You may have fallen prey

You may have fallen prey




for Willem Tensen

You may have fallen prey to such a fate
as only we imagine and cannot share;
we know your soul shall never abrogate 
her duty to her God in every prayer
you offer up to Him alone with all
you fairest friends and closest kin alike
according to your heart's most ardent call
to rally yourself against this dire strike,
this awful blow to you and yours you know
you never deserved in your faintest dreams,
this unexpected, all too nasty blow
which only love, yours and our Lord's redeems.
Your injury is also ours to bear
if only we'll bear the cross you lightly share.

Richard Vallance

October 2 2019

photo public domain

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winter haiku d’hiver – under the quilt = sous l’édredon

winter haiku d’hiver – under the quilt =  sous l’édredon

under the quilt 
my bones ache –
frosty night



sous l’édredon
mes os me font souffrir –
la nuit trop froide

Richard Vallance

adapted from a haiku by Yosa Buson (1716-1784) 
une adaptation d’un haiku de Yosa Buson ( 1716-1784 ) 

senryu – your faithful cat = ta chatte fidèle

senryu – your faithful cat = ta chatte fidèle

your faithful cat
dying in searing agony –
her banshee wail 



ta chatte fidèle
meurt en douleur fulgurante –
son cri de banshee

Richard Vallance

Unkind: in commemoration of the savage attack on a Muslim mosque in Quebec City, Sunday, January 29, 2017

Unkind

in commemoration of the savage attack on a Muslim mosque
in Quebec City, Sunday, January 29, 2017



3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you,
rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 
4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day, and seven times
come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 

Luke 17: 3-4


Is humankind so kind or so unkind
we have embraced and have abandoned love
we’ harmonized ... or despotize to blind
ourselves to pitying the mourning dove? —
or mob ourselves with xenophobic crime? —
and chase our dreams but chase them all away? —
We pillorize our neighbours half the time,
while terrorizing those for whom we pray.
Come on! What, come again?  Can you explain
why our religion has to reign supreme,
while theirs and yours must suffer mindless pain
to kill our worlds that no one can redeem. 
     Excuse me, God... Hey, do You give a damn
     as we expose our souls to another scam?


Richard Vallance,


January 30, 2017