Senryu: the Dead

Between the crosses
Mark our place; we are the Dead
And we shall not sleep

senryu by M. Nakazato LaFreniere

Victoria C. Slotto introduced an Erasure poetry form on DVerse “Look What I Found“.  You erase words from a poem or prose to make a new poem. I was looking around for something to make a poem from when Chèvrefeuille offered “In Flanders Field” on Heeding Haiku to inspire people to write a haiku.  I thought it would be perfect to try an erasure haiku.  You can see the words in the original poem, that I used.

Here’s the poem, I erased to find the words to make my senryu:

In Flanders fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

© John McCrae

Photo in second life:  Winter had already done a graveyard on Halloween island so I added a few poppies to go with the poem.  Hope you like it.  by M. Nakazato LaFreniere, aka Kayla Woodrunner

Look What I Found
Erasure poetry challenge by Victoria C. Slotto
DVerse Pub

In Flanders Field
Heeding Haiku With Chèvrefeuille
Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie