awake early
four hours of sleep…enough
to embrace the day
the quiet hours before dawn
the vast oceans of thought
[tanka.] Copyright © 2022-01-24, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Image by Xuân Tuấn Anh Đặng from Pixabay.
Early rising
Category: life through my windows
It’s a Gnome’s Life| Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 381 GNOME & Pots
Poem-a-day warmup, flower memories
Morning’s Flowers
Cheerful skies
puffed-up summer clouds
urged along with breezy sighs
bask in morning’s light
Copyright © 2021-06-29, by Liz Bennefeld.
Artwork | #Ronovan Writes #Haiku Challenge 359
mix of dark and light
lines lend themselves to nature’s
ever-shifting art
Copyright © 24 May 2021, by Liz Bennefeld.
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 359 LINES and Mix.
Silly songs | #RonovanWrites #Haiku #Poetry Prompt Weekly Challenge 348
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 348 FOOL and Head
nodding flower heads
warm beneath the summer sun
dream of autumn days
crickets laze about and chirp
silly songs in cool, dark shade
Copyright © 2021-03-09, by Lizl Bennefeld.
For now | Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 347
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 347 ACHE and Ease
the ease of leaving
everything behind for now
sorrow at the lossforget-me-nots remind me
of your true and faithful love
Copyright © 2021-03-02, by Lizl Bennefeld.
autumn leaf in winter
redrawn by winds and winter snow
last year’s leafCopyright © 2021-02-24, by Lizl Bennefeld.
(NaHaiWriMo 2021, Day 24)
Long-Term Caring
patio for guests
within call if she awakes…
the scent of liliesa stray whiff of her perfume
the memory of her voice
Copyright © 2021-02-23, by Lizl Bennefeld.
(NaHaiWriMo 2021, Day 23)
Photo from the archives of Lizl Bennefeld, photographer.
Moment out of time | #RonovanWrites #Haiku #Weekly #Challenge 346
Lost memories
the house that is home
irises by our back door
lost midst memories
Copyright © 2021-02-20, by Lizl Bennefeld.
(NaHaiWriMo 2021, Day 20)
Winterberries
Golden Song | #RonovanWrites #Haiku Challenge 345
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 345 Bird and Blow
autumn breeze
gold water ripples
sparrow song
Copyright © 2021-02-015, by Lizl Bennefeld.
NaHaiWriMo (Day 15)
Photography credits on photo attachment pages (click photo to access).
Sleep…no sleep
Remember Spring | #RonovanWrites #Haiku Challenge 344 #tanka
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 344 BITE and Teeth.
the biting winds sculpt
icy teeth on bare branches
freeze my hands and faceearly spring’s sudden ice storms
coat the trees and city streets
Copyright © 2021-02-08, by Lizl Bennefeld.
NaHaiWriMo (Day 8)
Awake too soon
warm puppy pile
cozy heater, quiet snores
one more nap
Copyright © 2021-02-04, by Lizl Bennefeld.
(NaHaiWriMo, Day 4.)
Frosted Window
window frosted over
winter’s breath on the panes
patterned light
Copyright © 2020-02-01, by Lizl Bennefeld.
NaHaiWriMo (Day 1)
Beginnings
from whence we’re come
touch of ancient stardust
the breath of God
Copyright © 2021-01-29, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Inside/Outside
life in a bubble
warmer than the out-of-doors
quieter than silence
Copyright © 2021-01-27, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash. (Modified).
Butterfly moments
the terrible beauty of quiet moments
is that they leave again
butterflies in search of another perfect flowerdon’t crush them as they seek to fly away
thank them for remaining with you for so long
Copyright © 2021-01-23, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Winter Art | Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 341
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 341 FROST and Glint
the glint of sunbeams
through a frosted window pane
winter’s quiet breath
Copyright © 2021-01-21, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Attention, please! Hear us howl!
echoing barks
then absolute silence
no response…our people do not notice
we must bark again
Copyright © 2021–01–14, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Long nights, shorter days
as the days grow short
rabbits seek out deep shadows
waiting for twilightlife on the border between
adventure and quiet peace
Copyright © 2021-01-13, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Unexpected raindrops
garden snail—surprised
by unexpected raindrops
nowhere to keep drysteal away among tall stems
nap beneath a fragrant leaf
Copyright © 2021-01-14, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay
Look forward to Spring | Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 340
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 340 RELEASE and Simple.
release from darkness
simple joy in springtime’s breeze
relax into peacewhispering of butterflies
morning songs of cheerful birds
Copyright © 2021-01-11, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Image by Ronny Overhate from PixabayPixabay
Look again | Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 339
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 339 CHILD and Grow
children run, laughing
among the growing flowers rabbits hide beneath
Copyright © 2021-01-06, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Image by natureworks from Pixabay
And the sun sets
days make room for nights
bless good deeds — forgive mistakes
nestle into sleep
Copyright © 2020-12-30, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Prompt: Sun sets on 2020 CE.
December’s memories
winter seeds
scattered memories
love remains
Copyright © 2020-12-25, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Wintertime in Snow
powdered sugar night
snowflakes cover bare mountains
slowly drifting down
old pathways wear new blankets
moonlight floods the starlit sky
Copyright © 2020-12-16, by Liz Bennefeld.
Image by Junnifer Baya from Pixabay
Prompt: Poetry Heals Online Workshop.
shelter from the storm | #Ronovan Writes Weekly #Haiku Challenge 336 Mad & Sane
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 336 Mad and Sane
madding storm
the calm in the lee
fire’s warmth
Copyright © 2020-12-16, by Lizl Bennefeld.
A do-it-yourself day
brown on tan
repurposed dewdrops
scattered snowautumn in winter
the dry and the cold
Copyright © 2020-12-12, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Puppy Time | Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 335
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 335 Curl and Paw
my dog falls asleep
his head resting on his paws
curled up in my laphe naps while I drink coffee
then we walk around the block
Copyright © 2020-12-07, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Leaves on the Snow
overnight winds
leaves strewn on the snow
bare branchesthrough gaps in dark clouds
an autumn sun shines
Copyright © 2020-10-28, by Liz Bennefeld.
Reaching for the stars
October’s cold | #RonovanWrites #Haiku #Challenge 329
Snow, not sunshine #tanka
snow is falling, now
mostly hidden by cold mist
no wind stirs the fogremembering yesteryears
puffy clouds and sunshine rain
Copyright © 2020-10-22, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Dry ground
winds of near winter
leach moisture from the garden
turning dirt to dustseeds now dream of spring’s warm rain
safe beneath the leaves and weeds
Copyright © 2020-10-20, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 328 Dust & Weed
Raindrop Promises | #RonovanWrites #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 328
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 328 Dust & Weed
Promises in Raindrops
Sweet Alyssum Flowers
beauty among weeds
wildflower seeds and moisture
raindrops in the dustthe sky adorned with rain clouds
nature’s glory is renewed
Copyright © 2020-10-19, by Lizl Bennefeld.
quiet ripples
a rippled surface
light dances on the water
fins keep me in place
Copyright © 2020-09-30, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Image (modified) by Breathless Design from Pixabay
Midnight and Dawn | RonovanWrites #Haiku #Weekly #Challenge Drip+Drop
drip…drop…plink…kerPLOP
raindrops falling off the roof
wake me from my sleepevening’s gentle lullaby
a reveille at morning
Copyright © 2020-10-13, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Image (altered) by Krzysztof Pluta from Pixabay.
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 327
snowflakes on water
windswept sunlight
ripples sparkle on the water
shadows dance belowwhen the lake’s surface stills
each falling snowflake chimes
Copyright © 2020/10/01, by Lizl Bennefeld.
This is the first day in October, and judging by the temperature drop, I am expecting snow to appear soon in our weather forecasts. As it stands, frost late tonight and tomorrow morning, and watch out for winds and wind chill information.
Concept source: “The Sound of Snowflakes”, by Philip Ball. See “Lake in Winter” for a previous poem that centers on this information.
*Click on photo for attribution.
focus of the world
lost time and regret
as the focus of the world
narrows and darkensa dim light—far distant—shines
brighter in the depths of night
Copyright © 2020-09-30, by Lizl Bennefeld
Image by Tim Oosterbeek from Pixabay
evening walk
parting clouds
dry leaves underfoot
soft moonlight
Copyright © 2020-09-29, by Lizl Bennefeld.
I Promise You | #RonovanWrites #Haiku #Challenge 325 Calm+Storm
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 325 CALM & STORM
the calm and quiet
at the center of the storm…
there are flowers stillautumn leaves, the scent of rain
after winter comes the spring
Copyright © 2020-09-28, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Promises of life
branches and bright leaves
the rustling of dawn’s first breath
dewdrops on the grass
life seen through fresh lenses
daily promises of life
Copyright © 2020-09-19, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Leaves and Fruit
Change of Seasons
Fruit on the Branches
Beside the Gate
close beside the gate
shallow graves for baby birds
fallen from their nests
covered now by bricks and dirt
wildflowers for remembrance
Copyright © 2020-09-19, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Pending…
to those not yet dead
consider what is lacking
for those left behind
promises to be fulfilled
apologies for dying
[tanka.] Copyright © 2020-09-21, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Thoughts for those of us who dare and who also expect never to fall or fail.
Image by E. W. Bennefeld, 24 April 2018.
Family | Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 324
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 324 Fury&Slow
the fury of pups
as they wrestle in the mud
eager nails and teeth
the sweetness of their slow breaths
as they settle down to sleep
Copyright © 2020-09-21, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Scented Water | #RonovanWrites Weekly Haiku Poetry Prompt 322
Ronovan Writes #Weekly #Haiku #Poetry Prompt #Challenge 322 Cup&Sip
sip the morning dew
caught in nature’s perfumed cup
sweetened by sunlight
each new day is made for joy
revealed or in the making
Copyright © 2020-09-07, by Lizl Bennefeld.
Quilted Poetry 