John Knight Poems

On 12 January 2010 a 7.0 force earthquake struck 16 miles offshore from Port-au-Prince demolishing the capital and killing many thousands of its citzens. Haiti occupies the western third of Hispanola a Carribean Island 45 miles east of Cuba. The population is just in excess of 10 million and about 3 million Hatians live abroad. It is a poor country and many of its citizens have poor health including TB and Aids. It is nominally Christian (80% Catholic) and about 50% of the population practise Hatian Vodu. What can we do? We can give generously now and during the year. If we have specialist skills we can join teams being sent out by our Governments. We can also pray Individually and Collectively for our beloved 'Brothers & Sister' in Haiti. It's up to you - but please do something.

Pray for Haiti and the Haitians
That GOD will hear their cries and prayers
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My Mother was a Herbalist
Who lived to ninety five
And with her pills and potions
She kept us all alive!
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The RONDELET consists of seven lines. Lines One - three - seven have four syllables and are identical. Lines Two - four - five - six have eight syllables. Line four rhymes with line three and lines two - five - six all rhyme with each other. A - b - A - a - b - b - A simple! This poem consists of five consecutive thematically linked RONDELET.

Two hearts as one
Two hearts that beat in unity
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How deep my love for you? - Vast oceans deep
Man could not forge a craft to plumb its depths.
How strong my love for you? - T'woulld make men weep
To test its strength and see their strength bereft.
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MILK - One of God's preciuos gifts
For all who seek to live
Of all the food that passes lips
This has the most to give.
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They were very very important men
In their own Country - very important
However when you leave your comfort zone
Get out on the road - then you are.....
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One of the most versatile substances on Earth,
Why do we always take glass for granted?
A wine bottle, a pickle jar, a cheap vase,
A window pane, all disposable and recyclable.
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I believe in Miracles - I've seen the risng Sun
I believe in Miracles - I've seen the cheetah run.
I believe in Miracles - I've seen my baby born
I believe in Miracles - I've glimpst the unicorn.
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Russian Haiku resists definition - it defies geography and structure. Bound only by its language and the internet - it finds ways to mix Russian literary tradition with Japanese style and Western logic. It is in its infancy and has yet to establish a boundary between real and imagined - self and the world. Everything is possible in this virtual thought environment. In the late ninteen nineties the Japanese Embassy in Moscow sponsored the first Russian Haiku Contest and recieved ten thousand entries. Haiku is alive and well in Russia. Personally I find there is a gentle and ephemeral quality about the Russian Haikus. Some items - transalted into English - are shown below. It would be nice if Russian members of the PH family could comment and provide some examples of their own.

train starting off
the silent rise of
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Good Morning God - I bring to you my day
Good Morning God - please hear me as I pray
There are so many things I want to share
There are so many people in my prayer.
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