Frost in the early morning clothed the little mermaid in white, said Princess Haiku

This little mermaid wants to returns to the primeval sea and so do I.

I tried to leave the North Bay and my plans fell apart. Now, I have another year in exile to contend with. Perhaps another book. I feel an odd sense of peace with my isolation.

I am halfway through this interesting little book, "Pure Heart, Enlightened Mind," by Maura O'Halloran.

How many Irish Zen Saints do you know?" asked Princess Haiku.

I have a first draft, said Princess Haiku

I have a first draft of a new prose novel and have to figure out how to scramble the words and upload it to nanowrimo. I deleted and rewrote 3000 words today since I have some extra time. Tomorrow, I will print it out and let it sit for a month or so and then see what I have.

Students at UC Berkeley are having a protest today, since the Board of Regents has raised tuition something like 30% more. My support to the students. I try to keep my blog a political free place but one thing I absolutely believe in is education. You cannot have a democracy without an educated people.

BTW Thanks to the friends who left comments on my last blog. When I was trying to post them Blogger glitched and they disappeared.

The stunning chrysanthemum's of Nick Fox

I found this artist, Nick Fox via Moon River and his chrysanthemum's are dazzling.

More here

More on Nick Fox here.


Nick Fox’s paintings and objects are a combination of fine art and craft, romantic desire and explicit eroticism, decorative pattern and loaded symbolism. He employs this exploration of the symbiotic relationship between these pairings in a reflection on both the historical contexts of the art object and other artefacts, as well as in the subtle unravelling of systems of pictorial and personal codes of concealment.

Princess Haiku reaches 50,000 words on nanowrimo

Flash update,

I reached 50,000 words today on the nanowrimo project. Since I have several more days left before the deadline, I am going to write another 10 thousand words so I can tighten up the plot line.

I am going to take a break for a few days so my hands can recover.

It has been wild, unfettered creative fun. I had this idea about a French fantome and a Japanese haiku poet and bringing them together on the stage has been a blast.

There is something about writing along with thousands of other people and with a word meter clicking away that is inspirational.

the dancing Goddess Dolls of ALTAMIRA

These wonderful dancing Goddess Dolls of Altamira caught my imagination today. I happened upon a display of them at a local crafts fair and really they belong in an art exhibition.




They are made by Gloria Simmonds of ALTAMIRA and were inspired by her love of dance.



There is an article about ALTAMIRA IN THE SUMMER edition 2009 of Art of the Doll magazine. I am going to look online for a back copy.



For more information or to order a doll you can reach Gloria Simmonds at:
glowria99@yahoo.ca



There are days when we walk along expecting to see usual things. Then suddenly our eyes light on something gorgeous like these shamanic dolls and our outlook has been uplifted.

The name Altimira is very intriguing as is the work of this talented doll artist.

The word altamira has fine Spanish meanings. The first half, alta, means "high". The second half is a form of the verb mirar, meaning "to look at, to gaze, to behold, to watch, to value, to think highly of, to regard, to consider, to aim, to have in mind". Thus altamira can mean many things, from "behold on high" or "high things to look at" - such as the paintings on the ceiling of the Cave of Altamira - to "high value", "high aims", and "high regard". Altamira, the company, took it to mean "high quality images".

Even the Indo-European roots are benign. The root for alta is al-, "to grow". From this came the Latin altus, "high", then the Spanish alta and such familiar English derivatives as altimeter, altitude, alto, enhance, exalt, and oboe (from French haut bois, "high wood"). The Indo-European root for mira is smei-, "to smile". From this came Old Latin mir-, "to look at (with wonder or astonishment)", thus causing one to smile, and Latin mirus, "astonishing, strange, wonderful". The Spanish mirar is derived from these as are the English words admire, marvel, mi (as in do-re-mi), miracle, mirage, mirror, and smile. In astronomy, star Mira (the Wonderful) is the protypical variable star.

.

Helene Grimaud in "Note by Note; the making of Steinway L 1037 part 10, said Princess Haiku

photo credit

Fans of Helene Grimaud are in for a treat! The documentary "Note by Note' the making of Steinway 1037" has a wonderful segment in which she performs and discusses the intimate relationship a pianist has with their instrument.

This independent film also includes the razzle and dazzle that is Lang Lang along with other musical notables. You can rent it via netflix.


photo credit

La Belle Helene talking about the Power of Music.


Excerpts From Love Letters to La Belle Helene
special thanks to the anonymous Prince Peter of New York

PrincePeterofNewYork23
United States
07.11.2008
Mon Cherie Helene,

Bonne Anniversaire!
Pour toi !
Aphrodite by Victor Daley

On a golden dawn in the dawn sublime
Of years ere the stars had ceased to sing,
Beautiful out of the sea-deeps cold,
Aphrodite arose - the Flower of Time,
That, dear to the day of her blossoming,
The old, old Sea had borne in his heart.
Around her worshipping waves did part
Tremulous - glowing in rose and gold.
...

O Beloved, thus on my small world you
Rose, flushing it all with rosy flame!
Changing sad thoughts to a singing throng,
And creating the earth and sky anew!
As Love you appeared - and, lo ,you are Fame,
And, all my follies and sins despite,
You yet , Beloved, may see my light -
Small, but a star - mid the stars of song.

Bonne Anniversaire!

Je t'aime et je t'adore,
Pierre


Fidelity24
other country
07.11.2008

You remind me of the one who is inside me
Animated in such a way that I can’t resist you
My attention is towards you and your well being


Make me alive, a dancer who effortlessly
spins in a dancing fantasy.





PrincePeterofNewYork25
United States
01.11.2008
Mon Cherie Helene, Pour toi !

Ode to Aphrodite by Sappho

Immortal Aphrodite of the splendid throne,
Daughter of Zeus, weaver of snares,
Great Woman, Grant me this,
Let not my spirit be harnessed by this anguish and affliction,
But come here, by me as you did once before.

On that day,
you've heard my distant voice and, nodding,
you left your father's golden chambers to yoke your
two swift companion birds at your glistening chariot.

They fluttered through the spreading sky
and brought you hurriedly down here
by me,
upon the black soil.

Great Woman!
With a smile on your immortal face you had asked me
then,
about my sighs, what was it that made me call you
yet again?

What was it that my despairing heart wanted you to do
this time?

You asked, "Who is it this time Sappho? Who do you want me
to bring to you ? Who, Sappho, is hurting you now?"

And
at that time, you offered, "Tell me
Sappho who she is and if she turns from you now,
soon,
by me,
she'll be turning towards you;
and if she's not close to you now,
soon,
by me,
she will be -
willingly or not!"

Come to me again now,
Great Woman
and
release me from this great woe;
grant me this, my heart's greatest desire:
Helene Grimaud!
And against all these pains, be my ally !

Mon Cherie Helene, Je t'adore et Je t'aime,
Pierre

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.