Vanishing Tracks [Tanka]

incense tracks
meander skyward --
 erratically;
as they rise, they diffuse
to become nothingness.

Smoke Mind [Haiku]

in the temple,
chaotic swirls of smoke
echo my mind

DAILY PHOTO: Joss Sticks Drying in the Sun

Taken in December in Hue, Vietnam

Taken in December in Hue, Vietnam

DAILY PHOTO: Incensed at Wat Phnom

Taken October 2012 at Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh.

Taken October 2012 at Wat Phnom in Phnom Penh.

How come the noun “incense” means “a substance that releases a strong fragrance when burned,” but in its adjectival or verbal form it means to be, or make someone, extremely angry.

It’s not a rhetorical question, people. If you’ve got an answer, let me know.