My Alaskan friend of 26 years sends me a haiku every morning. I can follow the weather on her island, the Cubs baseball season, current political shenanigans around the world, and her mood, all because of 19 clever syllables. I tend to wax on, thinking more is better. Her edits on my pieces are covered in red ink, "less - two words, not five - CUT!" I am getting better with word selection, taking out bits and pieces that lead down rabbit trails, and think of her smiling when I cut whole paragraphs. In her honor, and to celebrate National Haiku Poetry Day on April 17th, I submit the only haikus I have ever written, trying to capture a whole scene in 5 -7 - 5
Dawn Ruckus
dawn ruckus ensues
flashlight reveals horror of
dead bunny, smug cat
Jake
pillow stealing cat
nightly struggle for blankets
get your own bed Jake!
Cancer
phone call - cancer spot
out comes the doctor's knife - SLICE
SOB - I will be brave
Stormy Haikus
awake at midnight
in the dark I grab your hand
this storm is scary!
rain slashing sideways
wind rattling the windows
no leaks here. I say
but the other house?
are the trailer windows shut?
SHIT! NO! GOD DAMN IT!!
leaping from our bed
we race naked to the door
stand there, it is COLD
I'll go - no. I"ll go.
we are delaying the going
launch out into wet
a deluge hits us
watch those slick tiles! careful!
fast then faster
up the stairs, breathless
door thrown open, windows shut
mission accomplished
I dry your shivers
you pull back the comforter
cold bodies snuggle
sleep comes at long last
the brouhaha is over
just a haiku now