I am indebted to fellow poet, Janice Scully from Salt City Verse  , who last week posted her 'Holiday Haikus.'  Janice wrote her haiku poems to accompany three  photographs gathered from a recent holiday. Her poems were ekphrastic poems. Janice's post sparked my thinking... I decided to trawl through my extensive collection of travel photographs and choose three from the archives and link them to some poetry. I consciously chose a syllabic sibling of the haiku, -the tanka (5,7,5,7,7).  I have called the resultant poems- 'Travel Tankas.' The world we wander is increasingly visual. Our smartphones make it so accessible. It is increasingly apparent that there is an interconnectedness between photography and writing. We can use the photographic image to enhance our writing experiences. It makes sense to bring these two dynamic crafts together.  Photographs don't over-ride my need for words, they enhance it... So thank you again, Janice, your post helped launch a mo...

  Have recently spent two weeks in Bali. It provided some respite from our Australian winter and afforded me the opportunuty to read, write and relax. We spent 10 days in tranquil Sanur and four days in the more highly populated area near Seminyak.  Spending time in a new or different location never fails to stimulate my thinking around writing. This time in Bali was no exception. I had just started a new writer's notebook. This further heightened my writing urge. I was keen to capture ink and ideas.  Here is a sampling of some of the short verse that emerged across those hungry pages during our vacation in the island of the Gods. Sanur Haiku   Outrigger canoe Glides easily through the waves Painted hull shining.   Red kit dips and weaves Its plastic frame whirring loudly As it sky dances.   Tropical garden Lush growth of leaves and flowers Such fecundity.   The tide slinks away Revealing the rocky reef Marine life expos...

 I am currently staying in Bali, more precisely in Sanur. Sanur is quite tranquil and serene, representing older, more traditional culture. The pace of life in this area is certainly less hectic than other parts of this incredible island. I have visited Bali many times and have stayed in various locations across those visits. The people and the place continue to provide much inspiration for writing.  I have been trying to capture a spirit of place while in Sanur. I found myself writing a series of tankas. I'm not sure why I chose the tanka form, but I am pleased with what I have been able to capture. I so enjoy surrendering my writing thoughts to my immediate surrounds. Poetry of place is such a pleasurable indulgence. Hope you enjoy my gatherings... Sanur Tankas Reef & Sea Reef resists the sea Becalming the shorebound waves Ocean's roar muffled Transformed to a constant hum Heard at  water's edge. Swallow Flight Above my beach lounge Swallows flit erratically Tiny fe...