On swans and ships!

Although my wife and I are currently in Scotland, and although we are greatly enjoying our time with both family and friends, I don't have much opportunity to prepare posts for the blog! However, we were walking around Strathclyde Loch when the sight before me prompted me to think of a little verse:

Four swans,

gliding silently over the surface of the loch,

line astern

like ships of Nelson’s fleet.

Then, as happened before, I then came up with a Haiku. You may recall, from a previous post, (if you didn't already know!) that a Haiku is composed of just seventeen syllables, in three groups - five, seven, and five.  In the English language the groups are usually presented as three lines. 

So, here is my Haiku version of the above!

Swans glide silently

on the surface of the loch;

line astern, like ships.

That's all for now, folks! :-)

Dordogne Haiku!

As we drive around the south-west of France, where we now live, my wife and I are often surrounded by vine-yards - field after field of vines, now heavily-laden with grapes that will soon be harvested and, eventually, become fine wines.  The rows are perfectly straight.  The vines are kept well-trimmed - the same height and width all along each row.

It was some weeks ago that my 'poetic' mind came up with a brief stanza:

Regimented rows of vines;
Standing tall and straight
Like Guardsmen on parade
On the Queen's official birthday.

Vineyard in Gardonne.

However, as I continued to reflect on those words, I remembered the Japanese poetic form of the 'haiku'.  This is composed of just seventeen syllables, in three groups - five, seven, and five.  In the English language the groups are usually presented as three lines.  So, having made some changes to my original verse, I present my Haiku to the Dordogne.  The picture, by the way, is the field of vines directly opposite our new home.  Beyond the trees is the river Dordogne, from which the Département takes its name.

Haiku to the Dordogne.

Regimented rows,

Like Grenadiers on parade.

Vines in the Dordogne.