haiku-usa

A blog devoted mainly to haiku and senryu and to thoughts about, and inspired by, haiku and senryu.

My Photo
Name:
Location: New York, New York

Haiku is to poetry as espresso is to coffee.

Monday, March 31, 2008

stray

a stray dog
going my way
early spring
(Shiki Kukai, February 2008)

Thursday, March 27, 2008

stand-up

stand-up
the laugh
that . . .
doesn't . . .
come . . .
(Shiki Kukai, February 2008)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

breakfast

late breakfast
mourning doves nesting
on the windowsill
(Shiki Kukai, March 2008)

Sunday, March 23, 2008

More for Easter

Easter
a spot of holy water
on my silk tie
* * *
Easter
I feel a twinge
in my genuflection
* * *
Easter Mass
I run into a friend
I thought was dead
* * *
"Come Holy Ghost"
as the church doors open
leaves in the wind*
*"Come Holy Ghost" is a traditional Catholic hymn, often sung at the end of Mass, as the doors are opening. This is not specifically an Easter ku, but I wrote it this morning, along with the others, and I hope it suggests spring.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Easter

Easter
the nun chooses
a pants suit

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

apostate

the apostate—
cold wind heavy rain
and no one to blame

Saturday, March 15, 2008

happy hour

happy hour
he tells me again
he doesn't miss her
(Published in Sketchbook)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

surrogate, with alternative

surrogate:
the baby handed over,
her womb is hers again
("India Nurtures Business of Surrogate Motherhood," NY Times, 10 March 2008)
***
In this senryu as originally posted, the phrase "handed over" is from the original news story. Since posting it, I thought of an alternative that might say it a bit more powerfully. Or not.
surrogate:
the baby delivered,
her womb is hers again
My thought is that "delivered" refers to the birth itself and to the "handing over."

Saturday, March 08, 2008

tug

white sails
the kite tugs
at its tether
(Second place, Sketchbook Kukai, February 2008)

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

trumpet

I wrote this a while ago. A recent comment from floots has reminded me of it.
late snow
the daffodil's trumpet
lowered
(Published at haiku du jour)

the space between

the space between
her skirt and her boot tops
winter wind
(For Josh)

Saturday, March 01, 2008

one for today

Definitions vary, but in my personal inner calendar, March 1 is the first day of spring.

last night's snow
washed away by rain . . .
this morning sun

.