Flimsy #Tanka

.

Fake veil of grey calm

~ flimsy as a mummy’s shroud ~

shelters this frail heart.

Breath breaking through frayed lace holes,

threatens to tear it apart.

.

©Jane Paterson Basil

Asylum #tanka

.

Let those who hunger

dig roots in this fertile soil.

Watch them grow firm trunks.

Selfish souls will be humbled;

when blossom drops, fruit ensues.

.

<> <> <>

Written for The Daily Post #Roots

©Jane Paterson Basil

Colours #tanka

.

Rainbow shades abound.

Bright paint splashes, .erasing

long .dark .s_t_r_e_t_c_h .of .gray;

pained years of subversive shade

wiped out by daylight.

.

.

Written for The Daily Post #Gray

©Jane Paterson Basil

The Quick and the Dead #tanka

You quicken my pulse,

I take my path, quicken my pace;

quickly race away —

neither the quick nor the dead

will ever imprison me.

Written for The Daily Post #Quicken

©Jane Paterson Basil

Derelict #tanka

Image credit: National Geographic

.

our civic centre

is ugly, defunct, derelict,

breaking skyline, fields and trees

we must raze it to the ground

affect a transformation

.

The Daily Post #Transformation

©Jane Paterson Basil

Liberation #tanka

 

soon I will forget

your touch, our mingling perfumes

my spirit was freed

and my confidence regained

when I rinsed you from my flesh

©Jane Paterson Basil

Passion #tanka

their conversation

though light, has scarlet lining

like blood that rushes

pulsing around the body

aching to dance through the night

(This poem was reformatted to go onto the red background, because it looks better that way, but the version beneath it is an authentic senryu.)

©Jane Paterson Basil

Yes and no #tanka

.

there are times when love

means saying yes when you want

so much to say no

and times when you must say no

however hard it may be

.

.

©Jane Paterson Basil

Passion #tanka

he connects her to

her animal heritage

claws out, their lips clash

©Jane Paterson Basil

The key is rusted #tanka

the door to my heart

flies ajar with each cold blast

every well-aimed kick

I try, but cannot stop it

because the key is rusted

©Jane Paterson Basil