I found a wonder chrysanthemum post by Eddie C that was written in October and well worth a view. Luckily, I found it when I was doing a google image search.



Sadly, I have no photos of the chrysanthemum show in Marin as the Bay Bridge closure made driving impossible last weekend. Hopefully, next year. There are times when we have to go with the flow. Well, I had better get back to my nanowrimo project.
Thanks Eddie for such a gorgeous post.

Princess Haiku participates in National Book Writing Month

I found out about National Book Writing Month on October 31st and signed up at the last minute. It is this wonderful, international creative venue that encourages participants to bash out a novel in 30 days. It is kind of a group support while you work alone kind of thing.

I had an outline, some notes and decided to give it a whirl. If anyone wants to follow my progress or cheer me on you can visit me at nanowrimo under screen name princesshaiku.

It isn't as hard as you think if you put your critical mind to rest and just write stream of consciousness. I wrote my first short, prose novel that way two years ago and it took me six weeks. That project was a lot more intense and this one just seems enjoyable.

I do wish that I didn't have such poetic tendencies but a person is born who they are. It would be wonderful to write mainstream genre. Perhaps some day I will manage that. In the meantime I am in a chrysanthemum garden, with a soon to be haunted haiku poet.

You can also register for the wonderful forums and expert advice. -Well some not so expert as audacious and fun.

See you there. I imagine that anyone who regularly reads my blog is also a writer. I know who you are and will you come out and write with me?

PS Thanks to the nice lady ML from the Marin/Sonoma who gave me information yesterday.

All Saint's Day, says a ghost...

All Saints Day in France is part of a national holiday known as La Toussaint. La Toussaint is a two day festival during which the French celebrate two holidays together: All Saints Day, the day for remembering Catholic saints, and All Souls Day, the day for praying for the souls of the deceased. Families celebrate it by bringing chrysanthemums to decorate the tombs of their departed loved ones.

This flower print is an example of the chrysanthemum in French art. I am happy to report that In Buddhist tradition the chrysanthemum represents "the eye" of the soul and the source of light. Thus every day is a perfect day to enjoy the radiant blooms of the spider chrysanthemum.

Yet, today.. I offer this post and these gracious flowers to the memory of my beloved mother.

All Hallows Eve

All Hallows Eve is the magical night when the veil between worlds lifts and fay creatures dance about.

altars, art, memory; Day of the Dead 2009

running with the surf, said Princess Haiku

The waves were wild and rowdy at the little beach I visited yesterday. The usually calm surf frothed forth 9-12 feet high waves. It was quite a show and amazingly loud. Some four footed friends took advantage of the day...

in search of Swann's Way and big waves on the North Coast, said Princess Haiku

Today is an eventual day in my life for I am starting, "In Search of Lost Time" by Marcel Proust. I always said I would read the entire series someday and so today it is. "Volume 1, Swann's Way. I mooched a lovely copy from Book Mooch which is a great book swap site for bibliophile's.

And, to mark the enormity of this endeavor I will read the first pages at a North Bay beach. Because of a typhoon out to sea in Alaska, huge breakers will be crashing ashore. I am feeling well enough to go on small drives and this should lift my spirits after a month of confinement.

Visiting Jim Morrison at Pere Lachaise, says Princess Haiku

photo credit
Book Researchers Say Photo of Jim Morrison's Ghost in Pere Lachaise is real. This is a must read for Morrison fans. Perhaps he will make a showing on All Hallows Eve.


Jim Morrison has been dead for almost four decades, but a snapshot belonging to longtime rock historian Brett Meisner allegedly shows the Doors frontman haunting his own grave. And now, just in time for Halloween, a book now claims the image may be authentic.

Back in 1997, Meisner decided to take a snapshot next to the rock legend's grave in the famous Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, not exactly an uncommon thing to do considering some 1,000 people visit the grave daily. The photo, taken by Meisner's assistant, shows the historian casually standing next to Morrison's plot with one hand in his pocket and a white cloudy shadow to his left, the latter going unnoticed until Meisner finally decided to revisit the photo in 2002. The cloudy, obscure image to Meisner's left is said to be the deceased singer himself.

Word quickly spread thanks to the Internet, and the historian had the photo analyzed by some folks who do that sort of thing -- and they concluded that the snapshot may indeed be as bone chilling as it was first perceived. These researchers rule out both lightning and image manipulation and conclude that the photo is simply "unexplainable." In an even more eerie coincidence, the photo is featured in a new book titled 'Ghosts Caught on Film 2: Photographs of the Unexplained.' enter

more

and this

video in Pere Lachaise

belle chrysanthemum

I present the dancers....

still these spider chrysanthemums.. their purity. This post is dedicated to Stephen at the Painting Studio. Get well soon my friend.

what is a haiku
besides dreaming mind,
awakened a flower

the eye of Fall

I feel that I am falling, falling into another Autumn; another time of dreaming where the flowers...

in Autumn an orange rush of color!

Even a poet must take leave of desolation when flowers erupt into a frenzy of color.

flowers, a haiku
orange flight into possibility
Fall, remembering

a thank you, from Princess Haiku

I am melancholy and missing. In the last two months I have been ill and stopped doing almost everything I love.

Tonight, I stopped to visit my darling Moon and A who both had flowers for me. Plus stunning visuals.

Even the shadow of a ghost can brighten.

xxx


Before the white chrysanthemum
the scissors hesitate
a moment.

~Yosa Buson

On a gingko walk said Princess Haiku

The cool, foggy summer has passed in a gingko dream. Storm clouds gather as Autumn approaches. All is not well in lovely California.. not well at all.

And yet this season's Chrysanthemums have begun their journey even without my attention. I must not let them escape me. It is so easy to be oblivious to the beauty around us. Just a few days ago I drove across the San Francisco Bay Bridge without absorbing the stunning beauty of foggy silhouettes of San Francisco and images of the eternal, sleeping maiden of Mount Tam.

Even in times of distress I need to remember that these are the hours of life that are given to me and I will make of them what I choose.

I need to have a little chat with these flower blooms said, Princess Haiku. They never forget anything that is important.

a tiny pomegranate tree

A tiny tree with pomegranates from the other world.

Persephone says:

I can be seen slipping down the dusk
in a thin black boat....



spirit of those red seeds

after the Twilight, said Princess Haiku

there is no more

another season of chrysanthemum begins, says Princess Haiku

Follow the journey of these newborn chrysanthemum seedlings with me.



chrysanthemum shrine
offerings- a poet's gold
was this flower a dream?

Haiku Master Buson

I found a little volume of Haiku by Master Buson which is perfect for this clear evening.

The going of spring!
The fading away of purple
from Tsukuba mountain.




world always leaving
spring,
the voice reflecting
a river.

Webster's word czar uploads new text

photocredit


The mandala of language continues to fascinate and check out some of the new words listed in Webster's Dictionary. Every one of these words originated with one person. That's right! You, me or anyone can expand the lexicon.

Here is my new word. Zapeutopia. It refers to the mysterious world where those who are "zapped" dwell. Of course we all know what zapped means.

What's your new word?


Webster himself was a great believer in keeping things simple, and it was his idea to "Americanise" many of the spellings that now distinguish the American and English forms of the language. He dropped the "u" from colour and favour and turned centre into center.

That unashamed Americanisation is evident in this year's new words, which will have traditionalists squirming. They include "staycation" for a holiday spent at home and "frenemy" for one who pretends to be a friend but is in fact an enemy.

The green revolution also makes a strong showing, with "locavore" for a person who eats only locally-grown food; carbon footprint as a measure of one's carbon emmissions; and green-collar, referring to jobs designed to help the environment.
Other newcomers

Acai
The small, dark purple, berrylike fruit found in central and south
America has been known by this word since 1868 but its place in the
dictionary has been forced by a recent fad that claims it is an aid to
dieting

Goji
A big year for berries all round, with the dark red mildly tart bruit
of a mainly Asian shrub making its entry thanks to its new popularity as a
flavour in drinks

Haram
Items, usually foods, forbidden under Islamic law

Memory foam
Another recent fad, this time for a mattress that supposedly
remembers the shape of your back

Neuroprotective
One of several new words relating to health and medicine,
it refers to drugs that protect neurons from injury or degeneration

Reggaeton
Another fusion word, in this case relating to the union of rap
and Caribbean rhythms in popular Puerto Rican music

Cherry Blossoms is a film of great sensibility

photocredit

I recently viewed the film, Cherry Blossom by Doris Dorrie, an independent German filmmaker. The film touched me so profoundly that I saw it three times and found it to be the equivalent of a "Buddhist slap." While it deals with the tragedy of human relationships and our blundering inability to be present with and for the ones we love, it is not depressing. It's final message is that by entering grief and journeying through it we can find spiritual insight to connect with selfless love. We are all condemned to the sorrows of temporal existence but ultimately aesthetic beauty and acceptance of natural cycles of life and death lead us to transcendence. The film is enhanced by gorgeous cinematography, music and Butoh dance.

After seeing the film I looked for reviews and was disappointed that by and large it's spiritual depth was overlooked and that it was panned as a "feminist" movie perhaps because in this misogynistic era a woman produced it. There were no polemics in what I would call the Buddhist perspective of the film.I saw every character in the film as representing a different aspect of myself. It's really quite remarkable and I encourage all of you to see it. I assure you, you will look more carefully at the ones you love after you see it.

This is a snippet of a review that I did like," With her newest Japan film, “Cherry Blossoms” (which has its New York theatrical premiere on Friday), Ms. Dörrie reconfigures the wrenching parent-child tensions of “Tokyo Story,” the 1953 masterpiece of Yasujiro Ozu. Departing from the formal rigors of Ozu’s postwar reconstruction drama, Ms. Dörrie brings her trademark empathy and humor to the plight of an elderly Bavarian couple. Trudi and Rudi (Hannelore Elsner and Elmar Wepper) visit a son and daughter in Berlin who are too distracted by family and work to give their parents their due. The indignities continue in Tokyo, where Rudi is ignored by an expatriate son and, as consolation, nurtures a surrogate relationship with a teenage Butoh dancer.

Doris Dorrie is a very gifted filmmaker and I look forward to seeing other films she has made and will follow her in the future.

Note: film trailer in my video bar on right side of blog

If you like this post than visit Japonisme.

urban flute player evokes Handel

I have been practicing my flute with more ardor than usual. Perhaps because I love the warm summer weather. My next door neighbors swimming pool is reflecting moonlight tonight. The view on my balcony delights. Even as California devolves into bankruptcy there are these perfect moments to commune with nature. Amid the fear and panic there are quiet moments to collect. These are the days given to me.....

The small trees erupted into a flame of color

What has been blooming under your nose?




One moment everything was green and bud, said Princess Haiku



And suddenly this wild bloom.

in Summer, white poppies remember

Princess Haiku was invited to a Midsummer Eve ball.



And went as a poppy of course.



How timeless your evening gown is said her friend, Astrid.



Her small nephew, Neptune was enchanted.



Why this dress and not another said her escort, Sir Virtue.



Princess Haiku smiled although she wouldn't answer, but I will tell you her secret reason.



Poppies remember.

time has slipped away

Thank you all, for leaving comments on my blog and I will be around to visit in the next few days. I didn't mean to stay away so long. I became preoccupied with the crashing apart of my once beautiful state. Many of you no doubt know what is going on in California.

Blogging is a form of meditation for me and I have decided it's essential to focus on some positive things. As soon as I replace the upload cord on my Coolpix cam I will post a new post.

What will be the topic of my poetic reawakening?

Princess Haiku discovers the beauty of Susan Boyle's voice

There are no words for the beauty and simplicity of this soul. Listen for yourself....

Just when you think the world is all despair and that dreams can't come true..

Susan comes along like a fragrant spring wind.

Enjoy.

You can also listen via my video player on left side of blog.

Bamboo Dream; the sadness that comes out at midnight... said Princess Haiku

Waking dreams or Watching the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan.

A DVD of Bamboo Dream arrived from Netflix today and I have viewed it three times already. For those of you who pan netflix do be advised it has a superior collection of documentaries and performing arts films. Yes, I know that one waits forever to receive new releases, but high art awaits your summons.

I saw Wild Cursive at Cal Performance two years ago and would dearly like to see Bamboo Dream live. Artistic Director and Choreographer Lin Hwai-min's esthetic exploration of the bitter symbolism of the bamboo evokes pristine beauty and pathos. It speaks to the tragic and temporal nature of human life and the constant movement of the psyche.

The evergreen Chinese bamboo survives even the bitterest of winters thus symbolizing integrity and also representing elegance. Bamboo plays a role as metaphor in many ancient tales. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants and the delicate and constant movement of the dancers evokes this mysterious process.

Before even the lyrical dream sequences representing the seasons are over, an entire new forest of bamboo has arisen around heart and soul. In my Western interpretation it is difficult to decide if the rapid and amorphous movement is the protection or the dense forest that results. As spirits of a bamboo netherland, dancers create and recreate haunted landscape and ancient history before our eyes. The dancers of Cloud Gate benefit from the ideas and concepts of collectivity and perform as one breath. Arvo Part's paens to the mythology surrounding bamboo in Asia is perfectly expressive of Hwai=min's concept.

Each of the dancers in this ensemble are qualified to be a danseur/ballerina. Put them all together and voila. you have Cloud Gate Theater of Taiwan dancing for Princess Haiku. Of note also is the flute improvisations of Chinest flute player Huang Sheng-Kai. I am going to check youtube so check my video player, right side of blog.

Here is a great review:

From the initial strains of an unearthly Chinese flute, played by a solitary wanderer on a stage forested with bamboo trees, Bamboo Dream promises to be a mystical work of exquisite beauty. Using an intoxicating array of styles, choreographer Lin Hwai-min has created a piece which seamlessly marries the grace of classical ballet with the drama of traditional Asian gesture and the self-discipline of martial arts

Reviewer is Nina Miall.

the ghost bride reappears on a calm spring day and tells Princess Haiku that her name is, Henriette

My name is Henriette, the ghost bride said to Princess Haiku.



I left Michel Nostradamus long ago with our two young boys.




And now we have descendants living in both Aix en Provence and San Francisco who have no idea of their psychic provenance.



Princess Haiku leaned closer for the story was fascinating.



However, just as suddenly Henriette disappeared leaving a storm of dandelion seeds behind.



I must know the real story said Princess Haiku.



Do you have any idea what really happened?


Marriage and healing work: In 1531 Nostredame was invited by Jules-César Scaliger, a leading Renaissance scholar, to come to Agen. There he married a woman of uncertain name (possibly Henriette d'Encausse), who bore him two children.


from
The Song the Orphan Sings

...
I have only this one dress,
and it's getting thin and bleached;
however, it will last an eternity
in the eyes of God.


Rainer Maria Rilke

the blush of Spring, said Princess Haiku

The blush of Spring is a gentle color like no other.

this Flower of dream

Spring dreams in its own shadows. Always, every year as the earth turns new possibility.

Spring, with its gold allure

I searched for the white, ballerina poppies that I saw last year. Sadly, they have disappeared from my neighborhood. Instead I found flowers belonging to the gold heart of Spring.

Helene Grimaud on playing Bach

"Bach's music goes straight to the very core of the human soul," Grimaud says. "Playing Bach allows you to mark your spiritual growth, as well as your technical growth as an instrumentalist."

Listen to Helene Grimaud discuss Bach with Fred Child on NPR'S EXCLUSIVE FIRST LISTEN.

This discussion is an enticement for me to work on some Bach sonatas for flute. I haven't been practicing as much lately as I wish. Perhaps it is the feeling of confinement that always follows winter.

street music fills the air in spring, said Princess Haiku

I happened upon some street musicians playing in front of the bookstore. I am not a bluegrass fan in particular but anything this well done deserves an encore. You just never know what the day will give you if you ears are open and your heart listening. Be attentive said Princess Haiku, life is happening all around.

Opera Chic has interesting new post on La belle Helene

Daniel Harding Dances with Hélène Grimaud In Parma!

photo via Deutsche Grammophon/Mat Hennek)

Opera Chic offers interesting reading for the classical music enthusiast.

Some time ago I mentioned in a post that Helene Grimaud was a poet's musician and indeed she is. I am working on a special project to be unveiled in the near future. Also, I must dash out for Grimaud's Bach CD. I always shop local even though the internet is tempting, so that small shops survive. -That goes for books as well..

In a white spring garden with Octavio Paz

On the whitewashed wall
a play written by the wind and light
the shadows of the vine
greener than the word March
the mask of the afternoon
absorbed in the calligraphy of birds
between the quivering grates of reflections

I am in love with this world
stumble lost in myself
craving wholeness craving indifference
to open my eyes
impeccable evidence
among the clarities that dispute it
Not the abolition of images
the incarnation of pronouns
the world we invent among us
a community of signs
and at its center
the recluse
Perpetua encarnata
half-woman
half spring in the rocks...

from "A Tale of Two Gardens" by Octavio Paz
translated by Eliot Weinberger

Princess Haiku spent the day in a blur of a spring garden with Octavio Paz and poetry so exquisite it went perfectly with chilled champagne.