.
WHO
Anyone in the world, of any age or background, may participate. Among members of the Society of Classical Poets, everyone including Advisory Board members may participate, if not involved in judging the contest. The winner, if not a U.S. resident, must have a PayPal account or a bank that accepts U.S. checks, in order to receive prize money.
.
PRIZE
$100
.
JUDGES
J. Thomas Rimer, Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature, Theatre, and Art at the University of Pittsburgh; former chief of the Asian Division of the Library of Congress.
Margaret Coats, Ph.D. in English and American Literature and Language from Harvard University; retired from a career of teaching literature, languages, and writing that included considerable work in homeschooling for her own family and others.
.
WHEN
Now until September 16, 2023, 6 pm EST (New York time). The original Sept. 15 deadline has been extended for those in other time zones. Results to be announced September 29, 2023 (corresponding with Tsukimi—the Japanese Moon Festival).
.
WHERE
Post your entries in the Comments below.
.
WHAT
Each competitor may submit up to three haiku of traditional form: three lines per poem with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second, and 5 in the third. Entrants are recommended to conform to other traditional haiku requirements outlined HERE.
IMPORTANT: By submitting haiku to this contest, the contestant declares that the poems are his or her own work, and that they were written after July 2022. Please submit using your first and last name, as we may find it difficult to distinguish between contestants who have similar first names.
If you want coaching on haiku features, please read the examples and explanation before submitting your entries. Once entries are posted, they can be revised or withdrawn ONLY by making another Comment. This is permitted until the competition closes, but do take reasonable care to complete work to your satisfaction before you enter it. Please do not use the Comment area as your scratch pad. That is discourteous to other competitors, to interested readers, and to the judge and will disqualify you.
Entries that do not meet basic traditional haiku requirements may be deleted. Anyone who submits more than three entries will have ALL his or her entries disqualified, unless excess entries are clearly withdrawn by a later Comment.
.
PAST WINNERS
.
.
Underneath the rock
Cricket makes her summer home
Best to leave alone.
Summer solstice suns
Dance beneath the maple tree
Peeking through the leaves
Picnic in the shade
Blue Jay squawks and flicks his tail
Summer serenade
The Kill
In the blue night woods,
Moon-colored talons turn red
On a milk-white breast.
Goo-Goo Haiku
Baby, breathing warm,
Clinging to a moistened breast
With head, hand and heart.
I stepped on a snail
And crushed my eyes closed
At the sound of it.
Author: Eva Drobná, Slovakia,
rekanalizácia
rytmus môjho života
hlboko v tichu
recanalization
the rhythm of my life
deep in silence
studený vietor
pohladil ma lúč slnka
som v rovnováhe
cold wind
a ray of sunshine caressed me
I am in balance
blúdiaci spevák
darovaný kúsok srdca
predohra dňa
wandering singer
a donated piece of heart
prelude of the day
?
crickets chirping loud
frogs win with louder ribbit
fly swept in mouth, gone
Leaves trickle color pumpkin spice is Falls delight, fire crackling night. Screech owls cackle magic tingles in the air hallows eve is nigh.
Timothy Stark
Cheyenne, Wy.
Breathing
Inhale and Exhale
Living breath, the gift from God,
Read scripture and praise!
i do not wonder
why elephants pass us by
in the deep sky
summer blackberries
children laugh at
the juice of carnage
step by step
the autumn wind carries
umbrella
greeting
autumn leaves by the road
like the homeless
the first day of school
fight
for a window seat
Raindrops beat pavement
Chalky smell enters my nose
Bird chirps in quietness
Whistling wind lifts
Fallen russet leaves to dance
Autumn’s last tango.
Moon peeps from above
Beams at melodious flute,
Sheep bathed in moonlight.
Joyfully transform
Sand, grit and pain into pearls,
World is your oyster.
Please accept my sincere apologies. I am now posting under my full name and may I take the opportunity to make some changes to the second haiku? Thank you for your patience. The following are now my three entries.
Whistling wind lifts
Fallen russet leaves to dance
Autumn’s last tango.
Sheep bathed in moonlight
Lulled by mellifluous flute
Dream under the stars.
Joyfully transform
Sand, grit and pain into pearls,
World is your oyster.
letný orchester
ľúbozvučné spiežovce
tanec lúčnych tráv
Autor Eva Drobná, Slovakia
toto jedno haiku je komentár nie do súťaže
letný orchester
ľúbozvučné
spiežovce
tanec lúčnych tráv Autor Eva Drobná
in the summer grass–
the urge of star apple to
give itself to me
in a rolled up leaf–
the caterpillar expires
not yet butterfly
branches quake lightly–
small flower breaks the stillness
with violet sound
bread available
only at deluxe hotels
climate change ignored
a train station
someone’s beloved arrives
and someone’s letter
children get relaxed
seeing the missing mother
now found the lost rain
Fragrant early spring,
Apple blossom wedding scenes.
Dreamers dreaming dreams.
Hiding in spring weeds,
Tiny little mustard seeds.
Hope is all one needs.
Wine on my table.
Spring bugs buzzing around it.
Fireflies are lit.
Wonderful, Roy.
Shafts of poetic joy
From Peterson E Roy
inside amber’s fire
rests remnants of regal blood —
dormant deities
rain-soaked eyelashes
batting temptress one-thousand
obstructing the view
steer to the left of
all scenery greenery —
moat for the kraken
The lake clear and still
Ripples when the geese fly south
The lake; still again.
Run! The hydra-head
The monster, red eyes gleaming
Tries to trap green spring
A spring swallow, I
Came and then went, but lately
Your well has run dry.
Ant atop their mound
curious kid pokes a hole
Pink tablet in mouth
Hi Guys –
I was chuffed to find one of my haiku among the Runners-up listing last year. Needless to say I’ve been hanging out to discover if SPC was planning to run a 2023 Haiku Comp. to try my luck again. My x3 new haiku follow.
Cocooned all a’bed
Out of pupapural sleep
Wings of dreams unfurl
Heavens’ late light show
Aurora Borealis
Necklace for Freya
Grandchildren snuggling
Bony elbows, fluffy heads
Sweet little fledglings
Love at first site, birds
Narcissism lingers dark
butterflies die slow
we see the beauty
but pause to view living wings
pinned to a cork board
I picked up a stone
holding it in my thumbed palm
it was worried smooth
circles in circles
an eternal labyrinth
make a mandala
Sea waters warming
as our last ship sails away.
Great heat is coming.
Huddled in holly,
cold sparrows without a neck.
Winter seclusion.
After all these years
I see the real you at last.
Waters of Autumn.
two violets at dawn
eavesdropping the sunrise
cocoon cracks open.
looks at the windmill
the blades keep repeating
moths blink at each turn.
old enchanting house,
a couple walks in and leaves
window sills crackle.
waves slapping sand grains
sound drowns out worries from past
white seagull hops by
Before the house fire,
many volumes lined the shelf.
Only ghost books now.
Poems that insist
you leave the shower and write,
dripping inkblot stars.
I walk in between
blooming lime and lemon trees,
each breath a delight.
Hello bibliophiles
My 3 haikus are below:
[1]
The Owl and the Cat
orange peels and Fleetwood Mac
they sat, claw in paw.
[2]
Neurotic nibbler
black beady eyes, praying paws
fiddling pet hamster.
[3]
Engorged medallion
soaked sponge flesh taut with pink juice
glistening white gums
Rain pools in laurels
Gravity pulls the water
A summer day splashed
Moon glow on birch grove
what better hosts for the night
before the cold front
In the oar’s eddy
swirling on a maple leaf…
one ant near the edge
Timber wood trail hike
the long morning buzz and crack
shatter a deep shade
in the summer grass–
the urge of star apple to
give itself to me
in a rolled up leaf–
the caterpillar expires
not yet butterfly
branches quake lightly–
small flower breaks the stillness
with violet sound
[1]
Sunshine through the trees
Dew drops down from autumn leaves:
Good morning to me
[2]
Orange poppies greet me
A desert landscape extends
Sage brush says hello
[3]
The moon smiles down
Reflecting off the water
Gleaming is the night
1: The famalies watch
the boat sail down the river
into the crimson sky
2: The old man sits there
watching the magnolias-
lost in yesterday
3: Yellow fades to red-
the ball of fire sets slow-
stars peak their bright eyes
Correction to my first entry. The other two I would like to keep as they are:
The families watch
the boat sail down the river
into the crimson sky
Nigerian prince,
enthroned with a sceptred phone,
scams loyal subjects.
Wind and waves combine,
their breath an eye-watering spray
and tongue-tasted brine.
Patient desert winds,
grain-by-grain shift a sand dune.
Thus mountains are moved.
skittering smoothly
over a muddy black patch
long-legs looks legless
iridescent glare
of pinwheels among dusty
communal gardens
talking of Newton:
a sudden falling apple
knocks my ice cream down
Swift winds part the clouds,
Golden shafts cast dark shadows.
The hero’s’ sorrow.
Dusted daffodils
Persephone did you leave?
Tracks in frozen mud.
summer set ablaze
hibiscus tinted sunset
light suspends the hour
Arise yawning moon
Cicadas and bullfrogs sing
Love songs to the night
Sun on turtle’s back
The busy pond calls his name
Then only ripples
Owl haunts the barnyard
Robins shout their warning song
Field mouse drops his corn
a quiet starburst
camellia petals caught up
by a summer breeze
the lizard brain in spring
across the neural pathways
looking for the sun
a cloud sheds its tears
the old oak shakes autumn ears
as the earth shifts gears
Two tall trees embrace
despite their differences
winter forest smiles
A shy bluebird hides
behind a bare branch in Spring
but beauty seeps through
The songs of the loon
arias from ancient horns
stir sounds in my soul
Raymond C Roy
August 7, 2023
a monarch’s shadow
flitting along the pavement
disappears from view
below the feeder
a mourning dove and chipmunk
scavenging for food
after sixty years
revisiting Vietnam
for pho and not foe
Mary Ekpenyong
Scents of blooms in spring
With jungle ethics unbent
Lost in wildfires
Beautiful flowers
Widows’ sweet sorrow wrapped with
Wreaths on silent graves
Rose flower withers
Thorns growing on our fences
Father abandoned us
Haiku I
pressed gardenia –
holding on to mom’s unused
4711
Haiku II
honey bush flowers
the lingering thin fragrance –
lights over darkness
Haiku III
mid-monsoon showers
over the lands near and far
rivers in rivers
Haiku I
pressed gardenia –
holding on to mom’s unused
4711
Haiku II
honey bush flowers
the lingering thin fragrance –
lights over darkness
Haiku III
mid-monsoon showers
the sound of daily footsteps
turns into splashes
Rain, allusive rain,
Drenches earth with sudden storms.
The birds fall silent.
Blossoms on the bough
Have yet to bear promised fruit—
Tender is the age.
Honorable Peak,
Come Spring I’ll climb Ontake—
Mystic vision waits.
I wish to replace my first haiku with the following:
Rain, pluvial rain,
Drenches earth with sudden storms.
The birds fall silent.
late July delight
fresh rain splashes hot blacktop
silently steaming
humid air hovers
icy cold glass in hand drips
sweet peach tea pleases
August afternoon
muggy fog cracks, sky sends treats
hailstones cool my tongue
No dew drops today
the lawns are set in diamonds
hands snug in mittens.
Last night I traveled
the hollows of your face where
youth hid its mercies
Sound of a raven:
Words I should never utter
to my enemies
Mayflies in sunlight
The golden retriever
haloed with them
Modern garden sheds
daisies, weeds and bumblebees;
grass is not greener.
(Haiku moved by moderator)
the fields are growing,
feels the farmer-warrior,
into battlefields
the far off mountain
sheds all but a hat of snow
when cold winds return
fox dens and bird nests
arrive and dissolve around
the stubborn boulder
The full moon was this
big! she gestures with herhands, under the moonlight.
A drop no longer
a drop no longer a drop
no longer a drop …
Quick, fill a bucket
with snow! I am thirsty for
a cup of black tea.
The full moon was this
big! she gestures with her hands,
under the moonlight.
A drop no longer
a drop no longer a drop
no longer a drop …
Quick, fill a bucket
with snow! I am thirsty for
a cup of black tea.
white frangipani
around the cemetery
lies love of my life
Dear haiku writers, please post poems with your FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME, as directed in the announcement above. Thanks for your help in conducting this large contest.
Fall hues often vie
Evening’s glory in the sky
Waiting winter’s dawn.
Rain pools in laurels
Incessant gravity pulls
One summer day splashed
Yesterday,
My heart jumped in glee
Because I still haven’t made a decision
For my part to run away and flee
Or stay entangled in this friction
Oh how I imagine some endless days
Floating in the ocean
By the salmon drifting away
In a mindless motion
But work has carried me away
From you and everything rosy
But there’s nothing left to say
This spell will be broken and mori
Where no words are left in a phrase
As you are just a token
For my limited days….
August fills the ditch:
Lace, goldenrods, and thistle.
Dowry for the Fall.
Peaches picked, not ripe,
Sit on the sill and sweeten.
Aging, we summer.
Ice captures a swirl,
Fluidity in fractal,
Memory’s curve and line.
The cosmos springs forth
An eternal liturgy
Man’s priestly order
While hoeing parched earth,
a whelk, stone-dead, surfaces –
cloned by tiers of silt.
Walking, then standing –
as summer rattles alder
egret holds his gaze.
black heron creates
an umbrella with its wings
unsuspecting fish
late afternoon sun
fills the kitchen with rainbows
swaying crystal heart
a visit from my
grandmother the day she died
peregrine falcon
snowy train station
my window stopping slowly
to frame the silence
hay bales in the barn
father and son’s slow walk home
for their cold supper
departing rainclouds
my daughter empties sunlight
from the old tire swing
abandoned drive-in
from your car roof the best view
of the Milky Way
abandoned farmhouse
collapsing into itself
if not for the vines
sun pierces treeline,
radiance ruptures the gloom.
a barren woodland.
single pale poppy
stands above a field of red.
air, ambivalent.
lunch break, woodland walk.
the internet underground
tracking my footsteps.
A doe emerges shyly
from the tree line; we watch her
through silent windows.
The oak that once stood
so dark and huge lies crippled,
toppled by the storm.
still warm at twilight
the soft rustle of starlings
settling down to roost
a young stag bellows
at his face in the water—
faraway thunder
the calm of evening…
a mute swan glides downriver
through the falling snow
Snowflakes in April
Like shampoo in the tulips
What is it doing
Mote in the moon’s eye
Is that a crack don’t touch it
You will spill the milk
Geese flying upstate
Honk through the smoggy morning
You never returned
one cent copper coin
pressed pennies memories hold
a moment in time
her hue is of bright
frida kahlo look-alike
braids she wears with pride
all she left was wood
carvings with a dust coating
keepsakes near her tomb
The Moon’s shadow weaves
Heaven’s invisible web.
Busy black spiders.
Clouds sharpen their swords.
The horizon splits in two.
An angry red sky.
A pink lotus pond
in solitary beauty
as the sun rises.
summer afternoon
floating between grass and sky
the lovers’ hammock
as I walk barefoot
my footsteps are filling up
with rain, then sunshine
this is a long night
some well-known shadows return
to my memory
at thirty-one degrees
all I want to do is lie
about the weather
weathered motorway –
we drive through the surface spray,
make fog out of tyres
from your tree, the pips
must be taken with the flesh –
uneasy eating
GLACIAL TIME
A RIVER OF ICE
STRIATIONS OF PAST EONS
SLOWLY FADE AWAY
SOLSTICE
SUMMER IN DECLINE
IN MY BONES I CAN FEEL IT
EARTH’S TILT AND TURNING
WHITE COVEYS
FLIGHTS OF BUTTERFLIES
WHITE DRIFTS NESTLED IN THE TREES
DOGWOODS DEEP IN BLOOM
while playing hopscotch
tall shadows of the children
a stone’s throw away
On a sunny day
the bright chirp of a robin
the laugh of a child
oh I cannot touch
that branch of cherry blossoms
that is touching me
My heart is an ancient manor
A souvenir of unrequited love and limitless longing
Haunted by ghost of sighs
Moon lights tear stained cheeks
The star seem dimmer in your absence
Grief and love choke me
Your eyes hold me captive
Sweet song of mermaids beckoning me underwater
Decaying desires drown me
Air feels of summer
Sunbathing on the front lawn
Christmas in New York
In this autumn sky
Where birds fly in formation
Smoke now migrates South
dogwood petals drift
across my yard like snowflakes–
Christmas in July
blanketed by snow
the city still sleeps–even
the wren is silent
April sends showers
so May can give us flowers
for June-bride bowers
The shadow of smoke
ascends a sunlit brick wall:
The Upper East Side
First warm wind of spring
caresses the green grape buds
that wreathe the vine wood.
Heavy with black grapes,
the vines hide their swollen fruit,
summer’s sweet burden.
Between the vine rows,
culled fruit ferments, perfuming
autumn’s early dusk.
Broken Haiku.
Broken. Poet’s muse.
In need of restoration.
Artisan helpful.
a bolt of lightning
flashes across the night sky
distant loud rumbling
Respected judges, my sincere apologies to you. I would like to make a change to my first entry. The other two remains unchanged.
a bolt of lightning
flashes across the night sky
epiphany strikes
bough of magnolia
sways to and fro in mild air
a whiff of sweet scent
I want to withdraw my above 2nd entry and replace it with the below haiku:
Cumulonimbus
Clouds cover city skyline
Catharsis of tears
Thank you
Joydip Dutt
solid snow chunks fall
off the leafless tree branches
thudding noise on roof
Cancer clicks its claws
soundlessly in the body
of the universe
A great ladle tilts
in the Milky Way, skimming
a curdle of stars
Pillow hill of snow
on toboggans they went down
and back up again
Butterflies dancing
in shadows of cherry trees –
Venus and Ceres
Within the wind lie
wondrous words of flapping birds,
as spring’s passing by.
Oh, warm summer breeze,
rest and put your mind at ease!
Fall is coming soon.
spring swims in color
without recalling winter
scales frozen in grey
multicolored bloom
of summer leaves in autumn—
my family tree
tropical lagoon
juicy mangos yield their flesh
tigers lurking
The snowdrop lies still
Among frozen, once-green grass.
The life of those dead.
a very long war…
the orphan’s jacket loses
its sky blue color
***
moon in the daytime –
your dark side also remains
so invisible
***
a difficult truce
the grasses along the path
are getting thicker
Love hugging us so
guiding our spirits joyful
embeds tenderness.
Faith is unity
from angels calming us true
light from a rainbow.
Welcome is friendship
the stars twinkle genuine
sailing loves high ships.
Entropy bears fruit
Mighty stones erode to sand
The Sky remains blue
open heart, closed palm
vandalized by young bandits
in past echelons
Summer grows weary,
Colors cling to written petals;
Fall eyes victory.
Darn auto-correct! Here’s what I meant to write:
Summer grows weary,
Colors cling to worn petals;
Fall eyes victory.
late summer sunset
watching the waves wash away
my first sandcastle
red paper lanterns
from the long war a father
comes home in a box
falling at full blast
the last of cherry blossoms
a farewell to spring
Hibiscus flowers
like radio telescopes
turned towards the sun.
Mayflies flittering
above a pool, unaware
of the trout below.
Mottling the sunset,
starlings stream, swirl and return –
French curves brought to life.
opal opulence
sun lights on shimmering seas ~
seagulls soubresaut
burbling bubbles
mesmerizing melody ~
dragonflies descend
acoustic echo
zephyr sweeps through the valley ~
vespers in the dark
The murmurous strain
constricts and stunts, this form I’ve
held three hundred months.
Does a bent-winged bird
know more about flight than a
bird who’s unimpaired?
In a passing glance
at the hall mirror I see
me side-eye myself.
Children on the field
Dancing daffodils in spring
Gentle yellow hair.
Lightning strikes the night
Day returns for just a clip
Preview of the dawn.
Tall tree tops tingle
Heat hovers high, hunting hoards
Sweet summer stabbings.
They have been in Love from afar Forever.
Admirers of each other’s Colorful Beauty.
She is Dawn; He is Dusk.
Warmer Winds Whisper Secrets.
Trees Sway with Understanding.
Too Few are Listening.
Falling Drop of Water.
Sunlight gives a Glistening Kiss.
I See Life; All of Life.
Seaside in winter.
Stone and waves camouflage-grey.
Tourists don’t notice.
Impassioned protest,
Treaties, negotiation –
But war will still come.
Bloody canopy
Exquisite tropical lunch
Of chainsaws and smoke
Vaporizing sheets
Bidding a frozen goodbye
To the glued windows
Palm tree silhouette
Dropping tender coconuts
Hoping to bloom friends
Ye ken a haiku?
Aye lad, a coo up the brae;
Reid beast o’ the mist
Webs
Threads hang deserted
Where the spider left behind
Deserted cobwebs.
Stars
Those stars are gone now
But like battles fought of old
Our eyes see them still.
Light
The light streams constant
But the troubled water throws
Its patterns on it.
[I]
Jousting with needles,
Ablur in this midsummer,
Nectar calls to each.
[II]
Each green creeping thing
Uproots and down roots the moss,
Unfurl fiddleheads.
[III]
Ribbons of white drift,
Transpose pale against shadow.
Crows fly before clouds.
Halo moon in the sky
The silent road’s horizon
Wait for me, My Love
Curling green vines climb
Blossoms are stars of butter
Still no cucumbers
Hot hibiscus tea
Brewed in Grandma’s antique cup
My mouth now tastes sour
Name of the poet: Murad Afrooz Moin
Country name: Iran
City name: Tehran
Type of poem: Haiku
The text of my haiku poem to be published on your site:
Haiku:
“migrating bird”,
before being shot
it was calling so
photosynthesis —
how we are all connected
to each light of love
swans, having cast off
their indigo hakama
share grey skymantle
fully committed
to a life in the fast lane
wing mirror spider
she just can’t help it
always chasing the bad boys
the moth and the flame
bridal bouquet toss
the baby’s breath, as ever
just beyond her reach
glimpses of clear sky –
over a tree shaded lake
azure damselflies
*
childhood memories
a sprouting lentil rises
from the cotton wool
*
winter stars twinkle
the lights of a small village
on the mountaintop
Daniela Misso
year passes
maybe I’m still smiling
in my sleep
autumn evening
on a road sign
a crossed out bicycle
Alex Malley
moon in a puddle
the wet and dark reverse side
of a fallen leaf
The present is the
liminal place between the
past and the future
Place to place walking,
In a time from then ‘till now.
Liminality.
Liminal spaces.
A minds eye perspective.
Liminal places.
(1)
What constitutes home?
If broken fragments and pain—
A mere broken house.
(2)
Our grief is just love
with nowhere to go, bearing;
our heart’s a big weight.
(3)
Shall you come or go?
But if silence awaits still,
goodbye answers that.
hunger fundraiser
cucumber sandwiches and
dandelion tea
standing room only
the bandshell concert features
a solo cellist
one way ticket home
a candy stripped scarf around
the conductor’s neck
leather-winged shadows
a fine powder of moth scales
cascades through moonlight
walking riverwise
to where the kingfisher darts
she colours her story
winging the swing shift
swifts turn over purpling dusk
to the pipistrelles
Light flutter of wings
Casting quick moving shadows
Fleeting gossamer
***
Fallen orchid blooms
Lay still upon the dry ground
Awaiting the winds
***
Gathering at dusk
Swifts prepare to roost on wing
Screams fading gently
womb’s workshop weaves
as a dreaming brain spins, at
random – or is it?
Correction:
a womb’s workshop weaves
as a dreaming brain spins, at
random – or is it?
lack of words
we go on stirring
melted sugar
who we are now
amidst fallen leaves
a candy wrapper
a hagstone
teh heart is open
to the sea wind
Though these don’t follow the syllable-count rules for the contest, I like them all very much, especially the candy wrapper one.
I hadn’t known the word “hagstone” before and I love to learn a new word. That third poem brings me divinely cold wind straight from the Baltic, so good: thank you.
sorry for the mistake
***
a hagstone
the heart is open
to the sea wind
winter’s concert is
silent but for ice cracking,
moaning beneath boots
Sky turns baby blue
Waiting as green hills give birth
To a big, red sun.
Jagged desert crags,
Spear heads piercing starry dark,
Encircle the camp.
Lightning strike at night,
Writing in a bright, white light,
Vanishing from sight.
Scent of cherry blooms
blowing in the morning light…
end of pandemic
Hallucination…
a red butterfly quivers
upon a daisy
Splinters of sunshine
piercing the morning silence…
icicles crumble
Pink skies tinged with blue.
Calm after the hurricane,
water is pink too.
hot golden acre
soil cracks like old parchment
after a long drought
a lance of sunlight
quietly pierces through to
the lush forest floor
swallows swoop fast in
harmony across turbulent
rivers of white foam
[Removed for publication elsewhere]
pleading thin groves
solemn melancholy cry
cuckoos of autumn
Fur grey gnawing out
nutty red-sun tweaks the clouds
no more a squirrel
Tore aside triumph
seashells rolls to the shore side
boats to the blue seas
In a white ice box
a rigid celery stalk
readies a lank neck.
August always brings
dewy lawns at crack of dawn
dog-day afternoons
visits to the swings
last trips to the swimming pool
young ones starting school
college kids take wing
crickets singing in the night
dance under the moon
autumn gardening
schedules become usual
summer ends too soon
Sun from the heavens
shines as the light comes this way
Keen revelation
Light in the garden
glows for a happy birthday
Speaks celebration
Seen in perspective
lifelong pursuit of today
Dreams of elation
Waking in the mist
falling leaves are damp and gray
shrouded in a cloud
Orchestrated twist
hazard on a holiday
silence in the sound
Feel the frosty kiss
death imparts a dreamlike sway
memories renowned
Shari Jo, you have submitted ten haiku, but only three entries are allowed. Please pick your best three, and withdraw the excess haiku, to keep your chance to win!
Stream washes a rock,
Except a lone leaf, trembling.
What keeps me around?
extinction event
brimstone hurling through the sky
crapasauraus rex
Haiku I:
Mourning morning,
The golden sphere is hidden
And the grass does shine.
Haiku II:
On the horizon
I float – between Sky and Earth –
Afraid of falling.
Haiku III:
Life’s an asymptote
Near and near but way too far
Never satisfied.
Life slouches cornered
Desperate, dreary, damped eyes,
A withered flower.
Existence on ropes
Moistened eyes, shivering lips
Rains quiver lilies
Life withdraws itself
Sunrise gives no happiness
Cactuses prick love
thirteen chickadees
on a snow-covered hedgerow,—
the coffee’s bitter
a red-winged blackbird
sits on a cattail besides
the highway’s violence
brand-new concrete pool
yet thick with moss already
a frog plunges in
Flying for the sun
they seek the warmth of grace –
a visage of self.
Windswept golden manes
flaunt their lordship o’re the land –
all the feral bow.
Thus, she flies away,
fond farewells for thee we bid –
au ‘voir, good Reason.
missiles kill mother
things fall from Spring sky like rain
life now in Ukraine
-Gerald Seniuk
Hint of periscope
rises to blue-feathered grace
Pleasure here on earth
Birds, high on the wire
are synchronized no longer
our feathered mirrors
Whistles skirt the sky
winged predator follows
pity before kill
Moonlit oaks in ice
Spread cursive shadows on snow
A script for silence
Summer’s prickly pears
Sustain thirsty coyotes
Enflame human tongues
Crystals from sprinklers
Spatter through blue August skies
Jewels for a child
Moonlit ice and oaks
Spread cursive shadows on snow
A script for silence
Summer’s prickly pears
Sustain thirsty coyotes
Enflame human tongues
Crystals from sprinklers
Spatter through blue August skies
Jewels for a child
This entry was a mistake. I meant to enter only once.
The hearts of the dead
Might still be pumping if they
Had exercised more
In Fall he stutters,
Stalwart legs turned wet noodles,
Old dog done with days.
Little hands clasping
Acorns too large, unwieldy,
Eyes gleam victory
Gruff voice in mem’ry
Fades, time turning your presence
Into my own voice.
ah, blazing blue moon
why must you pose hazily
for my camera?
a squirrel’s tail furls
around a fallen birdbath …
the world in my yard
blizzard conditions
a young cat circles into
a wool granny square
Revised first haiku:
ah, blazing blue moon
must you pose so hazily
for my camera?
today the rain falls
I drive through the shining spray
where will the clouds go?
uproar of feathers
I too heard the distant clang
birds flee as I freeze
peony blossom
the bloom, a flurry of noise
rambunctious, benign
So falls tired summer:
Flowers give away their blooms,
Promises unclasped.
—-
Deep in the green seed
Grows a mystery of life,
Grief in the making.
—-
Time does not relent –
Its plough turns upon itself,
Drives ever onward.
rectangle phobia
cocooned in my sleeping bag
a caterpillar
brushing on the veins
of a herbarium leaf
the rustle of spring
vanishing skylight
the cicada’s song softer
than grandma’s whisper
Earth Glowing
by
James T. Struck
Leaves Flying in the Sky
Birds Glowing around the Ocean
Earth Burning Ever larger
Universe sinking always Inward
My three . . .
Mountain waterfall
Drift off to secluded thought
The thunder returns !
With dad at the park
Roughhouse, tree climes, leaf pile dives
Mom sips tea at home
Perseids last night
After midnight few meteors
But what cosmic thoughts
Evergreen Slope
Line of dark green spruce
Cuts the sky into a graph
Only birds can read
Stone Wall
Rocks shaggy with moss
Once fit to hold something in
Now hold only Time
Full Moon
Silver ornament
Illuminating night walk
Without glare or heat
Through the milky night gown
the summer moon is caressing
the phoetus in the womb
The visage of a child
stuck against the window pane
o look at the moon
Sitting all alone
in the front of a white paper –
behind me the moon
Mary Harwell Sayler
(3 haiku written in 2023)
Summer storm cuts off
power and credit cards, but
releases prayer.
In summer, silence
can be loud with longing as
our tears speak volumes.
Summer moon-drops float
like *pearls on the water.
Oysters go to bed.
(*Note: “pearls” are meant to have 2 syllables here, but if you think not, we can make them “white pearls.”)
Prairie-rose perfume
Permeates the open road.
A truck kicks up dust.
________________________
Hermit infiltrates
Icy cave, lets loose a cry —
His voice or the rocks’?
________________________
Pine, plum, and bamboo:
Steady fellow-travelers.
I go for firewood.
In a freak snowstorm
John looks for the Redeemer
eyes misting over.
Shy lips at midnight
Meld as a meddling moon beam
Lays bare their embrace.
Beneath dripping trees,
Geckos dream with open eyes,
As morning mists rise.
Through dark depths plunging,
Brave seamen pray and ponder
Sunken sailors´ bones.
Seasonal Risk
Crisp weather is here
It’s that time of year, achoo
Seasonal hazard
Winter acts so mean
A cold-hearted icy guy
Go play somewhere else
Red poppy beauty
A promise for tomorrow
Hope crushed by abuse
Morning, night’s old coup,
Makes marsh diamonds out of dew.
I make love with you.
Night lights, children’s noise,
Fast life as dawn reappears,
Grown folks skipping tea.
One after the next,
Feet going in, feet coming
Out, who knows who’s next?
Darkness fills the room,
Silence gets restive with none
Home to call for calm.
replacing the second haiku in previous comment please with:
One after the next,
Warm soil swallowing cold skins.
Now who knows who’s next?
Wren’s familiar voice
“Video” or “Figaro”.
It’s his song, your choice
Universe Balloon
Universe is crashing like a deflated balloon
I looked at the stars and galaxies moving in
I hid with my frog in my apartment and he started speaking to me he turned into a prince
Oh gee!
__________
Grass weeps, crystal grief
Teardrops for winter’s passing
Adieu. Spring mourning.
__________
This stone in my shoe
Just proves that ‘The Rock’ is in
everything these days.
__________
When all ‘The Woke’ sleep
Wisdom slips silently from
its priest hole to eat.
__________
Poppies bloom reckless;
Crepe paper skirts thrust aside
Exposing black hearts.
1. She Waits
Clouds blocking the sun
In stillness she waits for song
A hummingbird’s breath
2. Allia
She opened a book
She found worlds behind a word
Nothing else as true
3. Rings True
A sparrow’s wing
A baby’s shallow cry
An angel rings true
the tang of blackberries
picked from low-hanging branches
last rays of the sun
kitchen extension roof
so many neighbourhood cats
padding across us
a different moon
comes to linger over us
the novel also
yellowing petals
falling without wind, the wings
of a honeybee
a slight aroma
of ripening banana…
I’m so middle-aged!
the ragwort plundered—
cinnabar caterpillars
make their getaway
mid day touching, now
your eyes blessing our joining
such soft, soft spring rain
finger tips, your sighs
a slow smile upon moist lips
summer’s quick rivers
dreaming now, after
long deep droughts of lovesweet aire
perfume of the fall
we two, together
desire rekindles love’s fire
winter’s rose hearth-light
talking of springtime
in the harsh teeth of cold’s breath
warms the groundhog’s tales
the tracks of a fox
stop at the hint of a mouse
beneath winter’s snow
peppermint flowers
in the warm mid-summer heat
painting air with scent
the dragon fly skims
across the pond snatching prey
from the cool spring air
Seventeen short words
all of monosyllables
can paint a picture.
Salmon leaping high
fight to do the two main things
lay your eggs and die.
Early morning sun
punches the night’s jaw open
birds scream and escape.
Autumn’s hand brushes
the flags shaking in the wind
prayers fall like leaves.
Last winter the cold
did not dare touch my old bones
You were still around.
1)
scramble past boulders
sparse trees on trace of a path
summit view: verdure
2)
windshield wipers work
crawl along icy snow road
Prime brought xmas gifts!
3)
heron fishing sole
riparian currents swirl
kayakers flush him.
October cold dust
around falling ghostly moon
swiftly changing wind
Orange pumpkin stare
around October darkroom
light up autumn moon
Lullaby of dust
bedtime especially full
moon is deepening.
Kathy, PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR LAST NAME, as directed in contest rules above. There is already a Kathryn (who did give her last name) and I know another Kathy (same spelling as yours) who may enter. We need to be able to give you distinct credit for your poems. Thanks!
Okay
thank you!
October cold dust
around falling ghostly moon
swiftly changing wind
Orange pumpkin stare
around October darkroom
light up autumn moon
lullaby of dust
bedtime especially full
moon is deepening.
Verdant umbrella
The weeping willow dries its
hair in the spring sun
Tall glaciers sweating
A white bear scans left to right
Neither friends nor foes
winter is alive
as old crinkled leaves die off
purple crocus blooms
mice dance to bird chirps
on a wooden seed table
they do pirouettes
A neatly spun web
Offers early morning pearls
The sun is thirsty
The withered lone tree
Gnarled, old, knotted, grey and dead
Life’s last destiny
Softly sighs the sea
gently heals unsettled sands
of our written words.
Lie low lioness…
let the learning last until
your leadership lunge.
Gorgeous proverb! Copied into my notebook.
This did not post in haiku format. How can this be deleted and re-posted?
If it’s deleted, you’ll lose Monika Cooper’s appreciative comment. Please simply REPLY below the mistaken format, and re-type it, taking care to ENTER after each line, and thus make 3 lines. The mistaken format will still be there with the correction, but that does NOT count against you. The judges understand, and we re-type haiku for the RESULTS page. Remember to check back on September 29 to see whether you are on it.
Naked summer nights
Stardust falling from the sky
Contented lovers.
White caps on green waves
Darkness of the winter storm
Shivering sea life
Rivers twist and turn
We dam them up for power
Nature still breaks free.
An empty snail shell –
Dementia confirmation
In my trembling hand.
A silver slug trail –
My book falls open at the
Stations of the Cross
Far-off tsunami –
A butterfly flutters by
Looking innocent
I keep getting a message saying I’ve made a duplicate comment – but don’t seem to be able to see any comments I’ve made! What am I doing wrong?
It looks like your entry may have just taken a while to post. It is posted now.
Mike the Mod
Yeah, sorry, I was being technically incompetent
Ignore me! I see them now
as the act unfolds
bullets fly and soldiers fall
unseen puppeteers
no one to applaud
and yet under the full moon
wild cherry blossoms
in spite of the birds
scorching sun and rocky ground
the seed that flowered
those rattling aspens
I didn’t sleep at all last night
remembering them
my pages are bound
with staples; my sentences
with semicolons
early April snow
it’s a good thing the cherry
has its pink jumper
on Easter Sunday
a great tit out and about
in his smart black cap
a fuchsia petal
endlessly swirling around
the town square fountain
a fine spring morning
only my neighbour’s shih tzu
is wearing a coat
first day of grade nine-
a turtle in the hallway
paddles among sharks
windows are open
when sandstorm arrives early
no way to get home
orange maple leave
passes along the river
I go with the flow
1.
ten blocks of cold words;
soldered worlds of daylight dew
point through these old locks!
2.
September shines and
sure as dust my modem dies
– Forced little nocturne.
3.
night and endless screen
while we wrap a rapt rap now
the sky rose lingers
Haiku 1
Misty forest
in the bark of the pine tree
the moth worms
Haiku 2
Sound of the wind chime
in the maadurga* temple
monarch butterflies
* Hindu deity
Haiku 3
On the mountainside
wildflowers everywhere,
sheep bleating
I, Dr. José Luis Solís López, declare that the 3 haikus are of my authorship and property.
I wrote them before July 2022.
I correct my haiku´s de Dr. José Luis Solís López
Haiku 1
Misty forest
in the bark of the pine tree
the moth worms
Haiku 2
Sound of the wind chime
in the maadurga* temple
monarch butterflies
* Hindu deity
Haiku 3
On the mountainside
wildflowers everywhere,
sheep bleating
I, Dr. José Luis Solís López, declare that the 3 haikus are of my authorship and property.
I wrote them before July 2022.
Full moon with his shine
freezes down the dreamless sheet.
Rattles of crickets.
sun flower blooming
butterfly stopped for a kiss
law of attraction
starlings on blue sky
parades twittering like rains
migration begins
say it with flowers
the language i understand
beauty of nature
on my way back home
floating over pure white clouds
end of one journey
the city canal-
harvest moon’s pale reflection
on clutter of cans
humidity high
summer conference drags on
the last drop of juice
rediscovered roots
watching the white lotus rise
from grandfather’s pond
autumn’s magic spell
the forest’s emerald gems
turn garnet and gold
hummingbirds hover
along a lonely dust road
desert rose in bloom
thinning morning mist –
dewdrops on a spider web
filled with the silence
in forest’s shadows
hidden in the midday heat
middle of summer
path in the garden –
between silence and silence
the scent of roses
Farmer laments weeds
As he scatters summer seeds.
“Beauty,” poet breathes.
Daffodils asleep
Under winter’s blanket keep,
Eager for their call.
Waked to August rain
Soothing is its constancy,
With it my heart beats.
The season’s new coat,
Dining jacket shade of smoke,
Mocks yesterday’s strut.
—
Think you spoke too soon;
English summer’s pantomime
Carries on ’til noon.
climate change status –
now all the world is skating
on very thin ice
the yin/yang symbol’s
interconnected balance –
autumn equinox
diving cormorant…
thankful to hear an echo
paddling on the pond
military man
retreats to the hillside church
catching r and r
The flowers’ eyes splash
color around the fountain—afternoon women
after a dry spell
rain blessed the earth with tear drops
sorrowful of greed
What age do we learn
That we should apologize
Right after we cry?
Autumn at the door
When she paints the wild air,
Everything is new.
porch with memories –
just the fireflies still fuel
the old hand lantern
the childhood alleys –
all day long roaming among
the sidewalk chalk suns
glorious morning –
from icicles rarely fall
the drops of cold light
Upon the sidewalk,
ants march in a line to the
silent cicada.
A stray monk comes in
to sip his green, morning tea:
a mute flowering.
The infant babbles
his weaningful expressions.
A morning dove calls.
recycled stardust
such radiant energy
deadly in excess
veils on stone, intent
botanical acrobats
whisper dark romance
by lunar control
aqueous salutations
unburden my soul
through the silver frame
of my mother’s old mirror
I see butterflies
Flitting mother bird
Weaves a nest to raise her young
In the church’s eaves
Crying crickets sing
Preluding dawn’s symphony
Of joyful song birds
Bright starry clusters
Form a temporary home
For stars that wander
Trees swaying as one
Stars sparkling in the night sky
We all recite Om
It is an honor
To kiss leaves and walk the hills
Where ancestors wept
To sleep a good sleep
Lie close to a willow tree
Near honeysuckle vines.
The soft rain is late
Tomatoes slowly ripen
But God is on time.
Hurricanes are named
Female felines bold enough
To rant and to rage
The root of a rose
Remembers aromas when
fragrance buries deep
Sun through half closed blinds
show patterns on things that try
To ignore the light.
Autumn snow falling
Soft beauty of a white night
City lights misty
The sky above me
Reaches down and kisses me
Can I marry it?
Chilled moth a shadow
Intrusion under my palm
Still it rubs its wings
False sun River Birch
Stiff leaves hanging low enough
to absorb my gaze
Wind ridges my hair
It makes holes out of plots and
walks the running time
Thank you for running this competition – here are my entries:
Bridesmaids’ dresses,
the colour of the peacock
which softly creeps past.
Old house is empty
(I’m told he died in his sleep)
At night fox-cubs scream.
Farmer’s wife smirks: Don’t
Let the horse out the stable.
My flies are undone.
The brightest skin sings
a summer afternoon’s dream;
blind music in grass.
Dewey light within
the mimosa plant’s frail eyes
hums a secret woods
Alive beads of hush
glide beneath the city crowd.
Bosoms trip on time.
autumn equinox
the rail tie retaining wall
spits out a chipmunk
Bright early evening
view of the castle garden
Supermoon appear
hyacinth patches
on meandering river
all my drifting thoughts
a flock of parrots
flies over sunflower fields–
scarecrow’s long shadow
pomegranate tree…
a child takes it for his home
waiting across seas
Smooth lake in autumn
Red leaves reflected color
The call of the loon
Street light flickering
In it’s final death rattle
No one notices
Leaves turning colors
Is like a drawn out goodbye
That should last longer
Ocean Flowing across the Sky into the Bridges
Insects Flying into Heaven with Many spiders under Rivers and streams
Animals swimming with the Gods into the fires
Talking to God with Me and You listening
Gardens overwhelm
produce, insects, constantly
weeding. Still my joy.
Kittens playfully
chasing crickets, jumping at moths
bringing toys inside
Fauna and flora
breathing, living, reproducing
cuter than a bug
The world is a stage
The life of theatre inspires
Thespians bring joy
Name: Shamik Banerjee
1)
Late summer famine
Roti on her children’s plate—
Mother’s sacrifice
2)
Nomad buffaloes
Croc-infested summer stream:
A river of horns
3)
Starless summer night
Indra’s thunderous outcry
Toads: His true prophets
Lilacs have arrived
however will soon depart
now to be enjoyed
To small to see them
Living, breathing, growing there
The child in the womb
Baisali Chatterjee Dutt
the full moon and i
have a loud conversation…
we both know heartbreak
snowflakes on my tongue
melt away within seconds…
blink of a lifetime
after the rainfall
the world so fresh, so alive
…and so the birds sing
watermelon seeds
come to rest in our back yard
the first stars appear
Cardinals and Jays
Cross fall field in thrilling ways:
Electrified fans!
End of Summer drought
My Lake bed recedes ten feet
Now sand for small hands
Motor boats speed by
I await for six p.m.
Ahh. My peaceful pier.
An alien race
If they exist they wonder
Do humans exist?
Silent red balloon
Soars high into blue freedom
Pop! It falls to earth
Croaking frogs at night
Curious and active cats
clearly took a bite
Dear Editor in Chief,
I am writing to submit my three Haiku poems for consideration.
1)
Water leaps and sings,
In a joyful, liquid dance,
Splash of life’s embrace.
2)
Beneath the sun’s glow,
Flowers’ shadows softly dance,
Nature’s grace on show.
3)
Boughs stretch to the sky,
Leafless trees in winter’s grasp,
Nature’s grace revealed.
Spring Cloud Kiting
A thin contrail
Tethered a puff of cloud
To a high floating whale.
try meditation?
my own breath makes me anxious.
get high, coos the babe.
train in the tunnel
the cold gaze of a stranger
in the frosted glass
all windows open
what are the good answers to
voices of the night
a bird hovering –
just living in the moment
as long as it lasts
late summer sunset—
laburnum blossoms scatter
their scent of yellow
*
a cold lonesome night…
through the half-open window
climbs the harvest moon
*
rice planting women
hands and feet move in rhythm
with the old folk song
dirty tombstone-
olive trees of grandad
no longers blooming
night of shooting stars-
the cries of a newborn child
in the distance
immobile dusk…
a gentle scented breeze
pushes me onward
Carmela Marino
evening prayer service…
with candles and rosary beads,
light from the full moon
waiting for the bus…
a flurry of dawn snowflakes
tumble past the moon
a turkey buzzard
silhouetted by the moon…
my empty gas tank
talking and talking
to the grave of my dad
the summer twilight
august waning moon
helping her little daughter
with a prayer
evening prayer
the sea illuminated
by colours of dusk
walking on the grass
her soles crushed the tiny blooms –
wet soil stuck to toes
gold dandelions
grow old, feather into snow-
white wishes wind blows.
How brightly heaven
Shines! Everyone sees the moon,
But no one sees mine.
Blue bottle flies in
The sky. Mother’s relapse. Glass
Shatters, and my heart.
near the bomb crater
children push their matchbox cars
away from the war
Picking blackberries
Heat and bugs and thorns torment
but the pie’s worth it!
Sweet warm goat milk streams
into the silver bucket.
Watch out for the hoof!
scented garden blooms
white jasmine flowers perfume–
feel mother’s presence
spring walk in garden
cocoon sheds shell, a new life
white dot blue wings flies
pink cherry blossoms–
she stands in gloom, tears fall
leaves on vacant bench
A deep mossy well,
A Woden bucket falls in,
Splash!!!!! The sound echoes
An electrifying lighting!!
A clamouring thunder,
The distant rumble…
The whirling tempest
With greed seeks water’s hot breath
Low chance of yielding
The gold finch, urgent,
flitting. No loneliness to
cruelly crush him.
Aging dog and cat
keep trying. To what avail?
It’s all in the tail.
It looks good on paper,
it should work. Then, like the wind,
Careless caprice comes.
ducks and geese standing
on the islands that emerge
as their pond dries up
***
on a scorching day,
a sparrow tells her babies
about the bird bath
Cold, unearthly light:
A herd of deer is grazing,
It seems, on the moon.
The wipers can clear
The water from her windshield
But not from her eyes.
Breakfast for dinner:
A bright smear of marmalade
On a toasted sky.
The frail old camel
Braves storms to leave trail behind
Smug humans follow
Larry Coltin
Shelved Books on my shelves
Some I want to read again
Some I have not read
When Cain asked his god,
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Dedicated to jp.
Chaos reigned anew.
At the beach today
Three score years, waves pounding shore
Grand kids, sea the same
Stunning sunrise dawns
Refracted sunshine beauty
Cirrus filtered light
Dark autumn rain clouds
Dusting the ground with their tears
Parching summer done
OOPS. 3 is the limit. Please just look at the first 3. Sorry.
Larry Coltin
Will do, Larry. I did also see your thanks to me on another page, on the subject of syllable count. Glad you understand and appreciate.
rain bejeweled branch—
how red the cardinal is
on dull winder day!
single leaf curtsies
on the way down from tall heights—
lithe its final dance
white-tail fawns bound off
after the doe’s ears perk up
at the hint of me
teenager’s breakfast-
whatever is left over
from last night’s dinner
sweet smell of decay
rising from the garden beds-
your hand on the rake
late summer flowers-
the space between the mountains
echoes of Monet
Churning lightning foam
Chilling spray of boatman’s line
Down to quiet pool
My new cedar fence
Already adorned with a
Cicada carcass
My entries for the Haiku Contest 2023.
Storm surge screeching wind
shrubs shredding sweetgum falling
son, friends fear the worst
Burying best friend
the potent earthy essence
supersedes the mist
Slightly salty slough
manatee manicuring
the sea savannah
Leaving
Summer leaves. Fall breeze.
Cool days, cold nights. Come hard freeze,
fall; summer leaves leave.
09-10-2023
Fly
We disdain the fly.
But, still, what he can, you can’t.
I wish I could fly.
09-10-2023
Rain
Fresh rain comes down slow,
Soaks grass with November leaves.
Then, December – snows.
09-10-2023
#1
Fox tracks
Run through the new snow
Past scattered grouse feathers.
#2
Half a moon.
Silver cloud of warm deer breath,
Rising.
#3
The sun rising
Draws dew from frost
On autumn grass.
Soft raindrops touch ground
Another Wildflower blooms
Fervent kiss of love
Toss a flat pebble
It skips across the water
Achievement comes back
Mighty winds break trees
Lightning strikes splitting the sky
Taiyo runs to hide
Dancing for heaven
Climb aboard my sweet puppy
Warm snore in my lap
Rough little basket
Warm little ones all at home
Life takes flight again
Snowy white orchids
Silent-screaming nun’s faces
Come fire come ice
space beyond the clouds
beyond the peacock blue sky
crab nebula bursts
*
an abandoned house
the weeds of wildflowers scrolls
through the red tile roofs
*
semi-scattered rains
a crow’s hard caw splits across
bottleneck branches
*
inside September
striking its sprouts of garnet
invasive nature
Jo, please post your poem under your FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME, as directed in the paragraph above marked IMPORTANT.
Forecast:
Past: hazy sunshine
Present: strong winds blow clear till
Future: winds subside.
Autumn Haiku:
The red squirrel flits
from brown bark to golden leaf
his sleep will come on soon
A blackened church bell,
under the clamouring sun,
swings, silently.
***
Clouds, bruised indigo,
roll, unflustered, to the east.
The snow falls gladly.
***
The shocking quiet.
A sorry poet hammering
word against brute word.
the faded sunrise
in our family photo
just dust in Mom’s eyes
choosing a photo
for the obituary
manicured roses
karaoke night—
the cicadas coming out
of their shells to sing
children in the field –
running in a full circle
and reaching nowhere
Arctic aurora –
beautiful light in the sky
magical displays
frogs and toads croaking –
the heavy rain drenches the earth
so cold, yet soothing
– Lanzz
Malaysia
seeming Jurassic
the sand dune with a snow fence
barely protruding
a rose-red ocean
a child, subterranean
arise, rose, arise
autumn equinox
a morning chill reminds me
to prepare for change
a bin of cortlands . . .
selling the scent of autumn
at the roadside stand
ready with ribbons
I weave a winter rainbow
through my daughter’s hair
Metamorphosis
begin prepare transform change
child youth adult age
Marta, please follow above instructions marked IMPORTANT by using both your FIRST NAME AND LAST NAME. Thanks!
Lurking behind a
gauzy veil of clouds, the moon
casts a ghostly vibe.
Storm clouds gather to
powwow while chanting rhythms
of thunder and rain.
A tsunami of
coastal fog threatens to breach
peninsula peaks.
Departing the cold,
she casts her stemline adrift
amidst leafy seas.
The rhythmic beat of
summer’s rolling waters, now
iced into silence
Gathering needles,
she deftly stitches them round
the warbler nursery.
chicken restaurant…
angels have no need of wings
to fly to heaven
a naked willow
leans over the frozen pond
no sound of water
over the white clouds
the whiter snows of Fuji
and the rising sun
each single snowflake
building the difference
in the endless white
A Haiku for Fall
Sweet gum leaves changing
little golden stars cast down
falling in my yard.
in thick morning mist
a yellow leaf flutters down
the earth’s falling star
1} Your words cut deeper
Deeper than the ocean floor
Sorry won’t fix it
2} Only three letters
Yet it pains me to say it
So I’ll stick to James
I tried to join Men –
sa but my haIQu was a
wee bit too low
I tried to join Men –
-sa with a sixteen sylla-
-ble haiku IQ
first colourful leaf,
dancing through the stormy wind,
searching so-called “home”.
piece of liquid pearl
banished from the above, falls,
dries, losing beauty.
the water dances,
while lots of candles, above,
begin to twinkle.
Inviting waters
heron confirms well-being
accept the healing
Winds direct bamboo
defeating adversity
empowered vigor
Language of the trees
windblown pines whispers linger
engaged listener
February sun
the little wren takes a bath –
the sound of splashes
cherry blossom time –
the homeless man sleeps soundly
under a pink sky
above the rough sea
albatross floats on the wind without a single move
Warm bright days return.
Cold rivers run high and wide
Redolent of snows.
autumn loneliness —
our photos in the album
still stuck together
anniversary —
autumn rain clearing the dust
off her epitaph
winter solitude —
a pencil slowly rewinds
grandma’s lullaby
ABC’S OF THE SEASONS
1. Antagonizing
Ants assemble aimlessly:
Aged Autumn Army
2. Bye-bye butterfly
Buried by branches bough, born
Beside backyards brook
3. Cautious carriages
Cantor carelessly cross cold,
Chilled Christmas currents
River-girdled Birch
On stranded Isle _ what secrets
Might your parchment yield?
Billows in the night _
Campers ride their wind-swept tent,
Drunken elephant
Umbrellas marching
In rain-soaked skies _Lilly pads
Swimming in a sea
Like peppermint sticks,
Spinnakered sails of varied hue
Separate the blue
Mexican sunflowers
Host hovering hummingbirds _
Suspended motion
Please cancel poem #1, River girdled birch
and poem #5, Mexican sunflowers
River-girdled Birch
On stranded isle _ what secrets
Might your parchment yield ?
Billows in the night _
Campers ride their wind-swept tent,
Drunken elephant
Umbrellas marching
In rain-soaked skies _ Lilly pads
Swimming in a sea
Like peppermint sticks,
Spinnakered sails of varied hue
Separate the blue
Mexican sunflowers
Host hovering hummingbirds _
Suspended Motion
Swallow, an arrow,
bursts across the burnished blue.
I cannot catch time.
Honeysuckle heart—
the beat of the hummingbird—
drink and pollinate.
Little girl, barefoot
in summer’s last sunshine, stirs
a cup of acorns.
Girl squirrel statue still
Holding tight her acorn hat
Late for the moons dance
White egret, blue sky
Mirrored in the sea below
Beauty reflected
Fog heavy and wet
Moves slowly into the night
A mourners black veil
The sunbeams reach through the cloudy sky —spreading God’s love to all below
Early morning soft and still—promises of the joy filled day to come
I mistakenly entered 5 Haiku. Please disregard #1, River-girdled birch
and #5, Mexican sunflowers
The warmth of the earth
rises up and fills my heart
like a friendly cup.
Funeral today
Business as usual
Kidney breakfast
To speak from rich crypts
Fills minds with more than just air
Point made to grand stand
Upon sweeping wind
Wings and pressure start flight
Reflecting sunlight
When i look skyward an old friend looks back at me eternity waits. Life is a river flowing to the ocean immortality.
Middle of winter….the snapping of red fire place…obsorbs books riffle
Middle of winter….the snapping of red fire place…obsorbs books riffle
Butterflies are free
Unlike slaves of long ago
They can fly away
Butterflies are free….Unlike slaves of long ago…..They can fly away
When will the leaves start
To turn: the days are still warm
But the nights are cold
From dying piles of
Almond trees white blossoms are
beginning to burst
Purple with sunrise
Robed in mist Bear Mountain I
wish I could paint you
autumn leaves ablaze
resplendent colors amaze
God giving a gift
slither, startles me
as scared of me as I he
deep breath, heart settles
Haiku is succinct
Paints a picture in few words
Poetic shorthand
My car needs new tires
An oil change and new brake pads
Cars are expensive
Slumbering sweetly
A bird’s song awakens me
I listen and smile
Haiku—Squirrels
tall ancient oak trees
majestic in all seasons
squirrels playing tag
windy snowy day
park benches clothed in bright white
squirrels occupy
cat food in a bowl
intended diners absent
stealthy squirrels feast
“ TRIED TO JOIN MENSA
BUT SEVENTEEN SYLLABLE
IQ ENDS IN HAIK “
Backpack and snow boots
waiting on weather report
girl seen in hike queue
an empty birdcage
the dust in the living room
drifts through the window
the indolent smile
of a summer afternoon
fish poles in the grass
November morning
an early frost on brown leaves
crouching in the sun
(1)
lull of setting sun . . .
last lily of the valley
leaves its shadowed curl
(2)
blue notes of blue hour—
languid lotus lullabies
deeper inky pink
(3)
silver slivers splash
silhouette of sycamore—
mallard in moonglade
Geese know to take flight
With autumn’s lengthening nights
Nature’s pendulum
Dew drops hanging free
From that leaf on summer’s tree
Rainbow refracted
Winter’s thaw is here
Purple crocuses do cheer
Earth awakening
Winter’s thaw is here
Purple crocuses do cheer
Earth awakening
Dew drops hanging free
From that leaf’s summer tree
Rainbow refracted
Geese know to take flight
With autumn’s lengthening nights
Nature’s pendulum
pacific brush strokes
dancing lightly on my skin
no longer ticklish
enlightened firefly
radiant amid ruin
a tenacious spark
lemongrass trimmings
skydiving into my tea
i cry chamomile
The girl and myself
Fell in love under a sky
Where birds can’t fly
Slowly the rain stops
Dark clouds pass to show sunlight
The rainbow is seen
Autumn is upon us
The sun has changed its coat
The leaves have followed suit
Fall is upon us
The sun has changed its coat
The leaves have followed suit
Huge trees wag their heads
Leaves take flight across the air
A storm is brewing
My haiku entry
Huge trees wag their heads
Leaves take flight across the air
A storm is brewing
The wind through the trees
Awakens me with its breeze
A new day to seize.
Burned by rays all day
flowers wilting, skin dripping
waiting for the storm
departing autumn
the wall clock of late grandma
in sync with silence
answers turn into
the monosyllabic words—
winter seclusion
nothing compares to
the imprints of our children—
pomegranate seeds
Walk tropical night
Full moon vibrant tower cloud
Deep heaven background
snowflakes on wet snow
the heaviness and lightness
of being alone
deer leaping into
the cover of prairie grass
those three words uttered
cicadas shimmer
late summer thin air quivers
a chainsaw cuts through
sunflowers in bloom
search the south skies: ten thousand
soldiers in array
a plastic shopping
bag waving from a tree branch
whose leaves are changing
Wild asters blooming
Beside an angel in prayer
A splash of purple
After moans of birth answer
groans from sorrowing earth.
A cry of hope.
Deep in the dark soil
holding life, seeking light
A mustard seed of faith
Unburnt dewy leaves
Heavy sighs on morning breeze
Summer senescence
the layered canyon
committing to memory
water over rock
Staring, standing close,
the two friends await morning’s
halters in my hands.
translucent webs spun
on colorless foliage
display a buffet
On a summer day
The bluebirds come out to play
While singing their songs
solo at the bridge
the itinerant sax man
performs for the stars
roasting marshmallow
comet streaks across the fire
summer’s afterglow
Milk cows once filled a
Dilapidated old Barn,
With the Milk of Life.
Michael W Howe
2023
I gave a Eulogy to my Dad in haiku.. He passed away last fall at age 93.
Born in ‘29
What great fortune lies ahead?
The Great Depression
Farm living is hard
It’s cold inside this morning
I can see my breath
A one room schoolhouse
Half of my class is absent!
Angie must be sick
Electricity!
No more Christmas tree candles
Or kerosene lamps
Autumn, back in school
Most are grieving summer’s end
I rejoice, no chores!
All study and work
At the U of M except
Football Saturday
Post war in Berlin
As counterintelligence
Some of the best years.
Terry peak ski trip
Red sweater girl, you play bridge?
I do, name’s Mary.
Wedding and marriage
Let us start a family
Now Cathy then Paul
First day to last day
Commuting to work in style
Black Mercedes Benz!
Remington, Sperry
Unisys, Lockheed Martin
Same job but new name
Working 30 years
Using precious vacation
Fixing or camping
Pinewood derby built
With Dad’s engineered design
Not fair to others
Baseball game tonight
Pitcher Paul needs to warm up
Dad to the rescue
Same house on Charlton
New kitchen, yard, and basement
Pride of ownership
Schematic sketches
Adjusted by plans A through Z
Persistence pays off
Measure twice, cut once
With the right tools and knowledge
Everything fixed
Oh, random device
How old are your batteries?
Yellow sticky note
Oh, random yard tool
Where is your proper storage?
Labelled in garage
Looking for advice?
Five researched articles here
But your decision
New mattress needed
Choice made easy by
Consumer reports
Growing tomatoes?
Variety, soil, water
Details in my book
Shoulder surgery
Won’t my tennis game suffer?
I’ll play left-handed.
Ah retirement
Travel, tennis, read, relax
There was time to work?
Box wine, terra chips
Ipad, freecell, recliner
Happy hour at 4
Patient, loving, kind,
Gentle, strong, meticulous,
Words to describe Dad.
My work is complete
93 years, time to rest
Thanks, well done my child
Amazed by this life story!
This is such a wonderful set of haiku and an even more delightful life story. Loved it a lot
synchronous in flight
well-schooled, these summer fledglings
bird-brained should be praise
nothing constant here
only motion and flux, yet
still sand, still water
sunset through white pines
our soup will need reheating
eyes feast first tonight
Blackout
Liquor infuse tear.
Daylight merge to nightfall rage.
Sunrise will come soon.
Thank you for reading my haiku:
snow-laden branches
his easel and paintbrushes
are gathering dust
–
white jasmine flowers
stud the twirling dancer’s braid
stars trail the full moon
–
midwinter stillness
the stone angel embedding
in moss and silence
in this fall silence
still raindrops and healing drops:
drip, drip, drip, drip, drip
the autumn full moon
I’m beginning to think what
the other side is
the crowded ballroom
and snowflakes swirl quietly
outside the window
I am waken up
by the song of a titmouse –
the alarm clock’ sound
a water lily
in the sky… the clouds sailing
somewhere under it
lamp on the terrace –
shadows of the moths flutter
on the wall behind
To Classical Poets Society
Please note that as I was uncertain whether all 3 of my haiku submissions could be entered under one comment or each required its own comment submission I entered them both ways, In either case I only submitted three haiku not six which would disqualify me from the competition
Thank you
Winter morning’s sun
The park Yellow-red roses
Are still burning
—
The park’s Autumn morning
Some old’s men, some old’s women
Some old’s leaves, some old’s deaths
—
The ivy withers
The mirror cracks
when they meet
excuse me. correct form of my second haiku is so that I have written below.
The park’s Autumn evening
Some old men, some old women
Some old leaves, some old deaths
rose hips gently tap
the fore-arm and the arm-rest
the chair is creaking
vibrant summer sky
something flits between its hue
black trees and white stars
a distant tractor
calls me out of thoughts to Now
a plough recalls me
cracking desert crust…
skies reclaiming silent clouds…
summer humbling earth.
leafless cherrytrees –
the same world as yesterday
but with no more love
English-style garden –
what’s the accent of lilac
language of flowers
morning nightingale
answering with a whistle
I petrify it
Submission by Stuti Sinha
Fistfuls of yellow
drip from sticky summer hands;
Mango stones lay bared
Beads of sweat collect
on summer beaten faces
crying for respite
A fog eclipses
Kilimanjaro, till dawn
crowns its peak with light
Out of parched corn-rows
fly fat, black ears—the wind reaps
a harvest of crows.
Fish and butterfly
at the pond’s brim, eye to eye,
share infinity.
Clouds of melting ice
swirl my tea of garden herbs
—winter ending twice.
in the parents’ house
as if they were never been
people I don’t know
for cicada’s song
I will leave the door open
even if it’s frost
nights with double moon
she use to swim in the pond
without any clothes
Once green, the pasture’s
crackled yellow shelters life
forever still more.
Reflection of fall
Scenery in the still lake
Reflecting inward
Sparrows chrip by my
Window on a June morning
Kettle whistles too
Wildfire engulfing
Environment entirely
Battling breathlessness
Dear Judges,
My apologies. Changing one word in the first haiku.
Reflection of fall
Scenery falls in still lake
Reflecting inward
Thank you for this contest.
Thanks for your time.
the farm machines left
under a round harvest moon,
still cast their shadows.
Hummingbird in flight
Wings and heart beating as one
Fly tiny angel
Seeking true love pure
Brown eyes cold nose wagging tail
Found true love pure dog
Hummingbird in flight
Wings and heart beating as one
Fly tiny angel
Seeking true love pure
Brown eyes cold nose wagging tail
Found true love pure dog
rivers of lava
flash red against the night sky
Mount Fuji erupts
.
the tumbleweeding
of dried hydrangea blossoms
–birdsong in the air
.
looking deep within
a pistil and stamen mate
–an orchid corsage
freak warm wind, chinook,
scythe of spring, windrows of snow,
exposed earth startled
moonlight in the dock
silver minnow darts that laugh
crickets owl tick-tock
Winter flees the earth,
Leaving the world as in birth,
The new spring blossoms
one tiny house wren
with an insect in her mouth
still sweetly singing
bulbul wind-swinging
on a branch of the flame tree
shamal teasing it
palm doves snapping beans
from brittle brown pods of vines
no longer climbing
September 14 2023
“Compass Plant “Title
Glowing, swaying blooms
Captured sunlight in petals
Touch my head beneath
seasons are changing
cold breeze, color changing leaves
wind whispers goodbye
I love football games
favorite team is the Jags
Jaguars on top
Ocean waves crash in
Surprising me from behind
Sun bonnet floats out
cats are furry fun
snowy white and dark as night
soft paws comfort me
Bees on Spring’s blossoms
with sun, rain, wind, hail coming.
Late summer peaches.
I love volcanoes
lava flow crater will blow
Pompeii was buried
best sport basketball
bouncing orange balls, free throws
shoot the winning point
Past becoming flesh,
my ticking grandfather clock
springs a carmine tear.
Morning light through sky
Eyes deep in shadow so bare
Hands to her so fair.
Raised up to see her
Flashing colors bathing me
her name is beauty.
Flying hand in hand
Hair flowing voices clearing
Shouts of joy rising.
reluctant leaves fall
from an old tree showering
an old man walking
the orchids dazzle
beauty stealing air and sun
some unknown painter
puffy summer clouds
float across eternity
so high no birds fly
Crispy leaves afoot
Faded sprays of rose petals
Flower gardens pass
Alone in the night –
only a few crickets sing
one final concert
Night in the country –
now and then a black owl
upsets the quiet
Padlock on the gate –
at night in the neighbor’s yard
lots of fireflies
in the autumn dawn
creaking limbs cradle the moon
an old woman’s voice
trees stand finely still
and bear mute carved bird statues
a dull ax chops wood
night swallows embers
rising in the quiet cold
I stir moonless soup
Love lives forever
But death pauses at the door,
Then life forever!
I learn how to love
My heart breaks and grows strong,
Love must let go now.
Margaret,
These are three entries that have gone astray…
Gordana Kurtović – haiku poems:
acacia flower
on a May evening
smell of memories
human negligence
I fear more and more
for our Earth
haiku poet
the builder of the bridge
from East to West
What a pretty bird
With a red crest on his head
Tweet-tweet-tweet, he says
In the summertime,
I like to swim at the pool
With my family
Look an oriole
What a sweet colorful bird
I love orioles
twilight gardening
a grey and white mosquito
flits ever closer
summer afternoon
a lone seed of thistledown
drifts languidly by
dead sunflowers droop…
and a charm of goldfinches
suddenly appear
Early dusk descends
Awakening the nighttime
Fall is drawing near
A leaf butterfly
Flutters and floats to the ground
Then flies with fall winds
Night window open
Crickets’ lively song outside
Sleepy summer dreams
Haiku entry
As summer ends and
cool breezes blow, leaves change color
yellow, orange and red
Haiku entry:
As summer ends and
cool breezes blow, leaves change color
yellow, orange and red
The mighty oak falls
Thud then it all is silent
Acorn to table
Ripe grape on the vine
Crush to become a fine wine
A toast and to dine
Late snow storm abates
Orphan lambs’ cries pierce the air
Non-responsive ewes
Outside there is dew
Rays of sun peak through the clouds
And birds chirp and sing
Hazy autumn morn
Loons calling through mystic fog
your ashes set free
Heat-stroked red roses
weep in anticipation
evening dew on your lips
Stately white aspen
quaking with the restless wind
Fall tap-dances in
Earth, Water, Fire, Air
These are elements we share.
Hoarding is unfair.
Flowers start to bloom
Spring cleaning? I’ll grab the broom
Goodbye school classroom!
Weather starts to cool
I have started in with school
I will miss the pool
Family is there
Presents, presents everywhere!
Joy is in the air
bees swarm blossoms blue
hum of effort so divine
harvest liquid gold
Dark morning turns bright
Slow light leaks through window glass
Summer takes her leave
Hydrangea! All green
Full of life yet not one bloom –
Why on strike this year?
Roses, so demure
Armed, dangerous, offended
I need a bandage
“5-7-5” The five to seven five
They do not have to rhyme
But sanctioned some do.
“Haiku 2” ‘Four Roses’, lime, and ice – Drink prune juice and do crossword – It can be very nice.
“German Haiku”
Go drink some hot tea – Und gehe zu baden zimmer – Badly I must pee.
KARATE
Like a knife through air
His hands and feet fly switly
To his opponent
autumn rain . . .
to the rhythm of its drops
my long life
spring stream . . .
mixed in its nuances
all my carelessness
petrichor . . .
memories of our sins
in its soul
Hi, April fools’ day
the sunshine waking up soon
happy cherry blossoms
each light brings power
bounce the beats in the cold wind
just relax, my friends
above us a struggle
Mastering Frost is a friend
do with longer days
Rippling cool water
Birds flying between blue pools
Sparkling reflections of summer
long dry spell of cold
saintly orchid braves the storm
pushed but just holds on
old man squints through fog
spring dream beyond iron grill
giggling kids on swings
winter morning green
bicycle waits in the dew
warm croissant and tea
Dome of blue on blue
Canadians the pepper
And snow geese the salt.
Brown stalk, slain and robbed
Of its amber offering
Rests now on spent sod
Gaze upon the night
heavens full of countless suns
-dark a mystery
Worm:
consumed in dirt your
head, or tail, wriggling with
frantic exposure
Bear:
Your orange fur is
brown now, but your head is soft
like when you were new.
Thursday Afternoon:
Boots fill with water
as I jump, jump, jump,
in shallow puddles.
Moving my body
A concert of cicadas
In the trees above
Bright blue skies above
As far as my eyes could see
Yellow flower fields
Cicada sounds and
Summer heat bathe my body
As i rest in grass
tiny ants dodge tears
crawling through the crevices
– my son’s name in stone.
Wild flowers bloom, sway
shadows play ‘cross dates too close
sun rays warming stone.
Dry leaves near your stone
Resting, rustling, reassuring
sing you lullabies
the moon at fullness
radiance offers comfort
in the cold darkness
silent pond reflects
golden smile of autumn moon
thoughts struck in fullness
gold wheat’s gentle hush
bathed in the full moon’s glory
tsukimi embrace
One broken branch sways
As two squirrels race, unconcerned
Flaw flavors their fun
Cantankerous storm
Swirls the serene countryside
Into a challenge
Autumn’s breathe lingers
Kissing rose petals goodbye
Romantic ending
Now the river’s soul
stirs with surface blue, changing—
each hour, each new day.
The morning paper
arriving before birdsong
in robin’s egg blue.
first dawn of autumn
dew studded strands of cobweb
stretch over the moon
spring awakening
a butterfly emerges
from its sleeping bag
restless volcano
an alpine flower garden
erupts through the snow
The simple screen door
that rain has clung to all night:
a meditation.
a blanket of dew
on the bright morning glories…
autumn-colored sun
a bad summer cold—
defying the scorching heat
this blue butterfly
incessant drizzle
stretching out over the town
a cuckoo’s soft call
winter solstice wind
a snowshoe hare warms its coat
in the waning sun
growing full, the moon
swearing the seventeen sounds
it wants, i’m wanting
another cold front
the heated language clinging
to so many doubts
blackberry winter
reading a dead author’s work
about time travel
five years of ivy
somewhere still in the tangle
is a stone angel
a new supermoon
down along the waterfront
all the talk is work
R. Abramovich
standing still outside his house
a cherry blossom
listening to dawn –
songs of kiskadee emerge
clockwork from the sky
still delighting me –
all my tropical flowers
in this year’s heat wave
a heart shape cloud fades
its memory remains well etched –
fine inspiration
playing Solitaire
at war veteran’s window
autumn full moon
roasted chestnuts bowl
grandfather plays the cello
on the Christmas Eve
the train from the north
does not stop at our station
impossible love
Each and every one
Particular as snowflakes
But all from water
rhododendron bloom
my child learns how to spell her name
using syllables
mother’s walking stick
all the times she holds my hand
while making dinner
rose petals scatter
a crow’s dark feathers ruffling
in the autumn breeze
apple-scented breeze
through the dried sunflower stalks —
bidding sweet adieu
Beautiful night sky
Moon and stars so big and bright
Bright beautiful night
summer evening . . .
the call from minarets
& cathedral bells
a rusted cauldron
deep in the autumn forest
where birds never sing…
A praying mantis
Stands motionless in the grass—
There’s hundreds of them!
Ravens. Screaming birds.
Always coming into view
When meals are in sight.
Water. Streaming down.
Moving, shifting, splashing, repeat,
Always a good sight.
Uprooted. Replant.
Growing fruits and vegetables,
Then starting over.
Horny churches sit
on the curves of rapeseed fields
piously erect
Dear fish, caught and plucked
from life by a daybreak hawk
good morning, goodbye
Sidewalk dandelions,
defy your masters to death
hold fast for the wind
Late frost on hayfields
The old horse recalls the colt
And bucks the darkness
Pregnant clouds rumble
Pecans trees dance wildly
In the falling rain
Old beagles in hay
Snuggle against the cold wind
Waiting for sunbeams
kill all your close friends
drink their water, steal their sun
leaves still end in dirt
feed me stuffed grape leaves
pour olive oil down my throat
sweet oblivion
space is musical
here between our sundrenched skin
where words are not said
flower in the dark –
nature became agitated
waiting to wake up
the branch is moving
in a cloud of silence
just a breath of wind
summer has arrived
the stone and the thirsty sod –
dream has dried up
Tears join melting ice.
The bears simply trek inland
and join other kin.
The calm lake still hums –
buzz of deadly mosquitoes
adds to nature’s song.
Lone wolf stalks the deer.
His stealth never betrays him…
Stomach growls loudly.
Cherry blossoms bloom
Then fall slowly to the ground
Longing to be free
Patterns intertwine
To form a spider’s artwork
Complete masterpiece
Lone cocoon hatches
One more inch left to complete
Make it in the world
September 15, 2023
Haiku Entries
smoldering, dark clouds
a forest fire is burning
sirens in the night
egg yolk of a sun
with peace, settles in the West
first blue star just winks
bees’s legs, snugly embrace
surface of the sunflower
warbling robin, sings
To Judges, please note…..
Correction..Haiku #3:
Line 1 should be…
bee’s legs do embrace
I apologize for my oversight!
Patricia Allred.
The evening sky glows
with orange swirls and pink puffs.
Dessert is now served.
Shivers in a tree —
My fingers grip, turning white.
All the wolves growl.
Alexa replays
Elvis crooning the blue moon
I linger alone
a blue moon distracts
from after-dinner cleanup
the dishwater chills
a billion wishes
power the golden module’s
journey to the moon
NINE ELEVEN – a chapter of Haikus
War demons descend
Shocking to reality
Our purpose and truth
This great upheaval
Born to shake complacency
Awakes a stunned world
The sky exploding
On September Eleventh
Ignites the whole world
As fireballs rise
To a bright sapphire sky
Smoke snuffs out the Sun
Terrified, frozen
The Earth huddles in shadows
And shudders in fear
We must stay alert
Amend our complacent ways
Save democracy
Let nothing destroy
Civilization and peace
Man’s right to live free
Please edit the second Haiku which should read:
This great upheaval
Born to shake complacency
Wakes up a stunned world
A duet of hoots
serenades under moonlight.
Table for two, please.
Amid swirling flakes
a red cardinal perches–
nature’s own snow globe
smooth frosted sea glass
starfish feathers driftwood shells
treasures lost and found
the first snowflakes melt
on the chestnuts in the fire
autumn equinox
the displaced village
in the long overgrown grass
just leaning crosses
a drop of nectar
the lightheaded butterfly
flying in zigzag
As windmill of dreams
On plains of everyday life
We survive, we thrive.
A droplet on leaf,
A spill on wooden table,
joy leaves, regret roots.
Crunch of frozen grass,
Chukkars blast off strong and proud.
Eyes and smiles connect.
Years of handmade skill,
gentle flame ignites senses
Vitola’s great gift.
Dogwoods open act.
Sunrise bold proclaims the news,
All changes this morn.
Great, beautiful lake
Pristine, untouched, reflective
Symbol of beauty
A tall vantage point
Overlooking trees and hills
And a great blue sky
A delicate seed
Sapling sprouting from the earth
Size does not matter
Twirling through the air
Mother above and below
How does forever work?
Soar ever upward
On illuminated wing
The still puddle smiles
rare stories from Dad
about his refugee years…
hailstones in summer
wedding procession –
the groom pauses to admire
the cherry blossoms
clanging harbor bells
fishing trawlers return home
in the autumn mist
a hibiscus blooms
on the anniversary
of the day she left
*******************
the world condensed on
a dew drop on a bamboo
the old gray cat snores
*******************
3 in the morning
staring at the ceiling fan
half-life of a dream
**************
3 in the morning
staring at the ceiling fan
half-life of a dream
*******************
a hibiscus blooms
on the anniversary
of the day she left
******************
the world condensed on
a dew drop on a bamboo
the old gray cat snores
*******************
refugee convoy
a lassie stops to gather
corn silk for her doll
————————
living the hospice
winter clouds deepen into
her window mirror
————————
first dream of the year
my mother emerging from
the induced coma
new treaty of peace
the wind leaves through the ruins
cherry tree blossoms
*
cherry trees in bloom
looking over the color
of pregnancy test
Natures silent grace
Whispers in a quiet placeLife’s beauty we embrace
Moonlight on the sea
Waves sing a soothing melody
Nature’s harmony
Autumn leaves take flight
Colors blaze with pure delight
Natures final rite
Fall bees drink the bloom
Dance and thread at nectar’s loom
Spring waits, workers’ tomb
Tree to earth winds blow
Thrash and gnash its spirit woes
Ant and ilk abode
I am making a revision to my prior submissions by adding titles to two of the haiku. I am fine submitting these with or without a title. The contest rules do not mention titles, and I have seen poets taking positions on both sides of whether or not haiku should have a title, though none of your examples include titles.
Autumn Leaf
Departing the cold,
she casts her stemline adrift
amidst leafy seas.
Pine Warbler
Gathering needles,
she deftly stitches them round
the warbler nursery.
The rhythmic beat of
summer’s rolling waters, now
iced into silence
Whispers of the wind, Nature’s symphony unfolds, Peaceful harmony.