Author Archives: Kat Myrman

Turpitude – Friday’s Word of the Day Haiku


Happy Friday! Today’s Dictionary.com Word of the Day is Turpitude. It finds its roots in the Latin term turpis meaning “base, vile”, entering English in the late 1400’s. Today, it is often paired with the word, “moral”. (See below)Happy Friday! Today’s Dictionary.com Word of the Day is Turpitude. It finds its roots in the Latin term turpis meaning “base, vile”, entering English in the late 1400’s. Today, it is often paired with the word, “moral”. (See below)

From Wikipedia:

Moral turpitude is a legal concept in the United States and some other countries that refers to “conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals. This term appears in U.S. immigration lawbeginning in the 19th century.

The concept of “moral turpitude” might escape precise definition, but it has been described as an “act of baseness, vileness, or depravity in the private and social duties which a man owes to his fellowmen, or to society in general, contrary to the accepted and customary rule of right and duty between man and man.”

Perpetrators of turpitude can be found, of course, filling our prisons, but I can think of a few other places where they might hang out! Here is my haiku then. Have a great weekend! 

Some fill our prisons,
Those guilty of turpitude,
Some are elected!

kat ~ 6 May 2016



Pasithea

For Jane Dougherty’s poetry prompts this week, the charcoal drawing by Odilon Redon, entitled “Tears” and by the words: Tears, Horizon, Fly, Hue, Stealing. 

I also took a bit of inspiration from Greek mythology and the story of Hypnos, son of Nyx, who won the hand of the youngest of the Graces, as payment for favors rendered to the Goddess Hera… 

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Charcoal drawing by Odilon Redon, entitled ‘Tears

She was light to his darkness,
most tender of the Graces, stealing
his heart at first
glance, her soft hypnotic
hue, shimmering pearlescent against
the purple-black horizon, a ransom
paid for favors, shifting
the tide of his fly-by-night
existence, giving birth to
dreams, sweet dreams, quenching
his eternal longing for sunrises and
sets, collecting his bitter
tears of regret in
rivers of forgetfulness.

kat ~ 6 May 2016


New Moon

She wears earth’s veil
across her dark waning face
new moon blushing cool
shades of soft wisteria
on a star-specked canvas.

©kat 4 May 2016
(Tanka)


Robin Red Dawning

Every morning before the sun comes up, I see this fellow on my neighbor’s roof. This is a little digital painting of a photo I took of him. He is quite comical and has grown accustomed to me. Sometimes he tilts his curious head as he glances at me. I think that I would miss him were he not there. I wonder if he would miss me. I wrote a little Senryu poem about him. I consider him one of those momentary graces that wait for me to discover them each day. I’m so glad that I’m paying attention. 🙂

robinonroof

Robin Red Dawning

Robin on the roof
every morning before dawn
watching me watching.

kat ~ 3 May 2016
(a Senryu Poem)


Tempests and Tempers

darkening gloom, tempers ignite
a tempest looms as bitter words spew
billowing clouds poisonous venom
swelling with rain unleashing rage
a thunderous deluge taking no prisoners
flooding the earth slaying the soul

kat ~ 2 May 2016
(A Cleave Poem)