holding my breath
the dragonfly’s
stilled wings
I’ve not been particularly poetic, or productive, this week. Tired from work, tired from the cold weather, maybe tired of the gloom that surrounds us mid-pandemic. But January’s like that sometimes. I keep telling myself spring is just around the corner. The days are lengthening a little, and I hear the birds singing when I go out with the dog. I’ve done the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend – 2 male blackbirds, a pair of collared doves and a scattering of house sparrows. I was hoping for more variety as we often have goldfinches and blue tits, and now and again the trauma of a sparrow hawk. Anyway, I had to be content with what I saw.
The colouring/ collage above is from a mindfulness colouring book someone bought me for Christmas. I had more time over the Christmas holiday, and rather than just colour, I also used collage techniques to fill some of the pages (see below). Anyway, the dragonfly page lent itself to a haiku. I’m going to qualify this by saying it’s not the way I think haiku should be written. They need to come from experience, rather from a given image, but as I said, I’ve not written much this week, so I’m going to allow myself this one!
By the way, the book is Animal Kingdom by Millie Marotta (Batsford 2014) if you fancy giving it a go.
Julie Mellor - poet 
A Beautiful haiku.
I don’t think you need to be too hard on yourself – Michael Dylan Welch once wrote something along the lines of … ‘Nature books can also work the same way, serving as inspiration as I write—even if I’m at home in my bedroom—about newts and nuthatches, orioles and elderberries’. … Perhaps dragonflies too!
LikeLike
Thanks Clive! And you’re right of course, inspiration can come from anywhere. I’ve been out in the snow today, both before and after work. The dog enjoyed it (more than me I think!). Maybe the snow covering the fields will inspire me to write something.
Julie X
LikeLiked by 1 person