Midlife, that point where you realize that it’s not our purpose in life that frees us; instead, it’s our quality of connection to life, right now — that liberates us. Zenning Midlife, a mindset that recognizes that our life doesn’t have to perfect or flawed, to celebrate what we have right now — the world…inviting you into my soul through 500 haiku poems for the modern soul that represents a meaningful piece of my life’s story.
A personal journal…through a place in my heart that is broken, healed, and in-healing…my life.
What is haiku poetry?
Haiku poetry,
The pulse of life taken in,
Snapshots of moments.
Zenning Midlife: finding meaning…What makes this collection of poetry unique is the inclusion of a seasonal calendar called Shichijuni-ko (七十二候). This calendar was used in Japan from 1684 to around 1753, officially adopted in 1685. It was included as a subtle reminder of the impermanence of time, including the season of midlife. This calendar is made up of 72 microseasons, each microseason lasts for around 5 days, and it is inspired by nature: the plants, and the animals of that specific point in time. Both the seasonal calendar and haiku poetry made their cultural significance on Japan’s global history around the same time. Thus, reaffirming the significance of including this Japanese calendar within a book that celebrates haiku poetry for the modern soul.
H. L. Balcomb
Zenning Midlife, finding meaning…
Go, deep into the,
Wilderness of your heart’s truth,
Right there, you’ll find, you.
The parts of you that,
Are familiar and bright,
The dark shadows, too.
Be awake unto,
Yourself and use the chaos,
To lead you deeper.
Deeper and deeper,
Into what makes you feel alive.
Right there, find yourself.
Find yourself and stay,
There for a while, right there where,
Life’s passion meets you.
A place and a space,
That helps you to turn your pain,
Into passion blooms.
And when you leave the,
Wilderness, leave behind your,
Passion flowers, bright.
To inspire a new,
Story born from your heart’s truth,
Inside, a new heart.
That is how we change,
The world from the inside out,
Through our heart’s courage.
Be the one to dream.
Be the one to do the work.
Be the hope, you are…
H. L. Balcomb
Why I write haiku poetry?
Haiku, a story of many layers of meaning wrapped within a seed of poetry…where both the reader and the author become entangled in a moment of soulful observation. The gift of haiku poetry is the chance to write an ending to an otherwise unfished story when we embrace the poem, and we make its contents part of our life’s story. Each time a poem is read, our actions help to create wings to disperse the poem’s beauty throughout the world.
Rightfully, setting it free to find its own course in life…
This action becomes our last act of faith, entrusting life,
when a single poem is read, and it is set free…to be, to believe.
Zennning Midlife: finding meaning…
Zenning Midlife, finding meaning
Haiku poetry
April 7, 2025
470
Haiku, a story of many layers of meaning wrapped within a seed of poetry…where both the reader and the author become entangled in a moment of soulful observation. The gift of haiku poetry is the chance to write an ending to an otherwise unfished story when we embrace the poem, and we make its contents part of our life’s story. Each time a poem is read, our actions help to create wings to disperse the poem’s beauty throughout the world.
Rightfully, setting it free to find its own course in life. This action becomes our last act of faith, entrusting life,
when a single poem is read,
and it is set free...to be, to believe.
Haiku poetry…
The pulse of life taken in,
Snapshots of moments.
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