It’s been over a month since my last Poetry Friday offering and, in that post I was complaining about the cold, and looking for reasons to LIKE winter.
Fast forward to today, and its cold and wet and wintry – and, you guessed it, I am still struggling to find good things about winter.
But, I do have a pair of haiku that I wrote about being cold – and trying to flip between the downsides of being cold and the upsides. Here it is:
Cold
Caught in the rain
Burning of frostbitten toes
Blades of wintry wind
A plunge in cold pool
Bubbling fizzing lemonade
Shivering lemonade.
(Copyright Sally Murphy)
Not sure this really counts as flipping the bad to the good – because I seem to be arguing that being cold is winter in bad, but being cold in summer is good. Can you tell I’m a summer person?
But, because I’m a contrary kind of person, I also have a pair of haiku about the pros and cons of being hot.
Hot
Sweat-drenched smelly socks
Suffocating in-school days
Unrelenting sun
Thawing spring sunshine
Steam rising from chocolate drink
Toasty slipper toes.
(Copyright Sally Murphy)
And you can see that I found the good things about being hot right in the midst of winter.
Incidentally, these ‘opposite haikus’ (as I call them) appeared in my book for teachers last year, and were written quite some time before that. It was only when I typed them up for this blog post that I noticed something in the
syllable counts. If I’m sticking to a 5/7/5 syllable count for each haiku (and yes, I do know that true haiku do not have to adhere strictly to this count) – then the line about the chocolate drink is questionable. It depends on pronunciation – the dictionary tells me that it definitely has 3 syllables – choc-o-late – but I confess, when Is ay it it definitely comes out with only two – chock – let – which is how it is that I have never noticed this in my own poem before.
Does it matter? Probably not – although now that I’ve noticed it, it annoys me, because I’m a stickler for rules.
But being distracted by syllable counts has taken my mind of being cold. So that’s gotta be good thing, right?
I’m off to make a hot chocolate and browse the rest of the Poetry Friday posts. They always warm my heart. The Roundup is hosted by Elisabeth – you should check it out 🙂
No matter the number of syllables pronounced, I can always count on chocolate.
Thanks for the winter perspective of July, Sally. Stay warm! 🙂
I love your “Toasty slipper toes.” Maybe it’s cause I love the summer so much more than winter, though it has such a nice sound to it… Wishing you warmer, sun-filled winter days to come, and thanks for these seasonal haikus Sally!
Like Linda, I see your poems not just as seasonal flips, but flips occurring simultaneously across the equator! Great reminder that Earth is all things all at once! Stay warm today while we fan ourselves to stay cool!
Sad to hear of the continuing cold in the West, Sally. Be warmed and comforted by the fact that it is even colder and wetter in Victoria. Wintry haiku -hot and cold have provided a distraction and you have taken inside your syllabic prognostications -enlightening. Stay warm, Sally. I actually enjoy the layering of winter clothes- scarves, hats, big coats and jackets and sturdy boots.
Yes it is amazing just how cold most of Australia is at present Alan – even parts that usually seem warm all year round. Like you, I do like a good pair of boots and a nice coat.
Ooh, I like the thought of lemonade shivering! And, I’m with you – will take summer over winter, thank you very much. But I like the change of seasons. As long as the cold doesn’t hang around TOO long… ‘Warmest’ wishes to you, Sally!
Thank you Robyn. It is heart-warming to connect with my friends on Poetry Friday 🙂
Thanks for sharing Sally! I am a big fan of winter. For me it is about cooking and stories throughout the night. Longer nights lead to longer stories 🙂 Best of luck in your search to find something you enjoy about winter.
Thanks Tim. I think the thing I like most about winter is that it is part of the cycle of life – if we don’t have the rain and the cold, then we don’t have the water for growth and the rest for renewal. I did try to comment on your post this week, too, but am not sure it worked.
Ha! The pronunciation of words is a fun thing to think about–probably why I like haiku as warm-up writing. I pronounce chocolate with 2 syllables as well. And, I’m still such a kid at heart that it still amazes me that while I’m in hottest temps of the year, you are in the cold. I know, I know…tilting of the earth and all that. But, it’s neat-o to my easily entertained brain. I much prefer the toasty slipper toes on a cold day while I’m inside with the heat on! Great thoughts, great haiku. Keep ’em coming!
Thanks Linda. Yes, pronunciation can make a big difference. I once had a debate with someone about whether or not my own name rhymed with jelly. Turned out I was wrong – and I’m an English teacher!
You have poems for everyone today – whether they’re hot or cold! And your bear poem made me laugh :-).
Thanks for sharing these with us today!
Thanks for dropping in, Elisabeth – and thanks again for hosting the roundup.