It’s that time again. tinywords 24.2 has now ended with Elisa Theriana’s “until we meet again”. We will be on pause until the next issue, 25.1, begins late in March.
The submission window for tinywords 25.1 opens on February 1st and closes on February 28th, 2025. Sending regular submissions to tinywords is a simple two-step process. Just check out our guidelines and send in your work using the form on the Submissions Page after the window opens on February 1st. Please send us your haiku, tanka, small poems, haiga, or brief haibun to be considered for our next issue: tinywords 25.1. Our 25th year!
To keep things interesting while we work on the next issue, we present a new writing prompt: A starkly beautiful image of a winter scene in black and white that seems to speak of solitude, memory and perhaps longing. What do you see? We hope the image will inspire you to write a tiny poem or two. Please leave your best efforts in response to the photo prompt in the comment box below and the tinywords editorial team will share the best of the best at the start of tinywords 25.1, due out in late March, 2025.
Thanks again for dropping by. We look forward to reading what you have to say.
Be well,
The editors
that’s such a beautiful photo <3
~
deep winter
my memories swing
between light and dark
~
memory the silence of a first snow
Hello there!
Here is my haiku:
“Winter light
twenty-five years ago
our swing.”
Cendrine Marrouat
black and white photo
setting colorful memories
in motion
a motionless swing
above the untouched snow
waiting for the joy of children
Like the memories
from my childhood, blanketed
over with snowfall
winter silence
that place I go
to find myself
Memories frozen
so deep that the impending
thaw cannot unearth
tree swing’s shadow—
the length
of a winter morning
those days
when we had wings
school swing
the swing
waits for the baby
winter will thaw
into spring
winter blues swing low
chiaroscuro
what lies beneath
the shadows
heartland solitude abandoned
late winter
the swing where she was
abducted
virgin snow
untouched by
angel wings
waiting
to take the first step
into treatment
riding the second swing
a ghost
leaves no footprints
just enough
snow
to start anew
the shadow
of an empty swing
winter deepens
empty swing
above snow drifts
pushed by the wind
childhood—
pure as snow
just as fleeting
Let me do that one over again:
Frozen memories
so deep, the impending thaw
cannot unearth them
frozen silence
thoughts sway towards
our time together
white winter…
the quixotic appeal
of quietude
first snow
completely different
scent of porridge
tomorrow,
clean slate, passages wiped white –
only shadows remain
Still cold silent
but the swing moves both ways…
light and shadow
the memories
that define us
caught in the branches
of memory
one shadow
that winter when
everything stopped
deepening snow
deep winter –
childhood returns
in the shadow of the swing
the silent presence
of the shadows…
memories of that far away winter
pencil shavings
the shadows from a sketch
as snow at night
Alan Summers
between
the arc of snow
a dreamer’s flight
winterlight
at the window
toddler’s handprints
***
the stillness
between songbirds
winter light
***
passing my days
in your absence
winter light
***
separating wants
from needs
winter light
wrapped
in a winter blanket
deep sorrow
walk and grandson
discovering anew
the taste of snow
snow worn in stretch marks…
empty arms
all that time
must take away
sharing the cold
each day our shadows
come and go
fleeting motes
each one a hidden colour
that slows a heart
Alan Summers
empty swing
in each sway
the loneliness
another winter
the old swing tree
sleeps through it all
roots go both ways
whiskey with a single block
of ice and regret
Alan Summers
swing low
sweet winter snow
shadow me home
untouched snow—
creating my own path
first snow
softening the edges
spiced apple tea
holding hands
I lean
into your silence
Line 2 is indented.
falling snow
the tinkling
of a wind chime
our earliest playground
pristine
in the snowpack
the pendulum awaits
a force to set it
to swinging
winter hibernation—
the silent creak of a swing
in untouched snowfall
deep snow . . .
bancha tea leaves
slowly unfurling
geese in flight
the cold sound
of an empty swing
untouched snow—
creating my own path
menopause . . .
trying to reconnect with
the little girl in me
empty playground
frozen memories
shadowed on snow
my childhood
and my now
so many seasons
in between
Footsteps and laughter
Hidden away and waiting
Beneath the drifting cold
reading Dōgen
snow falling
on snow
Line 2 is indented.
years later
she still brushes the snow
from the swing
deep snow
bancha leaves
slowly unfurling
snow glare
black shadows
first snow
daring myself
to be a kid again
empty swing
the silence
of loneliness
snow raises the ground
no room for swinging legs
yet
second childhood
sometimes I still swing
when no-one’s looking
leaving no footprints
the lonely spirit
of the child who fell
winter
is upon us
the beauty that we knew
faded with the days of summer
and sleeps
an empty swing
the silence
of loss
An empty swing
knows my silence
even a rope swing
missing children’s laughter
longs for summer
winter trees –
their only leaves
a flock of finches
flying towards
the swing
untouched snow
the White Album
another serial number
filed away
Alan Summers
NOTE:
The Beatles (album)
commonly referred to as the White Album, is the ninth studio album and only double album released in November 1968.
It featured a plain white sleeve:
Each copy first featured a unique stamped serial number:
“to create the ironic situation of a numbered edition of something like five million copies”
Just like snow, each one unique.
the White Album
another serial number
filed away
Alan Summers
alabaster white
just as the sun sets up
another day’s angel
Alan Summers
the White Album
another serial number
filed away
Alan Summers
NOTE:
The Beatles (album)
commonly referred to as the White Album, is the ninth studio album and only double album released in November 1968.
It featured a plain white sleeve:
Each copy first featured a unique stamped serial number:
“to create the ironic situation of a numbered edition of something like five million copies”
Just like snowflake, each one is unique.
loneliness swings
under gray clouds –
no sky
slowing down
the pace of life
snow day
still
the echo of you
monochrome dream
pain
no more
snow angels
a childhood, crystallized:
swinging high
with soft landings
the swing silenced
after your departure
icy breath
icy wind
the persistent flutter
of a missing cat sign
I see memories of my youth
in the swing’s shadow
***
A snow-covered swing awaits
eager hands to grab it
and climb onboard
***
All a snow-covered swing
can do is sleep until Spring
dead of winter
the year’s ups
and downs
incoming fog
so much that was clear
is lost
the swing misses
the laughter that rode it as
the tree its long-buried seed
the swing
after long silence
shadows on the snow
Silence in the Snowy Fields
for now the light burden
of snow on the swing
Tribute to Robert Bly
swinging
to the rhythm
and blues
subzero
even the shadows
freeze
the shadows that hang over us
***
windswept
the silence
of swirling snow
***
the way a memory
can make time
stand still
Stoic shadows still
above frosty white blanket
echoes snow moon’s glow
middle of nowhere . . .
free in fairy-tale ending
fleeting snow angel
North America all winter season word, kigo 季語: snow angel, yuki no tenshi 雪の天使
[The Yuki Teikei (有季定型) Haiku Society (YTHS) 2023 Contest Kigo List]
taste of tomorrow . . .
conjure in cabin fever
all-day al fresco
North America all winter season word, kigo 季語: cabin fever, snowbound, snowed in
[World Kigo Database]
no more make-believe . . .
not even a boot print where
mittens went missing
All winter season word, kigo 季語: gloves, mittens, tebukuro 手袋 or mittens, shutoo 手套 (しゅとう)
[World Kigo Database]
swings the earsplitting
silence of Elysium . . .
freshly fallen snow
Late winter season word, kigo 季語: freshly fallen snow, new snow, shin setsu, shinsetsu 新雪
[World Kigo Database]
moonscape
the museum echoes
with children’s laughter
vintage shoot
skeletal
chic
Chanel bag completes
the ‘moon river’ look
frozen in time
Don’t swing into the sun –
the real of wood is today
too much.
Today, balance on the plank of shadow.
Lean back into the frost and
be you, too, the snow and
falling
hush!
speak not a word ’til
this silence is broken
empty
the wood
snakes
long shadows
\\\
my texts
unanswered
early arrival
a dusting of snow
on the fawn
early arrival
swallow prints
in a swing’s shadow
Sorry… my previous haiku needs a slight
edit:
early arrival
swallow prints
in the swing’s shadow
winter trees
filament fingers
brush the pale sky
***
January—
nothing but black wisps
etched against the white
***
a lone swing—
and so many ghosts
Final version:
early arrivals
swallow prints
in the swing’s shadow
infant wood snake lies cold
entranced by the white
behind her blue eyes
snowfall.
unmarked snow
beneath a swing
last child leaves home
— Marietta McGregor
storm’s retreat
over us an arc
of daylight
ground zero . . . how to imagine this world?
the only sounds…
bird song
and crunching snow
Still,
there is
no footprint.
chains can be used
for so many
things
winter trees
filament fingers
brush the pale sky
***
January—
nothing but black wisps
etched against the white
***
a lone swing—
and so many ghosts
snow
receding to gray
into leafless woods
snow
redshifting to gray
into distant woods
drifting snow outside the city in my head