On my table I had a bunch of white tulips recently. 

During their last days they all looked like this:

what a celebration of life, joy and beauty!

She left a message

For everyone and noone

Noone picked it up

(Haiku and photo by Maria, the picture was taken at the Jewish Cemetery in Weimar, Germany.)

Welcome!

You are welcome here

Like a fallen leaf you arrived at my house

You are welcome here.

(picture and lines by Maria, 

the sign in the picture reads "Willkommen",

which is German for "welcome".)

Unfurnished

An unfurnished house

Outside it's warm and sunny

The door is open

(Haiku and picture by Maria,

the photo was taken in a building on the Museum Island Hombroich, Germany)

Cat

I am who I am.

Someone belongs to me, yes,

But I'm a wizard.

I do understand magic

And use my skills discreetly.

(Tanka poem and picture by Maria)

mugs, jugs, pots and jars

endless possibilities

to fill them with light

(Haiku and pictures by Maria, the photos of the pots were taken at the very lovely GlashausGalerie, Recklinghausen, Germany, www.glashausgalerie.de, 

paintings are made by me)

flowers in April

after the rain has gone down

some water is saved

in veins and hollow spaces

to cool the wounds and bruises

(Tanka poem and pictures by Maria)

written in the stars

earth-colored letters and lines

telling ancient tales

(Haiku and pictures by Maria; the pictures show fresco paintings from the 15th century 

at the St. Jakobs-church, Winterswijk, Netherlands )

Time to rest and sleep

Time to be vulnerable

You are protected

(I found this lovely swan at the "Great Garden" in Dresden, Germany -

photo and Haiku by Maria)

Voices and laughter

Outside the sun is shining

I raise the blinds now

(pictures were taken at Goethe's summerhouse in Weimar, Germany.

Haiku and pictures by Maria.)

This door is unlocked

The old handle can be turned

Half a turn will do

(haiku and picture by Maria,

the picture shows a detail of a door at the city castle, Weimar, Germany)

A charming question:

If our clocks moved backwards,

would we follow them?

(picture and haiku by Maria)

Joyful

joyful ivy leaves

sunlight makes their blood run warm

on an autumn day

(picture and haiku by Maria)

Licht rot grün blau schwarz

miteinander verbunden

Seerosenwasser

(Foto und Haiku von Maria,

das Foto habe ich im Palmenhaus des Botanischen Gartens in Jena gemacht)

Labyrinth

Built for amusement

The iron gate is open

Come home before dark!

(picture was taken at Belvedere, Weimar, Germany,

Haiku and photo by Maria)

Garden

No key, no handle

I'll get into the garden!

The door remains shut

(The picture shows a door in Erfurt, Germany.

"I'll get into the garden" is a line from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Caroll,

picture and Haiku by Maria)

Colors

A misty, blue smile

A burgundy red blown kiss

A lush, green embrace

(Haiku and picture by Maria)

Reigen

gefüllte Körbe

erhalten, weiter reichen,

leichtfüßig, im Tanz

(Haiku und Foto von Maria, die Säule steht auf dem historischen Friedhof in Weimar)

Books and Roses

What is in a book?

The - oh - sweet smell of a rose

In Julia's hand

... the lines of this Haiku came to me because I - by chance - found again the lines in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet":

Juliet:

What's in a name? that which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet

...

it's just that "Juliet" is a "Julia" with me

The pictures show a scene at the Historic Graveyard in Weimar and a rose at Goethe's garden house in Weimar, Germany.

- Maria -

Two

Two is more than one

Two is more than one plus one

Two form a system

(Haiku and pictures by Maria)