after: 14

after: 14

first snow

having looked at it

I wash my face

Etsujin 1656-1739

The estimable R. H. Blyth says of this, "This is one of those things that should be left unsaid." In his rendering, the verb in line 2 is "gaze," rather than "look at."

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010.

old moon

old moon

another friend

has died

Shiki Kukai, January 2011

after : 13

even colder

than the snow – the winter moon

on my white hair

Joso 1661-1704

For an explanation of afters, see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

ruffles

January thaw

a breeze ruffles the leaves

of the calendar

Revision of a haiku that appeared at the Caribbean Kigo Kukai, January 2010

year's end

year's end

clouds carrying off

scraps of moonlight

First published in The Heron's Nest

thaw

January thaw

empty storefront

at the mall

First published in Modern Haiku

after: 12

mountain temple

the sound of a bell

in falling snow

Issa (1763-1827)

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010.

urban haiku

A selection of urban haiku I've written has been posted at

http://haikutopics.blogspot.com/2011/01/bill-kenney-urban.html

These are the haiku MichaleenFlynn mentions in a comment on "winter." Most of them have previously appeared at this blog.

winter

long winter

my wife slows her pace

to mine

First published in The Heron's Nest

Arizona

CONGRESSWOMAN IS SHOT IN RAMPAGE NEAR TUCSON

Tucson – Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, and 18 others were shot Saturday morning when a gunman opened fire outside a supermarket where Ms. Giffords was meeting with constituents. Six of the victims died . . .

New York Times, page one, Jan. 9, 2011

Arizona

democracy

in the cross hairs

At the website maintained by the political action committee of Sarah Palin, former half-term governor of Alaska, along with the slogan "DON'T RETREAT, RELOAD," one could until recently have found a map that showed selected congressional districts through what appeared to be the cross hairs of a rifle. One of these was the district Gabrielle Giffords represents. (Reportedly, as of the morning of Jan. 9, the map could still be seen at Palin's Facebook page.)

Weaponry was also a theme of the unsuccessful election campaign run by Ms. Giffords' Republican opponent, Jesse Kelly.

According to the Arizona Daily Star:

"Kelly's campaign event website has a stern-looking photo of the former Marine in military garb holding his weapon. It includes the headline: Get on Target f0r Victory in November. Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office. Shoot a fully automatic M 16 with Jesse Kelly."

The event was scheduled for June 12, 2010. It cost $50

Score one for Jesse and Sarah.

mood

mood ring

what she's not

telling me

Shiki Kukai December 2010

after: 11

piercing cold

I kiss a plum blossom

in my dream

Soseki 1867-1916

On the significance of plum blossoms in Japanese haiku, see the note to "after: 10."

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2,2010

not

not as tall

as I used to be . . .

winter sky

Shiki Kukai, December 2010

nothing

nothing changes

once again I resolve

to change