haikuken

no turning back

anticipation
creeping up to the cliff's edge
the view, then the plunge

why celebrate?

holiday season:
the reason or excuse for
jollification?

consider the lobster

as life boils away,
a brilliant color remains:
the red carapace

either it works or it doesn't

this haiku's problem:
how many sylla-dang-bles
in the word tmesis?

urban park

a square patch of green
floating in the city's midst--
a sylvan island

word of the day^*

returning to work
a triptophan hangover
lassitude lingers

* -we'll see how long this lasts

winter affair

a soft kiss brushes
cheeks blushing red at the touch--
winter's first snowflakes

leaf storm

black sky tossing leaves
tornadic swirls of color
the first, fat drops fall

iced

hockey score: 10-4,
why watch? i have no defense.
(neither do Sabres)

an announcement

temporarily,
due to infrequent updates,
haiku hiatus

summer cooking

hot dogs on a grill
well-roasted on all sides:
sunbathers rotate.

arm falls asleep?

light sprinkle of rain
pecking softly on bare skin
tingling as if numb

summer snow

cottonwood trees shed
a blizzard of puffy fluff,
tickling the nose

2.5 miles in

the sun-soaked pavement
heat pushes through soles of shoes
tired feet slapping

the sound of mail arriving

deep within the throat
a rumble, building pressure
breaks free with a WOOF

crossing lake erie

a jagged, black gash
hovers on the horizon--
great lake cargo ship

on to the next flower

black and yellow blur
wavering in the sunlight,
drunken bumblebee

random rain pattern

droplets connecting,
paint a pointillist pattern,
darken the pavement.

drilling for bugs

morning peace broken
by insistent hammering,
woodpecker's breakfast.

glowing trees

the setting sun's rays
peeking from beneath the clouds,
branches edged in pink

dog tired

after a day of play,
lying on the floor in repose,
feet, tail, tongue outstreched.

kari strains her back

turning while lifting
back muscles protest, then snap,
she drops the briefcase

lazy haiku-ing

infrequent updates,
perhaps the title should change:
haiku of the week

winter remnant

hiding in the shade
underneath the shrubbery:
small, white clump of snow

strange shapes aloft

Kari observes geese,
questions aerodynamics:
bowling pins with wings?

air traffic control

honking overhead,
squadrons of geese return home
in wavering vees.

appointed rounds

delivering mail,
snow clinging to toes of boots
in little white mounds.

pay your electric bill

men in hard, white hats
climb a fiberglass ladder.
all the lights go out.

how not to look nervous

a loud squeaking noise
while rumbling down the runway,
eyes stare at nothing.

while waiting for "fast" food

snow melts into slush,
slides off of the car bumper
in the driv-thru line.

the dog discovers television

confused and concerned
by the tv dog's barking.
staring, head tilted

unfreezing rain

between wiper strokes
raindrops in a frozen smear
suddenly dissolve

bright morning hope

morning sun streaming,
whispering through bedroom blinds
a promise of spring.

bus-stop humor

weight of a backpack
pulls her backward, mouth open,
laughing at a friend

regularly scheduled programming

a steady flicker
voices and music blaring
my eyes glaze over

just the green light

at intersection
confused drivers hesitate
green light broken

poetry options

haikus a constraint
on multi-syllabic thought.
instead: limericks?

winter driving dilemma

slow driver ahead,
impatience at war with fear:
icy passing lane.

seven below zero

standing still, breathing:
icy air stabs at the lungs,
freezing nostril hairs.

boardroom peacocks

corporate plumage:
a white-collared shirt, silk tie,
the cut of a suit.

snow removal

a soft, gentle thud
a shovelful of snow lands
in the neighbor's yard

arctic highway

tires churning on roads
(too cold for salt to melt snow)
covered in beige grease

it's the dog's yard

dotted with yellow,
the lawn, after the snow-melt
tennis balls revealed

day-night blend

twilight sky vignette
from silver to lavender
evening oozes in

high school basketball

locker-lined hallway
shoe squeaks and high-pitched chanting
swirl in popcorn air

green pathway

the asphalt pulses
a glowing green translucence
moss soaks up the rain

december rain

coating the sidewalk
a thin layer of jelly
the rain congealing

floes in the genesee

chunks of ice floating
nudged by the muddy river
flecks of white in taupe

pond hockey

whack of wooden sticks
puck skitters across the ice
skates scratch in pursuit

archaeological record

temperature falls
temporary fossils form
slushy footprint trails

also: flags and flagpoles

harsh wind bends straight things,
straightens the things that hang slack:
i lean, scarf trailing.

leaves in snow

a december thaw
decay dangling on the breeze
smell of unraked leaves

reading in bed

words blur together
head nods, book falls to the floor.
succumbing to sleep

missing car

the sidewalk sparkling--
black pebbles of tinted glass
left by the car thief.

danger aloft

rabbit sniffs the air,
hears the soft wind whispering
-- the cry of a hawk

the lights are on

window pulses blue,
flickers with a tv glow.
nobody is home.

tree in autumn rain

hanging leaves glisten,
bright drops dangle from branches
glazed by the rain.

the runner's high

muscles stretch and flex,
breathing, an easy rhythm.
oblivion comes.

uninspired

haikus should inspire
provoking joy and wonder
this one: not so much

the caged tiger

a restless presence
barely contained behind bars--
the tiger paces.

a french 101 sunset

in the west, pink streaks,
égus and graves slash the sky.
accenting sunset.

northern light show

the night winds wafting
ghoulish green curtains of light
hanging from the clouds

carpet of frost

the lawn a fuzzy white
softened by the autumn frost
like walking on suede

all eyes are on ohio

Democrats' hope fades.
one thing to be thankful for:
no counting of chads.

the dark side of fandom

today's guest haiku:
a red sox fan's tragedy.
this one is from seth

beer cup on the ground
a non-lethal bullet kills
identity lost

bambino's ghost departs

guest haiku by Doug,
long-suffering Red Sox fan.
his faith rewarded:

four score and six years
waiting for Godot? Not quite.
Red Sox win Series

halloween massacre

the knife plunging in,
chipping away at the face,
shapes jack-o-lantern.

leaves in full spectrum

green leaves cling below
blending up into orange
daring them to jump.

bambino defects

a strange sensation:
yankees fans learning to fear
an end to the curse.

dare to believe

fans' hands clasped in prayer
in a mass of frustration:
tie game at Fenway.

the fire of autumn

through the broad valley,
stands of maple trees ablaze.
the colors of fall.

more haiku block

counting syllables,
trying to write new haikus,
but drawing a blank

media war

stack of unread books
taunting me as I sit slouched
—tv babbles on.

autumn gusting

a sudden gust bears
a wall of orange and yellow.
leaves begin to fall.

second serve

tripped by the net cord,
the ball pausing, deciding
to land fair or fault.

surprise party

standing in the yard
watching birthday guests arrive.
turning thirty-five.

greeting autumn

orange edges fleck
the waving leaves, welcoming
a crisp autumn wind.

sleeping in

with the morning sun
like a frustrated rooster
the alarm clock squawks

football season in wny

street is deserted
lawnmowers all go silent:
bills are on tv

three years later

no amount of time
fills the void of loved ones lost
where towers once stood

night rain

the night rain shushes
a soft, steady lullaby
slowly sleep seeps in

pond slime

submerged volcanos,
algae feeds on silt and sun
erupting in green.

poker champion

his slouch radiates
confidence of one who knows
his opponent's cards.

acceptance speech

campaign promises
come tumbling down like balloons
waiting to be popped

wet book

pages rippled, warped
swollen with the memory
left out in the rain

does not meet requirements

this haiku is great
except for just one problem:
too many syllables

two dog night

the whole bed shaking
a syncopated rhythm
of two dogs panting

the athlete

speaking in cliches,
mind empty, void of all doubt
freeing the body

the archer

body deflated
all energy focussed on
the arrow's release

the century mark

pausing a moment
to note a passing milestone:
one hundred haikus

not fully caffeinated

sleepy at lunchtime
check the label, cause revealed:
coffee is decaf

wrong side of the bed

groggy and chilly
both dog and wife still asleep
hogging the covers

champion swine

happily rooting,
pink and proud beneath a sign:
"Sold to Joe's Deli"

bats

fluttering, flapping
rodents of the sky zig-zag
in the purple dusk

air hockey

loud plastic clacking,
a red blur ricocheting,
kerchunk! ...in the goal.

parking lot krispies

rain on hot asphalt
steaming with snaps and crackles
in afternoon sun

new alarm clock

what time is it now?
...6:30, go back to sleep...
d'oh! alarm's set wrong!

must be toll house

wafting through the house,
warm kitchen filled with the smell
of fresh-baked cookies.

chicken phoenix

reduced to embers
all heat wrung from the ashes
ready for next year.

chicken burns

fueled by hay and wood,
flames leaping higher, sparks fly
chicken is consumed.

morning on the hill

valley mists lifting,
the sun warming a good day
to burn a chicken

mud on my face

running with the dogs,
cutting the corner too close,
slipping, tripping, splash!

weather at eye level

curtains of rain hang
over the valley below
the thunder rumbles

above the heartland

a patchwork of shapes,
all straight lines and right angles
--plains seen from the plane

mount chapin

stung by wind and hail
at the saddle between peaks,
admiring the view.

portable electronic devices

exiting the plane,
a sudden cacophony:
cellphones spring to life

casper butte

on the mountaintop,
a warm breeze intermingling
scents of pine and sage.

takeoff

pressed into the seat,
ears popping, turbines roaring,
the airplane lifts off.

wine tasting

still swirling, sniffing,
and eight wineries later:
everything tastes good.

foggy memory

while driving the car
i thought of a great haiku.
something about fog.

the sun takes a bow

streaks of magenta
lick the western horizon:
setting sun's encore.

the castle

walls and turrets form
an imposing impediment
until the high tide.

yellow card

tasting dirt and grass,
ruefully squinting up at
the referee's hand.

big appetite

our big cars, houses,
belt buckles betray the lie:
big macs made us fat.

summer haze

smell of hot asphalt,
street and skyline shimmer in
the translucent heat.

jam session

bass throbs and drums pop,
while horns stab at each other.
dueling wails of joy.

jazz torrent

splashing and swirling,
notes pouring down from the stage,
our ears gasp for breath.

morning jog

slowly warming up,
ankles and knees creak and pop,
in time with breathing.

4-way stop

lined up at right angles,
four cars staring, wondering,
who'll make the first move?

improper footwear

a sneaker-shod foot.
fingertips gripping stone slip
--big toe turns purple.

on your mark

the pistol is raised,
10,000 bodies grow still,
--bang! the race begins.

wreck

cars bent and twisted
still trying to occupy
same space at same time.

vapour trail

zipper in the sky
pulled open by jet's passing
--clouds are spilling out.

one - nil

a roar surges through
the sudden forest of fists
--ball is in the goal.

morning rainbow

fresh sprinkle of rain
scatters in the morning sun.
rainbow smears the clouds.

the hammock

woven edges stretched,
swaying hyperbola formed
by my sagging weight.

lawn drone

buzzing like insects,
neighborhood lawnmowers chew
their own private paths.

grass abuse

grass seeds germinate
slender green tendrils defy
the dogs' trampling feet.

water retrieval

pond ripples wobble
in a muddy, churning wake
where buddy splashed in.

rained out

soaked like a full sponge
from fat rain, lightning flashing,
tennis courts glisten.

roadkill

a fuzzy brown smear,
organic matter dissolves
into the hot pavement.

highway travel

car bounces and thumps,
expansion joints simulate
a horse's gallop.

planting trees

unwrap the root ball,
thick with twisted filaments
searching for water.

leg cramp

lactic acid builds,
knee to hip, a rope pulled taught
in a line of pain.

caught in the rain

a walk between storms--
sky rumbles a soft warning
to turn back for home.

spring blooming

bud splitting open
shyly reveals the color
of first tulip bloom.

sudden ovation

the roar of applause--
millions of rain drops clapping
on the warehouse roof.

panting

dog tongue of summer:
dangling, bouncing with each breath,
drippng in the heat.

chase is on

dirt flies with each stride,
tongue hanging out to one side,
quarry in full flight.

tracking

nose pressed in the grass,
leaving zigs-zags in the dew
to trace the squirrel's path.

letting go the sky

morning's crescent moon:
night's last grip leaving behind
a fingernail gouge.

wet smells

ashes, wool, sawdust,
newspaper, freshly mown grass,
leather, leaves, and dog.

the hatchling

emerging at last
from the hospital's cold shell,
safe in home's warm nest.

river mouth

brown and blue eddies
twirling in the lake betray
the river's passing.

black jelly beans

eating all that's left,
am i shunned for anise breath,
or my blackened tongue?

marshmallow guillotine

to remain humane,
easter bunny recommends:
eat your peeps heads first.

skyscraping

rain clouds hanging low,
the tips of city towers
shrouded in rumor.

oaken hand

with gnarled knuckles,
oak tree's branches splay upward
reaching for the sky.

grills ignited

backyard odors waft,
neighborhod grills are burning
last year's grease drippings.

march joggers

ursine figures plod
ending their hibernation
to shed winter weight.

locked out

pulling the door shut
hear the satisfying "snick"
pockets all empty

winter evaporating

damp, heavy march air,
thick with anticipation
of summer's return.

where's the cat?

insistent scratching,
muffled meows plead for help.
...locked in the closet.

all nighter

with eyes glazed over,
head spinning with wherases,
kari goes to bed.

constriction site

road cholesterol:
bright orange barrels blocking
the flow of traffic.

post equinox

the first day of spring
brings joy (despite bitter wind)
as days grow longer.

new arrival

impatient mason
transforms his parents' twosome
into a threesome.

march storm

dashing dreams of spring,
the city freshly painted
with a coat of snow.

spring in the city

melted snow reveals
a winter's worth of garbage
stuck to every fence.

c shift

the dogs are asleep.
meows echo through the house.
nocturnal cats prowl.

sneeze

a sudden tingling,
an itch behind the eyeballs,
a gasp, then...aaachooo!

cold virus

with cheekbones throbbing,
swollen sinuses strangle
all coherent thought.

jet exhaust

streaks of vapor trails
hanging like silver daggers
to stab the sunset.

hidden moon

full moon disappears.
clouds betraying its presence
with edges glowing.

dreary commute

highway and gray sky
blending at the horizon
swallowing traffic.

in the flight path

a sudden whooshing
contains sleepy commuters
breaking morning calm.

waking the neighbors

tugging at the leash,
yelping a plea to revenge
the treed squirrel's taunting.

roof ice

shrinking from the edge,
perched, clinging, fearing the fall,
dripping with chilled sweat.

first thaw

snow warmed by spring air,
dissolves into pebbly slush.
mud season begins.

garage door

frozen to the floor.
groan, crack! bounces up humming
with springs still twanging.

next morning

lone bird starts chirping
same tree, same time as before.
today, a duet!

february morning

spring coaxes the sun
tinting the snow a pale blue.
a lonely bird chirps.

on trial

john rigas in cuffs.
which verdict is less painful:
a fool or a fraud?

the mouse

shiny black pebbles
peer, straining not to be seen.
a cat's tail twitches.

winter twilight

a dark shroud descends
smearing color, smothering,
blurring the day's end.

haiku block

sullen and sluggish,
inspiration lies sleeping.
no haiku today.

morning air

cracked lips puff breath clouds
while nostrils flare protesting
the frigid sunrise.

bambino's curse

pity the red sox,
a-rod joins with the dark side.
can nomar be next?

wag

what mechanism
triggers the link between joy
and a puppy's tail?

city morning

disdaining the sun,
restlessly painting the sky
an artificial pink.

fetch

leaping, looking back
tracks his prey's trajectory--
pock! teeth clamping down.

wind chill

with shrugging shoulders
relentlessly baffled by
wind's probing questions.

warm and happy

subsonic rumble--
puddle of black fur purring
on the heating grate.

snowplow piles

mounds of brown and white,
suburban sentries stand guard
where snow and salt meet.

11' 6"

under overpass
roof peeled in sardine-can curl,
not enough clearance.

morning routine

damp muzzle nudges,
bed bounces, warm spot vacant—
wake up! dogs must pee!

freezing rain

raindrops glistening,
feet shuffle, toes grip, sliding
on the slick shellac.

hype

janet's dance provokes,
revives her fading career
with a lump of flesh.

traffic report

steel birds, wings blinking,
trace hyphenated spirals
seeking stranded prey.

snow falls

snow falls whispering
winter's peaceful symphony.
i hate to shovel.