Category: HAIKU
The haiku is an ancient (by North American standards) poetic form that consists of 3 lines: the first and last lines have exactly 5 syllables; the middle line has 7. A haiku is supposed to capture the essence of an experience, especially the sensory part. “Intellectualizing” is considered extremely bad form. Therefore, naturally, lots of mine are about Physics!
Pond Haiku
Eight lotus blossoms,
the garniture of nature,
grace my summer pond.
Pellets strike water,
calling up to the surface
hundreds of goldfish.
Stillness at twilight:
heron standing on one leg
waits for a target.
The pond shrinks with heat,
leaving green algae billows.
The fish wait for cold.
(July 4, 2024)
View of the World
The world view you hold
by expectations becomes
the real world you view.
(23 April 2023)
Tragedy of the Commons
The liar will lie,
though ten thousand search for fact,
so truth is forfeit.
The thief always steals,
though all the rest are honest,
so trust is forfeit.
The hater will hate,
though thousands try to forgive,
so love is forfeit.
The killer will kill,
though ten million try to heal,
so war is coming.
The cynic ignores
emergence of miracles,
so hope is forfeit?
21 March 2023
Travel Haiku
Havana 1959
El Presidente’s
reef surrounded by shark nets;
fort with touch-me-nots.
Stockholm 1977
A royal wedding
followed by a live sex show
and Millesgården
Dubna 1978
Sheremetyevo:
Arrive late and unannounced.
Wait for black Volga.
Kona 1979
Freshly off the plane,
fragrance of plumeria
smacked me in the nose!
Paris 1980
A Métro platform:
where we all got pepper-sprayed
for speaking English.
Antigua 1980
A charming island
beloved of German tourists
stinks of resentment.
Brugg 1982
The bank doesn’t mind
the soldier’s rifle, but my
wife can’t sign alone.
Tokyo 1983
Anywhere else, you’d
worry on the last subway
alone at midnight.
Seibo Byoin Hospital 1983
A blinking Buddha
merges with the less wise world,
fresh out of the womb.
Snake River 1991
Flashes of cutthroat
scatter in invisible
water under raft.
Bisbee 2009
Mountain become pit,
cupping bright blue & green pools
to its mined-out heart.
Bokelia 2009
Snook tattoo on arm,
my neighbor’s out on parole:
A friendly redneck.
Matlacha 2011
I jumped a tarpon
off the rented dock across
the street from the bar.
New South Wales 2014
Batehaven: parrots,
miles of beautiful water,
but nary a fish.
Belize 2015
Gourmet meals from shacks,
happy folks despite many
reasons to hate us.
Zermatt 2017
Pink petunias
frame every scenic vista
of the Matterhorn.
Florida Haiku
04 Nov 1974:
Leaves of palmetto:
maze’s roof waved by hot winds —
horizon of fronds.
06 Nov 1974:
Soft chink of seashells
shifting with a gentle wave
merge with smooth-churned grains.