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XXVII:2
June, 2012

LYNX  
A Journal for Linking Poets  
  
   
     
     

 

COLLABORATIVE POETRY

PICNIC IN THE YELLOW WOOD
Vanessa Proctor (AUS) 1, 4, 7, 10
Hanne Hansen (DEN) 2, 5, 8, 11
Patricia Prime (sabaki) (NZ) 3, 6, 9, 12

blackberry picking
the children’s lips
stained with juice

picnic in the yellow wood
searching for mushrooms in vain

secluded path
a fantail leads
along the river

a long soak in the bath
after a hike in the mountains

New Years evening
reindeer meat and Glühwein
ten below zero

gospel singers’ voices
echo in moonlight

into the pothole
the gush of water
in an underground chamber

tiny leaves on the chestnuts
swans pairing up on the lake

spring cleaning
an anniversary dinner
planned for the evening

the man on the mobile
never stops talking

once hour of running
once a week in the big park
the beauty is gone

night-blooming jasmine gives
heavy fragrance to the air

 

 

 

DE GEUR VAN HYACINTEN

de zuidenwind brengt
de geur van hyacinten
van de buurvrouw

de dagen krijgen weer wat
fine fleur van langer rekken

de dorpsstraat gestremd
door een stretch limousine –
hun zoon is terug!


de helft van de schoolmeisjes
verliefd op de buschauffeur

een afspraakje
in dezelfde jeugdherberg
een halve eeuw later

zicht op een muurschildering:
Alex ”Hurricane” Higgins*


de mistige maan
boven het touwbruggetje
van Carrick-a-Rede

loopt er iemand overheen
deze herfstavond?**

op het zebrapad
een platgereden egel
nog niet ingedroogd***


het prikkeldraad pronkt
met plukken witte wol

vanuit de keuken
het pikante aroma
van varkensgebraad

te vroeg ontsproten bollen
behoedzaam toegedekt

*   vredig in memoriam dat contrasteert met soortgelijke uit die periode van IRA en Unionisten slachtoffers van de Noord-Ierse onlusten           
** ter ere van Bashō, die schreef:
het pad door de velden
niemand die erover loopt
deze herfstavond
*** met dank ontleend aan Simon Buschman, Kalm op de vleugels, Lemmer, 2008, p. 17

Verzen 1, 3, 5, 8, 10 & 12: Marianne Kiauta (sabaki), de ove­rige: Paul Mercken, beiden NL

THE SCENT OF HYACINTHS

the south wind carries
the scent of hyacinths
from the neighbour’s wife

the days receive again
some fine peak of lengthening

the village main street
blocked by a stretch limousine –
their son is back!

 

half of the schoolgirls
in love with the bus driver

having a date
in the same youth hostel
a semi-century hence

view on a mural:
Alex ”Hurricane” Higgins*


the foggy moon
over the rope-bridge
of Carrick-a-Rede

does anyone walk on it
this autumn evening?**         

a squashed hedgehog
on the zebra crossing
not yet dried in***


the barbed wire sporting
tufts of white wool

from the kitchen
the pungent aroma
of roast pork

prematurely sprouted bulbs
covered with caution

*  peaceful memorial contrasting with similar ones of that period of IRA and Union­ists victims of the Northern Ireland troubles
** in honour of Bashō, who wrote
the path though the fields
nobody walks along it
this autumn evening
*** gratefully borrowed and translated from Simon Buschman, Kalm op de vleugels, Lemmer, 2008, p. 17

Verses 1, 3, 5. 8, 10 & 12: Marianne Kiauta (sabaki); the other: Paul Mercken; both NL

 

 

SKIPPING STONES
Peggy Bilbro
Terri L. French
Christina Nguyen
Kathy Nguyen

eavesdropping
on private conversations
fireflies

the moon and I                
waxing poetic

text messages
paint the night
with short strokes

paper swans in the birdbath.
his last love letters

hearts in the sand
out with the tide

flipping the hourglass
I forget to turn
the clock hands back

nobody listens
to the rain puddles form

my ujjayi mantra
caught midway
in the candle's shadow

(verses appear in the order of authors' names)

 

jb jl

Graphic by John M. Bennett and Jesse Freeman

 

 

THE FORCE THAT THROUGH THE GREEN FUSE DRIVES THE FLOWER
        -- Dylan Thomas
Giselle Maya
Jann Wirtz

a sprig
of almond blossom
in the empty honey jar 
flakes of rose- pale snow
come forth from iron

horsehair
woven into a bird's nest
soft breeze before spring 
a moth-winged buzzard
slips across the sun    

first violet
folding up sweaters
and darned socks  
further North
thermals still in use 

spiralling kites     
the grandparents play
bored children text
squirrels hide their walnut caches   
will they find them again

after snowmelt   
in a clearwater stream
the lost wedding ring
forming new heartwood 
the ancient wind-swept oak
 
rising from sleep
with the leaves and the bluebells
Green Man of the woods          
bookworm on a mountain top
what a view of wild lands  

melon moon
dream of a cedar garden hut
not yet, not yet       
with her bells, beads and prayers
the old hermitess  

lingering cold
almond blossoms still closed
a pink sheen   
a soft mist of buds
on the greening trees 

a brief visit
sparks fly in the kitchen
over tea and rice       
ganders fighting in the yard
and on the hill the boxing hare  

spring fever
the cat in search of a mole
and i clipping moss roses      
searching seed catalogues
for colourful vegetables  

gardener¹s delight
snowdrops pierce
the cold earth     
blackbirds listen in the grass
as worms turn 

magician
of peculiar powers
the poet      
alchemy of words
refined at her window             

tracery of trees
bursting with leaf and birdsong
still this bitter wind      
the almond blossoms
can bear the morning’s frost   
 
the trickster winter
now you see him
now you don’t    
he hides in snowpatches
within the frozen earth     

last to feel the sun
that line of frost
along the woods edge   
the path to Merlin’s hut
where owls court    

soon swallow days and starry nights
the great plough turns
the year again  
restored by the earth
I plant snowpeas all in a row 
 
planting by the moon
one phase for roots
one  phase for leaves  
one phase for fruit
one phase for flowers  

the oakwarden 
his rasping voice and blue flash
through the misted woods   
full moon ringed with spring haze
rabbit pounding sweet rice    

ever wandering
between sky and earth
shape-changing clouds 
dog-otter nights
from stream to sea's edge    

from the shed
a cracked clay pot to hold
a pale yellow peony  
a small sip of nectar
for the earliest bee    

red peony shoots
rise gently into this spring dawn
their green fuses alive     
from earth to bluebell
pale indigo meets the sky 

started end of February 2012
finished March 21, 2012

 

WINGSONG          
Autumn Noelle Hall
Claire Everett

black caterpillar
making a mad dash across
the highway~ ~ ~ ~ ~
what is it we believe lies
on the road’s other side?

whitethroat perched
on dew-prinked nettles,
the caterpillar
to which you cling is what
keeps you from your song

hornworm’s munching
jaws on the tomato vine
drowning out the breeze—
why such reluctance
to be whispered into wings?

will I ever
get through... get through to you?
clickety-clack
on the crazy paving
a song thrush with a snail

inch-by-inch
measuring the world in your
tentative strides ./\. ./\. ./\.
why not reach feathered feelers
to tickle the full moon?

chasing the light
on dragonfly wings
one last breath of fire
before the hobby
plucks you from the blue

windhover
quivering pinions fanning
the fading sunfire
how my heart flutters...then
drops as you plummet

insect-shimmer
so many words
to choose from...
taking their fill of summer
swifts on the wing

rasping cicadas
their resonance rounding out
the cottonwood...
you and I are chanting
the circle song, too

eye spots
the peacock butterfly
returns my gaze...
from chrysalis to wing-dust
this life of dreams

 

 

jbjl

Graphic by John M. Bennett & Jim Leftwich

 

 

MOTHER MAIDEN CRONE
Autumn Noelle Hall
Claire Everett

the waxing moon
a sickle in the eye
of the lake
Her waters undisturbed
by its curved silver blade

a glimpse of Her
on the heels of dawn...
the Huntress
with her deerskin quiver
of fast-fading stars

the brush of footsteps—
trails through dew-laden meade
beckon
the lure of honey-scented air
following in Her wake

scent of clover
even as we drink
She fills the cup. . .
our days but travel-stain
on the broodcomb

blossoms breath
waxed against this wintering,
the sweets of youth
as the moon grows gibbous
Hebe’s pitcher ever full

round in Her belly
pollen on Her fingers. . .
summer's sweet voice
humming apples
into the tree

woodland voles,
their borrowed burrows
between its roots,
clock the season
in velvet pups

where foxgloves spill
their thimbles of dew
in hip-high grasses
the doe licks clean
two speckled fawns

and you, Milady,
courted by Common Blue
butterflies,
weave a crown of clover
for your bonny child’s hair

these wings of light
with their dark undersides
and darker shadows...
where now, the Gatekeeper
with her keys to the meadow?

She has flown
with thistledown
from the heath
lost to these swirling mists
and the full moon’s wane

between fingers
soft, Her hair’s fading hue
goldfinch song
where teasels comb the breeze
gossamer, burnished, gone

rowan berries
now wrinkled and dried
clinging to the branch
one last taste of magic
for this crested waxwing pair

leaf-fall light
red and gold on the roe rings
where the doe traced
a path of infinity
her mate on her heels

at dusk, She travels
dim-lit path by memory,
wit and walking stick
called by the throaty summons
of a patient Great Horned Owl

last sliver
still, the call to hunt
in the wild cat’s eyes...
at dawn, the lure of earthshine
as Her tracks become snow

 

 

EVER HIGHER

mw = Marcel van de Weghe, NL
pm  = Paul Mercken, NL (sabaki & translator)
pp   = Pat Prime, NZ
mk  = Marianne Kiauta, NL
fm   = Fokkina McDonnell, GB

ever higher
the buzzard circles –
wings steady                                      mw/pm

open-air concert
children play taiga drums                    pp

the weather turns dark
rattling of hail
and loud yelling                                  mk

 

the museum garden
large white marble spheres                 fm

threaded between
the city’s high-rise buildings
moon shadows                                  pp

he sweeps the fallen leaves
and smiles at passers-by                    mk

 

bring-and-buy fair
a dozen copies
of the book club favourite                  fm

billets doux mark the pages
of their après ski reading                    pm

young lovers                                 
snuggle before the fire 
with a cheap wine                              pp

 

a nosey Nelly keeps staring
ignores her mother’s calls                   mk

daffodils, tulips
under the striped awning
and a dozing cat                                fm

in the fresh green valley
distant cowbells                                 pm

STEEDS HOGER

mw = Marcel van de Weghe, NL
pm  = Paul Mercken, NL (sabaki & translator)
pp   = Pat Prime, NZ
mk  = Marianne Kiauta, NL
fm   = Fokkina McDonnell, GB

 steeds hoger
cirkelt de buizerd –
vleugels recht

openluchtconcert
kinderen op taiga drums

het weer verdonkert
roffelende hagel
en luid geschreeuw

 

 

de museumtuin
marmerbollen groot en wit

geregen tussen
de binnenstadstorenflats
maanschaduwen

hij veegt de bladeren aan
en glimlacht naar passanten

 

ruilmarkt
een dozijn exemplaren
boekenclubtopper

billets doux als bladwijzers
bij hun après ski lezen

een jong paartje
knusjes voor het vuur
met een min wijntje

 

nog staart nieuwsgierig Aagje
hoort niet haar moeders roep

narcissen, tulpen
onder het gestreepte zeil
en een lome kat

in het frisgroene dal
koebellen ver weg 

 

      
NAHEINANDER
Heike Stehr
Ramona Linke


Lauer Sommerabend
unter hohen Tannen
reifes Springkraut

zur Perlenhochzeit
endlich – Kanada!

Ankunftshalle –
in der Hand des Au-pair-Mädchens
zittert das Foto

zwischen den Stelen
Oktobersonne

Windmond
überm Kartoffelfeuer
komm bei mich bei

naheinander
Spaghetti all’arrabbiata

nach der Premiere
die Blicke
des Taxifahrers

irgendwo schluchzt
ein Akkordeon

zugeschneit …
das letzte Kaninchen bezieht
sein Kellerquartier

hinter Glastüren
Embryos in Formalin

Maiglöckchenduft___
sie schaltet
den Computer aus

im Hundertmorgenwald
Amselduette

 

 

CHEEK BY JOWL
Heike Stehr
Ramona Linke

tepid summer evening
beneath tall fir trees
ripe touch-me-nots 

pearl wedding
at last – Canada!

arrival hall
the photo is trembling
in the au pair’s hand

between the steles
October sun 

harvest moon
above the potato bonfire
come ‘ere by me

cheek by jowl
spaghetti all’arrabbiata

after the premiere
the glances
of the cabman 

somewhere
a sobbing accordion

snowbound ...
the last rabbit moves into
its cellar room 

behind glass doors
embryos in formalin

lilies of the valley–___
she switches off
the computer 

in the Hundred Acre Wood
blackbird duets 

 

 

jb ra

    

Graphic by John M. Bennett & Reed Altmus

  

SLOW RAIN
Patricia Prime
Owen Bullock

on my wedding day
Dylan performed his first concert
in Britain –
half a century later
my son listens to his songs

looking our at Tuhua
blades of grass that yesterday
were blowing in the wind
are still as my body,
as the surface of my skin

your txt comes
from Franz Josef glacier
I think of you
wearing that absurd fur hat
in the bleak icy landscape

walking the hills
in Western Clare
late blackberries
peppering the road
sweetening the distance

in the South Island
he sees all those insects,
birds and animals
he’s only heard about: weka,
kea, albatross, and penguins

the cry
of the kakariki
the surprise of the kaka
so close, watching us
with real curiosity

received in the post
his ‘scrap-paper’ poems
written in pencil
his hand-painted card
of red polls in winter sunshine

sharpening
my most prized writing tool
so simple
the hand-washing sways
this side of the cow paddock

 

jb jw

Graphic by John M. Bennett & SW

 

HOLES IN THE SAND
Patricia Prime
Owen Bullock

curved
into the river
whitebaiter’s net
            thoughts of oil
            drifting

looking seaward
above a cruise ship
bleached sky
            watering the garden
            some part of me wakes up

the veined body
of a Monarch butterfly
in the spring classroom
            slow rain –
            the marking pile shrinks

looking for oil
I pick up
holes in the sand
            with its cleansing scent of ozone
            the ocean gleams in twilight

 

 

SOMMERVÖGEL
Helga Stania
Ramona Linke

Wilde Kirschen
die ferne Glut
der Sterne

am Fuße des Uluru
ein Gewitter abwarten

"Oh Lord ..."
Janis Joplins
unvergessliche Stimme

hinter dem Wandschirm
vage Schatten

sammeln
bis Mondlicht
die Pilze versilbert

wo die Mauer war
schweigen

Morgenläuten –
an den Händen
Brotteig

ein Jäckchen stricken
fürs ungeborene Kind

leichter Schneefall
im Altenheim feiern sie heute
Verlobung

eine Dame löst den Ring
vom erfrorenen Falken

Kaffee und
Dürers Federzeichnungen
zur Blauen Stunde

John Donne—
seine Meditation lesen

Insel unter dem Wind
Nächte verschrieben
dem Voodoo

bis zur Mondschale
Hyazinthenduft

per Wurmloch
nie geahnte Dimensionen
durcheilen

Gruppentherapie –
den Tremor ignorieren

Nebel ...
Der Sektenführer trägt
'ne Bill Haley-Locke

Andropause.
Seit Tagen ist er nicht erreichbar

auf dem Campingplatz
das Vorzelt belagert
von Glühwürmchen

die Wasser des Todes;
Gilgamesch im Stocherkahn

neben dem Stuhl
des Anglers warten
zwei Katzen

Wolken jagen
zur Walpurgisnacht

speed dating –
der junge Magnolienbaum 
blütenübersät

Richters Fenster
durchströmt Osterlicht

 

 

SUMMER BIRDS
Helga Stania
Ramona Linke

wild cherries
the distant glow
of stars

at the foot of the Uluru
waiting for a thunderstorm

"Oh Lord ..."
Janis Joplin's
unforgettable voice

sketchy shadows
behind the folding screen

to harvest
until moonlight
silvers the mushrooms

where the wall was
silence

morning bells -
the hands
in the bread dough

knitting a coat
for the unborn child

faint snowfall
at the retirement home
engagement party

a lady detaches the ring
from the frozen falcon

coffee and
Dürer's pen drawings ...
Blue Hour

John Donne—
reading his Meditation

Windward Island
nights devoted
to Voodoo

up to the moon bowl
fragrance of hyacinths

rushing through
never guessed dimensions
by wormhole

group therapy -
to ignore the tremor

dense fog...
The sect leader wears
a Bill Haley-Curl

Andropause.
He is unreachable for days

at the campsite
the awning          
besieged by fireflies

Waters of Death;
Gilgamesh in the punt

the fisher's chair
flanked by
two cats

chasing clouds
towards Walpurgis Night

speed dating -
the young Magnolia
strewn with blossoms

Easter light flows
through Richter's window

 

 

 jb jr

Graphic by John M. Bennett, Baron, & Jim Leftwich

 

WHERE THE WALL STOOD

DOUBLE RENGAY

Claudia Brefeld and Helga Stania

 

EAST WIND                                         STEPPING STONES

divided street –
my foot pauses
at the cobblestone line

behind wall remains
the old cherry tree …
lost dreams               

a little bookstall
the Capital worn out

craftsmen market --
a woodpecker hammering

 

between bars
faces looking
from „over there“

 

overgrown
stepping stones up to
the cellar hole

 

east wind freshens
wearing a piece of balloon silk
as a talisman

 

a female fox
guides her whelps
into the light

 

torch fire, hot tea
at that time in Leipzig …

 

between thorns the sweet
of childhood

 

May night.
Masur conducting:
Ode to Joy

 

beech logs
in the datcha
expanding warmth

 

CB  1/3/5                                            CB  1/3/5
HS  2/4/6                                            HS  2/4/6

 

 

COLLABORATIVE POETRY

PICNIC IN THE YELLOW WOOD
Vanessa Proctor
Hanne Hansen
Patricia Prime

DE GEUR VAN HYACINTEN
Marianne Kiauta
Paul Mercken

THE SCENT OF HYACINTHS
Marianne Kiauta
Paul Mercke
n

SKIPPING STONES
Peggy Bilbro
Terri L. French
Christina Nguyen
Kathy Nguyen

Graphic by John M. Bennett and Jesse Freeman

THE FORCE THAT THROUGH THE GREEN FUSE DRIVES THE FLOWER
        -- Dylan Thomas
Giselle Maya
Jann Wirtz

WINGSONG          
Autumn Noelle Hall
Claire Everett

Graphic by John M. Bennett & Jim Leftwich

MOTHER MAIDEN CRONE
Autumn Noelle Hall
Claire Everett

EVER HIGHER
Marcel van de Weghe, Paul Mercken, Pat Prime,Marianne Kiauta,& Fokkina McDonnell

STEEDS HOGER
Marcel van de Weghe, Paul Mercken, Pat Prime,Marianne Kiauta,& Fokkina McDonnell

NAHEINANDER
Heike Stehr
Ramona Linke

CHEEK BY JOWL
Heike Stehr
Ramona Linke

Haiga by John M. Bennett & Reed Altmus

SLOW RAIN
Patricia Prime
Owen Bullock

Graphic by John M. Bennett & SW

HOLES IN THE SAND
Patricia Prime
Owen Bullock

SOMMERVÖGEL
Helga Stania
Ramona Linke

SUMMER BIRDS
Helga Stania
Ramona Linke

Graphic by John M. Bennett, Baron, & Jim Leftwich

WHERE THE WALL STOOD
Claudia Brefeld
Helga Stania

EAST WIND STEPPING STONES
Claudia Brefeld
Helga Stania

   
     
     

Back issues of Lynx:

XV:2 June, 2000
XV:3 October, 2000
XVI:1 Feb. 2001
XVI:2 June, 2001
XVI:3 October, 2001  
XVII:1 February, 2002
XVII:2 June, 2002
XVII:3 October, 2002
XVIII:1 February, 2003
XVIII:2 June, 2003
XVIII:3, October, 2003
XIX:1 February, 2004
XIX:2 June, 2004

XIX:3 October, 2004

XX:1,February, 2005

XX:2 June, 2005
XX:3 October, 2005
XXI:1February, 2006 
XXI:2, June, 2006

XXI:3,October, 2006

XXII:1 January, 2007
XXII:2 June, 2007
XXII:3 October, 2007

XXIII:1February, 2008
XXIII:2 June, 2008

XXIII:3, October, 2008
XXIV:1, February, 2009

XXIV:2, June, 2009
XXIV:3, October, 2009
XXV:1 January, 2010
XXV:2 June, 2010
XXV:3 October, 2010
XXVI:1 February, 2011
XXVI:2, June, 2011
XXVI:3 October, 20111

XXVII:1 February, 2012

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