9/04/2006

Anglican / Episcopal Haiku

Ok…so relaxation means too much time on my hands. Still, a small challenge came out of reverie yesterday. I was listening to Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers, (Car Talk) on NPR and they were talking about haiku poems, and gave some examples of automotive haiku. I laughed a lot.

It got me to thinking about Anglican / Episcopal haiku possibilities. I am using the 5/7/5 syllable form. Here are some possibilities.

Something for the Gospel on Pentecost, proper 17.

Ah! Work.

Defiled unclean hands;
Contrite and resolute hearts:
Change is master now.


Or a haiku lament for broken relations in the Anglican Communion:

Silence

I have no passport;
No one comes to visit any more:
My city is plowed land.


Or a haiku delight in the freedom of spirit:

I vote yes!

The gate is open:
Hope is everything, and joy.
Sorry for the rulers.

Perhaps you have more. These are minor examples of a form which in the hands of my most excellent readers will blossom into poems of pure joy.

Try your hand, and post them as comments here.

9 comments:

  1. Writing haiku can be an interesting challenge. It is sometimes hard to convince oneself that you have actually said anything, since you have so few syllables to work with. I have written a collection called “Haiku Meditations on the Church Year”. I was not so ambitious as to try to write a poem for every Sunday of the year!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Haiku Prayer

    God, my Creator,
    My Alpha and my Omega;
    Fill my heart with love.

    Not really Anglican/Episcopalian, is it? But it's what I have.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lionel's haiku meditations are wonderfu. Thanks Lionel for the link.

    Grandmere mimi...loved it! Thanks. Where are the other brave souls?

    Here is one more:

    Suspect:

    Peculiar birth, mother
    Jewish, Father universal;
    walks through closed doors.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Blood poured out questions
    Pure ones, leaving hope amid
    ambiguity

    To trust the process,
    A mark of our Communion,
    But which process, where?

    Christ the lamb opens
    And no one can shut the door
    Why then do some try?

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Invitation.

    The table is set.
    Wine poured out and broken bread.
    Come Lord Jesus, come.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mists hover at dawn
    glory sun in pink flowing
    peace over water

    ###

    politics betray
    faithlessness in his good way
    weariness not peace

    ###

    shadows play on walls
    pray slow motion solitude
    Spirit breathes morning

    ###

    break fast Eucharist
    reveals him in breaking bread
    joy discerning him

    ReplyDelete
  7. O my! Everyone, lovely haikus here; just beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Here's a couple that I wrote a few years ago...

    "The Feast"

    Candles burn-the smoke
    drifts up from the Great Table;
    It carries prayers

    Stately procession;
    vestments sewn in bright colors
    following the cross

    The priest, hands raised, speaks;
    and begins the liturgy
    'the Lord be with you'

    Priest, then people, call;
    waves of the liturgy wash
    upon heaven's shores

    The bread is broken
    the wine poured out for us all;
    we are one with God

    ------------------

    "The Church"

    Via media
    walks not left or right only;
    but sways to each side

    Established in Christ;
    shaped by hands of kings and queens
    and spread through the world

    Is she one large church?
    or many congregations?
    both; and neither one

    Forces from within
    stretch and strain to change her shape;
    Christ can still be seen

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sorry to be so late

    Jesus Lamb of God:
    At the table I'm in awe
    How great was the gift

    ReplyDelete

OK... Comments, gripes, etc welcomed, but with some cautions and one rule:
Cautions: Calling people fools, idiots, etc, will be reason to bounce your comment. Keeping in mind that in the struggles it is difficult enough to try to respect opponents, we should at least try.

Rule: PLEASE DO NOT SIGN OFF AS ANONYMOUS: BEGIN OR END THE MESSAGE WITH A NAME - ANY NAME. ANONYMOUS commentary will be cut.