Ligo Haibun Challenge ~ For all writers!

September 13, 2013September 13, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 24 Comments

The Challenge:

Fall (Autumn) is a busy time of the year for many, along with changing seasons, it is also the return of school in many countries. Each day that passes finds us presented with a potentially wide range of emotions for us to handle – the ‘ups and downs’ that may beset us.

With this in mind, the hosts (Nightlake, Ye Pirate and myself) of the Ligo Haibun Challenge have selected the following two words for you to explore and think on while writing your haibun this week, chose either one:

“paradise” or “apathy”

Enjoy your creativity this week!

I have chosen Paradise. Yesterday I wrote a serious story about Paradise as it relates to love. Today I write a whimsical haibun on the same subject!

My offering:

Paradise

Falling in love. This, the exact expression describing those sky rocketing emotions first felt when finding love with another.

The sensation like falling, in a way. Akin to leaping out of an airplane, free falling before the parachute opens, knowing not what the next moment might bring, loving the adrenaline rush racing through your body.

I’ve fallen in love. And it is paradise. Or the best feeling I can come up with when thinking of paradise. It would be nice however if there were a parachute. Just like jumping out of an airplane, there is gravity to contend with and it does pull one down. Sometimes pulling one right out of paradise into hell.

paradise exists

but only for a time

no parachute

Thank you. Now it’s your turn.

Write a haibun this Week. The Ligo Haibun Challenge is open to all writers, you are encouraged to enter.

To read about the Haibun style of writing and the rules to this challenge, click here. This is a weekly challenge so be sure to enter before the closing date and time. Click on the link collection to view time remaining, add your link and to access and read other entries for this week.

There were several writers who didn’t have an opportunity to submit their entries for recent challenges, They are listed below!

#Ligo Haibun – Inspired by Persia | Sarah Ann Hall

#Ligo Haibun – My Pet Penguins – hmv (Heath Martin Vogel),

#Ligo Haibun – Quote from Romi – horty ( Maria H. Rexach-Rivera, MD aka Dr. Rex)

Have an excellent rest of your day and weekend ahead! Thank you for stopping by,

~ Penny

Ligo Haibun Challenge ~Mother Nature’s Soliloquy

August 31, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 28 Comments

This week the Ligo Haibun Challenge encourages the writer to write a haibun using one of the two photographs shown here. My entry:

You, who frolic and play, and you who look out upon me, beseeching eyes of wisdom so inherent to your breed, I hear you. I move silently among you lingering on the touch of velvet soft skin. I gaze upon your glorious colors, my creations, each a masterpiece of perfection. Each, a place in this world.

I feel anguish, despair, a deepening sadness for your increasing loss of kind. The diminishing of life force. Wanton waste of life. Foolish, foolish humans. Must you suffer while they learn and grow. They my children too, and yet … at what point does there occur a level of attrition where needs be a justifying retribution, the balancing of scales. At what point is the point of no return revealed. Will I know? Will they?

nature’s decree

humanity loses

point of no return

Photo credit, Ese Kļava, 2013

Thank you! For more information, and to read the other entries in the Ligo Haibun Challenge click here!

Thanks for reading, I hope you’re enjoying your weekend!

~ Penny

Writing A Haibun ~ Balancing a style within a style!

August 10, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 23 Comments

Acrobatic performers present a visual balance, their bodies the essence of form and movement – muscles, tendons and sinews honed to an edge – physically obvious, yet from facial expressions, their style internal as well.

When writing creatively, I combine various elements of myself. My intent is to impart, through the use of words, specific sensations or thoughts.

If I adapt to a certain style, this becomes a part of what I wish to convey – not because of following or focusing on any preconceived methodology. I do not wish to constrict flow from my written words.

Writing a haibun is – in part – a form of discipline, a given set of criteria to be followed. But that is only a physical application of pen/pencil to paper or printed word to screen. When I impart an essence of who I am into the flow of my words (whether from imagination or experience) … that becomes my true haibun.

To become well versed in a written art form, I use differing creative tools of expression, for various situations; changing techniques but allowing a smooth flow between. With the writing of a haibun and a haiku, there is “a style within a style” and of course the balance between the two.

To acrobatic performers the “Art” is the expression and movement of their body, to move fluidly without hesitation to balance, as required, with an internal flow of their own!

And so it should be for all artistic souls (those who write, craft, paint, photograph, etc. – each a form of creative expression). The flow or movement their own.

artistic flow

creativity of movement

a balance of style

This is my entry into this week’s Ligo Haibun Challenge – Photo Prompt (The photo seen at the top of this post provided by YePirate! For more information on The Ligo Haibun Challenge, click here!

Thanks for stopping by to read,

~ Penny

Ligo Haibun Challenge – Challenge yourself!

August 2, 2013August 9, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 6 Comments

Summer is a busy time for many us, and with this – can come delays, as has been the case with the crew of the Ligo Haibun Challenge. Thank you for your patience, to those with entries. I have been reading all of the entrants for the past week and will be returning to comment on each.

A quandry, for me, these last few months has been picking honorable mentions – increasingly difficult because, point in fact, there are more than just a few good ones.

It is my opinion that each of you deserve honorable mentions. The very individualistic quality of each entry, the beautiful expressions of some, the unique perspective of others, the close-up realism of still others – while adhering to the haibun and haiku style and criteria, lends itself to (honestly) my personal inability to pick one over the other.

I am pleased that honorable mentions will happen monthly now. This means judging will be based on a body of your work. A new challenge each week, honorable mentions – once a month!

There are two words to chose from for this week’s Ligo Haibun Challenge!

“Oblivion” or “Morning Glory”

I would love to see lots of entrants to this week’s Challenge.

Get started, all you writers out there – I want to enjoy reading more wonderful haibun from all of you. Need more information? Click here! And don’t forget, we are in the planning stages of putting together a haibun ebook (and with your permission) yours may be in there, too! Being published is always a good thing!

Good luck, thanks for entering and/or being a dedicated reader of the haibun/haiku writing style and therefore … becoming a Haibuner like myself,

~ Penny

For All Writers Out There …Rethink the haibun and haiku!

July 20, 2013July 22, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 46 Comments

A writer’s gift – yours!

Chances are if you are a blogger, you express yourself very well. Your hands have the gift of being able to put thoughts and expressions, ideas and vision into written words (and photographs and illustrations, art, videos, music, etc) But most all of you can write!

For all you non haibun writers, I believe that perhaps if it were worded differently you might be interested in giving it a try! So I’d like you to consider writing a short piece with only the following thoughts in your mind.

Your writing style: Write the way you normally write, especially if you write in a journal. If you don’t write in a journal. Then write the thoughts you’re thinking of in the moment. What comes to mind. You’ll find your words may flow (like thoughts) just write. Worry about editing afterwards. As your words flow you’ll see they have a rhythm (not rhyming like a poem, more open like free verse), they may even be terse and to the point. Have your written piece be just a few paragraphs or so.

Let it be a thought, an experience, or a feeling that comes to mind after you view a “prompt”. It can be a fictional story, or not, just as long as it is the “telling” or presenting of a thing! (much like in many schools “when growing up” you’d share in front of the class something you did for the summer kind of “telling”!)

After you’ve written your piece. Read it out loud to yourself.

And then go back and tighten it up. See if there are any words you can change or remove to make it more focused, specific and full of the flavor of you (that which you want to convey, express). Take just a little time here for this.

When you finish your written piece; add a short 3-line, ‘free verse’ poem, total about 14 to seventeen syllables. Have the middle line slightly longer than the others.

SAMPLE OF POEM (haiku) STYLE:

rich in expression

the haibun of our thoughts

words, a writer’s food

~

Your poem should contain your feelings on the subject you’ve just written about. Perhaps a summation or a realization (the essence of understanding, the point).

Got it? Here are your prompts! Pick one of the following two photographs.

Exploratorium Museum, photo by Penny L Howe, 2013

Now, WRITE! then I’d like you to publish your written piece on your blog and enter the piece you’ve just written, in the blue box below, follow the instructions (easy ones). I look forward to reading your words!

I think you might just surprise yourself how well you will do. Most importantly have fun.

Honourable Mentions for last week’s Ligo Haibun Challenge will be posted soon! Once again there were many excellent entries! Thank you for sharing your creativity with us and others this past week!

~ Penny