Kimberley Moran is this week’s hostess at Written Reflections
Being part of a martial arts family, I have to say that “Haiku” sounds as if it could be a martial arts self-defense style.
Ergo, on this Valentine’s Day weekend, rather than sparring helmets, arm and shin guards self-protective love….a Haiku heart of stone self-defense mechanism photo-poem for those responsibly cautious-in-love (a.k.a.”control freaks” —that would be me!) who want to protect against being caught off guard, impaled by one of Cupid’s unexpected love-at-first-sight arrows–especially if Cupid’s aim is off and the arrow is wayward! Scary stuff!
(Martial artists–with the correct mind-over-matter hand or foot technique–actually can break through stone. But please don’t tell the cautious-in-love heart-protective self-defense artist.)
Now, for the entire Poetry Friday community and all those–hearts totally vulnerable–who love and allow themselves to be loved by poetry:
Happy Valentine’s Day, Blessed Poetry Lovers!
By Nevit Dilmen (talk · contribs) (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons
cbhanek 
what a beautiful heart-shaped stone! Loved the impenetrable bit. 🙂
Thank you so very much, as always, for taking time to read and to comment. I appreciate your specific, complimentary feedback. God bless you! Am glad the hearts of the PF community members are not impenetrable. (There’s a mouthful!) Thank you!
I like the unexpectedness of pairing martial arts with romance! I can imagine someone holding up their arms to knock arrows away. (People can break through stone?? Wow.) Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thank you for taking time to read the poem and to share your insights, which I always look forward to reading:) Thank you for imagining arm blocks fending over arrows, and, yes, I’ve seen martial artists break through stone. I’m told it’s a matter of conditioning (e.g. blistered/toughened skin: wrist to pinky) and mind over matter. I prefer to keep my mind on the matter of poetry. I admit it would be nice to have a real breakthrough moment in the literary arts:) God bless you! Have a wonderful weekend; missed your post!
p.s. That would be calloused (not blistered); calloused is a good need-to-defend against Valentine word….
Love that play on words, HE-ART. Very fun to see how you put it all together too. Happy Valentine’s Day, and perhaps “May the force be with you.”
Thank you very much for taking time to read and to comment. Sometimes I think I try to have too much parallel play-on-word fun in one 5-7-5 worth of syllables-poem. Am glad you liked the he-art:) Thank you, too, for the Valentine’s well wishes. This weekend, with record-breaking low temps forecasted, the force of warm sun is what I’d especially like, especially after awaking to a dead car battery this morning. God bless you! Thank you again for your encouraging words.
When it comes to love, is there such a thing as impenetrable? I love your haiku!
Thank you so very much for your insights. “Love conquers all…” even “hearts of stone”…I think you’re right!!! God bless you for taking time to read and to share your encouragement. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Wonderful haiku, this takes the well worn expression “heart of stone” to new levels. 🙂
“new levels”–I like that!…As long as it’s to new heights, and not to new depths:)… God bless you for reading and for affirming my Haiku attempts:)
Very clever! Love it. Happy Valentine’s Day.
🙂 Thank you for taking time to read and to share your positive comments. I’m very grateful. God bless you! Have a love-ly Valentine’s weekend!
I can’t imagine a poet having a heart of stone, but if I had to, I think it would be tongue in cheek like yours. Great photo, great art, and I hope you get lots of flowers and chocolates (and a fresh car battery) from some intrepid archer. (But no puncture wounds or arm bars.)
Amen! Thank you, as always, for your enthusiastic comments and well wishes. Hope your Valentine’s Day is everything–and even more–than you hoped or imagined. God bless you!
My pleasure to stop by and partake of the beauty here. Blessings to you and yours!
🙂 Thank you!
Lovely haiku! So much power in so few words. Happy Valentine’s Day!
What an amazing, surprising blessing to discover that you read and commented on my Valentine Haiku. Your kindness has left me speechless…Here’s why! …When I was asked to initiate a PreK library program for two hundred developmentally delayed 3 and 4 year olds in our school district, guess whose books were my steadfast teaching companions: YOURS! …When I wrote the PreK Library Curriculum, the Director of Curriculum was surprised by the complexity of the standards that were being addressed, and I have to say that the combination of your telling and engaging illustrations and rhymes made it possible for even the littlest learners to grasp a variety of sophisticated skills, while thoroughly enjoying actively participating in twenty-minute library lessons. Of all the different kinds of teaching I did—from that PreK experience to undergraduate adjuncting at a university, starting the PreK Literacy Lab, with print and non-print resources was singly my greatest joy—and although you did not know it—your books provided the launching pad for me to soar with those students. Happy Valentine’s Day! I love your books. I admire your giftedness in capturing the imagination of children and adults to see, to expand, and to extend familiar rhymes in new ways. (Actually, sad truth in our district is that with few exceptions, children come to school devoid of a knowledge of familiar nursery rhymes, which makes what you have done even more important and impactful.) God bless you and thank you! Despite having just shared so many words, I remain grateful and speechless! Thank you!
Oh my! Now I am grateful and speechless! Thank you so much for the kind words. I am delighted that my books have been useful teaching tools for you and I so appreciate that you are using them with your students!
Thank YOU very, very much! I have tremendous regard for teachers and librarians. I’ve met so many over the years and am in awe of their (your) enthusiasm, dedication and big hearts. Thank you for the wonderful and important work you are doing!
As heartfelt and meaningful as these 8 letters possibly can be: Thank you!
I feel the love! 🙂 Thanks!
Yes, I can see “Haiku” as shout in a martial arts class, just before a board is broken. But I’ve been hearing “Haiku!” in my classroom quite often these past couple of weeks, followed by a very wet blow into a Kleenex!!
LOL! Thank you! Hope you manage to stay invulnerable to the aftermath of the sneezes. I read once that the germ-laden vapor travels 15 feet. (Think there’s a poem in that?) Yuck! Stay well. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Great job! Haiku is such a versatile form and lends itself well to illustration. Valentine’s love to you and yours.
Thank you! for the Valentine’s Day well wishes and for taking time to read and to respond to the poem. Everything you said about Haiku poems is true; truthfully, it’s my favorite form because 17 syllables is about all I can somewhat deftly handle at a time.:) God bless you! Loving Valentine wishes back to you & yours!
I don’t think I realized you were part of a martial arts family, cb. I’ll remember not to mess with you. 🙂 I am enjoying these poem pictures that you’ve been experimenting with. Happy Valentine’s Day!
YEs!..Please don’t mess with me–not because I know martial arts–but because I don’t. After training literally more than a thousand men, women, and children (sans moi; thanks/no thanks), my husband put me on notice many years ago about coming home attacked:)…So appreciative that you took time to have a look at the poem; so glad you’re seeing some experimental progress. (Actually, that’s going to be the substance of next week’s PF post.) Thanks in advance for all your encouragement. Have a doubly wonderful birthday/Valentine’s Day weekend. Hope you’re being treated royally.
This is speaking to me! “For those responsibly cautious-in-love (a.k.a.”control freaks” —that would be me!) who want to protect against being caught off guard, impaled by one of Cupid’s unexpected love-at-first-sight arrows.” I caught one of those arrows 30 years ago … the arrow’s still working its magic.
What a beautiful testimony on this Valentine’s Weekend! God bless you and the one who captured your heart–love at first sight, and keeps it joyful and grateful so many years hence! …Thank you for taking time to read and to share your heart-speak. I’m so glad the poem resonated with you. God bless you. Happy Valentine’s Day!