Wild Yang ~ Word Offering

wild yang to my yin
seeded from these mother bones
mirror to the world
reflecting blue notes and pain
he walks the path less traveled

we begged him to stay-
within that small shell it blazed
teaching from first breath
even then he walked the line
between innocent and wise

gypsy feet stand still
while the world spins and dances
to a mad rhythm
I no longer need to run
when the wind urges me forth


© B.Y. Penman 2007 - All rights reserved.

While The Sky Wept ~ Word & Image Offering

Before the old church
While the sky wept for jilted
Ghosts, his hand found mine

Through lead glass windows we peered
Hoping to glimpse yesterday




© B.Y. Penman 2007 - All rights reserved.

Ghosts & Lovers Walk ~ Word & Image Offering

Too long have I let
Dust gather on surfaces
Awaiting the rain

Over wet leaves and gravel
Only ghosts and lovers walk


© B.Y. Penman 2007 - All rights reserved.

Soon The Frost - Word Offering

All my words escaped
Through this hole they chewed in me-
My pen gathers dust

Soon the frost will come again
And cool the burning within


© B.Y. Penman 2007 - All rights reserved.

First Night Word Offering & A Favourite Song

First Night

Proud smiles and high-fives
Watching from behind the boards
Hockey Mom's first night

Used to struggle to fit in
Now he's just part of the team


© B.Y. Penman 2007 - All rights reserved.


The following song is one of my son's favourites. He's a Burton Cummings fan much like his father.



The Guess Who - These Eyes

Life has been keeping me incredibly busy but I've managed to steal a bit of time to write. The above tanka is about my son and our first evening out watching him play floor hockey with the local Special Olympics team. Tonight we passed a major milestone in our lives. Our son participated in his very first team sport and his father and I were able to just sit back and watch our son play and have fun just like any other teenager.

Serpent's Tongue - Thursday Word Offering

Serpent's Tongue

Refusing to be
Silenced or stilled - renegade
Pain eats its own tail

I watch as the words sneak out
In spite of the serpent's tongue

© B.Y. Penman 2007
- All rights reserved.




I've been quiet lately due to life being busy and the curse of a 4-day migraine/tension headache duo of doom which spawned the tanka above. Hope to be back in action next week.

Riverbird - Word Offering

A riverbird soars
Beneath the weeping mountains
Testing newfound wings

While they try to hold her back
Laughter echoes in my ears

© B.Y. Penman 2007 - All rights reserved.

** The Fraser River is threatening to flood low lying areas close to home today and over the next several days. Please keep us and the other people threatened by flooding in your thoughts. So far things are safe for us but there are many homes on evacuation alert. **

The picture of the Fraser River shown above is from the Natural Resources Canada Website.

Word Offerings To Start The Week Off Right

Chosen

Some say he chose us
From that place of becoming-
Love mends broken wings

----------------------------



Something Bent

I fear the rainfall
And the mountain's slow shed tears
Waking the river

I shall wish for something bent
To cling to as we float by

-----------------------------

Lawnchair Lovers

Lawnchair lovers sit
Sipping sunshine like coffee,
Rooted in asphalt


© B.Y. Penman 2007 - All rights reserved.

Crazy 8's - Mother's Day Tanka

We nearly lost him-
On this day of mothering
I'm most reminded

He gave me red nail polish
and now we play crazy 8's


Thirteen and a half years ago my son was given a 5% chance of survival at birth but was experimentally treated and saved with the use of ECMO. Today he gifted me with a hand drawn card, a bottle of bright red nail polish, a $500 poker chip key ring, a strawberry scented candle and a bag of potato chips lovingly tucked inside a Lisa Simpson gift bag. He wanted to surprise me for Mother's Day so husband gave him $5 and his support worker took him to the local Dollar store. It might not seem like much to some, but it means the world to me.

This mom is going to be sporting some fancy smancy red hot toenails next week while dangling her housekeys from a snazzy looking $500 poker chip key ring. I suspect we'll share the potato chips later while watching an episode of The Simpsons on DVD.

Dreams - Word Offering

In my dreams I see
A tree to hold all wishes
On a mountaintop
With these legs I'd scale the peak
Just to sit and hear it speak


© Copyright 2007 B.Y. Penman. All rights reserved.

Somewhere - Word Offering

And so I will write
Of moments plucked from chaos
When life gets busy-
Somewhere sits a quiet house
Waiting for me to come home



© BYP 2007 - All Rights Reserved