shroud

deep within the soil
perennial seed lies dormant
safe from winter’s scorn –
would that I could sleep as sound
oblivious to my pain.

winter-2643901_1920

Frank is hosting today at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets. He’s asked us to write a poem about sleep or to use the word itself. My post today is a Tanka: 5 lines with a 5, 7, 5, 7, 7 syllabic content.  A Tanka should include a shift in tone after line 3 or 4. Here, line 4 shifts from nature to the personal.  Added note: written in the voice of another.

19 thoughts on “shroud

  1. Frank Hubeny September 28, 2017 / 3:31 pm

    That scene reminds of what what we will have in a couple months or so. The seed sleeps. Perhaps the seed is also like a dream.

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  2. paul scribbles September 28, 2017 / 3:39 pm

    My biggest fantasy is that I could be a Bear for the winter. I could totally sleep through the whole shebang.

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  3. Glenn Buttkus September 28, 2017 / 3:51 pm

    Very meaningful tanka; enjoyed the metaphor. I pulled out the stops on my piece today-(3) american sentences. (3) Collom lunes, (2) tanka, and (1) haiku; don’t know what got into me.

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  4. Bev September 28, 2017 / 3:55 pm

    Sleep seems elusive for each of us, as I read the offerings. Hibernation through pain is a pleasant thought! Oh would it could be so!

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  5. Jane Dougherty September 28, 2017 / 4:12 pm

    This tanka has a rhythm. I’m not sure I’ve read one quite like this before, a sort of east meets west. Lovely.

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  6. alisonhankinson September 28, 2017 / 4:33 pm

    A lovely poem and I have found that sleep is a good antidote for pain.

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  7. Vivian Zems September 28, 2017 / 4:53 pm

    “would that I could sleep as sound” too. Beneath the soil, no worries, no work, no bills and no diets…..sigh

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  8. jillys2016 September 28, 2017 / 5:29 pm

    Love the Tanka form! This is wonderfully crafted.

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  9. Adda sayers September 28, 2017 / 7:28 pm

    Sleep. Ahhhh. The agronomist in me wants to say a seed is annual, but that is me. 🤔 🤷‍♀️
    Lovely Tanka. ❤

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  10. Truedessa September 28, 2017 / 11:01 pm

    I think some nights I just want to slip into a deep sleep. zzzzzzzz

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  11. kim881 September 29, 2017 / 2:03 am

    I wish I could sleep like that, oblivious to pain. But there are some aspects of winter I wouldn’t want to miss – the beauty and silence of freshly fallen snow, and icicles hanging from branches. You’ve given me plenty to think about in your lovely tanka, Lill!

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  12. mhmp77 September 30, 2017 / 6:43 am

    kaykuala

    would that I could sleep as sound
    oblivious to my pain.

    Like the seed it is being able to ‘sleep’. That is important in awaiting the change of seasons!

    Hank

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  13. nosaintaugustine October 2, 2017 / 6:57 am

    Oh, to go dormant in the tough times and awaken in the spring. Good job if you can get it! Lovely tanka and the photo is a great compliment to it!

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