Lush flora, bathing Eden’s morning air in a delicate aromal song. Dafodils, rhododendrums, a kaleidescope of perennials and annuals: a blissful variety tantalizing sight and smell alike! And yet amidst perfection, an offered temptation to take what is not given. A temptation yielded to, with that all too familiar sense of entitlement, that pride, urging an outstretched hand, “seize!” A shame-filled flight from a primordial garden, lost for all time.
winter frost
the sudden hardness
of the ground
A dry, desolate landscape. The foul stench of burning refuse, sweat and unscented body odor. Raucious taunts and kurt shouts, as a treo of men slowly asfyxiate on Roman-erected crosses. And yet, amidst condemnation, outstretched arms give what cannot be taken. A promise fulfilled, with an all-to-unfamiliar humility, urging those outstretched hands, “give!” A spice-aroma, lovingly wrapped corpse laid in a fresh tomb amidst a new garden, a floral oasis amidst the encroaching, Mediterrenean semi-aridness.
Spring thaw
the returning softness
of the Earth
A fresh garden, with tomatoes, eggplant, romain lettuce; with an abundance of flowers. Soaking in the summer sunlight and frequent rain. Besieged by the opportunistic woodchuck and ever-daring squirrels. How she loves her growing plants; how she rues the rodent incursions! Oh, her heart, open to the give-and-take of life, a survivor of its storms and winters. Ready, as ever, to sow the seeds and nurture the seasonal growth anew.
Summer warmth
the dynamic soil
approaching Fall
dVerse Poets Pub celebrates continues its 10th Anniversary, with co-founder Claudia Schoenfeld hosting Tuesday Poetics today! We’re writing about gardens: The Pub is open! Come join us!
Share the love. Spread the haikai:
Categories: haikai, haiku community
Frank J. Tassone 
How powerful. I’m especially touched by this:
“outstretched arms give what cannot be taken. A promise fulfilled, with an all-too-unfamiliar humility,”
I’m so impressed by your thoughtful, creative, stirring piece.
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Thank you! 😀
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Frank, this is so utterly beautiful. I’m often taken away by your writing, especially with such gorgeous imagery.
“Raucious taunts and kurt shouts, as a treo of men slowly asfyxiate on Roman-erected crosses.”
This line is such a vivid one, it sticks out in my mind and I think it’s one of my favorites I’ve read. Period. I also love the first haiku in the series here.
Ignore that commenter above, nothing in their words is germane to your piece.
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Thank you, Lucy! 😀
I appreciate your affirmation regarding that other commenter. I honestly didn’t see the issue. No matter: it’s that one’s loss! 😆
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The seasons are best represented in the garden. I loved these different vantage points.
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Thanks, Sherry! 😀
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I love what your did with this Frank. You have created the Four Seasons of Grace! A beautiful Theological piece carrying us from what is not given to what is freely given! Marvelous work!
Dwight
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Thanks, Dwight! 😀
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You are welcome!
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I trash the comments like the one at the beginning and sometimes even block them. There is no place on the blog for that kind of disparagement! You did a great job, and that is what should be recognized.
Dwight
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Thanks, Dwight! I appreciate your support. 😀
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You are welcome Frank! I have had a couple like this.
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Enjoyed the ponder through different seasons. Happy Tuesday
Much💜love
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Thanks, Gillena! 😀
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I’m such a sucker for haiku and I love these interspersed throughout your seasons. The middle section is like, *wow* gut punch. Wish I could sit down with you and discuss the poetics of this world.
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Thank you, Yvonne! 😀
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i read this last night in the ER but for some reason could not comment…
here is what i will say of detractors such as the previous comment. take it for what it is. look for the grain of their truth they are struggling with, and move on if there is nothing of value to you. I would not waste time defending or arguing.
As to the poem, I enjoyed it. I like how you used the seasons, and blending in a bit of the biblical and brought out a story of rebirth. There are several layers nicely woven. All creation sings of the creator.
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Thank you, Brian! And thank you for your hard work in co-founding dVerse!
I appreciate your wisdom regarding that commentor. It was the first negative one I’ve received. Still, readers will construct from writing what they will. My response is more an admonition for such as that one to not personally attack any other person: I often reblog other poets’ work, and I will not accept disparaging comments made about any of those poets personally.
Thank you, again, for your kind feedback!
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Three Seasons + Three Haiku = Spectacular!!!!!
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i like how you take us through the seasons here – esp. enjoyed the haikus that you wove in
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I love what you’ve done here: through Old and New Testaments straight into a garden of love!
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I love how you weaved the stories of the bible with the gardens we really know… and how maybe the summer of Eden and the frost of Golgata is what gives the soil the strength of its harvest.
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Well written Frank! 🙂
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This is exquisitely drawn, Frank! 💝 I especially love; “A fresh garden, with tomatoes, eggplant, romain lettuce; with an abundance of flowers. Soaking in the summer sunlight and frequent rain.” 😀
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Thank you, Sanaa! 😀
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Frank, I love what you did with the prompt, taking us through the four seasons. Beautiful!
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Thank you, Linda! 😀
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I so enjoyed the seasonal offering specially summer. Thanks for joining in.
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