While my family was walking in the woods, we came upon this wonderful carving. I don't know how long it has been there or who did it, but I was glad I had my camera along.
I love being outdoors and observing nature, whether it be the honey bees pollinating, colorful wildflowers, gnarly old trees, field mice scurrying under exposed tree roots, or a cerulean sky painted with fluffy white clouds. This time, it seems the roles were reversed in a way. The old bearded man in the tree is watching us.
My "stone" today is a tanka. Tanka is a form of Japanese poetry. It is somewhat like a haiku with two extra lines added. Those lines usually offer a twist, a change in mood or a related idea that give it a broader or deeper meaning. Though some people faithfully follow the syllable count 5-7-5-7-7 most modern writers simply follow the rule of short-long-short-long-long. A tanka does not have a title. Often there is no capitalization and little if any punctuation. However, if you google "how to write a tanka" there seem to be varying "schools", each with their own set of defining factors.
old man in a tree
his wooden stare follows me
as I pass him by~
some people never really leave us
memories etched upon our souls
