Impossible meetups (a tanka series)

[image error]Every day I get an email from Meetup.com suggesting a new group I might want to join. Young Republicans. Future Farmers. Martial artists and stay-at-home moms and people considering becoming travel agents (is that even a thing any more?). None of them are my tribe. Meetup’s web-tracking technology clearly has room for improvement.

But the absurdity of the suggestions has inspired a tanka (a poetic form related to haiku) series. The titles are the actual meetup group names and first line or two of each tanka is taken from or inspired by that particular meetup’s description. Here’s the first installment:

WARRIORSAGE DOJO

WarriorSages

keep one foot planted in the

material world.

It’s a delicate balance:

meditate or masturbate.

POTLUCK COMMUNITY GROUP

Looking for people

who want to slow down. Crock pots

get in a hurry

for no one. Try new friendships

or farro salad or both.

THE ART OF UNDOING

Words cannot capture

what inner silence offers.

Especially not

these words, but we’re thinkers, not

fucking cocktail party hosts.

INTUITIVE PAINTING SOCIAL

Group for anyone

who wants to paint from the heart.

Open vein, insert

brush. What, you thought this would be

watercolor for wusses?

HENDERSONVILLE ROSE SOCIETY

Public meetings will

provide presentations on

all things rose. To wit:

Every rose has its thorn. That’s

not even the least of it.