Khaya Ronkainen

Creating in the Wild

Posted on 01/23/2019 by Khaya Ronkainen

This week, Rommy asks about things that thrill us creatively. The written word is my thing as some of you already know.

But another love I don’t talk much about that gives me great pleasure is photography, and to be precise nature and landscape photography.

I must have been 12 years old, when I got my first camera. Remember those Polaroid instant print cameras. I cannot begin to describe the thrill I got from snapping (yes snap was the verb at the time) the great outdoors in the countryside. It was dizzying.

I consider myself a hobbyist photographer because I pretty much taught myself how to take photos. And later on with the help of Scott Kelby’s books, I managed to improve some techniques. So, photography for me has never been about making money. I do for pleasure.

While I don’t consider my photos as art (because I like to keep them as original as possible, that is, I don’t do much editing) I always hope they tell a story.

Photography also feeds a lot of poems I write. For instance, this photo inspired one of the poems “On Beautiful Roads” that appears in the Seasons Defined collection.

So, you’ve guessed it. Wherever I go, I always carry my notebook, pencil and a camera in order to capture these special moments.

Poetry

Tightrope Walking

Posted on 01/16/2019 by Khaya Ronkainen

Life is poetry

poetry is Life

stand

in the

middle

and

at risk

tipping

over

for Poets United

note: this is my own version of a concrete poem; a wobbly T representing the tightrope that is life, we have to balance.

On Writing and Living…

for Blogging Around with Rommy

I once tried clog dancing. Ah no, wait! It was actually line dancing. See I can’t even tell the difference. 🙂 I don’t doubt though that clog dancing is a great form of exercise. But I tell you, nothing gets the heart racing like walking the tightrope.

One of the techniques needed to walk on a tightrope is to mount the line on one foot with a friend sitting on the line. I read all this from somewhere, of course, I’m not a professional tightrope walker.

Life is a balancing act. Finding that balance can be elusive at times. But I learned from early on that I don’t have to do life alone.

In my support system, I have words. Words are my friends, I trust them with my confidences. I’m talking here about the simple act of journalling.

With January days full and flustered, juggling all sorts, I found myself reaching for an old notebook as I tried to clear out clutter from the shelves. In that notebook, I came across one long forgotten draft that made me laugh till my stomach hurt.

It’s a draft of an absolute rubbish story that was inspired by frustrated jottings I had put down in my journal. Someone else might not necessarily find the story funny. But it’s a story where I poke fun at myself. I wrote it in first POV and as a male protagonist whose occupation is writing. I’ll stop there…

But rereading this story reminded me that I actually write to entertain myself first, before I worry about the reader. That’s a real good feeling. It takes off the pressure to perform and puts joy back into the creative process.

This is how I walk the tightrope…with words to catch me, if I fall.

Poetry

A Beginner Every Morn

Posted on 01/09/2019 by Khaya Ronkainen

piping note afar
bullfinch’s gentle call constant
regardless of change
I begin every morn with
delicate days fruitless

for Poets United

On Writing and Living…

The year has started. I envisioned it to start with a bang. But life takes its own course, and proceeds along regardless of my plans.

I’d fallen into a sort of limbo; going from nowhere to nowhere, and overwhelmed by the idea that I might have to start all over again with something I thought I had it sorted.

Then I thought alright, let me put on some music and do this limbo. For “Life dances and you must dance with it.” to borrow from Phillip Moffitt.

So, I let go of my self-imposed deadline. There will be a delay with the publication of my second chapbook, and honestly it’s not a train smash. There are far more important things that occupy my thoughts right now.

Therefore, I start where I am, using what I have; words. The simple act of putting them on paper banishes my fears.

for (Doing It with Others)

How am I doing so far with my resolution to simplify this year?