One More from the Berkshires

clouds drifting

divide reunite

a flash of sun

Back from the Berkshires

I've just returned from a long (Wednesday through Sunday) weekend in the Berkshires. Here are some of the haiku I wrote while I was there.

By the way, if you're wondering "Does he drive his wife crazy?" she says no.

1

morning footprints

cancelled by evening snow

winter's going

2

evergreens on a hill

the sun breaking through

whitens the snow

3

snow last night

sun brushing the tops

of white evergreens

4

snow on the hillside

clouds drifting above the trees

only a head cold

5

evergreens

more green today

sun after snow

6

a clump of snow

explodes on the iron step

sudden wind

7

I never saw it

until winter stripped the trees

the curve of the hill

8

empty rack

in the motel bathroom

weekend's over

9

too much winter

driving south

toward the snow

If nothing else, you have an idea of the weather we've been having in the northeast. On the whole, I consider winter an underrated season, and I try to do my best for it, but, as #9 suggests, even my saintly patience is occasionally tried. What inspired that one is that we cut short our stay by one day to avoid what was described by The Weather Channel as "a major MAJOR storm," headed our way from the south.

I'm leaving town for the weekend, and I thought I'd post a few more winter haiku. #1 was written around New Year's Day; #2, on February 1; and #3, today. Each is meant to suggest a different stage of winter. We'll see.

1

points of grass

whisker dimpled snow

time evaporates

2

hoar frost

coats the flattened grass

snow retreats

3

snow on the lawn

a white cat stares

from an open window

revision

Because haiku is a short form, small changes can make big differences. Since Sunday's posting, I've made one small/big change in my haiku on "The Gates."

saffron banners

holding the wind

letting go

In my mind, this is a completely different poem. Any comments?

Here is the first haiku I ever wrote. Date of composition was 12/30/04. I was seventy-one at the time. When I wrote it, I was comfortably indoors, looking out the window on a very cold winter's day.

whitecaps dancing

spray against the breakwater

winter wind

And here is the most recent. This one was inspired by Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "The Gates," currently on display in Central Park.

saffron banners

holding the wind

letting it go

In keeping with haiku's venerable tradition, most of the haiku I'm writing these days articulate winter moments. Can Spring be far behind?