by phillipw | Oct 14, 2026 | JE, LE, SI, SW
Not the Daughter of Louhi Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem The moral of the legend, of the tale Of Lemminkäinen comes through To minds refusing to be straight. They sail Like Tuonela’s swan. They swim...
by phillipw | Oct 14, 2026 | Sonnet
“I forgot, Phillip.” Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem I know what depth is. You have taught me, whole. Your hair first taught me with its curls and black. Your depth dives deeper than the deepest hole....
by phillipw | Oct 13, 2026 | DE
Haunting Do not darken white Blooms on the hedge with your light From paper lanterns. ~ Hōrō [Englished by Phillip Whidden] When artificial light is turned on, white Of tiny blossoms, white themselves in dark Of garden realm, retreats. An almost blight From...
by phillipw | Oct 13, 2026 | HA, JA, SE
Duality as Unity The purity of peonies is marred In Japanese imagination . . . by Two brothers who opted to disregard The beauty lives had brought them. Duty’s sly Demands for Emperor required them . . . to Commit twinned harikari after loss In battle. Once the...
by phillipw | Oct 13, 2026 | CH, SE, ST
The Feed The willow leans, bends Her darkening bosom over Anther of the bloom. ~ Basho [Englished by Phillip Whidden] We hesitate to think how many breasts Of women bent above his heart to take Him in below, how many begging chests With bobbling nipples then began to...
by phillipw | Oct 12, 2026 | Sonnet
Undressed [Two rhyming couplets are rule-breakingly offered at the end of this sonnet for you to choose from. Why not tell me which one you prefer, please?] A u bloom* in hair As decoration; best For the Barrier. ~ Sora [Englished by Phillip Whidden] His wife sent me...
by phillipw | Oct 12, 2026 | BU, FA, IN, MA
Taira no Atsumari and Kumagai Naozane Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem “play on” ~ John Keats, “Ode on a Grecian Urn” The complications in what people call a man The complications in what people call a man...
by phillipw | Oct 11, 2026 | Sonnet
Shockingly Incongruous Perfection Growing Against Lynn Wood Hall Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem Some blossoms give us guidance. Some are white In darkness. You can see them so they give Intelligence...
