original poem

a daily tanka – 27 May

what to write? what to write?

dawn, and in rushes poem 
enunciates ocean
eucalypt bird factory
traffic and so on...

Image: The muses, Emmy Towsey (Taussig) and Evelyn Ippen, Bodenwieser, Ballet in Centennial Park, Sydney, c.1939, photo Max Dupain c/- State Library of NSW on Flickr. I know, not a strict tanka today.

And for music today here’s The Carpenters with the Royal Philharmonic with Masquerade. The whole album is a lush delicious bath. Released in 2018, the album features The Carpenters’ original vocal and instrumental tracks accompanied by new orchestral arrangements by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Richard Carpenter produced, arranged and conducted. (Youtubers: Masquerade, Album)

A daily tanka – 11 May

the expressway snarls
over Sydney’s grand icon 
another train clatters

below a grey heron stalks 
the shore silent and serious 

Image: David Moore, Sydney Harbour after sunrise, looking east c. 1963 c/- David Moore Photography

Today’s musical offering is some deep listening by Stockholm sound artist Ellen Arkbro For Organ and Brass (it’s only three tracks but Mountain of Air is a good place to start).

A daily tanka – 9 May

i’m seeing lots of blue
blue bays, fantastic tans & white-
washed cliff top churches

come pilgrim, come traveller
— weekend magazine

Image: Morning over the Mediterranean, Turkey, years ago.

For music this morning, jazz from 1960 with pianist Bill Evans and guitarist Jim Hall in Undercurrent. And here’s the dream-like cover photo from American photographer Toni Frissell,  “Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida”.

A daily tanka – 8 May

grasses in profusion
beautify the freeway 

unmown, the median strip 
hides oncoming traffic 
— all I see is wildflowers

Image: Local traffic this morning.

And this morning’s musical offering from Canadian gamelan orchestra – Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan – with their album – Solo. Start anywhere – perhaps – Gamelan Solo 1 – Wood – perfect for writing a well balanced tanka or two.

Daily tanka – May 2

In the room the air 
has sides cornered, delimited 
floor to ceiling 

a dragonfly (call it thought) 
clatters against the glass

Image: Waiting room, Wollongong Hospital.

And today’s musical offering, in keeping with the mallet theme of yesterday’s pick, here’s jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson from 1968 (tho not released until 1980…what were they thinking?) with his album Patterns (pick any track you like – it’s all gold – a favourite: Nocturnal – just the ticket for writing tanka…)

A daily tanka – 30 April

here a Bob Ross sky
blended blended blue and rose 
van dyke pines lakefront
happy forest just like that
touch of crimson there you go

Image: On my walk this morning, before it rained. Having missed the poem a month celebrations, I’m going to try for a daily tanka for a while (there’s a local anthology afoot). Bob Ross was a landscape artist and tv personality.

Today’s music choice: Berlin musicians F.S Blumm and Nils Frahm collaboration Tag Eins, Tag Zwei