Bonnie's Haiku Poems

Source of happiness and joy

2009-02-21T21:58:00.000-08:00

Be aware of Source
Events bring me happiness
Joy comes from within

© Bonnie Best

Check out my poems and stories on WritersCafe.org

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Connect with Spirit

2009-02-21T21:56:00.000-08:00

Connect with Spirit
In silence listen with joy
Soar like the Eagle

© Bonnie Best

Check out my poems and stories on WritersCafe.org

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Exuberant Joy

2008-08-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

These two Haiku are slightly different.
I like them both and so I'll share both here:

The sun's warmth and light
Children playing and laughing
Exuberant joy

The sun's warmth and light
Water fountain, gentle sounds
Exuberant joy

© Bonnie Best

Check out my poems and stories on WritersCafe.org

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Red Fox

2008-06-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was driving past Lake Chabot, a lovely park that is on my way to the school where I teach. A little red fox ran across the road in front of me. A red fox was the first power animal I discovered during mediation years ago. I smiled and wondered what the message was for me to see this rare little animal. I composed a poem as I continued driving to the school.

A little red fox
scurries across busy road
stay clear of danger

© Bonnie Best

Friends

2008-06-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

Friends connect and share
stories, fears, encouragement
life made easier

© Bonnie Best

Garden colors

2008-06-22T10:40:00.001-07:00

White, pink, green, brown, red
variety of colors
Spring in the garden

© Bonnie Best

Maple leaves

2008-06-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

The red maple leaves
soak up the sunlight and warmth
gently sway in the breeze

© Bonnie Best

Day begins with Joy

2008-03-23T22:25:00.001-07:00

Easter Sunday begins with sunshine and bird song, inspiring a new poem:

Sunshine and warm air
Bird song, hear the happiness
Day begins with Joy

© Bonnie Best

Slow down and be more aware

2008-03-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

There are times when I'm too busy to pay close attention to life around me.

It is healthy to slow down and be more 'in touch' with life NOW!

Writing these short poems is good for me -- it reminds me that what is happening now, around me, is important.

I had that reminder this morning and here are 2 new poems:

Awake in darkness
Peaceful and Quiet moments
Sunshine arrives soon

Awake to memories
Shift awareness to future
Winter yields to Spring

© Bonnie Best

Winter rain

2008-01-23T23:17:00.000-08:00

Cold rain falls today
Wind, weather outside the home
Inside, warmth and peace

© Bonnie Best

Joy

2008-01-07T20:53:00.000-08:00

Joy comes from within
Bubbling up like fresh water
Well overflowing.

© Bonnie Best

Stormy Weather

2008-01-05T14:33:00.000-08:00

We're having a series of storms this weekend in Northern California.

I wrote this poem as I realized that there can be different attitudes and perspectives about the weather.

The rain continues
The Sun is behind the clouds
Imagine it shines.

© Bonnie Best

Where does the inspiration come from?

2008-01-04T21:53:00.000-08:00

I began to wonder where these poems come from. They seem to flow from a source within, and one day I wrote a poem about that idea:

These Haiku poems,
Flow from the Spirit within,
Like a tree breathes air.

© Bonnie Best

Two New Poems

2008-01-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple poems I created in November 2007:

Joy pulls me forward
See carrot on stick ahead
Dreams become more real

Stormy times appear
Listen to Inner Guidance
Smooth sailing again

Inspiration to create Haiku poems

2008-01-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

I am usually inspired to write these poems early in the morning, soon after I wake up. And I usually create 3 or more at that time.

I posted the first of 3 poems that came to me yesterday, New Year's Day.
Here are the other 2:

The past is gone now.
Birds sing cheerfully today.
Love shines bright within.

Morning dawns brightly,
Dreams fade like a memory,
Sun clears mist away.

I hope you enjoy these poems. Have a great New Year!

Haiku for New Year 2008

2008-01-01T09:19:00.000-08:00

How I learned to create Haiku poems

2008-01-01T08:32:00.000-08:00

In November 1999 I decided to attend a weekend retreat with Angeles Arrien in the Santa Cruz mountains. The topic as I remember was “Love and Relationships”.

Before one of our many breaks, Angeles taught us about Haiku poems. She said they had three lines, the first is five syllables, the second is seven syllables, and the third is five syllables. She said there is at least one element from nature in the poem. With that simple explanation, she gave us an assignment to write Haiku poems during our break.

As I left for the break I thought "Oh well, I never have been good at poetry, but I’ll do my best to do the assignment." I took a walk around the complex, enjoying the trees and stopping occasionally to enjoy the smell and color of the little wild flowers. I found a lovely spot overlooking a canyon, where I could sit on this lovely wooden bench swing. As I sat swinging, I began to write in my journal. I wrote at least five Haiku poems. I marveled at how easy they began to flow after I finished the first one.

I felt good when I returned to the workshop, thinking I had at least done the assignment. Angeles asked us to share our poems. I listened to the poems written by other participants, and then found the courage to read a couple of mine.

Here are a few of the poems I remember writing that day:

Enjoy the silence,
The grove of deep rooted trees,
Sentinels of peace.

Trust is like crystal.
Once shattered by emotions,
Hard to repair it.

We open to love,
as water flows across rocks,
without resistance.

Spirit moves in me,
Like a snake through the tall grass,
Slow unseen power.

I was surprised and pleased that people responded well to my poems. I thought "perhaps I’m more creative than I’ve given myself credit for." When I returned home after the retreat, I was inspired to continue writing Haiku poems. I created a page so that I could post them on my website.

I printed some of my poems and shared them with a friend. She brought out a book and talked to me about the 'right' way to compose Haiku poems. I noticed my reaction, at first angry and then defensive. I thought, “perhaps my poems are not exactly what the book or people say they should be. However, I like them, and I hear comments from people who say they enjoy them. So, I'm going to continue writing despite my friend’s comments.” I also received a couple email messages that my poems were not true Haikus. So I added a note at the top of my web page: “Are these true Haiku? Or simply my best effort to share special moments?”

It seems to me that creativity can be very fragile. When we create a poem, or draw a picture, or write a story, we can become quite attached to it, and defensive if someone criticizes our work. It is very easy to discourage a person. It takes skill to encourage and support someone, while helping them to improve the quality of their efforts.

As a teacher, I have noticed this, and want to learn how to comment and guide without discouraging anyone from continuing to make efforts to grow and improve. I always appreciate when my friends and teachers do this for me.