tanka and micropoetry by gennepher

in her cloak
of
snowdrops
she disappeared effortlessly
back into the snow



***

faceted
crystal
branches
sparkling
in the sun

***



***

outside my window
in robes of crimson and green
a bright holly bush
wearing
a crown of frost

***

snow
on the pavement
sparkling golden
in soft orange glow
of the streetlamp

***



***

the
white
silence
calmly
covered the land

***

frost rimmed leaf
a jewelled
necklace
sparkling
gems

***

***

red berried
hawthorn
hedgerow
cherries
in a cake

***

tree trunks
of
crystal
the branches
tinkling wind chimes

***

***

it
came
so quietly
the snow
falling

***

the
child
of
the
stars

***



***

 a
point
of light
in
the darkness

***

the stars'
tapestry
of light
in the darkness
of night

***

indigo curtain
of night
falling gently down
pinned by
evening star

***

***

in moon's
bright
light
snow glittering
twinkling as stars

***

interlinking
webs of light
across the night sky
pinned to the darkness
by the stars

***

the
silver
nail-polish
twinkled
as moon's fingers moved

***



***

candles
of
the night
each tipped
with a flickering sparkle

***

sparkling
dewdrops
of every hue
stars
in the fields of heaven

***

***

origami
unfolded
the dark night
folded
a bright white star

***

each
night
the voice sang
her
to sleep

***

***

the
stars
whispered
their
song

***

she wrote
a letter
put it under the pillow
he never read it
but carried it forever

***

***

the lullaby
of
wanting
and
peace

***

offerings
both spiritual
and material
are
needed

***



***

inconsequential
things
remembered
clear
and detailed

***

I open
the doorways
of the heart
and lay
my ghosts to rest

***

a
hint
of something
then
it was gone

***



***

tiny
red
rosebuds
framing
the old photograph

***

***

I am
everything
I am
nothing
I am everywhere

***

***

a
christmas
card
the writing
so faded...

***

it
can
set us free
just
one dream

***



***

it
is
an
interesting
life

***

the invisible bunch of roses
not needing jug
nor water
but they last forever
in the mind

***

leaves
of
the forest
pressed
between the book pages

***

love
woven
into the fabric
of
you

***

***

memories
triggered
by
unexpected
things

***

memories
casting
their
golden
rays

***

I
remember
so much
when I
remember you

***

came out
of
the everywhere
into
the here

***

I remember
a
thousand  things
when I
remember you

***

in
my
dreams
the sun
comes out

***



***

his
handwriting
old fashioned
curly
and embellished

***

stories
need
words
to keep them
from dying

***

a profusion
of
celestial hues
the
sunset

***

where grey sky
meets misty moors
no beginning, no end
dreams
of what is yet to be

***

layering
the
earth
many
stories

***

***

the
silver
birch tree
lit the way
through the forest

***

sun
setting
the
oak tree
watches

***



***

a
sparrow
sings
his
song

***

the sun
sinking
into the ground
at the base
of an old oak tree



***

the
garden
bare
a bird
drops a seed

***



***

december
the old road
ends
the untrodden one
begins

***

tanka and micropoetry by gennepher... 'the child'

***

velvet curtains half drawn
room in half darkness
the child looked at the old paintings
of stags on Scottish moorland
they stared back at her...


***

the child was scared of the rug
she'd been told
to sit on it
the fur was itchy on her legs
its stuffed head turned towards her...

***

the child could not walk
through doorways
she had to run
the stuffed stags head above the door frame
opened his mouth further...

***

the stone
staircases
winding upwards
'til they converged
on an old wooden latched door

***

***

so many collections
so much hoarding
in that dusty attic room
and
secrets...

***

in the attic
boxes of old books
collections of pinned butterflies
and birds eggs
wrapped in cotton wool

***

one day
the child was given
boxes of bird's eggs
each one carefully cradled
in cotton wool

***

***

the child was given
a collection
of many butterflies
each one pinned on a board
wings open forever

***

***

the child read
all the books
she could lay her hands on
she read out
her loneliness

***

unseen
the child took a book
from the attic
stamped in purple ink "Prisoner of war camp..."
unaware of its relevance to her

***

***

once
something
becomes known
it cannot become
unknown

***

at night
the child sat
by the attic room window
and watched the sky
she remembered

***

the
attic room
enveloped the child
and
comforted her

***

half a century later
the child returned
for her attic room,
window bricked in, door plastered over
new owners

***

***

the child
could
never understand
why others
could not

***

is
behind the sky
the child thought
just like
behind the television?

***

***

the child
had
a magnifying glass
she used it in the sun to turn paper brown
red embers then flames

***

on dry sandy soil
child traced
patterns with a stick
happily
all day

***

the child
made
puppets
she pulled
their strings

***

***

“keep out”
the notice
said
the child opened up
the chain link fencing…

***

the child felt
she existed
somewhere
but not
in this world

***

***

each time
the child found a dead bird
she buried it in a cocoa tin
used lolly sticks for a cross
and said prayers

***

"Ready, come and find me"
child called
from her perfect hiding place
stiff legs, aching limbs
got up to look for her seekers but they'd gone

***

school playground
whistle blew
every child froze in their tracks
except the deaf girl
who carried on playing

***

***

tanka and micropoetry by gennepher

***

everything
thrashed
and bruised
the wind
relentless

***

the
weed
grew and grew
it reached
the sunlight

***

white
dove
of peace
soft
blue grey sky

***

the
muddy
dirty land
pristine and flawless
one morning in the snow

***

***

to make way for a road
quarry
blasted rocks
a wound on the land
pinned with bolts

***

songs
of
love
carried
on the winds

***

a
rainbow
sheen
of
colours

***

***

the mist
rubbed out
the colours
then / swallowed the sky

***

blackbirds
fighting
squabbling
red rowan berries fall
scattering to the ground

***

a place
of
refuge
ancient mosses
in the woods

***

the solitary tree
standing alone
room to spread its limbs
freedom
individuality

***

the
wind's
silence
everywhere
so still

***

should
it be
photographed
before it's lost
forever

***

buzzards
on
rolling wave crests
of
thermal uplift

***

***

chunk
of
sky
where
the tree had been

***

the
sleepy
hills
murmured
remembering

***

when
the hills
awoke
they walked
with the stones

***

***

the
child's
wise eyes
she watches
she sees

***

the child
remembered
the secrets
the trees
told her

***

***

she touched the girl
in
the stained glass window
a small hand slipped into hers
and pulled her in..

***

the child
wondered
why
the birds weren't all blown away
in the stormy wind

***

the child
watched the river
flow into the sea
wondered when the sea filled up with water
what would happen then...

***

they laughed
at the child when she said
she wanted to be excommunicated
it was years later
she realised she meant confirmed

***

the wild flowers
growing carefree
swaying in the wind
now bunched and broken
in a child's hand

***

***

the child
held in her head
the music of the world
that was silent
outside

***

the child
when she was ill
in bed
was given a bag
of old buttons to play with

***

child bought Lucky Bag for thru'pence
sweet cigarettes
and strange tasting sweets
and a cheap plastic toy
that was always the same

***

on top of the boulder
the child sat
hugging her knees
too scared
to climb back down

***

toes
in
wet sand
being
tickled

***

***

her anger
felt
out of place
as though it had been fuelled
by another

***

out of his mouth
came sharp shapes
and dull colours
the woman he was holding
was crying

***

she
knew
there was something wrong
but not
what it was

***

the princess planted thorny roses
round the castle
and went to sleep
when she woke she smiled
at princes stuck on overgrown thorns

***

she suddenly decided
no more belonging
to neither world
she stood astride
both worlds

***

***

you
can
see
but
you choose not to

***

over the years
their numbers
fell
until
there was just the one...

***

broken
sounds
and
broken
hearts

***

yellow
wallpaper
birds cut out
crumbled white plaster
underneath

***

she finally
caught up
with herself
she met herself
on the return journey

***

he cried
the tears
in death
he'd never shown
in life

***

***

I
just want
to take  my head off
and
fall asleep

***

my black and white cat
lolloped down the road
after my car
I drove faster
cat lolloped faster

***

like
a music box
ballerina
she bent
this way and that

***

***

a
confusing
of
every
thing

***

her
life
busy
with
intrusions 

***

twice daily
the  broken clock
showed the correct time
it was
the most accurate clock in the house

***

she ran away
but in leaving
it all behind
she actually ran
into her future

***

***

I lay my head
on
my pillow
a pair of eyes stare into mine...
from a large spider

***

she
cheated
death
but had to keep
a close eye on him afterwards

***

dog sits on my lap
puts out her paws
and slides down my legs
dog jumps up on my lap / puts out her paws...

***

she seemed
to attract
bad luck
as sewing pins
to a horseshoe magnet

***

***

the clowns
their feet
big enough already
always
so sad

***

she
held the small shoe
in the palm of her hand
it caught
the falling star

***

time shimmered
then shifted
imperceptibly
no-one
appeared to notice

***

inside
the green felt
trinket box
broken hearts
broken dreams

***

sometimes
photos
tell the truth
I look
into the sad careworn eyes

***

***

in bed, my eyes are closed
each time I open them
only a minute has passed
night
of a thousand years

***

the
door
a way
to
the other side

***

all
change
shapes
the
future

***

I stroked her hands
her eyes looked
but she did not recognise me
then her eyes lit up
a smile "Oh it's Jennifer"

***

the
pictures
behind the eyes
a
slideshow

***

the
energy
in my feet
taking root
in the ground

***

***

the
sea
erasing
marks
man has made


***

electric white unicorn
roaming
the dark
midnight
blue skies

***

all
the scattered stars
each
having
its own place in the universe

***

***

the
moon
robed
in
a garment of shadows

***

innocuous
fairytale
ivory moons
unfathomably
alive

***

as a lawn
of
clustered daisies
the stars
in the sky

***

***

the
night
substantial
a three dimensional
jigsaw puzzle

***

the sun shone
in
the deep blue sky
moon rose
and sat down besides him

***

the spider's web
weaving
dreams
of
darkness

***

when
the light
dimmed
all the bright stars
came out

***

***

a
star
in
your
pocket

***

2010-10-31 halloween gogyohka

***

angry
faced
pumpkin
fire raging within
mouth salivating

***

***

she watched
each of the faces
melting into another
finally, the face left in the mirror
was her own

***

as
she walked down
the church aisle
a shadow raced in front of her
up into the ceiling

***

the eyes
were cold
and dark
a chill
prevailed

***

the
ghost
talked
the face morphed
into its human form

***

ghosts
in
trees
shape-
shifting

***

***

the human face
sunken
moving
its ghost form
spoke

***

strangely grey
as though
not alive
the face talked
as if it were made of muslin

***

the face
was not
substantial
it sucked in
and blew out

***

his face
belied
its appearance
he told
colour lies

***

as his face spoke
the people his face
morphed into
tried frantically
to make their voices heard

***

his face
morphed into
all those
who were denied
their voice

***

she opened
the attic door
to racks of clothes and shoes
without bodies
or feet

***

***

all night
the masked guests
danced to candlelight
the first rays of dawn
leaves blowing on ballroom floor

***

eerie glow
illuminated
masks
the eyes
dark

***

the face
in
the painting
pleaded
with her..

***

***

something
not
quite right
she wasn't sure
what it was

***

her entrance
into the painting
soundless
no one
heard her go...

***

the way open
between
past and future
linking
both worlds

***

old abandoned house
devoured
by fire
the ghosts
homeless

***

dark and sinister
staring eyes
behind the mask
with
strange fixed smile

***

***

reflecting
in the mirror
a window
the masked face
residing there

***

the mysterious dark eyes
looked into
her soul
they
gave nothing away

***

hid in dark doorways
under
the shadow of fear
never
emerging


***

raven
dark
night
black
wings

***

the unseen eyes
behind the mask
watched
all
year

***

the motionless
puppet
masked face
curiously
alive

***

***

at midnight
the masks on the wall
leaned forwards
their eyes
gleaming...

***

the
room
empty
waiting
for you

***

in the dark recess
of
the shadowy corner
it watched
biding its time

***

the dark hood
shadowed
her face
protected her
no-one could tell who she was

***

the cries of anguish
no one
heard
then slowly
faded within

***

in the gloomy room
she saw
a painting of her dream
she
was in it

***

***

when
she awoke
from her dream
she found she was looking
from the wrong side of painting

***

the
wind crept
eerily
she picks up the broken doll
cradling it gently

***

the old house
full of creaks
and soft voices
suddenly
fell silent...

***

the
wicked old witch
slithered
her way
across the sky

***

she’d bought the framed photo
hung it on her wall
but
each time she looked
his expression had changed

***

old man
and his cat
stand by his grave
and watch
the people walking past

***

***

the shapes out of  the  corner of your eye
just out of vision
shadows of your mind
or
reality

***

the secrets
tangled in forest undergrowth
waiting
so long
to be found

***

***

black cat runs across
disappears
into nothing
then sits
in front of you.

***

drawn to the painting
she stepped
closer
then she realised
there was an invisible bond

***

in the mirror
the faintest shadow
flickered
waiting
for life

***

alone in your bed
a hand
touches your shoulder
you look.
no one there.

***

***

dark shadow figures
of the night
stand by your bed
silently
waiting…


***

crinkled piece of white
scuttling
to your side
slimy things
feel around your neck

***

you’re breathing deeper
becoming
more laboured
you
are losing control

***

it moves suddenly
slithers
and sits besides you
fear
you dare not move

***

there’s nothing there
you cautiously
open your eyes
but
it moves again

***

sweat pours off your face
out of the corner of your eye
it moves
like
quicksilver

***

you know it is there
the night is long
very long
tears
run down your cheeks

***

awoken
startled
dark faceless hooded figures
stand at foot of your bed
they don’t leave

***

***

there’s nothing there
so why
does everything shiver?
is
the floor moving?


***

the floor’s crawling
walls and ceiling crawling
thousands
of tiny
spiders

***

there is no sanity
nightmare
and reality are one
a
frightening reality

***

***

the birds silent now
no wind
rustling in the leaves
the
front gate is swinging

***

woven at the loom
the magic
in the warp and weft
the future
decided…

***

ethereal dancing
bare branches
gently waving
the spirits
along

***

***

inky midnight skies
over
crumbling churchyard
covering the moon
flies…

***

***

keeping memory safe
the willow
marked the tiny unknown grave
weeping
her woeful tears


night fell
the room dimmed
the child lay still in bed
and watched
the night come alive

***

***

walking alongside
unbeknown
to her
another
shadow

***

wind
whispered
all
her
innermost secrets

***

glimmering landscape fading
leaving the world
to darkness
everywhere
so still

***

she woke suddenly
from
her strange dreams
there were
footprints in the carpet

***

bony fingers reaching
along the walls
across ceiling
night's
shadow theatre

***

white mask on stick
held constantly
to the face
only dark voids
for eyes

***

the masked ball
everyone
dancing
their feet not quite
touching the floor

***

many ghosts
of thoughts
wandering
through
the long night

***

***

church
and
churchyard tombs
residence
of shadows

***

the
old
mask
hid
its secrets so well

***

***

moon rose up
slowly
not quite belonging
a
shadowy dream

***

the shadow
walking
beside her
held out
his hand…

***

ghostly
lilting
song
the  wind whistled
a coyote howled

***

once fragmented
the phantom
reassembled herself
she wandered the earth
searching…

***

in
between
worlds
the raven flew
in darkness

***

her face
hidden
by many masks
she wore
each day

***

***

the mirror
dark
and black
suddenly a forked crack appeared
a tiny wisp of mist slipped out…

***

the child remembered
the fork
in the path with a wooden stile
with the gibbet
and rope still hanging

***

child opened her eyes
white stars
circled her bedroom
she watched
in amazement

***

no matter how many times
she primed the walls white
the writing still came through
slowly
re-emerging

***

from the misty woods
dark shadows
loomed
ivy
tendrilled shapes

***

candlelight
reflecting
flickering
shadowy
figures

***

her eyes
pleading
from behind the mask
in
the painting

***

the face receded
into
the gloomy painting
then
darkness

***

a long silent room
no
movement
only shadows
lengthening

***

for just a moment
it
was there
the face at the window
reflected in glass

***

empty
stone
moorland house
soft voices
calling through the paneless windows

***

leaning
on
the old gate
the wind
creaked it to and fro

***

the marble statue
sighed
got down from her plinth
did her duty at halloween
then was still once more…

***