Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

how cold it is!
a young woman jogs
in shorts and t-shirt


and ascribed to Basho...

For one who says,
"I am tired of children,"

there are no blossoms.


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Marie Bortolotto

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

why rush?
time fades into
a breath of fresh air




II.

the end
of the day
what remains?



III.

reaching
for the stars
twilight silhouettes


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The Door
by Miroslav Holub
 

Go and open the door.
Maybe outside there’s
a tree, or a wood,
a garden,
or a magic city.

Go and open the door.
Maybe a dog’s rummaging.
Maybe you’ll see a face,
or an eye,
or the picture
of a picture.

Go and open the door.
If there’s a fog
it will clear.

Go and open the door.
Even if there’s only
the darkness ticking,
even if there’s only
the hollow wind,
even if
nothing
is there,
go and open the door.

At least
there’ll be
a draught.

 

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

fading
in November's gloom
fairy lights

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

breathing
deeper and deeper into the
lightness of morning


II.

morning meditation
sweeping away
the dead leaves



III.

around the block
a pilgrim
walks home

Marie Bortolotto Art

 
Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

waking up
to a deluge of rain
the cry of a seagull


II.

shivering
in November's wind
bare-branched trees



III.

all the leaves are gone
the traveller ponders
arrivals and departures



IV.

is anything certain?
at the end of autumn
winter comes



V.

dirty laundry
the wash cycle seems
never ending



VI.

gazing upon
the silence of the grave
three old crows



VII.

is anything certain?
even the spy thriller ends
without answers



VIII.

surprise!
the mute panhandler
unleashes his voice

Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

as I age
listening more
than seeing



II.

cold morning
a bush of pink roses
blooms



III.

thoughts of home
throughout the morning
an old Chinese man walks



IV.

walking
a lawnmower cuts
the smell of grass

V.

haiku on fire!
walking into the fumes of
a leaf blower



VI.

ray of sunshine
the little girl opens
a yellow umbrella

poetry in the wordless

Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

sudden gust
a weeping willow shimmers
in sound



II.

November shadows
yellow chrysanthemums bloom
at Avalokiteśvara's feet



III.

vacant home
poetry hides from
shuttered eyes

 

 

 

 

Poetic Sketches
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

catastrophic weather jargon
cleaning out the ears



II.

after the storm
raindrops fall from
the weeping willow



III.

windy morning
walking into the smell
of burnt toast



IV.

bus stop
the traveller waits
for poetry



V.

dark cloud
the young woman shelters
under a pink umbrella



VI.

thin air
the wordsmith gathers
haiku



VII.

screen time
a boy with his dog
walk the iphone



VIII.

pigeons on the wire
trying in my way
to be free



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Leonard Cohen, Bless you for all the poetic
utterances you left behind for us to hear!

Poetic Sketches
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

children
out for a walk
lots of laughs



II.

the way home
only the traveller
meets children



III.

why does time
seem to fly?
the old woman walks



IV.

what is happiness?
a party of sparrows chitter
in the trees



V.

tired eyes
the traveller's gaze rests upon 
a snowy mountain

and by Basho...

 

 

The moon and sun are travellers through eternity. Even the years wander on.
Whether drifting through life on a boat or climbing toward old age leading a horse,
each day is a journey and the journey itself is home.

Poetic Sketches
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

during the windstorm
clinging leaves lose their grip
a lost glove


II.

Buddhist temple
a sangha of chickadees twitter
Avalokiteśvara



III.

just breathing
on this blustery day
the heart comes alive




IV.
 

tin porch bells
only the traveller hears
a symphony of goats

A symphony of goats!


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Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

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I.

where are the cats?
a pussy willow sprouts
new buds



II.

no more gloom
a snowy mountain peak
rises above



III.

November's gloom
urban faces look
the other way




IV.

deserted alley
a wind chime
tinkles

Toshi Tsuchitori - Playing prehistoric music in the Cougnac Caves, France.

Art by Marie Bortolotto 2024

 

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

I.

bitter wind
a chrysanthemum bud
opens its petals



II.

school recess
in her dreams
a little girl plays



III.

out for a walk
the old dog refuses
to go home

Toshi Tsuchitori (aka Toshi Tsuchitori)
Ancient Japanese Bells from Yayoi Period

Tsuchitori Toshiyuki (土取 利行, b. 1950) is a Japanese multi-instumentalist,
music historian and ethnomusicologist

 

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

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I.

how is it possible?
even in the cold wind
a tiny rose blooms



II.

chilly morning
I'm reminded of Rengetsu's
poem of gratitude



III.

finding them gone
on this cold afternnoon
no meows

Marie Bortolotto

 

                                                                  La harpe de melodie

 

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

even in sickness
beauty befriends us
Shiki's gift



II.

breathless
what remains of Nishimura's
bamboo flute?



III.

deeper and deeper
into the breath
Nishimura's flute



IV.

unsung haiku
dead poets hum
in my ears



V.

a friend in need
the mute man
always waves

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

a gust of wind
rattles the fuchsias
temple bells



II.

where is everyone?
alone, in the chill  
of twilight's splendour



III.

bedtime story
listening to the romance of
Nishimura's flute

Koku Nishimura Shakuhachi

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Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

I.

wondering
where are the cats
autumn pussy willows



II.

autumn chill
in the air
the smell of burning wood



III.

no haiku today!
taking a nap after

last night's insomnia

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

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I.

vacant property
is the old woman
gone?



II.

twilight
chanting
mantras




III.

following
the red balloon
childhood wonder




IV.

nightfall
headlights twinkle through
shadows



V.

manna
from heaven
haiku



VI.

mute panhandler
only gold spills
from his lips



VII.

voiceless person
what is the story
yet to be told?

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

needing
a good cry
Pavarotti




II.

forever, Pavarotti
serenades the silence
mom and dad's grave

Luciano Pavarotti - Ave Maria 1978

Luciano Pavarotti: "O Sole Mio"

"O Sole Mio" Lyrics:

Che bella cosa na jurnata ’e sole,
n’aria serena doppo na tempesta!
Pe’ ll’aria fresca pare già na festa...
Che bella cosa na jurnata ’e sole.

Chorus:

Ma n’atu sole cchiù bello, oi ne’,
’o sole mio sta nfronte a te!
’o sole, ’o sole mio
sta nfronte a te, sta nfronte a te!

Lùceno ’e llastre d’’a fenesta toia;
’na lavannara canta e se ne vanta
e pe’ tramente torce, spanne e canta,
lùceno ’e llastre d’’a fenesta toia.

Quanno fa notte e ’o sole se ne scenne,
me vene quasi ’na malincunia;
sotto ’a fenesta toia restarria
quanno fa notte e ’o sole se ne scenne.

English translation:

What a beautiful thing is a sunny day!
The air is serene after a storm,
The air is so fresh that it already feels like a celebration.
What a beautiful thing is a sunny day!

Chorus:

But another sun, even more beauteous, oh my sweetheart,
My own sun, shines from your face!
This sun, my own sun,
Shines from your face; It shines from your face!

Your window panes shine;
A laundress is singing and boasting about it;
And while she’s wringing the clothes, hanging them up to dry, and singing,
Your window panes shine.

When night comes and the sun has gone down,
I almost start feeling melancholy;
I’d stay below your window
When night comes and the sun has gone down.

 Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024


I.

breaking open
the person soliciting donations
smiles



II.

fallen branch
seeing the way through




III.

cloudless
free-falling into
blue skies




IV.

heartbreak
person in need donates
the great gift

Marie Bortolotto Art

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Kyotaku/Koku Nishimura 虚空 / 西村虚空

Haiku
by Marie Bortolotto 2024


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I.

household shrine
roses in full bloom
fill the air



II.

humming
at 4 am
the refrigerator




III.

laughing
in the rain
children



IV.

how to
put into words?
breath of fresh air



V.

wandering
the punjab market
sweet nostalgia



VI.

waiting
to be heard
haiku

Marie Bortolotto Art

Gad Tidhar

Faran Ensemble

 

Marie Bortolotto Artist 2024

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Short Verse
by Marie Bortolotto 2024 

 

I.

where are they from?
nighttime haiku
keep me awake



II.

what remains?
the autumn wind blows away
dead leaves



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Short Verses - Clock Haiku
by Marie Bortolotto 2024 

 

I.

listening
the clock's ticking
comes and goes



II.

late grandmother

the clock
no longer ticks



III.

can you still hear

the clock ticking
no-time



IV.

The heart has its reasons,
which reason does not know.
We know truth, not only by the reason,
but also by the heart.

- Blaise Pascal

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Kassia - Byzantine Hymns from the first female composer of the Medieval Occident

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Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024 

 

I.

walking
in the rain
chatty sparrow



II.

Remembrance Day
at the playground
empty swings




III.

how to be happy?
just breathe
in and out



IV.

autumn chill
in the air
homemade soup

Poem II for Shakuhachi Solo (1972) · Nanae Yoshimura
Composer: Teizo Matsumura


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Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024 

 

I.

bare-boned tree
trembling in the wind
leafy skeletons



II.

November clouds
playing with watercolours
at school




III.

in a row
BBQ ducks hanging
Hong Kong aromas



IV.

pink blossoms
pushing through
November's gloom


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Marie Bortolotto Art

Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024 

 

I.

walking
a pilgrimage
of poetry



II.

black wings
swooping down
pray!



III.

astray
wandering far
from home


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Marie Bortolotto

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024 

 

I.

yellowed leaf
plunging to the ground
soundlessness



II.

bus ride
speeding through memories
of Zojila Pass



III.

Chinese lanterns
outburst of orangeness
illuminating the path


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Marie Bortolotto Art

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

Flowers Still Bloom

after loss
flowers still bloom
after politics
flowers still bloom
after sickness
flowers still bloom
after winter
flowers still bloom
after floods
flowers still bloom
after war
flowers still bloom
after death
flowers still bloom
after wildfires
flowers still bloom
after ruin
flowers still bloom
after all
flowers still bloom



II.

small change
person in need
expects more


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Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

petals gone
black-eyed susans
seeing through




II.

silence
for a moment

no time

III.

no laughing matter    toothless pumpkin

IV.

on this
sun-blessed autumn day
the sky, a cloudless blue
and fragrant is the wind
with golden leaves, free-falling
stars of light
how is it
only children
remember to play?

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Marie Bortolotto Art

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

youthful folly
the end of daylight
saving time



II.

on the wind
Canada geese
flying south



III.

mindless
a flock of pigeons
bolt

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Marie Bortolotto Art

 Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

cryptic utterances
listening to
bird chatter



II.

bicycle wheels
squeaking
broken record



III.

after the storm
cleaning out 
the ears



IV.

topiary art
an umbrella
open-armed



V.

pink flamingos
foraging food
plastic dreams



VI.

maybe a bird
decaying
what is it?



VII.

raindrops
on the branches
a garland of diamonds



VIII.

wabi-sabi
inhaling the smell
of dead leaves



IX.


gas fumes
breathing in
breathing out



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Marie Bortolotto Art

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

Marie Bortolotto Digital Art

I.

sleepless night
darkness casts
long shadows



II.

morning chants
rise and shine
mom's favourite



III.

peaceful dreams
under siege
Halloween fireworks



IV.

fifty dollars
the person soliciting
shares his joy



V.

the unsheltered person earning his keep   cold hands



VI.

coke-bottle eyes
person in need
sees through



VI.

botox-free
yesterday's pumpkins
losing their faces



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