- a sonnet reflecting on the life of Herschel Ponder as told through his WWII memoir
One grows into the circles near at hand
where friends and family will often touch
the needs unstated as one's views expand
while yet to ponder innocence not much.
One changes in an instant near at heart
when fate reduces possibility
of safety as one's world is torn apart
while one can ponder but agility.
One yields to troubled silence near at tongue
when usefulness must take another shape
to steady solving problems from high strung
while ponder thankfulness helps soothe past scrape.
A void is always just within one's view
wherein to ponder emptiness anew.
- Robert Stone, 20 May 2012
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood:
satisfied
I must have been a magnet to entice
the troubles on each mischief ladder rung.
I heard my mother older give advice
to have your children now while you are young.
I must have been a care when out about
bereft of need to know the other's heart.
My mother told the hurt who felt cut out
once part of family then always part.
I must have seemed a luck who lacking range
bestrode his narrow world a self-crowned king.
When loath to act just know that things will change
so never say you will not do a thing.
I was a busy worker often stressed,
recalling Mother's saying, get more rest.
- Robert Stone, 13 May 2012
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood:busy
This growing up is hazards to enmesh
again the learner just escaping free.
The thorn sprang back to pierce the tender flesh.
The road rose up to scar the speeding knee.
This socializing scene has ruts unclean
to snare the weak unsure soon marked with blame.
The word unkind incised deep marks unseen.
The taunt provoked shed tears and inward shame.
This settling down is sorting glad and sad
to fix their proper value and their scope.
The touch reminded both of good and bad.
The sound recalled both fear and fading hope.
Endeavor to set right what comes along,
already having judged so many wrong.
- Robert Stone, 6 May 2012
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood: content
Another month has rolled by and here are last month's haiku.
No one man can be
convincing as everything
even in the dark.
- Tuesday, 3 April 2012
~
We all circle sun
but only the gifted share
what they alone see.
- Thursday, 5 April 2012
~
Clues are guiding stars
to those who are astute at
solving mysteries.
- Saturday, 7 April 2012
~
Life comes when it will,
there is no rushing learning
what makes one better.
- Thursday, 12 April 2012
~
Time is marching on
there is no other pathway
but my steps grow slow.
- Monday, 16 April 2012
~
Both heaven and hell
might be easily hidden
in and under dirt.
- Monday, 16 April 2012
~
Forgotten birthdays
would overflow the world if
forgetting were love.
- Wednesday, 18 April 2012
~
Hands speak with actions
necessary cries silenced
by hearts dumb with grief.
- Saturday, 21 April 2012
~
Birthdays are burdens
when days between are empty
so fill up the time.
- Monday, 23 April 2012
~
Each place two places:
one beneath hands and feet,
other inside head.
- Monday, 23 April 2012
~
Birthday condiment,
mustard in hair, mind so rare,
special day at fair.
- Monday, 23 April 2012
~
1000 haiku countdown to Chambers Stevens' 50th birthday
who posted on Facebook: "It is a 1000 days until I am 50 years old. Wonder what I could accomplish in a 1000 days if I put my mind, body and soul into it?" I said I could write a haiku every day for a thousand days.
~
All Fools' Day shows us
hopefully in gentle ways
how not to behave.
- Sunday, 1 April 2012, day 201
~
Fiction we invent
often is reflection of
truth we cover up.
- Monday, 2 April 2012, day 202
~
Raked audiences
easily see far actions
on unraked stages.
- Tuesday, 3 April 2012, day 203
~
Needing certainty,
unsure who take no chances
will miss every chance.
- Wednesday, 4 April 2012, day 204
~
Something will be lost
even though all appears well
if you skip a step.
- Thursday, 5 April 2012, day 205
~
I will if you do
is insistent demand for
submission not love.
- Friday, 6 April 2012, day 206
~
Diversity rules
because sameness always has
at least one weak spot.
- Saturday, 7 April 2012, day 207
~
Permanence sneaks up
when we begin to believe
what we touch needs us.
- Sunday, 8 April 2012, day 208
~
Passing is constant
whether we take or ignore
opportunities.
- Monday, 9 April 2012, day 209
~
Routines relieve stress
by requiring less notice
of the often done.
- Tuesday, 10 April 2012, day 210
~
Impossible tasks
can often be accomplished
through new approaches.
- Wednesday, 11 April 2012, day 211
~
Greener grass somewhere
is longing's description of
a different shade.
- Thursday, 12 April 2012, day 212
~
Anniversaries
are of personal making
and must be tended.
- Friday, 13 April 2012, day 213
~
Next days always come
and our previous actions
cannot be reversed.
- Saturday, 14 April 2012, day 214
~
Patience a virtue --
for who delays or who waits --
inscription unclear.
- Sunday, 15 April 2012, day 215
~
No tree is too large
to escape ax which ignores
every tree too small.
- Monday, 16 April 2012, day 216
~
Iris are in bloom,
sky glory covering earth
with rainbow color.
- Tuesday, 17 April 2012, day 217
~
Love plants each garden,
faith nurtures to potential,
hope harvests time's yield.
- Wednesday, 18 April 2012, day 218
~
Trophy shelf clutter
will distract the unfocused
from their aims and goals.
- Thursday, 19 April 2012, day 219
~
We think that they thought
but in fact it is likely
they were not thinking.
- Friday, 20 April 2012, day 220
~
After flood or fire
heads may determine new ways
but hearts choose old paths.
- Saturday, 21 April 2012, day 221
~
the haikus for days 222 through 230 inspired by
"Without realizing it, the individual composes his life according to the laws of beauty even in times of greatest distress."
- Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, part two: Soul and Body, section 11.
~
One's laws of beauty
guide creation of motifs
when distress is great.
- Sunday, 22 April 2012, day 222
~
Each writes own life script --
needed revisions lacking
past patterns persist.
- Monday, 23 April 2012, day 223
~
When times are stressful,
beauty should get preference
in guiding future.
- Tuesday, 24 April 2012, day 224
~
Sounds, words, images,
good memories are patterns
for new impressions.
- Wednesday, 25 April 2012, day 225
~
Reading life stories
with the wrong background music
evokes false feelings.
- Thursday, 26 April 2012, day 226
~
Love may come later
but those songs not early sung
come marked chances lost.
- Friday, 27 April 2012, day 227
~
Quilt comforts better
when pieced in common pattern
chosen together.
- Saturday, 28 April 2012, day 228
~
No later grace notes
will ever stir emotions
as much as first sounds.
- Sunday, 29 April 2012, day 229
~
If you know the thought
before first word is spoken,
you're in right story.
- Monday, 30 April 2012, day 230
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood:busy
- a sonnet reflecting on a sentence from Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being
It is the little things in daily life
that weave the cloth that covers chosen way.
Within the stress and strife too often rife
claimed beauty fades but never falls away.
It is the fewer greater life events
that test integrity that keeps the truth.
Without the well-pitched tents with hidden rents
masked anguish ages but still grasps at youth.
It is the first and final things perceived
that question why that has no answer sure.
Beyond the tales believed and hopes achieved
distress ignores the fact but holds obscure.
Compose your life from beauties as they come
so even when confused you hear your drum.
- Robert Stone, 29 April 2012
Inspired by
"Without realizing it, the individual composes his life according to the laws of beauty even in times of greatest distress."
- Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, part two: Soul and Body, section 11.
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood: calm
- a sonnet reflecting on Carousel, the musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein
With skills too few to know the needed touch
when heart responds without a spelling force,
the carny barker wordlost strikes too much
but lover hurt admits no spirit coarse.
With innocence too great to hope ignore
when simple circumstance delivers fear,
the starry eyed transforms the daily bore
but claimed still only claims the fleeting cheer.
With insight bright too sudden to digest
when life announces life anew begun,
the unemployed becomes by ploys obsessed
but plotter loses spoils before deed done.
Redemption is a possibility
if you can others show what you now see.
- Robert Stone, 22 April 2012
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood: calm
-a sonnet reflecting on a drawing's inscription: Patience is a virtue
Today my yesterdays will not keep still.
I thought I knew the meaning of the words
I read, repeated, gladly took as drill
to shape a life this mortal body girds.
Tomorrow by today is forecast same.
I think I will continue wondering
if blessing, cursing, righteousness, or blame
results when I some thoughtless blunder bring.
All yesterdays tomorrows underwrite.
I cannot put unwanted past aside
but having seen a possible new right
can choose another way at path's divide.
My patience both short shrinks and long expands.
and that of others vexes my demands.
- Robert Stone, 15 April 2012
~
After a question from James Caspi, I decided to change the last line. The original line said:
and other's vexes me when now demands.
~
I knew there was a problem in the beginning because I couldn’t decide where to put the apostrophe.
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood: calm
Another month has rolled by and here are last month's haiku.
Bullshit is the same
whether on arena sand
or small corral dirt.
- Thursday, 1 March 2012
~
All paths have troubles,
too hard pain, too soft no growth,
opportunities.
- Monday, 12 March 2012
~
Never tell plain lies
when some complicated truths
are available.
- Thursday, 22 March 2012
~
One more birthday page
in Chronicle of Living --
room for many more.
- Sunday, 25 March, 2012
~
A birthday proclaims
that life is never finished,
not yet abandoned.
- Tuesday, 27 March 2012
~
What best make for you?
Your birthday reservations
for many more years.
- Tuesday, 27 March 2012
~
1000 haiku countdown to Chambers Stevens' 50th birthday
who posted on Facebook: "It is a 1000 days until I am 50 years old. Wonder what I could accomplish in a 1000 days if I put my mind, body and soul into it?" I said I could write a haiku every day for a thousand days.
~
Acting requires range
narrow enough for sameness,
broad enough for change.
- Thursday, 1 March 2012, day 170, also run through alphabet day 1
~
Balance is needed
to avoid sideshow slipping
into typecasting.
- Friday, 2 March 2012, day 171
~
Countdown to first night:
words written and unwritten
demand their places.
- Saturday, 3 March 2012, day 172
~
Dancers feel movement,
count may tell when, pattern where,
but instinct tells why.
- Sunday, 4 March 2012, day 173
~
Early approval
invites temptation to ease
before final goal.
- Monday, 5 March 2012, day 174
~
Failure comes two ways:
not meeting goals others set,
not doing one's best.
- Tuesday, 6 March 2012, day 175
~
Gifts always have strings,
even most freely given
tie back to giver.
- Wednesday, 7 March 2012, day 176
~
Happiness is cheap,
rejoice in every good thing,
ignore all petty.
- Thursday, 8 March 2012, day 177
~
Imagination
dispels staleness and boredom
with new ideas.
- Friday, 9 March 2012, day 178
~
Justice with mercy
undeserved chances for change,
without it ruin.
- Saturday, 10 March 2012, day 179
~
Kings without subjects
and books with all pages blank
have much in common.
- Sunday, 11 March 2012, day 180
~
Lifetime extension
to those busy with living
is of no concern.
- Monday, 12 March 2012, day 181
~
Motion is not seen,
film frames show from how few stills
mind fashions movement.
- Tuesday, 13 March 2012, day 182
~
Never is too soon
to do an unkind action
which should not be done.
- Wednesday, 14 March 2012, day 183
~
Overwhelming is
option to visionary,
burden to dreamless.
- Thursday, 15 March 2012, day 184
~
Perfection changes,
requiring more attention
as one learns to see.
- Friday, 16 March 2012, day 185
~
Questions and answers
should never overshadow
wonders and guesses.
- Saturday, 17 March 2012, day 186
~
Reading for pleasure
is often rewarded by
unexpected thoughts.
- Sunday, 18 March 2012, day 187
~
Simplify your life,
eliminate more each day
than newly added.
- Monday, 19 March 2012, day 188
~
Tolerate the bad
and even worse will appear
sooner or later.
- Tuesday, 20 March 2012, day 189
~
Uninformed judgments
light up carelessness in those
who are unprepared.
- Wednesday, 21 March 2012, day 190
~
Visions forewarn well
potential realities
from present actions.
- Thursday, 22 March 2012, day 191
~
Whisper heart desires
loud enough for self to hear
above howling winds.
- Friday, 23 March 2012, day 192
~
Xerox is trademarked
but much easier to say
than photocopy.
- Saturday, 24 March 2012, day 193
~
Yearn for yesterdays
and tomorrows will rush by,
slipping past todays.
- Sunday, 25 March 2012, day 194
~
Zeal is like wildfire
impossible to control
rapidly spreading.
- Monday, 26 March 2012, day 195
~
One means beginning
from which counting starts at two
with no fixed limit.
- Tuesday, 27 March 2012, day 196
~
Two inputs raise chance
for unlikely to emerge
as the obvious.
- Wednesday, 28 March 2012, day 197
~
Three times to take care:
recounting past, working now,
and planning future.
- Thursday, 29 March 2012, day 198
~
Four year period
needs a day to leap in line,
four hundredth year not.
- Friday, 30 March 2012, day 199
~
Five big decisions:
to wait, dare all, love, let go,
and seek love again.
- Saturday, 31 March 2012, day 200
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood:accomplished
- a sonnet for Christopher Wendell Comperry five years after some words he wrote
What more desired can newly met declare
than helping each the other hear the drums
to understand the unfamiliar where
from which through gaps unknown the other comes.
What more unpleasant follows healthy first
than doubting silence gives but needed time
to know tight limits and to tame keen thirst
while feeling bad about oneself is chime.
What more can one expect in life's bazaar
than trusting self among both same and strange
to find the one who loves you as you are
continuing to love you as you change.
So genuinely feel the things you say
to best affect the risks along the way.
- Robert Stone, 1 April 2012
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood: content
- a sonnet on the birthday of my great-niece
Today we celebrate the seventh time
Good Friday birth of girl with hair of red.
Two generations down I have to climb
to proper place her in the kinship spread.
Far ancestors are faint and faded dust
yet traces unrecorded hint their past
and stories handed down still making thrust
enlightening embellished may long last.
Now henceforth may there be the joys of growth
and living well and keeping caring close,
at ease in taking and in giving both,
the necessary cures in proper dose.
Another generation takes our place
and we must stand aside to give them space.
- Robert Stone, 25 March 2012
- Location:at home in the Cedar City
- Mood:
tired
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