Cataracts filter light dimming sight; colors dull slowly with time. Difficult to see through a jar of mayonnaise – komorebi to see light despite obstruction. Beauty in a hazy moon shines piercing the darkest night before the dawn breaks casting shadows on this lonely world where love’s sublime. O golden lights and lights like wine,
after surgery before eyes adjust, darkness becomes my friend protecting my precious eyesight. Colors grow more vibrant and hurt my fledgling vision while I learn to appreciate a new scar. The reflection in the mirror does not look familiar to me without glasses it is bizarre. How dim your boasted splendors are.
Can you learn to see in the dark? It took a long time before I was comfortable in my own skin. I was always that girl who sat alone in the corner. Many times feeling left behind unable to run and play with friends. Instead I buried my nose inside a book, where I was unconfined. Behold this little lamp of mind:
Books transformed my world giving me opportunities unforeseen through imagination I could do anything without limits. Out in the sunshine I wear shades, little by little I see far and learn to shine despite these scars. My disability does not define worth; I won’t let it mar. It is more starlike than a star!
O golden lights and lights like wine, How dim your boasted splendors are. Behold this little lamp of mind: It is more starlike than a star! Love's Lantern by Joyce Kilmer (3rd verse)
Good afternoon and welcome to my attempt at a glosa. I’m sure my readers are amazed as they know I prefer short poetry forms – the shorter the better. But I was introduced to the glosa back in the gather.com days. I did try it then and enjoyed the exercise even though I do find it trying especially all the typing. I feel this attempt is also disjointed. I really don’t know where I was going with this, but I made an effort. Head over to dVerse and read all the other great poets who participated in this prompt. Now I’m going to rest this new vision of mine. Thank you for reading my rather long, plodding to nowhere verse.
Good afternoon! I’d like to share today is the last day to submit to the Four Feathers Press poetry anthology about whirl. I have to say, my first haiku is taken from an actual event. Earlier this week Robin was running the washing machine after a cat peed on his duvet. The problem is he told me he had to actually hand wash the duvet; apparently it was the incidentals that made it into my washing machine. And now since he can’t trust the animals when he is at work, Robin’s bedroom door is closed.
washing machine whirls eight hundred dollar duvet not a cat sandbox
The second haiku is about cataracts – yeah I still have cataracts on the brain. My one month post-op yesterday went well. I did get some steroid eyedrops as my eye is still a little swollen. FYI – don’t tell the vet you were given steroid eyedrops. He said, they cut your eye open. I was like, yeah a month ago. Robin, we were taught no steroid eyedrops if a dog has a cut on its eye; they can dissolve the eyeball?!
Thanks, kid. Though I did tell him the surgery was a month ago, I’m pretty sure the incision is healed. But now I have visions of my eyeball dissolving.
cataracts steal sight lights whirl as my eyes adjust falter in the dark
The last poem is also inspired by Robin as he has several prisms hanging in his room. His bedroom window is on the east side so in the morning there are rainbows dancing around his room.
prism whirls on string rainbows dance around the room warm happiness
I’d like to thank Don Kingfisher Campbell for including my whirl haiku in the latest anthology over at four feathers press.
Happy New Year! Cataract Free! Tomorrow will be one month post-op. I must say things are slowly progressing well. My left eye is being a little wonky now and then and I will ask about it at my one month post-op on Thursday. I don’t remember this with the right eye, but the surgeries were 4 years apart as the cataract in my left eye was more “normal” and didn’t bloom into a visual obstruction as quickly as the one in my right eye. But I haven’t been reading or writing too much this past month. I have been submitting to the haiku dialogue as well as the renku session over at THF. My soil haiku have not piqued any interest but I have made the short list for the renku session. Last week I was preoccupied with cataracts. 😉
cataract free without glasses sitting on my nose
Veronica Hosking
Another one I wrote last week, I knew wouldn’t make it to the list because I mentioned the moon. But I realized a full blown cataract is like trying to look past the moon in your eye.
moon in my eye no baby cataract here obscures vision
I actually paraphrased my first surgeon for my right eye because he (as well as the optometrists) was astounded at how big the cataract was in my eye and I was only 47. Dr. Perkins remarked, This ain’t no baby cataract.
In prepping for this post I wrote another haiku about my eyes today:
new vision no glasses in the mirror new me
I am still trying to get used to seeing myself without glasses and it’s also still strange not to put glasses on in the morning. Thank you for reading my post and I hope to get back to posting more regularly soon.
Good morning and welcome to my year in review for 2025. This will be a little truncated as it’s not quite two weeks post op and I can’t stare at a screen for too long. One positive to having surgery near the end of the year – Christmas Eve was one week post-op and my children took care of cleaning the house and making Christmas Eve dinner while I rested.
January – the year started slow. I participated in #bloganuary again, but noticed right away they were the same questions as previous years. My blog had 174 views; 135 visitors; 84 likes and 25 comments.
February – I only wrote two posts. My blog had 59 views; 50 visitors; 17 likes and 3 comments.
March – March is women’s history month and cerebral palsy awareness month. I wrote quite a few posts about my education as the Department of Education is trying to end programs to help disabled students receive equal education opportunities. My blog stats went up with more posts. 391 views; 317 visitors; 180 likes and 39 comments.
April – Is always #NaPoWriMo and I participated again this year. I also went to Miami, AZ for their weekend art/poetry festival so I missed one prompt. But with my added haiku I did write more than thirty poems – 38 in all. My blog had 631 views; 430 visitors; 320 likes and 68 comments. Thank you to all my loyal readers who keep me motivated every April. I love seeing all the inspiring words when you take the time to read and leave me encouragement.
May – I only wrote three posts and my stats were down. 96 views; 72 visitors; 41 likes and 6 comments.
June – I wrote for a few poetry prompts from other wordpress blogs and they helped boost my stats. 159 views; 116 visitors; 57 likes and 20 comments. I also learned there is a national sunglasses day and I wrote a senryu about faithfully wearing my sunglasses since my first cataract surgery.
July – is disability pride month because the ADA was passed in July 1990. I also participated in more poetry prompts and shared my rejects to the green art exhibit. My blog had 203 views; 150 visitors; 77 likes and 24 comments.
August – I posted about a few of my publications this month. Yes, I had more poems posted this year, but you know truncated post. If you want to see all my publications please check out my published works page. My blog had 241 views; 182 visitors; 92 likes and 13 comments.
September – I shared my haiku published in Haiku Girl Summer and in Solitary Daisy. I also shared I was thinking about having the cataract surgery on my left eye. My blog had 195 views; 136 visitors; 58 likes and 25 comments.
October – I wrote a few poems with Shawn and my anniversary in mind – 29 years. We kept it low-key this year. But did go out to dinner at Litchfield’s at the Wigwam resort. I also went to the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy with our friends Rebeca and Tracy. I shared the haiku on music I wrote that were included in the long list over at Haiku Dialogue. I also shared the rengay I wrote with David Bogomolny. My blog had 330 views; 223 visitors; 106 likes and 39 comments.
November – I wrote about my birthday and shared my haiku published in Sense & Sensibility Haiku and wrote about my surgery coming up for dVerse – Transformation. My blog had 469 views; 418 visitors; 83 likes and 24 comments.
December – this brings me to the final month of the year. I wrote one post so far (not including this review). I shared one of my tanka included in the Sunflower Tanka Anthology Dreams. I was excited to be included in this wonderful anthology compiled by Robbie Cheadle and Colleen Chesebro. I also went to the Painted Violin Concert with Robin, Rebeca and Tracy. Then Rebeca, Tracy and I attended Rosemarie Dombrowski’s book launch for Emily’s Advice to Girls in the New Millennium published by Finishing Line Press. So far my blog has had 234 views; 209 visitors; 20 likes and 4 comments.
Thank you for reading my review. I’m going to go rest my eyes now. I’ve found the surgery on the left eye to be more intense. Bright lights seem to irritate me more now that neither eye has a cataract filtering light. New Year’s Eve will be two weeks post-op and my sensitivity is slowly improving. I hope I will be able to see clearly in 2026. My one month post-op appointment is January 15th.
cataract free glasses accumulate dust see new reflection
The 2025 Sunflower Tanka anthology is available in time to buy as a Christmas gift for any poetry lovers in your life. Thank you to Colleen and Robbie for all the hard work and perspiration they put in this year’s anthology. If you go over to tanka Tuesday, you can find a link to amazon to buy it. I’m pleased three of my poems are included in this beautiful edition on dreams.
anxious five year old stays up late, tying shoelace elusive bunny slips through her fingers foiling her dream of independence
We have entered the last month of 2025. Since my cataract surgery is approaching quickly, I’ve been prepping for christmas. After my surgery I won’t be able to bend over for an entire week which will be through Christmas Eve. The one thing I will be able to do in my down time is write poetry. I did write a number of haiku after the surgery on my right eye. I hope everyone has had a good 2025. I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to post this month. But I’ll keep everyone updated on my vision progress and I’m sure I’ll get my year end review post up by the end of the month. Thank you for following my poetry journey.
The cataract surgery for my left eye is scheduled in just over three weeks. A little over four years after I had my right eye done. I remember my vision cleared instantly before they taped my eye shut to go home. I was 47 years old. The surgeon told me I was his youngest patient and would no longer be able to drive at night. The joke was on him as I laughed and said, “Since I don’t drive during the day, it’s probably best I don’t drive at night.”
My family and I joke about my acute late-stage cerebral palsy and how expensive it is on the purse strings. The cataract in my right eye appeared to bloom over night. I did not notice a problem until I closed my left eye in the shower one morning and was blind. There was no gradual dimming of vision. It was terrifying to realize I ignored more body parts on my right side than just my hand and leg. Now it is a little gratifying to know my right eye has been pulling its own weight for four years. I put off the surgery on my left eye for a couple reasons: one is the expense and two is the fact my left eye is not completely blind. The cataract in my left eye has grown over the past four years; however, to the point that even the big E on the eye chart is too blurry.
see vivid colors without rose-tinted glasses bright, sun-shiny day
Good afternoon! Yes my cataract surgery on my left eye is scheduled for Dec 17th. As I said in my Busy Weekend post in September, it’s probably time to think about the surgery on my left eye. When I went to my yearly eye appointment and couldn’t see the eye chart when they covered my right eye I realized yeah I shouldn’t put it off any longer.
I wrote this post in response to Haibun Monday over at dVerse – Transformation. As clear vision definitely transforms your world. Right now I still wear glasses to correct the vision in my left eye. The right eye has 20/20 even after 4 years thanks to the added expensive of the upgraded artificial lens. Since I wasn’t even 50 years old when I had to have the surgery, my husband and I thought it was a good investment. Another reason we waited to correct the left eye; we needed to save up enough money to afford the lens upgrade.
Happy Wednesday readers! I woke up and went over to THF to read the long list chosen by guest editor Deborah Karl-Brandt and was pleasantly surprised to see one of my haiku included. I didn’t feel particularly excited by my haiku last week. I did think back to the first time we sang, How Can I Keep from Singing, in church. I have been a fan of Enya’s since the early 90s. I did not know when she covered this song it was a christian hymn. I’d like to remember the fact that at a UU church we sang Enya’s rewritten lines, but I honestly don’t recall.
UU church service Enya’s lyrics in hymnal I hear her sweet voice
I actually reworked the second poem I wrote last week:
(the original)
UU hymn How can I keep from singing the truth it liveth
(today’s rewrite)
the truth it liveth How can I keep from singing speak words of wisdom
The change came when I saw the #HaikuFeels word today is speak and while I was watching the documentary on Andrea Gibson. By the way I highly recommend watching their documentary very powerful and life affirming.
Thank you for reading my poetry. I would love if you would go read all the wonderful haiku included in this week’s long list and be sure to head back to haiku dialogue next Wednesday to read the haiku Deborah picked for commentary.
Good afternoon. Today is my birthday and I’m sitting at home enjoying a quiet day with all the great presents I got over the weekend. My birthday celebration started on Friday when Rebeca picked me up to go over to the library sound studio. She and I are working on a podcast. When we get our first episode ready and uploaded, I will share it here. After we finished recording we had lunch at the Turquoise Wine Bar in Glendale. Saturday I did cook a pot of pea soup. It is yummy. Then Shawn and I went over to Tracy and Rebeca’s for jam night/birthday party for me. Sunday night we went out to dinner at the soft opening of Bag O’ Crab in Goodyear, AZ. The boil bag was delicious I picked clams and shrimp. Our waiter, Joshua, was awesome. I asked him if the clam chowder was New England or Manhattan. He replied, No one has asked me that before; I’m not sure. I simplified it and asked, red or white? He said, White and I told him that’s New England. He said he’ll try to remember that if someone else ever asks.
boil shrimp and clams in Louisiana sauce birthday in the bag
Good afternoon and welcome to November aka my birthday month. So far it has been a pretty warm month with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s, but this weekend we will only climb into the 60s – pea soup season ❤
I called my dad on Monday to wish him a Happy Birthday. November 10th is his second birthday as a Marine. Buffalo has already gotten snow this season. My dad said he had to go winterize the lawnmower. He cut the grass the previous week and put off winterizing the lawnmower because he wasn’t sure if grass cutting season was done. But the first snowfall pretty much means it is.
grandfather’s gnarled hands winterizing lawnmower await next summer
Robin has off on Wednesdays and they finally opened a Trader Joes near us. We headed over there this afternoon and picked up a few things. One item was fresh peas. I plan on making pea soup Saturday and Robin says it’s yummy to add fresh peas in the last 10 minutes of cooking. I can’t wait. I love pea soup to keep me warm.
Thanks to Patricia over at Sense & Sensibility for publishing my haiku in the December issue. Please go over and check out all the other great haiku included in this issue and stay warm this winter.
Happy Wednesday everyone. October is quickly drawing to an end and pretty soon we will be in November – my birthday month. I have been busy here with pre-op appointments for the cataract surgery on my left eye. My good friend, Rebeca Thomas, took me to the eye measurement appointment last Friday afternoon. Then we took some time to chat about haiku while sipping some wine.
The month of October brings awareness to a number of things. I know most people hear about breast cancer awareness. It is also national disability employment awareness month. (NDEAM) My haiku for the latest haiku dialogue, music + feelings is about my cerebral palsy and the fact it takes me more energy to do everyday tasks. This relates to my cataract surgery because my recoup time is doubled. You can’t do strenuous activities for two weeks after surgery and for me that includes more daily activities than it does for other people. I like the analogy of equating energy with how many spoons one has to give – My Last Spoon.
Thank you to Alanis Morissette for the song, “Ironic,”. It is frustrating when you actually do have spoons but can’t use them and are left twiddling your thumbs.
Please go over to THF and check out all the great haiku included in this week’s long list. I am grateful to guest editor Deborah Karl-Brandt for including my piece. Remember just because someone has a disability doesn’t mean we can’t contribute meaningful work in life. Thank you to all my readers who appreciate my little contribution to the poetry world.
Hosking's Blog 