Carpe Diem's "Little Ones" #10, Dutch 'Elfje' in another way, shaken not stirred

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

In the 'ghost-writer'- post by Jules she spook about the Dutch poetry-form 'Elfje' and I thought maybe it's a good idea to make a Carpe Diem's "Little Ones" episode about that 'Elfje', but I love to bring it in another form say "shaken not stirred" ... how?

Well I have understood that the original 'Elfje' has five lines respectively with 1, 2, 3, 4 and 1 word(s) (which makes it together 11, or eleven) a nice poetry form I think. Look for more on this poetry-form at: simply elfje

As you all know I love to 'break' rules which are given for a lot of poetry-forms, and so there are rules for 'Elfje' too, but those rules I will ignore for this post. I love to challenge you to write a 'syllables-counted-elfje' which means that I love to challenge you to write an 'Elfje' with in the first line 1 syllable; in the second line 2 syllables; in the third line 3 syllables; in the fourth line 4 syllables and in the last line 1 syllable. That kind of 'Elfje' I call "shaken not stirred"- elfje.



Credits: fench (dutch website)

Of course I have given it a try myself and this is what I wrote, and it wasn't easy. My first ever "shaken not stirred"- elfje:

blue
eyes
watching me
behind the fench
squeak!

(c) Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I hope that you will take this challenge .... and I am looking forward to your responses on this post, this 10th episode of our "Little Ones" feature. Have fun, be inspired and share your 'Elfje' or your "Shaken not stirred-elfje" with our Haiku Kai.
This episode of "Little Ones" is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until April 27th 11.59 AM (CET).

Carpe Diem #440, Ghost-Writer Jules

 

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Here it is ... finally ... our first Ghost-Writer week. I hope this week will inspire you all to write wonderful haiku and maybe this week will make you enthousiastic to be a Ghost-Writer yourself for Carpe Diem ... if you would like to be Ghost-Writer for May 2014 than let me know and I will see what I can do for you. As all is going well than I hope to do a new Ghost-Writer week in week 19 (May 5th - 11th) ... Oke ... here it is our first Ghost Writer, Jules of Jules Gems and Stuff. Enjoy the read and share your haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka or haibun with our haiku-family here at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai. 

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Ghost Writer for Haiku Kai: Jules (JulesPaige because words are like Jewels on a Page)

While I only have informal training in the art of haiku I enjoy the challenge of short forms to speak volumes. The haibun, while a good bit of prose can have haiku throughout or just as an ending summation. Though I have only been blogging for about two or three years, I have been experimenting with words for four decades (plus). And one of the things I enjoy doing is mixing short forms, I am a rebel that way. Some of my favorite short forms I have shared on my daily WordPress site on the following pages which explains these forms:

You can find more about these poetry-forms at:

jules gemstone pages and on jules gemstone pages more about haiku, pi-ku and tauku and on jules gemstone pages, more about the Lune

While I know there are many more short forms I encourage you too, to mix haiku with other short forms and share the 'how to’s' and your verse with us. I offer these examples:

Mirror Elfje Sandwiches  a haiku

Water
even lakes
constantly moves, flowing
tugged by the moon
change

returning to start -
looking to go home again
and yet we cannot…

change
tugged by the moon
moments ever changing
forward motion
tears

©JP/davh

Mixed short forms: Elfje Trio, haiku (three lines) and a three words

A Month of Goodbyes #6

I
Am the
Pink rubber ball
Smacked on the curb
Childhood

Childhood
Those days
Youthful carefree summers
Spent playing without fear
Melted

Melted
Memories flutter
Responsibilities grew – rose
To meet the sky
Good-bye

bounce, resiliency
adapt, mature, run the race
until breath ceases

…auf wiedersehen, adieu…

©JP/davh

haiku series with an Elfje closure:

Elegant Equations

careful devotion
dedication to our truths
the ones we were taught

they mattered then, when
in our younger days, counting
was part of the rule

then considered pure
though a borrowed form, haiku
brought us calming peace

and still now to us
in our counted days, matter;
ink in our souls runs

staccato and smooth
as our pastoral thoughts flow -
counting moons and stars…

practitioners preach
reaching new audiences
with calm devotion

counting our blessings
narrowing distances
with our own haiku

~~~

Counting
ever so
gently with ease
every syllable that matters -
seventeen

(c) JP/davh

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This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and will remain open until April 9th 11.59 AM (CET). I will post our new Ghost-Writer episode written by Managua, later on today. For now ... have fun and be inspired.