oftwominds-Charles Hugh Smith

Bite-Sized Poetry


Poetic gods rejoice--readers sent in more wonderful Haiku for our reading pleasure. For those left cold by Haiku, we return to our regularly scheduled unpredictable gumbo tomorrow.

What I like about Haiku is the challenge of squeezing complex emotions and thoughts into bite-sized poetry. You can read Haiku in just a few seconds, but the imagery and meanings reverberate long after. Of the masters, I like Ryokan best, but who cannot like Basho?

Here are readers' contributions, in order received:

Kenneth M.

Biblical Summer (8 linked Haiku)

Bumblebees sniff/hop
spoons of vanilla ice cream
fly away, dripping...

Epic winds don't blow
news down avenues. A pen
detonates cities.

Impeachment speeches
echo off limestone. Dollars
lose the glam of green.

Kites above my bed
are tied to shotgun triggers.
There is no excuse.

Desert dust is wiped
from goggles. Red blood from a
vision cakes and dries.

Divining rods can't
find water or oil. Distant
shores smell of coffee.

No sky for the cat
to lose its cry in. Hymns are
hummed in beggars' cups.

Tonight, the world could
end. We've come a long way since
round stones and slingshots.


Greg

silver and gold coins
capitalist ships burning
plundering begins


Doe Lo

the reeling mind aches
waits for beginning of end
mad snake bites his tail

weary head in hand
cries out for much needed rest
knowing end is far

hope is running thin
thinner water runs clearer
clear to the ending


Renee S-J.

Just came across something interesting at work today. Management put out a bar graph showing our annual freight tonnage, inbound and outbound from 2002 thru 2006.

Peak was the year 2004, a combined tonnage of almost 300,000 dollars. 2007? So far about 65k. Ouch!

i work at a factory which has been operating since 1896. We do vinyl, plastics, etc for automtive interior trim, construction, pool liners and the plastic sheets used in Dentist X-ray packets. (The little ones that go in your mouth) among other items. In honor of such a drastic slippage in tonnage, here is my haiku:

Tonnage is fading
I see my lay-off coming
thank the gods I saved.


Renee's 17 syllables contain great wisdom and a sobering view of our collective future. Thank you, readers for a delightful array of creative Haiku.

Here is my weak attempt for the day:

Dow fourteen-thousand
drunken Bulls borrow, heedless
of the cliff ahead