I'm not a morning person (an insomniac night owl by nature), and to work at the project house means waking up at 6 a.m. and commuting an hour each way twice a day. As the days grow rapidly longer here in the Pacific Northwest, the blessing of rising at 6 a.m. is watching the drama of the sky and unfolding light of sunrise.
My morning ritual in the year we've lived with our view of Puget Sound and Seattle, has been to look east each morning out toward the water while I eat breakfast, noticing, paying attention, sometimes taking photos, receiving the day with curiosity and gratitude--but not usually before 8 or 9 a.m. if I'm working at home.
Recently I've expanded this spiritual practice to include taking a photo of my early morning view, composing an accompanying haiku, and then posting the result on Facebook to share with my friends.
I'm enjoying the simplicity of the form as I search my mind for the right words and syllables: the 5-7-5 pattern I learned in fourth grade when we studied Japan in Mrs. Schmidt's class.
Some mornings words come as soon as I set down my camera, other days I ponder during our morning commute while my husband drives. This practice may disappear as the sun will soon rise well before I do, or it may stop when our project house is finished. Who knows what the future holds?
For now, though, I'm enjoying this ritual, this discipline that pulls me out of bed and into contemplation and gratitude first thing each day. Here are the photos & haikus I've written to go with them so far, in no particular order. Enjoy!
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Cloudy Haiku
Steel day shot through gray
Rain and thunderstorms forewarn God's drama, not mine April 24 |
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Haiku for This Morning
On the horizon
dawn offers its glowing coal
our lives fringed in flame
April 17
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Monday Morning Haiku
City silhouette sun sliding over the Sound gratitude spilling April 20 |
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Haiku for the Samish ferry's sea trials
Empty new ferry
sails round four times; its message:
April 28 |
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Another Haiku
This scene brings to mind
doves descending from heaven
I long for God's voice
April 28
The day of April 27th changed so dramatically, I had to write two poems, just a few hours apart:
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Monday Morning Haiku
Today comes on plain no dazzling sunrise greets me just a quiet grace. April 27 |
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Haiku for this surprising Monday
Gray sky grows brilliant
Earth displays God's handiwork
Preserve this beauty
April 27
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My husband & I wrote this silly one together while driving to work. He's noticed that I'm more chipper now that I'm haikuing in the mornings:
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Haiku For Morning Haiku
A haiku a day
Helps keep the grumbles away
I'm very happy
April 21 |
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Wednesday Haiku
The new day greets us
shirred with possibilities
What will we become?
April 29
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These are wonderful--each photo, each word, each haiku! Keep haiku-ing, Cathy! They make my day!
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