Demons just reflected on snow
December 27th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
I walk through new snow
turning right toward home
my muse moves on
December 27th, 2014 at 2:09 pm
tree shadows
divide the snow-path
we part ways
December 27th, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Winter's deep sigh –
snowflakes trickling
down my cheeks
December 27th, 2014 at 2:28 pm
miles to go—
the snowy echo
of wolf song
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Simply magical. Amazing two line phrase with tension given with 'miles to go'.
warm regards,
Alan
January 24th, 2015 at 9:16 am
Alan your comment means a lot! thanks :)
January 24th, 2015 at 1:09 pm
nice haiku Roberta – very succinct
January 30th, 2015 at 3:36 am
Ah, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. :) By alluding to Frost's poem you create an entire scene in just three words here, Roberta. Also love the sound the wolf's song.
marion
December 27th, 2014 at 2:39 pm
Which way to journey?
Crystal paths are no true guide —
I follow my heart
December 27th, 2014 at 2:55 pm
I follow them
they follow me
unknown tracks in the snow
December 27th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
unable to follow
my grandfather draws
a face in the snow
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:09 pm
I find those last two lines incredibly moving.
Alan
January 30th, 2015 at 3:31 am
So do I – brought a tear to my eye.
marion
February 8th, 2015 at 8:07 am
I really like this one!
December 27th, 2014 at 3:29 pm
crack of dawn listen to snow angel past
December 27th, 2014 at 3:38 pm
cursive tracks
in the snow
winter’s signature
December 27th, 2014 at 4:27 pm
I'm not perfect
I know —
Was it something I said?
December 27th, 2014 at 5:11 pm
night visitors
traveling the same trail
through silence
December 27th, 2014 at 5:52 pm
black and white
choices . . .
the less traveled path
December 27th, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Woody plant life
half-buried in snow–
I keep walking
December 27th, 2014 at 6:18 pm
snow: a magnum mysterium to me.
Footprints in the sand I understand.
The deep south is my home.
I understand
December 27th, 2014 at 6:18 pm
Snow-covered–
The branch tips are frozen
in mid-reach
December 27th, 2014 at 6:27 pm
snow drifts
he colours outside
the lines
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:11 pm
Intriguing last two lines, really like them.
Alan
January 23rd, 2015 at 9:42 pm
Thank you Alan. Much appreciated.
December 27th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
winter solstice
the parting
of our ways
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:08 pm
Beautiful. I never tire of reading this haiku.
warm regards,
Alan
January 27th, 2015 at 7:30 pm
Alan, Thank you so much. That means a great deal to me. Greg
January 28th, 2015 at 5:16 am
Thanks Gregory, it's a deserved winner!
warm regards,
Alan
January 30th, 2015 at 3:31 am
Simply beautiful.
marion
January 30th, 2015 at 3:48 am
It's certainly something I never tire of reading, and I've read this perhaps two or three times every day. :-)
warm regards,
Alan
December 27th, 2014 at 7:19 pm
deep snow
your footprints lead
until moon turns me
December 27th, 2014 at 7:52 pm
snowy junction you never could make up your mind
December 27th, 2014 at 7:52 pm
halfway
between here and there
snowdrift
December 27th, 2014 at 7:59 pm
cold shadows your brief return
December 27th, 2014 at 8:45 pm
tracks in snow –
a world full of
shadows and light
December 27th, 2014 at 9:05 pm
lone footprints
on magic first snow
the wood's silent whisper
December 27th, 2014 at 10:38 pm
Dappled and shadowed
Crunched by footfalls, there, there
White cold snow endures
December 28th, 2014 at 12:19 am
New Year's Eve–
A pair of shadows on the snow
create a sidewalk
December 28th, 2014 at 1:54 am
a life
with snow's witness
takes a turn
December 28th, 2014 at 2:10 am
in my mentor’s snowbreak
I follow…
sunlight splits the shadows
I emerge
forge my footprints
December 28th, 2014 at 2:28 am
fresh snow…
a treasure hunt
for everything
December 28th, 2014 at 5:21 am
which way to follow ::::::
the snow queen
disappears again
December 28th, 2014 at 6:32 am
snow: a magnum mysterium to me.
December 28th, 2014 at 6:51 am
one for fun…
this urge
to leave traces…
new snow
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:10 pm
So often we want to leave traces, and new snow is so enticing.
warm regards,
Alan
December 28th, 2014 at 7:02 am
the intersection
of late afternoon
shadows and you
December 28th, 2014 at 7:11 am
a tall dead tree,
the sun blending and feathering
shadows in the snow
December 28th, 2014 at 9:16 am
crossroads~
some footprints
full of shadows
December 28th, 2014 at 10:27 am
snow-blind, too tall
to catch the scent,
I missed,
right turn taken only
by the dog
December 28th, 2014 at 10:42 am
darkness at noon . . .
the path of light
I did not take
December 28th, 2014 at 10:57 am
snowprints~
full of shadows
full of light
December 28th, 2014 at 11:33 am
changing my mind
changing your mind~
snowprints
December 28th, 2014 at 11:58 am
I wanted proof
that we stood here
and touched in the middle
of the wood.
December 28th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
snowy path…
the distance between
here and there
December 28th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
awakening
to the silence of snow light
to unknown paths
December 28th, 2014 at 12:25 pm
Dr. Who–
i trace my steps back
to nowhere
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:09 pm
Well, I did catch the first ever episode. :-)
Alan
December 28th, 2014 at 12:31 pm
sparkling silence
disturbed by tracks
indigo shadows
——————–
double tracks converge
one remains—
winter mystery
December 28th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
sparkling silence
disturbed by tracks
indigo shadows
December 28th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
double tracks converge
one remains—
winter mystery
December 28th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
your step lighter
as you walk away from me…
here i am still
carrying you all the way
but only in my heart now
January 2nd, 2015 at 9:48 am
just beautiful….
January 2nd, 2015 at 4:59 pm
Thanks Indu
January 24th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
love this – 'carrying you all the way'
December 28th, 2014 at 1:28 pm
shadows
line the sparkling snow …
I carry on alone
December 28th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
twigs marking
where we parted ways
permafrost
January 30th, 2015 at 3:32 am
Sad last line.
marion
December 28th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
tracks
veer off
only shadows
touch
December 28th, 2014 at 2:09 pm
trudging
up a mountain . . .
hearing deer laugh
December 28th, 2014 at 3:02 pm
inside my
self heat
body
real coals
burn on
taking
away
fresh hope
turned a
corner
footless
December 28th, 2014 at 3:08 pm
walking on fresh snow
every direction
a perfect choice
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Yes! I'm a big snow buff, so could relate to this strongly.
warm regards,
Alan
December 28th, 2014 at 3:09 pm
centered: three twigs
one for each sibling
before the scatter
December 28th, 2014 at 3:14 pm
Lengths we go
to mark our way
the depth of shadows
December 28th, 2014 at 3:52 pm
winter walk
the deepening silence
leads me
December 30th, 2014 at 8:32 am
Claudette, I like this haiku very much. I love your phrase "the deepening silence" for this photo prompt and I love the idea of deepening silence leading one onwards. It speaks to me.
January 3rd, 2015 at 11:15 am
Heather, thanks so much for your kind words.
Claudette
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:15 pm
Such an atmospheric last two lines.
warm regards,
Alan
February 3rd, 2015 at 7:33 am
Alan, thanks so much for commenting.
I appreciate it.
Claudette
February 3rd, 2015 at 7:59 am
A pleasure. Have you thought of a monoku aka monostich? If so, all it needs is to lose 'me' at the end, and submit to Frogpond magazine (Haiku Society of America journal). :-)
December 28th, 2014 at 4:16 pm
traces
moments come and gone
almost
December 28th, 2014 at 4:39 pm
linking my house
to yours
deer tracks
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:12 pm
Dear Joy,
linking my house
to yours
deer tracks
I really have appreciated your haiku.
warm regards,
Alan
December 28th, 2014 at 5:52 pm
shivers down my back
the long distance to
bare feet in warm sand
December 28th, 2014 at 11:32 pm
What words you wrote
on that sheet of paper, I
am still trying to decipher.
December 28th, 2014 at 11:34 pm
Economy is equal
parts clarity
and obfuscation.
December 28th, 2014 at 11:36 pm
Isn't it easier
to say nothing
that the trees
could refute?
December 29th, 2014 at 5:15 am
breaking new paths
we choose to go
our separate ways
December 29th, 2014 at 7:41 am
Nothing more to say;
we take separate paths, me
and my child-self.
December 29th, 2014 at 8:40 am
My feet deny their own prints
and who can say
I was here
December 29th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Preservation Measures
There are no 3
way stops with-
out turns, heel-
and-toe shifts
like marches re-
cover territory
or wild-
life re-traces
tracks to mis-
lead assailants
December 29th, 2014 at 2:43 pm
snow crossing
which was first — the footprints
or the shadow?
December 29th, 2014 at 8:16 pm
for the tracker
a faint hope rising
a full day moon before sunset
December 29th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
New Year's afternoon
a left turn
away from the woods
December 30th, 2014 at 6:52 am
Like men,
small dogs are drawn
to bark out challenges–
an Ahab-race pursuing their
white whales.
December 30th, 2014 at 8:29 am
snowbound –
marking the first slice
of xmas cake
December 30th, 2014 at 8:58 am
when I was big
I walked on top
of trees
December 30th, 2014 at 9:00 am
our years together
how seamless were I and you
never said goodbye
December 30th, 2014 at 9:36 am
Near silent morning
Footprints pressed upon the snow
Even ghosts leave trails
December 30th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
Cartwheels in snow
Hand Hand Foot Foot
Spring's spinning ghosts
December 30th, 2014 at 2:48 pm
white noise only echoes of our argument
December 30th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
light and shadow
praying that her scan
will reveal good news
December 31st, 2014 at 6:24 am
this cold blue marble of earth
– next year will be better
December 31st, 2014 at 1:33 pm
shadows
of light and despair
my heavy tread.
December 31st, 2014 at 4:13 pm
winter walk—
against the wind and with it
both at once
December 31st, 2014 at 5:04 pm
year's end
the tracks we made
in snow
January 1st, 2015 at 9:01 am
journey home . . .
fading footprints
in the snow
January 1st, 2015 at 12:37 pm
deep winter —
footfalls in snow
return to silence
January 1st, 2015 at 12:44 pm
deep winter —
footfalls in snow return
to silence
January 1st, 2015 at 8:26 pm
concise tracks sculpted in snow crust–
no clues of what lies below
January 2nd, 2015 at 2:04 pm
winter deepens –
the prints of his boots
frozen in the snow
January 2nd, 2015 at 3:39 pm
tiny stars tossed
on fresh fallen snow –
chickadee footprints
January 3rd, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Pretty,
although aimless,
flashing koi dart about
and we who stare at them pretend
we're not.
January 3rd, 2015 at 7:33 pm
deep shadow
steals the foot marks …
uneven snow
January 4th, 2015 at 11:46 am
a change of heart
after his long career
winter into spring
January 4th, 2015 at 12:00 pm
his bootprints
stitching the shadows
to the shadows
January 6th, 2015 at 9:52 am
lose "the" in both lines just might strengthen this entry.
January 6th, 2015 at 3:21 pm
Thank you! I like it!
January 24th, 2015 at 1:10 pm
agree – brilliant
February 6th, 2015 at 4:41 pm
Beautiful imagery. I love the possibilities this opens up. To omit 'his' in the first line would add even more I think.
February 8th, 2015 at 8:19 am
Thank you for your comments!
January 6th, 2015 at 10:59 am
my son
follows in my footsteps
until he doesn't
January 6th, 2015 at 11:01 am
train up a child
in the way he should go
and when he is old . . .
January 6th, 2015 at 3:16 pm
Frick's house,
a candy box
and he, Le Grande Bon-Bon;
his workers thought don't get the crèmes,
just "Nuts!"
January 6th, 2015 at 11:27 pm
week after solstice…
there will be more dark days
but the warmth of change is upon us
January 8th, 2015 at 9:53 am
Revised:
his bootprints
stitching shadows
to shadows
January 18th, 2015 at 6:35 pm
I love this revised one, but I voted for both of your entries.
January 20th, 2015 at 8:43 pm
Thank you for your support Lolly! Not sure if I should have put the revision in a reply under the initial poem.
February 6th, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Beautiful imagery. I love the possibilities this opens up. To omit 'his' in first line might open up even more I think . . .? Perhaps it may then become a one-liner? It's so lovely, Barbara!
February 7th, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Thank you for your kind comment Jan. Yes I think that would make sense as a one liner without the 'his'
February 8th, 2015 at 8:12 am
The revised version is certainly more direct
February 8th, 2015 at 8:17 am
Thank you, vandergrau. Even in haiku, it helps to cut, cut, cut!
January 8th, 2015 at 3:17 pm
winter shadows measuring stillness between blizzards
January 10th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
last turn
of the kaleidoscope-
man friday
January 10th, 2015 at 5:58 pm
Awestruck
by such riches,
sparrow contemplates–Ahh!–
a cookie bigger than itself…
"All mine!"
January 10th, 2015 at 10:15 pm
doctor turning pale
‘I ate an apple a day for –
turning paler still
January 11th, 2015 at 8:01 am
everything in this image
does not exist
today
January 11th, 2015 at 11:39 am
So many wonderful poems. Like an extra issue, Thanks especially to luisaigloriald,A. Burgard, kiwiskan, Julie Warther, John McManus, seaviewwarrenpoint, and Nola Borrell.
January 12th, 2015 at 9:22 am
fault lines
her shoulders straighten
at the digs
January 12th, 2015 at 10:09 am
Keeep on writing, great job!
January 12th, 2015 at 3:56 pm
lengthening shadows
his footprints begin
to fill with night
January 12th, 2015 at 7:09 pm
tree rings
i count myself
in winter again
January 13th, 2015 at 12:56 am
doppelganger
the paths i leave
untrodden
January 13th, 2015 at 5:39 am
snow moon…
a chance meeting
that comes to naught
January 13th, 2015 at 10:20 am
the year’s last snow –
so many things
I still don’t understand
January 13th, 2015 at 11:04 am
the snow drifts
I search for more twigs
a canoe to build.
January 13th, 2015 at 12:12 pm
snow drifts
I meet myself
coming and going
January 13th, 2015 at 12:15 pm
December romance —
our whole lives waiting
for crossing paths
January 13th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
hard winter
the snow angel's
frozen wings
January 13th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
two
trails
one story
January 14th, 2015 at 2:26 am
chop, chop, chop
fingers fly
blood red snow
January 14th, 2015 at 4:36 am
lost in the woods
finding my footprints
in the snow
January 14th, 2015 at 5:36 am
fresh snow –
our tracks fade
to shadow
January 14th, 2015 at 6:43 am
two bylines
one story
January 14th, 2015 at 8:44 am
silence returns
ice-blue haze
shadows
January 14th, 2015 at 9:27 am
in pristine snow
the childhood game
of fox and geese–
how quickly we learn
both hunter and hunted
January 14th, 2015 at 4:01 pm
Clocks running backwards.
Moon and stars swallow the sun.
Words falling like leaves
January 14th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
A fingernail moon
in a deep blue evening sky.
Night is the gateway.
January 14th, 2015 at 4:03 pm
Though my bones bind me
in the years, still I shall rise.
Time’s an illusion.
January 14th, 2015 at 4:03 pm
Look, two stars appear
shining brighter than the rest.
You and I, sky high.
January 14th, 2015 at 7:19 pm
Oort Cloud…
spinning off the other
snowballs
January 15th, 2015 at 5:22 pm
our paths cross
where there is no path
winter solitude
January 15th, 2015 at 6:38 pm
Snow blinded
he walks in circles
silently
January 16th, 2015 at 9:21 am
funeral done,
settling down–
new footprints in snow
January 17th, 2015 at 10:32 am
last snowfall –
so many things
I still don’t understand
(edit of #133)
January 18th, 2015 at 2:40 pm
Fickle
wind pins balloon
against a building's wall–
trapped 'til wind sends it again
flying.
"Laughter of the Gods."
January 19th, 2015 at 8:06 am
rutting moon-
she poaches
all the eggs
January 21st, 2015 at 1:27 am
it is very interesting, all seasons are for us the feeling hard to describe and even winter too.
January 23rd, 2015 at 2:32 pm
empty afternoon
filtered sun invites raven
to dance this shoreline
January 23rd, 2015 at 2:34 pm
flooded riverbank
small rocks from this sandy ledge
lost for the moment
January 23rd, 2015 at 4:15 pm
I'm such a Christmas buff, that I became a professional Santa meeting and greeting hundreds of families every day over the season.
Wonderful haiku.
warm regards,
Alan
February 4th, 2015 at 1:50 am
I've Facebooked and tweeted a few times for people to go through ALL the haiku and support with likes, and comments if they can. :-)
January 24th, 2015 at 10:25 am
Living
in my village–
everything so pleasant–
who cares it's by Potemkin, still
it's mine!
January 24th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
patchwork snow
holding shadows of the past
until spring
January 25th, 2015 at 9:36 am
chiaroscuro –
the walk back home
fills with snow
January 25th, 2015 at 12:27 pm
Running,
no prize in sight,
bug knows this table well
and still it can not stop itself
seeking.
January 25th, 2015 at 12:56 pm
Through fresh morning snow
the tracks
of a beast.
Alexis Roella
January 25th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
New Year’s snow ?
we write our name
quickly
January 25th, 2015 at 5:23 pm
wood smoke ?
now my footsteps
follow me
January 28th, 2015 at 11:18 pm
on my way
to meet you, I sink
now and then
January 30th, 2015 at 3:38 am
Love this one – the idea that woodsmoke is the first guest to arrive for a festive party is very clever!
marion
January 30th, 2015 at 3:01 pm
twenty years
after the divorce . . .
the wait for spring
January 30th, 2015 at 7:41 pm
mourning
morning and my heart yearns to find you lying next to me as I awake
my arms find it not so
January 31st, 2015 at 5:28 pm
Be still
the Lisbon plane
you dreamt that you were on
was just a cardboard cut-out–dreams
deceive.
February 8th, 2015 at 8:10 am
Nicely put!
February 9th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
Tracks in the snow
memories melting away
Like tears in my heart
February 9th, 2015 at 3:57 pm
beneath the snow
bulbs lay sleeping
waiting for Spring
February 10th, 2015 at 6:07 am
morning mist
crow's caw
breaking the silence
July 20th, 2015 at 2:30 am
This article seems to be overlooking the fact that information is a saleable commodity and altruism comes a poor second to commerce
July 25th, 2015 at 5:55 pm
I carried you
for so long – but now
we have parted
February 21st, 2016 at 11:52 pm
Oh Nice