Month: February 2017

Violating Haiku

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

an oily gold rush ~

flows out from the frack-raped earth ~

Mother’s black-inked tears

~

boys rush the Bakken ~

covet all precious treasure ~

shatter the girls’ gems

~

when Females are raped ~

shouldn’t all be shocked and wonder ~

what through pipeline flows?

~

#noDAPL

(Rape and sexual assault against women and girls have skyrocketed in the communities surrounding the Bakken Oil Fields since fracking began, increasing by some estimates more than 160%. These crimes have disproportionately impacted Indigenous females who live on the area’s reservation.)

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in haiku & poetry. Bookmark the permalink.

Returning

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

as a child
through woodland wandered
touched the roots
with gentle feet
heard the rumble
wisdom ancient
patience
tapping
riches
deep

grown I walk
through concrete wasteland
trip on cracks
with tired toes
hear the grumbles
people modern
hurried
rushing
vacant
flows

return me now
to verdant fields
surrounding me
the soft wind thrills
heaven pressed
the air’s alluring
nature
soothing
my soul
stills

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in poetry & free verse. Bookmark the permalink.

U.S. Army Corps To Grant Final Permit for the Dakota Access Pipeline: Court Filing

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The treatment of this country toward our Indigenous brothers and sisters continues to be appalling. Every time we discover a resource or use for their treaty negotiated lands, we take them. My heart goes out to all those who have bravely fought this battle. We must continue to fight. #noDAPL

A Wall Built High

.Reading time 1 minute.

how can we build a wall high enough to keep “evil” out?

with children’s buckets of sand
stolen by the kindergarten bully,
a molded garrison
wet with their tears –
youth’s hording
mockeries

or

with sticks and stones
and mountains of bones
of broken bodies
decayed on the ground –
states’ colonizing
batteries

with bricks and mortar
mixed with the ashes
of cremated remains
from gas-filled
sorting-house
factories

it sounds simple
like child’s play –
steal from one
allow another to
horde
colonize
sort

and

construct

a wall built high

I think when he says, “keep ‘evil’ out”,
he really means,
fence
it
all
in

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me.

Posted in poetry & free verse. Bookmark the permalink.

A Ticking Haiku

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

minutes are passing ~

shattered the glass to buy more ~

purchased sandy floor

~

(Inspired by my son, who seems to have grown inches overnight and now towers over me. I remember when…)

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in haiku & poetry. Bookmark the permalink.

time3

My Haiku Addiction

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

five – seven – five dance ~

by the bantam poem entranced ~

my toes tap haiku

~

 

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in haiku & poetry. Bookmark the permalink.

An Empty Haiku

.Reading time less than 1 minute.

debate the word, “BAN”

the most disturbing label?

Muslims = bad people

~

Words and Photography ©2017 Tanya Cliff ~ to contact me

Posted in haiku & poetry. Bookmark the permalink.

Posted in response to this Tweet: “Everybody is arguing whether or not it is a BAN. Call it what you want, it is about keeping bad people (with bad intentions) out of country!” Donald J. Trump, Feb. 1, 2017 on Twitter