Haiku Conversation

I would like to introduce you to an online friend. Her name is Farah Lawal and she, and her poetry, can be found at

http://pearlsfrompain.wordpress.com/

I sort of stumbled onto her site several months ago, while simply browsing the web. All I really remember is coming across the name of her site and clicking on it out of curiosity. What I found there was a Voice in the making. She was engaged in writing a poem a day. That’s something I have done and know that’s its a hard task, one worth attempting, and also one that can be incredibly rewarding.

I really liked what I found there. Liked the way she layed down her words, the honesty with which she did so, and the courage it takes to do such a thing. I found myself not only intrigued, but wanting to encourage her to stay with it. That was my only intent, but within a few weeks, found myself walking down a new path. I actually became a blogger. She made it look so easy and simple that I couldn’t resist.

I started the 1sojournal site and my life has changed in so many ways that I find it hard to list all of them. But one of the most important of them is the fact that Farah and I can actually collaborate and have a conversation using poetry to do so. I still visit her site periodically, leave comments, and occasionally respond to her pieces with poetic lines. I really like that experience. Which brings me to today’s piece.

A few weeks ago, Farah offered a Haiku on the subject of dreams. When I read it, I immediately could hear a response forming in my head, so quickly dropped it in her comments section. When I went back a day later, she had done the same. I was delighted and continued. We had no other contact while this was going on, and it continued for several more days.

When I asked her if I could offer it here, she graciously agreed. Spontaneity is an important aspect of inspiration, and the following Haiku conversation proves that reality. Farah’s original haiku begins the exchange, mine follows, and so on back and forth. The only thing that was changed is the structural format, I moved it to the center of the page to give it more prominence.

Dreams Haiku

what are dreams really?
words we say to keep moving
until we can’t walk.

Oh, but dreams really
do come true on occasion,
if, we allow them.

when we don’t allow,
dreams stomp their feet and beat drums
that make hollow sound.

Or sometimes, quiet
as a mouse, invade that house
thought to be emptied.

empty it was til
dreams filled it halls like house guests
who refuse to leave.

Always asking, “Please,
will you do this one thing, I
know you don’t want to?”

dreams drag me into
lands of uncomfortable
and leave me there.

But always with hope,
only light in constant fight
with coming darkness.

Farah Lawal and Elizabeth Crawford

Posted at Poets United Poetry Pantry – 3/10/13
http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/