HaikuHarvest20002006

HAIKUHARVEST2000 – 2006

MODERN ENGLISH TANKA PRESSPost Office Box 43717Baltimore, Maryland 21236www.modernenglishtankapress.compublisher@modernenglishtankapress.comwww.haikuharvest.org & .netHAIKU HARVEST : 2000 – 2006.Copyright © 2007 by Denis M. Garrison.All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by anyelectronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systemswithout permission in writing from the publisher, except by scholars and reviewerswho may quote brief passages.The cover photograph is in the public domain and is used courtesy of the U.S.Department of Agriculture. The black and white version of Dt. Angelee Deodhar’scolor illustration in Vol. 2, No. 3, of the poem, “Light,” by Rakesh Biswas on page107 used by permission of Dr. Angelee Deodhar. Vol. 5, No. 1 “sand flats at lowtide” haiga [p. 240] photograph by National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration; in the public domain. Vol. 6., No. 1 back cover haiga “the risingfog” [p. 451] and the two haiga, “sunburst” [p. 336] and “silence” [p. 349], includedin the text are by Minerva Bloom, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.Original poetry, graphics, and article copyrights © 2000– 2006 by the respectivepoets, writers, and photographers.HAIKU HARVEST : Journal of Haiku in English is dedicated to publishing andpromoting haiku, both in the western tradition of classical haiku and in all relatedforms, including tanka. We give generous space to poets so they can demonstrate therange of their poetry and we promote innovation by providing a showcase for poetryin new forms that are serious attempts to assimilate the haiku and tanka tradition informs within the English poetic tradition.HAIKU HARVEST : 2000 – 2006 is a compilation of the eleven issues of HaikuHarvest : Journal of Haiku in English [ISSN 1558-9862 (Print) & ISSN 1557-7619(Digital)], plus two issues of Haiku Noir and one issue of Ku Nouveau, both of whichwere incorporated into Haiku Harvest. Ku Nouveau reprinted with the permission ofCo-Editor, John E. Carley of England.HAIKU HARVEST : 2000 – 2006ISBN 978-0-6151-4797-0.Modern English Tanka Press, Baltimore, Maryland. May 2007.www.haikuharvest.org & .neteditor@haikuharvest.org

ContentsThe poets in HAIKU HARVEST 2000–2006are from thirty countries:Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, England,India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Macedonia, Malaysia,Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,Philippines, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia,South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago,United States of America, and Yugoslavia.5 Haiku Harvest Vol. 1, No. 1 - Spring 200015 Haiku Harvest Vol. 1, No. 2 - Summer 200025 Haiku Harvest Vol. 1, No. 3 - Fall & Winter 200031 Haiku Harvest Vol. 2, No. 1 - Spring 200159 Haiku Harvest Vol. 2, No. 2 - Summer 200181 Haiku Harvest Vol. 2, No. 3 - Fall & Winter 2001108 Haiku Noir - Issue 1 - Spring 2001125 Haiku Noir - Issue 2 - Fall & Winter 2001134 Ku Nouveau - Summer 2001167 Haiku Harvest Vol. 3, No. 1 - Spring 2002187 Haiku Harvest Vol. 4, No. 1 - January-Feb. 2003213 Haiku Harvest Vol. 4, No. 2 - March-May 2003235 Haiku Harvest Vol. 5, No. 1 - Fall & Winter 2005325 Haiku Harvest Vol. 6, No. 1 - Spring & Summer 2006

Haiku HarvestVolume 1, Number 1Spring 20005Elizabeth St Jacques — Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.Ferris Gilli — Orlando, Florida, USA.Maria Steyn — Gauteng, South Africa.Joy Hewitt Mann — Spencerville, Ontario, Canada.Issara Rhys-Jones — Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, U.S.A.H A I K UELIZABETH ST JACQUESnew year 2000my Christmas cactuscontinues to bloomcold moonthe watchful wolfglistening with frostbitter nightbreaking the silence,a pine tree’s snapHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

6bright sunlightdown the snowy hilllaughter of childrenFERRIS GILLIflooded creek –minnows schoolin a heron’s nestnew spider web –a drop of resincatches sunlightsunset . . .water weeds dripfrom a stork’s beakwinter sunthe hammock’s shadowgets thinnerbathroom garden –the aralia spiderlurks in a faucetHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

7wind rustlingover the corn shocks . . .moonrisefirst morningthe aloe’s bloom stalkleans against a wallmy diet begins –again the cat stalksa cloth mousewinter ponda slow wind rufflesglints of sunlightfirst sunshe bathes the bonsaileaf by leafMARIA STEYNsudden colddripping from a windowdust-filled raindropsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

8drought’s endpuddles soak the rootsof a dead treemidnight moonsilent bat wings circlethe gardenbetween earth and skythe afterglow where swallowsswoop and glidebushveldt afternoona herd of zebra grazein light and shadenoondaya sunflower vibratesagainst the hot skyquiet pasturea horse munches ondry grassevening breezethrough pin oak leavesa starHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

10DENIS M. GARRISONsetting in hedgerowred sun tangled black branchesah, the flaming snowbravely in the breezewave these soft blue flags in shredsirises full-blownblack flocks of gracklesflow into white southern sky . . .here comes the north windwet warm breezesnow melt swells misty brookblue crocus bloomswinging from wing tipstwo vultures twirl a funnelin remnants of fogin low scudding cloudsa diving hawk disappears . . .there she is againHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

11last night a deep snowon the porch rail this morningtwo owls side by siderememberinghovering over streama dragonflyat this ancient wellthe old bucket handle shinesdeep and green the mossHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

12S E N R Y UISSARA JONESbecoming clearthe window and Iare oneSpilt coffee!My breath driescurling pagewith tiny kissesi trace her sensitive hipbutterfly tattooprison yard –colorful tattoos bouncebetween thick grey wallsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

13DENIS M. GARRISONgone two yearsnow she finds his noteweeping widowfirst kanji drawndam is breached andink flowspeach petal on snowmy Jane would have beenten todaydew dampened bootstorn letters litter bridgemourning windgarbagemen have leftcans lying in the gutter –crows inspect the jobsnowy sidewalkamongst many footprintsone red mittenHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

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Haiku HarvestVolume 1, Number 2Summer 200015Elizabeth St Jacques — Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.Charles V. Hayden — East St. Louis, Illinois, USA.Kenneth Pobo — Illinois, USA.Brian Gierat — Chicago, Illinois, USA.J.D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USA.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.Stephanie Hanson — Smithville, Texas, USA.Kevin Smith — Memphis, Tennessee, USA.Frank Haataja — Holyoke, Minnesota, USA.Deirdre Grimes — Killaloe, Co. Clare, Ireland.H A I K UELIZABETH ST JACQUESsunrise . . .the pond slowly fillswith lotus bloomsperfect stitchesin soft wet sandgull tracksHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

16campfireon the darkened beachscent of roasting fishCHARLES V. HAYDENRaindrops on windowThe distant moan of thunderAn approaching stormKENNETH POBOSun, you have a fallengagement on a stage ofhyacinth bean podsBehind the sneezeweed,lavender arms of phlox,foldedOn a pontoon boatlife is open waterliliesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

18vacant beach –a hermit crab and Inot so alonecollapsed pier –there, then not there,with every swellat the zooschoolchildren distractedby a chipmunkJ. D. HESKINIn morning lake mist,One cannot see the duck’s wake.I’ll stay until noon.From end to end, whatis beauty to me isanother giraffe.Winter remembered –its bitterness recalled timewhen books burned brightly.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

19Lilacs last not long –A week or two, they are gone.But worth waiting for.During noonday nap,I see Mount Fuji again.My favorite chair.DENIS M. GARRISONmy pregnant daughterwalking in her peach orchardbeautiful in bloomthis field was emptynow knee-deep and wind-waving ...quail burst into flightthis cool gusty dayyellow crocus petals flyto the street belowforsythia anddaffodils crowd the roadsides –Maryland yellow!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

20out in today’s trashbroken exercise machinebox crutches came infrom around the worldfound amongst the millionsthese lovely poemsSTEPHANIE HANSONarachnid silk threadsconcealing trapdoor spiderbeetle unawareunder hazy moonsharing delicious kisseslunar eclipse lipshanging upside downin cool darkness of the cavegathering bats roosta clouded blue skyabove the far mountain topslate summer is nearHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

21rocky mountain trekheavy saddle leather scentof early summerpond stillness brokena single black water bugglides on the surfaceKEVIN SMITHnothing but netthe crowd goes wildthe ... alarm buzzescell phoneeye pencilcoffee cupknees against the wheela fresh dress shirtfor my ten o’clockspring in MemphisHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

22FRANK HAATAJAa picnic destroyedthe people driven awayan army of antsseen through walls of glassthrough a maze of plastic fernsmy fish swims awayT A N K ADEIRDRE GRIMESspring lightyour arm heavy across my bodyi can’t breathebut i need your warm breathon my skineach nightwe fall asleepwrapped in each otherthe scent and your body heatare my lullabyHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

23that childish nightthe lake full of starsholding youin the freezing waterendings hung in the airSTEPHANIE HANSONsun warm on her facehot breeze whips auburn hair assweat trickles blushed cheekforehand swing from opponentas her backhand wins the matchcold wind blows outsidefrigid gusts shaking the treesconsuming midnightwanting to be that blanketwrapping around you tonightthundering showerspounding the winter eveningsoaking all outsideyou enter the room smilingbringing me hot chocolateHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

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Haiku HarvestVolume 1, Number 3Fall & Winter 200025J.D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USA.Kenneth Pobo — Illinois, USA.Elizabeth St Jacques — Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.H A I K UJ. D. HESKINbeyond: the river,a blue heron leavesto dry its featherswinging wispyfrom flower to flower:caterpillar dreamsin the silenceof slumber:the roosterHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

26two horsescircle each other–but not to fightKENNETH POBOSeptembersquirrelsharried K-Mart shoppersFritilaria,your orange hair has the moonlooking for clippers!My man’s hairy chest,birch trees growing on black dirt,leaves starting to fall.Planting tulip bulbs,cats in underground cagesspring opens right up.Shower water runsall over me – I am landcovered by rivers!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

27ELIZABETH ST JACQUESthis bitter nightseems much warmer now– icicle lightswinter sunshineon the braided rugcurled old catChristmas pre-dawnon the couch and fast asleepdear old Santa ClausDENIS M. GARRISONin the deepest coldgreat temple bell tolls thunder ...shattered ice tinklestile roof icicleshang close to the frozen groundsunlit crystal caveHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

28cold white lunar lightice-curtained cliff reflectioncaptive earth bound moonice floes and debriswhite water raging torrentfish stay deep todayhanging flower potsall rimmed with icicle ringsempty house wind chimesbelow ice clad cliffstrackless snowfield fills the gorgewind-shrieking, birdlesslandslide overgrownhundreds of six-foot pine treesChristmas tree forestyesterday was warmon the frosty windowsilla frozen hornetbeneath the snowgurgling spring fed brookno cold can tame itHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

29T A N K AKENNETH POBOQueen Elizabethrose stuffed in green bush vaseuntil winter breaksthe vase and the flower diesinto a fierce white swan of snowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

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Haiku HarvestSpring 2001Volume 2 Number 131Maria Steyn — Gauteng, South Africa.J.D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USA.Elizabeth St Jacques — Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.Joy Hewitt Mann — Spencerville, Ontario, Canada.Ferris Gilli — Orlando, Florida, USA.Kenneth Pobo — Illinois, USA.an’ya — La Pine, Oregon, USA.Sue Mill — Brisbane, Australia.Stephanie Hanson — Smithville, Texas, USA.Martin Cohen — Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, USA.Richard Stevenson — Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.Linda Robeck — Amesbury, Massachusetts, USA.Kirsty Karkow — Waldoboro, Maine, USABillie Wilson — Juneau, Alaska, USA.Florence Vilén — Stockholm. SwedenJasminka Nadaskic Diordievic — Smederevo, Yugoslavia.Odd G. Aksnes — Tonsberg, Norway.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

32Maria Steyncampsite embers . . .rain clouds dimthe crescent moonrailway stationweeds push throughthe sagging fencepassing trainchildren play ina scrapyard carmidnight shorethe faint stir of ducksin the reedsnoondaya white butterfly pausesat the birdfeederone by oneoaks follow the river’s rush . . .heavy mistHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

33plaza bakerya vagrant watches pigeonsfight over crumbstownship dustthe old man chews tobaccounder a blossom treeJ. D. Heskinthe old weathervane –so worn and rusty it isanybody’s guessDANGER:TCH OUTUD SLIDESmeant to last summerno excuse is good enough –at the funeralrice paddies meltingrice paper pink umbrellas –land of morning calmHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

34camping near Bear Lake –it is difficult to sleepwith one eye openmy thirteen-year-oldshe’s so wonderful today –I am suspiciousthe photographsof my new grandson –shown to piecessuch bad sakealthough after each cupit tastes betterElizabeth St Jacquesfaint rhythmic humin the cold night sky– northern lightsbitter dawn –tapping at my windowthe familiar crowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

35Niagara Falls –the young coupletosses a hope-coinsearching the bowlfor black jellybeans– her seventh monthJoy Hewitt Manngeese above the cloudsmy youngest child reachesNovember’s last leafcatching minnowsthe school boy’s best capinside outour hands suspendedmy son counts candleswhile he blowsno breeze todaythe moth slow dancingwith spider eyesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

36parking till seven –street people move their bodiesonto warm asphaltarthritic fingers pointto a clump of peoniesthe weeds bent overno clouds in the skythe great blue heron stares atwater liliesboys throw stonesone angry voice abovethe song of frogssquash plant tendrilslift rusting toys to the sunthe roof fallen inthe frog singingmen in rubber work pantsfill in the pondHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

37Ferris Gilliminnows dartbeneath a poised heronthe daytime moonclearing skies –a field mouse drinksfrom the birdbathfading rainbow –the blue dragonfly skimsa puddlefirst butterflysettling from your fingerto minestorm’s enda warbler fluffs drybetween pine candlessultry dawna fallen mango thumpsacross the roofHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

38choir practicescent of burning leavesdrifts into churchvespersa trickle of white breathwith the dove’s callGood Fridaya thorn has piercedthe new rose leafleaf shadowsbeneath the hydrangeaa cat’s ear twitchesKenneth PoboHer porchlight stays onall night, a staraching in a glass cage.Yarrow, loose-limbednear the lawn, liftsher yellow chin.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

39A grape hyacinthcomes out in royal purple –should I bow? Of course!January, upcome too many bulbs,optimists!an’yasnow day ...a steaming breadbasketleft on the porchSue Millafter rainsilvery trackson cabbage leavesrock reflectionsin a still pool -the rustle of leavesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

40winter skythe crow’s pale eyesstare at meawakeningto birdsong -then kookaburrason the rockcurved striations -an ant stumblesshe-oak needlesraindrops clingin glistening rowsStephanie Hansonblue japanese vasetwo dozen yellow rosesfor her smile tonightopen window shadethe silvery spider silkinstead of tassleHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

41a green striped lizardlays in mid-afternoon heatsunburnt bather turnssummer children playunder the green garden hosethe sun-tea jar sweatsMartin Gottlieb Cohenfull moon ...and water striderscrossing itpuddlesreflect a treeshadowsmoonlit crowperched on a railinggrey cattailstraffic jamhummingbirds dart throughwild balsamHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

42black cloudswater fallingthrough rockssummer light --the honking of snow geeseon the tundracobblestones –the smell of dung and hayfrom the drawn cartferris wheelit rolls to the edgeof the nightlighthousein the sea breezefaint starsarctic windalong the blue icejets of snowferry steamera token in the mouthof the riverHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

43Richard StevensonOpening the fridge,Karl sits with cool cutlery ...haloed in white lightjuju concert –dancer dashes guitaristto a rising beat(To “dash” someone is Nigerian slang for to bribe or tip.)Linda Robeckbefore moonrisethe distant mountain peakalready litwinter rainthe last leaves plug upthe downspoutdeep shadethe tiny hairson her skinHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

44late night stormlightning in the windowsacross the streetfinding a wayinto the old stone churchmorning fogmountain lakerising with my breathto the surfacesunrise mantrathe sing-song soundof chickadeesthe old argument –how slowly the driftof the snowKirsty KarkowHaikuwinter sungilds the opposite shore –kindles reflectionHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

45moonrisebright silver washesover new snowice storma flock of robinshead southbay windowa persian cat watches mewatching herTankaon the bridgebumper to bumper traffictwice a daytides ebb and flowto and from the city‘opening’at the art gallerypastels on displaylargely ignored in favourof wine cheese and canapesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

46Sijotropical clear blue watercarries a dinghy oars akimboa shiny hook slips through sea grassover yellow sand and coralno fish in sight –suddenly snap splash, a barracudathis day dawned with placid suna pale glow on utter stillnessnoontime raised a quivering breezepine trees curtseyed alders wavednight brought storm clouds destructive gales –nature pruned her woods againBillie Wilsonfoggy morning –a blue heron liftsinto the raincoffee brewing –the moon and Orionlight the wayHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

47cool March evening –five empty cobwebson the old dinner bellthe wind storm moves on –once more the songs of sparrowsin the pinesclimbing the mountainridge upon ridge of spruce treesnetted in fogSunday drive –we lift our old doginto the truckskunk cabbageall over the hillsidesalmonberry bloomswind-rippled pond –bright whirligigs twirlin all directionsdusk deepensthe scent of fresh cut grassmingles with lilacsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

48low-lying clouds –trumpeter swansrest near the glaciercenturies of shalecrunching underfoot –coots bob offshoresunny morning –pink tulips in bloomon the preschool’s wallsFlorence Vilénlove-lies-bleeding –even the flowersknow about peopleCamellia bushesred and white in the glasshouse,icy slush outsideRaking and scythingto keep the old meadowfit still for flowersHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

49Carefully weedingaround wild strawberrieswoodland gardenA movementbehind the winter trees:our neighbourThe leaves have fallen– so many housesall of a suddenWar of the Roses,spilt blood and corpse pallordyeing their petalsGod’s finger showing –lilies, to you,or lightning?Unmown for weeksthe lawn weaves a tapestrymillefleurs with verduresWatching the ceilingof the Sistine chapelin a hand mirrorHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

50A towel of snowon the leaning bronze backof Rodin’s ThinkerHolidays lawnleft to its own devices:a floral carpetTheir dying done,young soldiers are feedingthe fields of poppiesMouth and foot disease:the peaceful countrysidestinks of TreblinkaBrief-case in one hand,shopping bag in the other,not trendy but trueWhat an ugly faceI was handed outfor use today!Too muchof a muchness –Valentine heartsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

51Drinking the moonshine –highly unpoeticalthis illicit brewMilk gone sour –our dreamsof happinessA team of strong menkicking a ballthat never harmed themOn the unmade beddisplaying all his fura cat asleepAfter the bustleof the garden show flowersput on their silenceRipening cherries,who is the first to take them,a hand or a beak?Snow into slush;huge magnolia buds;who’s the April Fool?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

52golf course –driven by extreme meansto ultimate greenShedding its leaves;shedding all worries, too?I wonder who cannotAutumn evening,in every lit windowa life behind itA tangle of thorns –last June they were fragrant,a joy of old rosesJasminka Nadaskic Diordievicdusty road –rolling down cherriesand a boy’s laughmorning sun –white nightgownhangs on the wireHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

53First day of autumn.A cold cage of the wind isall around the house.sound of hatchet goesfrom one tree to another –fear in the forestInto the pictureof war skies over Belgradeintrudes a rainbow.a strange kind of spring –field of dandelions - above,people in shelters - belowwar spring ninety-nine –we are watching, not eatingthe young fresh lettuceOdd G. Aksnesdusk –the stillness of swansin a flooded fieldHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

54empty cornerslowly the moon leavesthe duststeps fade . . .her scent lingersamong thornssummer duskthe ‘homeless’ signstill warmspring sun –in the shadow of a bucketa black buttonDenis M. Garrisonchina tinklingmusic of silverwarefragrant leek soupin the cowbarnmilk buckets steaming –cats arriveHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

55back alleymilk truck and local catsdawn paradesunny spotold dog sleeping –boneless!in the coffinher childhood photoragdoll embracein mismatched clothesstopping anyone to talkwidowerthree silent crowsold maple treetopfrigid dawnfrom northwestherringbone clouds advanceunstoppableHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

56These seven haiku were posted on World Haiku Open Forum egroupby Denis Garrison (D.G. - 1, 3, 5 & 7) and Soji (2, 4 & 6 - Copyright ©2001 by Soji).in the blue saucerorange slices and a pear . . .Bach floats on the breeze ~ D.G.salted peanutsin a bowl on the bar ~Hank on the jukeboxscattered on wet floorpeanut shells and damp ashesone woman dances~ Soji~ D.G.reflectionsWurlitzer lights swirlin the empty pitcher ~ Sojiempty parking lottraffic lights - red, green, unseen -swing in rising wind ~ D.G.tacking for homethe sailboat’s lightsred, then green...~ Sojiwave-tossed mast rockingback and forth across the moontied up at the dock ~ D.G.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

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Haiku HarvestSummer 2001Volume 2 Number 259Linda Robeck — Amesbury, Massachusetts, USA.Matthew Cheney — New Hampshire, USA.Martin Cohen — Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, USA.Florence Vilén — Stockholm. SwedenRoger J. Kenyon — Canada.Sean Lause — Bluffton, Ohio, USA.Dr. Ram Krishna Singh — Dhanbad, India.Debra Woolard Bender — Orlando, Florida, USA.Terrie Relf — San Diego, California, USA.Kathy Lippard Cobb — Bradenton, Florida, USA.Linda Kelly — Florida, USA.Brian Henderson — North Carolina, USA.Ann K. Schwader — Westminster, Colorado, USA.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.Linda Robecksummer stormthunder follows lightningacross the valleyHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

60home gamemoving my chairto the other team’s sidedeep puddle –camellia petalscupping raindropsearly summerthe water still too coldto bearcold moonlightthe sound of her breathfrom the other roomleapingfrom my handsmy daughter’s kitewarm breezea young sumacfans itselfmoving deeperinto the woods –barbed wire fenceHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

61Tien’anmen squareout of the darknessthe flutter of kitesjust beforethe wave’s slow curlpelicansMatthew Cheneydawndogs barkingat last night’s moonpurple forest:sunbeamsin spring rainbetween the red barn’s boardssunsetbreakswhite pine barkpeelspowdercloud touchesthe sunHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

62old electric fencea bumblebeescans the rusttwilight shadowsa mothon grey barkstillness.a breeze touchesthe dry blade of grassthunder –a woodpeckerflies to the creaking pineMartin Gottlieb Cohenthe lighted stepsof the escalatorcasino dawnnoon breeze ~attic mirrors lightthe floor boardsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

63Hiroshimathe shadow of a treein the old wallthe sprayfrom a sea wallrainbowmountain ~the shadow spreadingon watera breezeripples the pondwarbler’s songFlorence VilénSuddenly this morningAn online chapbook by Florence VilénBeginning and endof a voyage round the world:behind your eyesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

64Withered stalks,old moss the colourof new grassUphill the snowdrops,downhill only snow white– your microclimateSuddenlythis morningbright yellow crocus!Looking for each budbetween the white-striped leavesof early crocusClosed in on themselvesin the shadows of morningthe early crocusFour inches highthis crocus varietyis Giant or MammothBy bus to my workrecognizing most patchesof early Spring flowersHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

65The different coloursof swelling buds on branchesin early SpringA reddish tipon the unfolding leafof white-bark birchFirst flush of colouron the slender birches,dandelion brassyBefore any leavesthe greenish sprays of the maple,the bright forsythiaTouch of the sun;everywhere dandelions,some Easter liliesUnrollingthe white carpet of Spring:wood anemonesIn the Spring suntrying his skillsour elderly catHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

66Not yet - the roses.Not yet - the tulips.The litter - alwaysLong Nordic twilight:emptied of its colours the sky,darkening treesAfter you, my bee –queueing to smellthe honey-sweet roseWhichever waythe old fence is extendedby stinging nettlesArresting his publica heated sermonfrom Jack-in-the-pulpit(Arum maculatum)Slugs have settledon a lonely peony,low in the grassesAnother shower,not many petals lefton the old rose-bushHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

67Shining white lilyindoors dotted in brownof its own pollenWoods on rolling hills,fields chequered green and yellow:hobbit countryRoger J. KenyonA barren branchby rain held down,slightly waves.An autumn wavespumes frigid foamsculpts a rock.Crimson maple leaf;clear water drops in fallcool the fire within.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

68Sean LauseBach on the radioa spider weaves her webwith furious joyhalf a tirelies grinning in the grass,no longer drivenswift above rooftopscrying for her mateblue summer eveningcarefully foldingher boy’s used birthday candlesin tissue paperThis greeting,how many miles, tree to tree,to me?five minutes,stuck in an elevator,watching our shoes and watchesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

69the crying childdoes not hear the willowwhispering to herdark lake,the only sounds–my breaths–ducks nibbling the weedsjanitor’s broom,the wood worn smoothnear the middlein the new wheelchairGrandmother adjusts her blanketacross her legsold men on the porch,deepset eyes and faces creased,rock the sunset homeDr. Ram Krishna SinghA load of woodon her frail back –autumn eveningHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

70Dew dropon a blade of grassrainbowFalling leaves –a sheet of autumnin the courtyardPalms waving to greetthe first rain of the season:I wait in the roomDebra Woolard Bendersummer solsticethe grass reachesnew heightscookie fortune –a buttercup glows yellowunder a young girl’s chinrippled poolthe swimmer’s shadow propelledthrough a net of lightHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

71how bluethe water’s surfacefloating skySouthern comforta plopping of fat rainin the darkfallen hibiscuswithered petals dustywith its own pollenSouthern heatmagnolias perfumecicada songOne hundred or moreperfume a single treewhite magnoliaforked roadssunrise leadsthe traveler’s waytreadmill jograindrops bounceagainst the windowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

72no skylarkto welcome the sunI begin to whistleoh, mourning dovewould you also cry for those starsfalling from my jasmine?this placeas the nextwandering snailwearied of wordsI gaze at wisteriaon a broken pinewritten in watera river stone gives upmy poem to the airTerrie Relfjacaranda treeyoung lovers embraceamong the blossomsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

73revealed by its scent –a pink rosein a field of weedswhite moths hoverhe turns toward mesmileswe wake before the alarmmy mind fillswith the taste of pearsbetween the rocksa stray shellyour bathing suitKathy Lippard Cobbfrost etched windows –jazz tunes softenour silencesummer stars –rise and fall of laughteron the ferris wheelHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

74a light rain fallson the garden swingpeach blossomsstrawberry sunrise –my daydream interruptedwith each pancake flipPachelbel’s Canonthrough open windowswild orchidsgray sky –the neighbor’s orange treejust beyond reachsalty breezejust me, the seagullsand a summer moon . . .untended garden –the scent of honeysuckleclings to my fingersroadside stand –a bracelet sparklesamong the tomatoesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

75Linda Kellymorning fog hangs lowfrom the white mist ghostly criesegret in the marshcircles like Fermat’scoffee stains on an old bookelliptical proofmoon and lake reflectpassions the sun neglectedevening illusionsgrey shadow bloomingout of speckled yellow sunthe rain is comingsinging every songthe mockingbird in the yardreminds me of youerupting thunderoffending the quiet nightbaritone bullfrogHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

76Brian Hendersoncleaning out the classroomon the carpeta tiny starbehindwilted honeysuckle –blackberriesAnn K. Schwaderwind chimesall night at the open windowthe same dreamno pond yetwatching tall grassripple the moonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

77Denis M. Garrisontiny fawn waitsbeside the silent doethe huge sky darkensthese old handssoft and supple in dusklight –these tired eyesmarble monumentall their sweet names are blurredroses frozen hardyoung motherkissing her baby’s cheekapple blossomsnight wind in the treesand through the house front to backall the chimes tinklingresting in starscold blue-haloed moonfills the night skyHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

78the day she diedshe walked among the blossoms -her tears of joyold empty church –worn out kneelers restingunder layered dustin the holly treenesting dove murmurs softlywarm breeze on my cheekHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

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Haiku HarvestFall & Winter 2001Vol. 2 No. 381Kathy Lippard Cobb — Bradenton, Florida, USA.Martin Cohen — Egg Harbor City, New Jersey, USA.Mike Duffy — British Columbia, Canada.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.Victor P. Gendrano — Carson, California, USA.J.D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USA.Deborah P. Kolodji — Pasadena, California, USA.Angèle Lux — Gatineau, Québec, Canada.Francis Spataro — New York, New York, USA.Maria Steyn — Gauteng, South Africa.Florence Vilén — Stockholm. SwedenRakesh Biswas — Pokhara, Nepal (illustrated by AngeleeDeodhar — Chandigarh, Punjab, India).HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

82Kathy Lippard CobbBreathstrokesAn online chapbook by Kathy Lippard CobbHaikuhouse cleaning–garden colored raindropsflow down the windowsnowy haze–white branches surroundthe lamp postsounds of lovemakingfrom the couple next door–summer windrosebuds–the baby yawnsand kicks her feetthe controlled burnrages out of controlblack butterfliesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

83stained glass sunlightthe flower girl dropsher basketa fluorescent glarefrom hospice windows–winter drizzlea shriek of laughterfrom the potting shedtouch-me-notsupturned bike–wheels slowly spinin the summer windSt. Augustine . . .potted plants sit wherestreet performers once playedbeginner’s slope–again her face meetsthe snowthe fiddler shiftsfrom one leg to the other . . .starlit nightHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

84ebb tidewe hold on tight,then let go. . .sunday morningthe cereal bowl nowmy daughter’s hatPreviously published in Presence #13, 2001.rain fillsthe deflated basketball–our last goodbyePreviously published in Starfish, Summer 2001.CrystallinesLeaky faucets and doors that stick,yet no other place feels quite like this.In the maze of love, heartache and time,I’m slowly dying on the vine.Two on a bench — the exchange of furtive glancesand awkward pauses.Black winter waves rush and recede,each one takes another piece of me.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

85Sitting in darkness, shadowed in doubt —then one by one, the stars come out.Each breeze through the chimes, a new melody,touching a new place in me.While the boat gently rocks on a charcoal swell,moonlight on the white sail.While I talk to my father,snowflakes disappear into the headstone.In father’s old photo,I wonder what’s going on behind his eyes.CinquainsAutumn:A crimson leafwhirls through the garden gate.For a moment, I wish I wereas free.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

86Sunrise —vines intertwinethe old broken trellis . . .out of the tangle, a perfectred rose.Old dock:Crashing waves rockthe abandoned rowboat.My upturned face drinks in the moonand stars.Winter . . .old men huddleon the dock — a pungentodor of whiskey, fish and lostchances.Martin Cohendistant combersa ship’s mast inchesthrough cattailsclosed barthe smell of hayand deerHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

87a crow passesthe noise of sparrows –decemberwinter sun –a squirrel’s carcass stuckon the storm drainChristmas twilightthe black bird’s silencefrom tree to treeorange lightfalling down the branchesChristmas dawnChristmas –the dark line of buzzardsat daybreakMike Duffyfrozen gingko boughsthawed by the clinging clawsof resting robinsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

88a fox on the pondprancing, pointing, and pouncingcatching a snow faceflitting chickadeesflying through a little gapin a gnarled pineshadows on new snowdrifting east as the crescentautumn moon moves westmy black-eyed susans –withered wilted and peltedwith wind driven snowhis arthritic handscannot dig the hole to planther birthday rose bushDenis M. Garrisonon a heap of pearlsthere rests a treasure box filledwith cherry blossomsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

89on folded paperfound in this volume of Blake –a single haikuhowling wind dies downthe morning calls of songbirdsfill the ragged treesa tramp in my fieldgazes at migrating geese –so homeless and freegrey winter sunrise –perched along the scarecrow’s armssix ravens huddleSeptember 11thA haiku sequence by Denis Garrisonblue sky sunny day –how is it the darkness lurkson the horizon?sights before unseenand sounds never heard before –new world born in flamesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

90Crystalline #40The dead and missing, countless souls –not one – no, none! – will be forgotten.after the attackswe deal with water damage –oh, so many tears!my missing legs, theyput the lie to “phantom pain” –heart-piercing towers!the sleeping giantwakes from his bed of comfortand takes up his sword.riding the west windthrough smoky plumes, countless flags –dark Mars approachesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

91Victor P. GendranoAbsence and Autumn ChillAn exercise in form by Victor P. GendranoHaikuautumn chillhis absence grows morepalpable each dayTankathe rustleof fallen leaves mufflesthe sound of your absenceas long nights sharpenthe barbs of autumn chillSijoencroaching cold nights precedethe first onslaught of autumn chillwhich robs the wilted gardeniaof its last remaining scentmeanwhile your long absence growsmore palpable each passing dayHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

92CinquainCold nightsand autumn chillrob the gardenia’s scentwhile your absence grows unbearableeach day.CrystallineYour prolonged absence only deepensthe misery of chilly nights.Zipyour absencewith the chillgrows unbearableof lonely nightsJ. D. Heskinriding the rangeof a long and lonesome night –cowboy moonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

93in balanced colorsnature dresses for the day,seasonally chicflea market find:the scribbling of a childor a Picassoa horse flyinside the whisky bottleit doesn’t drink muchthe old doglooking for kindnessgets a kickin greedy fiststhe watermelon heartmy favoritehalf asleep, I seethe face of my dead fatherin morning mirrora stern lookwas all that she needed –Mrs. Grimly’s classHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

94the strains of Haydncoming from the next cell –Surprise Symphonyfrom ditch to ditchthe mother and her babies –highway traffic slowstold of the oilbeneath his feet, a farmercurses his landthe cool night –making my sunburnfeel betterwalking awaylighter but with heavy steps –the dice gamebuying a ticketto view priceless artifacts:Neanderthal trashjust enough rainto make the windshield wiperschatterHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

95wandering aroundthe city’s forgotten partslost in enjoymentremembering whenwe washed them in a river –at the LaundromatDeborah P. Kolodjigranite reflectionsof High Sierra momentsfrozen foreverNovember morningcold wind gusts wash my drivewaysweeping away leavesbreakfast granolawaits in the cereal bowlmilk carton emptypasted rose petalsquilted fabric of my dreamsin PasadenaHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

96Angèle LuxPlay ofblue water over granitehis glittering eyesAutumn hazemourning veil circlingthe hazel treeMay morningtang of wet spruce forestriding the windMountain crestetched against a skyso blue so blueWilted buttercupsovergrowing the grave~ dog cemeteryManicured lawntwo old ladiesin slippersHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

97Setting on the peakthe heavy sickle ofthe harvest moonDecember morningicy fingers creeping throughmy coversLingering heattaste of hibiscus teaon your lipsFrancis Spataroafter dry summerfall flowers strain for wateron the patioMaria SteynHAIKUfirst spring raina dreamcatcher stirsin the breezeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

98falling leavesthe sleeping cat twitchesits whiskersthe warmthon his side of the bedcrisp nightguesthousea deep-autumn sunwarms the stone cathidden pondreflections rippleon the egret’s neckcut watermelon --the sun sinksbehind barbeque smokemorning headlines --weaver nestsbob in the breezeapproaching night . . .the patter of raindropsin the mulberry treeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

99TANKAa cloudfills the birdbathripplesthe coolness of duskin the palm of my handbehind peeling wallsthe sudden space of lightin a gardenwhere the laughter of childrenscatter through summer treesA small birdchirps somewhere without end,wordless -as lawn shadows slowly mergeinto the warm dusk of sky.Florence VilénA Colour Sequence In CrystallinesThe colour of cold, ice and snow,is floral fragrance in summer dusk.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

100Blue water reflecting the blue skyopens to a cloud that floats by.Where have you been? What have you seenof marvels this one moment of green?Petals surround the future life,packed tight in pollen, yellow with sun.Red poppies spill their drop of young bloodon history’s harsh battle-fields.Purple of power, ashes of Lent:ours to use whatever is sent.Our goal, the soil, in patient brownwill transform all life into its own.Black in the interstellar night,beyond any world of wrong or right.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

101Crocus inspectionAn online chapbook by Florence VilénFallen leaves,the great October sutraon impermanenceRain in Granada,orange trees in the courtyardof the old cloisterA living wall,arch after arch of cypresstrimmed to a vistaNovember holidays,from myrtle hedges and roseshome to early snowWinter treesput memory of greeninto half-hidden budsNo snow so far,but frost a white coatingon top of the carsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

102Loaded with snowthe birches are far whiterthan ever cherry blossomLate snow piled high;the track of the shovelled pathis all but lostSun on snow;in the windowa white amaryllisWinter kept at bayoutside a London basementa box of tulipsWithout my glasses:is this colour spring flowersor just some litter?Crocus inspection:have the roe deer found themsince yester-night?Crocus bit off,saffron pistils showing,black droppings besideHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

103An alder outlinedby cones on older branches,new catkins swayingCrack in the pavement,a dandelion growingmatter-of-factishMuseum courtyardfor Hellenistic marbles,pond of yellow irisStone embankment,plane trees lush and leaningdown towards the TiberHorse chestnut,a huge chandelierfor scented candlesAspen coming out,less copper in the leavesthan yesterdayWhite Baltic night,the tree-peony closesits flowers to the chillHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

104After the rainone petal lefton the tree-peonySummer solstice,the green so strongin every leafLong Nordic dusk --spruce and sky make the lakea birch-bark patternScented seasonweeks around the solstice,waiting for mock-orangeLook-alike leaves,fingers tell smooth lindenapart from rough elmGrowing whereveron the cliffs above waterwhite-clustered elderCrochet hook;a meadow of wild carrotis Queen Anne’s laceHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

105In her summer heatthe old-fashioned rosecannot help blushingBehind and between,hide-and-seek among the leaves,oh there is the moonCrippled leg,the duck is feedingoff picnickers’ crumbsUnder tall weedsa bright yellow carpetof creeping-JennyDrizzle in August,the grey-white skyis almost dazzlingEach wet leafsparkling in the sudden sun:cloudbreak after rainPondweeds afloat,below the goldfish swimabove the cloudsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

106August sun,the first yellow leaveson the birchesButterfly brooch,gems to perpetuatea flitting momentNine tall poplarsclose to the terminal -I count them again* * * * * * * * * * * * *After the disaster:from the piled-up bodiesdisharmony of cell phonesLast day of the peace,nothing in particularfailed to take placeUpdated geography,from old battle-fieldsto new bomb sitesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

107Granny’s apple-pie:the recipe forgotten,the time to taste it, tooStone memorial,scent of lilac lingeringover lost livesRakesh BiswasPoem © 2001 by Rakesh Biswas. Art © 2001 by Angelee Deodhar.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

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Haiku Noir109Editorial PolicyHaiku Noir is a new variety of the ancient poetic form, haiku. Haiku noirsexist at the farthest end of the spectrum of subject matter, dealing with thatwhich is not generally considered to be proper subject matter for the classicalhaiku; for example: tragedy, loss, sorrow, depression, madness, terror, horror,anger, macabre humor, anti-heroism, crime, passion, the underworld/subcultures, squalor, eros, science fiction and fantasy.FORM: We are developing a new kind of haiku, not in the classical form, sothe rules are substantially simpler. For our editorial purposes, a “haiku noir”is a tercet (3 line poem) in which the first and third lines are from 1 to 5syllables while the second line is from 1 to 7 syllables. Thus, the classic 17syllable form (5-7-5) and the even more popular English forms which usefrom about 10 to 14 syllables (e.g., 3-4-3, 4-5-2, 4-5-3, 4-5-4, 4-6-3, 4-6-4) areall acceptable. There are no rules with respect to capitalization, punctuation,use of complete sentences, fragments, phrases, or clauses. However,excessive use of marks (e.g., !!!!! and &*#@*&) is definitely frowned upon.There are no prohibitions with respect to metaphor, simile, rhyme, directaddress, questioning, etc.. There are no “season words,” “cutting,” or“juxtaposition” requirements. In summary, the only form imperatives are thatthe haiku noir must be a tercet with no more than 17 syllables, distributed5-7-5 or less.SUBJECT MATTER: The poetic value of haiku noir is in communicatingcomplex and difficult material in the most brief and crystallized poetic form,the haiku of seventeen or fewer syllables. This necessarily entails using themost concrete language in some instances and the most ambiguous andsuggestive language in other instances. This is a tremendous poetic challengeand one of the great attractions of writing haiku. Showing the beauty to befound on the dark side, showing how our joy is rooted in sorrow, how ourecstasy is found beyond pain, is another great challenge. The definingpurpose of the haiku noir is to create in the reader an emotional responsewhich falls at the darker end of the spectrum of human experience. It is inthis that haiku noirs are most different from classical haiku. Keywords whichhelp to define the scope of the subject matter of haiku noirs include: tragedy,loss, sorrow, depression, madness, terror, horror, anger, macabre humor,HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

110anti-heroism, crime, passion, the underworld/subcultures, squalor, eros,science fiction and fantasy. On the other hand, there is at this end of thespectrum a great deal of human experience about which we do not wantsubmissions at Haiku Noir, and keywords for those subjects that we don’twant include: smut, pornography, scatology, banality, obscenity, hate speech,and anything that is simply disgusting. You may find that haiku noirs makeyou uneasy, even creep you out or turn you on, but they must not bedisgusting or filthy. We repeat: Do NOT submit pornographic haiku.Because this can mean making some contentious value judgements, weemphasize that Haiku Noir reserves absolute editorial discretion in selectingpoems for publication in Haiku Noir.Haiku NoirIssue 1Spring 2001J. D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USA.Andrea Gradidge — Canada.Deborah P. Kolodji — Pasadena, California, USA.Scott H. Urban — USA.Sergei Braun — Jerusalem, Israel.Craig Sernotti — USA.Kristen Bird — Jersey Shore, New Jersey, USA.Malik — Alabama, USA.gK — California, USA.Ann K. Schwader — Westminster, Colorado, USA.Richard Stevenson — Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.Denis Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

111J.D. Heskineach day like the lastthinking only of revenge:eight more years to goblue feathered pigeonsstray across my rifle sight –red flesh and bone whitefor the homeless, Ipromise sidewalks to sleep onand blankets of snowit’s so quiet now –makes me wonder what happenedin Room 13the scent of jasmine –all I remember beforeshe slugged mefull moon tonight,tomorrow morning:the vulturesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

112nix on the blindfoldto hell with a cigarettelet’s do itthey give me a choice:poison or the wood chipperI swallow quicklythe diner sign says:FOOD JUST LIKE MOM USED TO MAKEso I keep walkingAndrea Gradidgeblack paw whisks— a laddered stockingtrips downstairsdispute over bones:the descendants hunch and pickover credentialsmountain misteven inspiring viewsneed a breakHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

113razor wireinstead of briars:punk beauty sleepsfresh snowfall . . .the first one throughleaves a brown trailhousing projectplans yellow with agemangers for rentfrom the SF aislemisplaced in the non-fiction:2001forensic traceon every hand they touchcredit cardslow flying crowscheck receding snow linethe first pickingsthrough the chipper:Christmas tree remainsafter the tornadoHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

114April:snowliesprised from cold fingers:tear stained lottery ticketa poor forgeryDeborah P. Kolodjiseason with a dashof ancient bacteriabake well...or you’re donecool lava bubblesfrom the earth’s deepest darknessan abrasive soulL.A. skies drop tearsground shivers in Seattlethe weather crone grinsinformation jamtelecommuter’s nightmarethe pink slip downloadHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

115rowing search riversreeling in the info-fishgigabyte bucketstyping heart and soullinking intimate strangerscyber-valentineson border patrolenforcing bandwidth limitsa LAN/WAN heroonce web farm cash cowgrazing archives producingovermilked dataScott H. UrbanBreakfast etiquette:We’re silent. AppliancesDo all the talking.My home, a castle:Why, of all the rooms, do IPrefer the dungeon?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

116The once-stately clockRuns down to grandfatherhood.The same as I do.Your open suitcase:A gluttonous, gaping maw.It’s eating our past.Sergei BraunDear Watson,... or should I call you –Moriartydoor squeaksfloor boards crackhe’s backObituary:... tried to jumpfrom moving time ...face blacklitcoals in the fireplaceturn to ashesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

117St. George and the dragon ...Alas!Both extinct.padded celldistant voices againCan you boogie?I am immortal.I walk this road foreverand my bare feet ache.feeling lonelyyet content –ate my last matejoinedby the leaden streakof bulletthe glassis full– jump in!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

118Craig SernottiBirds that singare hollow, fall apart.I eat the frail scraps.Flying, it hurts.Acid in the water,no more trees.I hear the watercalling. It wants me to drown.Someday.Eyes growl, bite downon flesh. And the oceans burn.Joy.Kristen BirdTime is a dragon,Its claws tearing us apart.Where is my white knight?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

119Mangled twisted handsshove my face to the cold floorpray for my own endMalikThe last ears to hearWhat the elders had to saySing the blues at dawn.Let my love cascadeDown the waterfall gentlySo your tears stay fresh.This season of deathComes in trios singing praiseBut the birds don’t hear.Dinosaurs dancingunder Alabama skiesdelight shooting stars.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

120gKthe large turkey carvedwith neat precision ...retired coronermemories of the full moonthis morning she shaves my backthe blood-drained corpsein its hands, a silver crossand some garlicDoc, I hear dogs talk ...they are so boringit’s driving me madAnn K. Schwaderchalk sprawlat the sceneconcrete screamHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

121lean dark beside herthe mirror still cracking nosecond reflectionserial killermisreads mall sign & panics:six chopping days lefteven in summerthe raven’s red pencil raspscribbling murderoutside crashed life podtoo deep / broad / with talons yetovernight footprinthelmet puncturered vacuum peonyblossomingHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

122Richard StevensonHot Flashes: Maiduguri Haiku/SenryuAfrican cook book –not cups of this and thatbut tobacco tins!Penicillin soldin cello-wrapped baggies –take before whoring.overweight womenare desired, much prized here:well fed means well-heeledThe Wabenzi tribe?Dem who drive Mercedes andhave naira plenty.Folks in Potiskumpronounce the p as an f.Phigger that one out!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

123What are you in for?the thawed, re-frozen turkeyswhisper to the fishPonded yam? I ask,not thinking of misspellings.Nicer without u‘snot soup -- or is it?My spoon draws the glutinouspost-nasal okralooking for eyeballs,slowly, carefully I spoonup my goat’s head soupYou go buyam beef?The meat man swats flies offhis very best chunk.Denis M. Garrisonback home after work -on my fresh-painted front doora bloody handprintHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

124their promises are lies -there’s no one in the mirroragain todaynow at my arm’s enda gnarled and scaly claw -when did that happen?peering from the streetthe mailman must know too muchhe’ll have to go toothis caveman rhythmour common pulse more needfulthan water or saltdriving home againafter hours of one way talksuddenly, hot tearsroundness in my palm,silky smoothness drives my bloodand, ah!, the rough spotsthis ancient facelit by the eyes of a child -it’s time to shedHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Haiku NoirIssue 2Fall & Winter 2001125J. D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USA.Kenneth Pobo — Illinois, USA.Deborah P. Kolodji — Pasadena, California, USA.Charlee Jacob — USA.Craig Sernotti — USA.Richard Geyer — Adrian, Michigan, USA.Denis Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.J. D. Heskinwhen a nickelbought a cup of coffee,I was drinking milknot a word –her eyes said it allso I listenedstark naked –she didn’t know in pokershe could deal tooHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

126so lovelyin the moonlight,even deadgoing homeafter serving thirty years –or leaving ithe was toughI’ll give him that –wastalkingto the mirror –you talking to mebent and twisted...we never laughed at his lispagainas I recallit was over the gravy –my head still hurtsit has a purposebut not what he used it for –the short handle hoeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

127dark and gloomy night:the beginning of an endthat never goes wellsixty for twentyand for each day past due –you don’t want to knowhe was my partnerbut we had differences –may he rest in peaceLefty knew no fear –unfortunately for himthat’s all he knewthree fingers of rye –the bartender charges mean arm and a legand a shed out back,but no one has been in theresince the hangingit’s not always dewone might see on the rose...what a reliefHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

128Kenneth Pobotwo towers fallafter ten weeks still burninggrief can’t put them outelderly womanwho died of anthrax--your smile,a robin fledglingafter making loveyou look so relaxed,cat freed from a cageshopping malls fullof people, cemeterieseven fullerDeborah P. Kolodjipost-midnight quietbroken by a loud TVand no mute buttonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

129space station coffeeheavenly triple latte -forgot my star bucksthrown from the Oort Cloudan arc of dust particlesdirty snowballs meltcloud curtains maskingthe route of my earth journeyI dream I have wingsCharlee JacobMy white-faced family,mute as the stones and cold,visit me through snow.listening legless...love songs ‘bout crippled crabs,he rocks in his wheelchair.misericordiadug not deep enoughcaressed by violetsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

130She stands outside on the bone-white walk,glossed by bloody rainand breathless.Craig Sernottiangry treesclimb thru my windowI’ll suicide firstyellow bats flyin his onyx eyesbrain eatersRichard Geyeri saw the sunsettonight, she on her gurneyand i in my dreamah, the old silk bedhas room for one more. slide inand make her happy.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

131broken shadows crossthe pane and one bloody handreaches for the doora pink toad, slick withpoison and love, clung to anold twig and vanishedan old shark takes himby the leg and pulls himdown into heavenDenis M. Garrisonexplosive autumnnow, as below, so abovemeteor showercaught in wind-carved iceon this distant nameless peak:an empty Coke canHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

132Denis M. GarrisonWar Ku - AsiaVIET NAMdug-in in Da Nang -studying history’smost ghastly lessonsFREE CHINA (Taiwan, Formosa)T’aichung morning show -Chinese fighters dogfightover CCK(CCK = Ching Chuang Kang was then a secret airbase in T’aichung.)NORTH KOREANorth Korean seasbow-spray rakes the flight deck crew -bone-cold and ice-strafedHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

133OKINAWAflight of the Habu -reports of UFOsflood the base switchboard(Habu = the variety of pit vipers native to Okinawa, andthe nickname of the SR-71, a super-high-speed reconnaissancejet flying out of Kadena Airbase, so-calledbecause of the sinuous movement of its titaniumfuselage.)JAPANHiroshima hellfire:could this crucible yet forgenew katana?etched in memories -in stone walls by the death light,red chrysanthemumHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

134HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Ku NouveauThe Journal of Avant-garde HaikuSummer 2001 Issue135Co-Editors:Denis Garrison - U.S.A. John Carley - England.(Included in this compilation with John Carley’s permission.)Ku Nouveau publishes innovative forms of haiku in English. Seriousattempts to assimilate the haiku tradition in forms that are within the Englishpoetic tradition are appreciated. Ku Nouveau means to promote innovativeku by providing a showcase for poetry in these new forms. New ku forms inwhich we are interested include, but are not limited to: the couplet ofseventeen syllables called the “crystalline”; the fifteen-syllable form, the“zip”; the early 20th century form, the “cinquain”; and the early 21st centuryform, the “shinku.”Winners of the July 2001 WHC Shortverses Crystalline Kukai— Maria Steyn, Marjorie Buettner, Florence Vilén,Debra Woolard Bender, Carol Raisfeld, Terrie Relf,& Dina E. Cox.Kirsty Karkow — Waldoboro, Maine, USA.Florence Vilén — Stockholm, Sweden.Debra Woolard Bender — Orlando, Florida, USA.Kathy Lippard Cobb — Bradenton, Florida, USA.Terrie Relf — San Diego, California, USA.Rita Summers — Tasmania, Australia.Darrell Byrd — Imperial Valley, California, USA.Stephanie Hanson — Smithville, Texas, USA.Denis Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

136Winners of the July 2001 WHC Shortverses CrystallineKukai - Judge: Denis M. GarrisonFIRST PLACEThis hot summer night,the ever-moving stars above your face and mine.Maria SteynJudge’s Notes: This beautiful couplet is a perfectly realizedirregular crystalline. The stillness of deep summer is emphasizedby the contrasting motion of the stars. The context evokes adiamantine sky filled with millions of stars. The summerstillness evokes a strong sense of waiting, of expectation, andyet of repose, for the couple. The diction is completely naturaland subtly rhythmic, and the slant rhyme adds to the euphonyof the verse. Exquisite!SECOND PLACEHeat lightning in the distance;feeling the bones beneath your fragile skin.Marjorie BuettnerJudge’s Notes: This slightly irregular crystalline is both beautifuland powerful. While unrhymed, the internal resonances of theverses give a similar effect. (N.B. I read “fragile” with a long-Ivowel sound, fra-jyle.) The diction is entirely natural andunaffected. The couplet operates on at least two levels. TheHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

137literal level is a lovely, almost nostalgic, image of late day duringthe heat of summer, spent with a dear one (surely so, as they aretouching). The next level is both powerful and threatening: thelightning’s threat evokes the inescapable threat of mortality,intimated most evocatively here, which is both specific to theone person and also universal. What an unforgettable couplet!THIRD PLACECaressing winds help me to sloughthe skin of thick clothes and cold reserve.Florence VilénJudge’s Notes: This is a lovely regular crystalline, notable for itsstraightforward syntax, completely natural diction. This is animportant feature as the couplet contains a conceit, i.e., afanciful metaphor: the skin of clothes and reserve. The twofeatures balance one another. The couplet is very symmetrical,not only in the balanced content, but in the first and last wordswhich express the ends of a spectrum of the poet’s response.Albeit a very gentle poem, it is quite comic in its image of anuptight person throwing reserve and clothes to those caressingwinds. It is endearing, at least to those of us who can identifywith the persona and the impulsive surrender to the summerwinds. The choice of “the” instead of “my” for beginning thesecond line subtly shows how the persona disassociates fromher/his own reserve. Both lovely and funny - a wonderfulcrystalline!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

138HONORABLE MENTIONClouds inside the garden wallslide around and around a gazing ball.Debra Woolard BenderJudge’s Notes: This slightly irregular rhymed crystalline gives usa lovely image of the gazing ball in a summer garden with theclouds and sky wrapped around it like a miniature heavens. Theball brings the overhead clouds down into the light-floodedgarden and captures them for the enjoyment of the gardener.The carefully chosen diction -- “garden wall ... gazing ball”“around and around” -- concretize the circling clouds; a real“objective correlative” success and wonderfully mnemonic.HONORABLE MENTIONStill seeing your face in winter dreamsmy summer friend, do you miss me?Carol RaisfeldJudge’s Notes: This regular crystalline evokes nostalgia as wellas loss. The poet also manages to use a question withoutrunning afoul of the usual forced diction that so oftenaccompanies the interrogative form. What is not said in thispoem is as important as what is said: this archetypal plaint ofsummer relationships can be read many ways depending onwhat the reader brings to it. A lovely couplet.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

139HONORABLE MENTIONAwakened from dreams of snow angelsby the rattle-whirr of a fan.Terrie RelfJudge’s Notes: This regular crystalline attracts us through thepower of recognition of a common experience. The rudeawakening is supported by the sharp change in rhythm fromline 1 to line 2. I like the unique onomatopoeic fan noise - itworks for me - I have heard that rattle-whirr. This is a finecomic verse.HONORABLE MENTIONWe stand alone on different shores -This ebb and flow of my heart, of yours.Dina E. CoxJudge’s Notes: This regular crystalline, while less explicitly so,also deals with summer relationships. It is notable for itsmusicality, enhanced by the end rhyme, and for itsymmetricallity. I especially like the economy of the diction,allowing substantial content within seventeen syllables. Reallylovely!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

140Cinquains by Kirsty Karkowjoyfulthis morning prayerwarmed by spring sun I kneelto greet clusters of crocusesjust borneveningcome follow meup the wooden mountainto snuggle down all safe and sound‘til mornZips by Kirsty Karkowzip#9a yellow moonrisethe night trainbeamingover frozen fieldszip#15a silver gliderin the distancerides ridge wavesblue mountainsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

141zip#23turning wet soilI strive not to halvein the gardenearthwormsCrystallines by Florence VilénA VERNAL SEQUENCE OF CRYSTALLINESThe first wave of blossom recedingsmall white petals litter the ground.The bird-cherry heavy with fragrance,I step inside its floral tent.Late spring adding reds to its blues,an irregular hedge of lilacs.Planted for joy, not future fruit,deep pink branches blushing with blossom.Twilight prolonged until all hours,we draw closer to summer solstice.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

142Cinquains by Debra Woolard BenderAwakebetween two days,passed away, yet to be;I, in the middle of this dream,alone.cherry –the smell of smokefrom Dad’s old burl-wood pipehis green wool tam and blue-grey eyesfadingTwo thingsHave come to meAlthough I never asked:Resolve to live in solitudeAnd you.And howshall sea to waveand back to sea againreturn, but not a wave returnunchanged?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

143Shinku by Debra Woolard Bender1.moonlita white camelliawithering without soundwet skydrops heavilyinto dust2.stop and go rush hour every morningbeside the road a car full of ladies all in a tizzywhite egrets stalling traffic about their businessZip by Debra Woolard Benderhow summer’s sky fadesalmost whitealmost whitebut for the cloudsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

144Cinquains by Kathy Lippard CobbBeachside:coconut oilcaresses my senses,green water softly fades intothe blue . . .Sea lace:icy white foamas waves meet the shore, firstretreats . . . then rushes, surpassingthe last.High tide:soft summer wavesgently rise and collapse,rushing, receding, repeatingitself.His eyes:a stonewashed bluetearing down walls I socarefully built . . . I’m left nakedagain.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

145Mismatched:A glamour girland blue jeans kind of guy . . .He hikes, she follows, checking hermakeup.Regrets:We used to wakewrapped in each other’s arms.Now, you’re there, I’m here . . . is this allthere is?The War:Each rose vyingfor space, air and sunlight,even more beautiful due toits thorns.Assent:the white rose bendstoward sunlight, dewdropsrun slowly from petal to stem . . .then fall.Sundown:best friend - best dog,both curled up fast asleep,for one moment, things are as theyshould be.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

146Seaside:the moon ripples,then rushes toward shore,slowly receding to itselfagain.Moonrise,bare, twisted limbsreach toward the black sky.Will there be blossoms tomorrowmorning?My rock:I sit and letthe waves carry my thoughtsaway, knowing they’ll return withthe tide.Twilight:yellow petalsgently fall from the rose,then touching ground, a wind sweeps themaway . . .HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

147Crystallines by Kathy Lippard Cobbcrystalline #1Running through wildflowers, far from you,the blurry field a purple hue.crystalline #2Flat on my back, staring at storm clouds,has silence ever been this loud?crystalline #3Candlelight and red roses . . .the champagne bubbles tickle our noses.crystalline #4Seeing you today . . . and forgettingall of the things I had to say.crystalline #5A stranger’s admiring glance . . .all the way home, I practically dance.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

148crystalline #6Page after page, seeing my eyesin the faces of my ancestors.crystalline #7I clear the lump in my throat,as his saxophone hits a higher note.crystalline #8Tonight, I sit here alone, knowingyou share the stars with someone else.crystalline #9My eyes closed, toes pointed toward the treetops,I swing higher and higher . . .crystalline #10Letters I once lived for . . .sitting on the curb with the rest of the trash.crystalline #11With a whisper, the prima ballerinaprances, twirls, leaps and lands . . .HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

149Zip by Terrie Relfaround his armssymbolselectric eelsof the ocean priestCrystallines by Terrie RelfMosquitos circle a flowerbed.A child claps her hands, whispers, “shoo.”Crimson-toes press against the wall -Dakini dance in a jade-green sea.Cinquains by Terrie Relfmasterdisentanglethen reweave this fabricso that I may know which is realwhich, dreamHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

150threadedmy loom receivesyour skillful touch as firstone image, then another isrevealedI walkthe labyrinthits many corridorslead to others, and then blank wallsopenZip by Rita Summersour dog curls upcooking smells waftat my feetfrom the kitchenCinquains by Darrell Byrdslow handssoft candlelightMozart and sweet red winemoist lips touch my ear whisperingyes nowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

151our pathsfrom distant shoresthrough fair and stormy yearsmeet and we stroll down sunny glenat lastconch shellsover the doorcigar butts on the floorsome key lime pie before I diepapaCinquains by Stephanie HansonTATTOOS [ Cinquain Trio ]red pearlsdrip between wordsecstasy -- easy painimages born of ink and bloodtattoobodydefined, arched mindwhir of needles in syncan expanse of epidermiscoveredHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

152Mondaytraces smooth hipof indigo weekend,azure-green dragonflies alightsoft skinCrystallines by Denis Garrisoncrystalline #1Day so bright, shadows seem like night.Cool veranda, dark within the light.crystalline #2Buried at sea, our helmsman slips beneath the waves.Flying fish take flight.crystalline #3Dead calm twilight sea.A dolphin leaps from black into the rosy blue.crystalline #4Suddenly quiet, she gently hangs up,touches her father’s photo.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

153crystalline #5On her letter is one last teardropthat marks the end and blurs her name.crystalline #6Glittering black lake tonight,bright butter moon, your stunning yellow light.crystalline #7In the treetops, the fireflies wink on and off.Distant thunder grumbles.crystalline #8The graveyard’s frozen hard.We must wait for spring to thaw both ground and grief.crystalline #9In golden grove, leaves slide down sunbeams,a migrant bird’s strange trilling song.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

154crystalline #10Windy, wintry day, the dead leaves fly.No birds will try this pallid sky.crystalline #11Deep sleeping branches garner strength.Ice clad, they dream of April glory.crystalline #12Late winter sky, lonely miles from you.The spruce hills turn a darker blue.crystalline #20Amid myriad choices,we value voices who sing us a song.crystalline #28Dazed, in the doctor’s office;the foreign sound of laughter in the hall.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

155crystalline #29When she comes in, the whole room fades andbecomes mere background for her eyes.crystalline #30Green streak through desert drab;forty feet below, a lightless river runs.crystalline #31Dawn forest afire - a lavender sky.No time for beauty today.crystalline #32Motionless in high sun,I watch a thistle-seed ride the westward breeze.crystalline #33Vintner’s terrace dapples in warm rain.What fragrance from the mingled wine!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

156Crystalline Sequence by Denis GarrisonONE SUMMER DAYCrystallines # 21-27, in sequence:From twisted sheets the new day rises,low sun dispelling fever dreams.Watering my garden - with the greenin the mist and steam, my rainbow.In bright of day, mad dogs and Iin maple-shade together lie.New mown grass, wild onion scentconsole me through this torrid afternoon.Ice tea pitcher breaks a beaded sweat.Steaming, we welcome thunder’s threat.Under soft black sky, the dark hills,the air filled with fireflies’ fairy lights!In the still night air, the ebbing heatprovokes the gray tree frogs to sing.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

157Cinquains by Denis GarrisonUNTIMELYShe wasnot shocked by death.Turns out, she knew for months.Could we have known, when lilacs werein bloom?THE HOMESTEADIt standsin the clearing,the house that Grandpa built,its rooms alive with years of joysand tears.FRIENDLY FIREHer eyestell me to stop,but what fool takes a cue?Too late, I see the anguish inher eyes.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

158DREAM CHASINGOld dogsleeps in my chairhis paws up in the airtwitch as he chases rabbits inhis dreams.UNBIDDEN [ Mirror Cinquain ]Woman,no one asked youinto my world of pain.I did not want to love again.Don’t go!I’m gladyou didn’t wait for me to askyou if you could love me.My joy is thatyou came.THE NEED FOR EXPERIMENTATIONWhen an art form is adopted by a different culture than that whichoriginated the form, it becomes the new culture’s own property andit is made over in the cultural context which it has entered. There are,in every case, many from the original culture who demand adherenceto their tradition, but it is futile. It is always futile to attempt tocontrol what one has given away.It is a delicate balance that one must strike. One must not discard thepast in ignorance, but one also must not be constrained by the past.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

159One must assiduously study the rules of poetics and then ignore them.The rules of poetics are not for writing the poem; the rules are forforming the craft of the poet. Every time a poet puts pen to paper,poetry is reinvented - or should be!There is, of course, paradox in this view, but paradox is the naturalcondition of humanity driven by base desires and lofty ideals. Theorthodoxies about haiku: the haiku moment, haiku mind, objectivecorrelative, purely objective imagery, etc., etc., all fall before theonslaught of paradox and ambiguity.For what haiku poets of the older Japanese tradition were seeking toaccomplish with their haiku, the traditional haiku poetics are necessaryand appropriate. For modern poets in Western languages who wishto emulate the same kind of poetry towards the same ends and withthe same philosophic underpinnings, those same traditional haikupoetics are, likewise, necessary and appropriate. However, for modernwestern poets who find in haiku the greatest value in its crystallinebrevity and in the rigor of condensation to a lyrical minim, adherenceto the traditional haiku poetics is both inappropriate and needless,since those poetics are intrinsically inconsistent, even incompatible,with English poetic tradition.To the degree that each poet (or group or school) follows their ownvalues and poetics, there is not any one group which is “correct” andothers which are “incorrect.” Artists are free and cannot beconstrained by scholastics. On the other hand, to the degree thatsome poets set themselves up as arbiters of all haiku, including haikuin English and other western languages, then artistic politics enters thearena and “right and wrong” become an issue.Western poets are intrinsically unencumbered and unobliged by theeastern traditions. They work within their own cultures. Western poetswho essay haiku nevertheless need to study the original traditions andunderstand them as well as they may, and must respect those oldertraditions even in the breach, because to do otherwise in to rebel outof ignorance, which is inherently wrong. If a western poet is to writeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

160haiku, and if that poet is going to go beyond the traditionalboundaries of the art form, then she or he had better know where theboundaries are. There is no merit in freedom by virtue of ignorance.Furthermore, for the western haiku poet, assuming that the poet hasindeed studied the original tradition as suggested above and movedbeyond it, there is also the ongoing utility of examining anew the craftaspects (the “tools”) of the original tradition in order to discover newand more culturally relevant (in the poet’s culture) ways to accomplishthe ends of those tools. For example, while some wish to simplydiscard the idea of kigo (season-words), others might not. Kigo havechanged substantially before. From setting the moment ofcomposition, they have mutated to set the context of the content ofthe haiku. Now, in an age when many cultures are not agrarian, use ofthe seasons for context-setting on an exclusive (or nearly-so) basis isquestionable. So, there is growing interest in new directions for kigo- including internationalization of natural kigo and consideration ofkeywords which are not rooted in seasonality. Continuingexperimentation with such poetic tools is firmly within the Englishpoetic tradition, certainly, and probably many others’ as well. Choicewithin freedom, as against doctrinaire constraints - that is the goal.~ Denis GarrisonThe CrystallineDEFINITION: The “crystalline” is a new haiku analogue; aseventeen syllable couplet that assimilates as much as possible fromthe Japanese haiku tradition into the English poetic tradition. Aprimary concern for the crystalline is the euphony of the verse. SeeSamples.GUIDELINES: The grammar (inflections and syntax) of the lines,which usually comprise one or two sentences in a couplet, should berelatively straightforward and natural. Unnaturally abbreviated ortelegraphic grammar is to be avoided. The traditional omission ofHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

161“understood words” is permissible (e.g., “Catch me.” rather than“You catch me.”).Initial capitalization of the first word of a sentence, a proper name,etc., should follow common usage; do not capitalize the first word ofthe second line solely on the basis of its position. Terminalpunctuation also should follow common usage. The versification ofthe poem into two lines, that is, the couplet form itself, serves thefunction of the Japanese kireji or cutting word.All traditional English poetic devices (including, but not limited to,metaphor, simile, alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia,allusion, rhyme) which can be used to advantage within the other rulesand the set prosody are permissible. In such a short form, verbosityis to be avoided. Poets should strive for highly condensed andconcrete imagery that enhances perception and understanding.Transparency of meaning need not diminish the depth of poeticresonance. While immediacy is highly desirable and, therefore, thepresent tense is normative, use of other tenses is not at all prohibited.PROSODY: A crystalline is, ideally, a couplet of exactly 17 syllables.A couplet may be “regular” or “irregular” depending upon thesymmetry of the lines. A regular couplet’s syllables are distributed 8+9or 9+8. Other distributions are “irregular” but entirely acceptable ifthe verse works best divided unevenly.A regular couplet is not inherently better than an irregular couplet. Itis more important that the lines break where they should (rememberthe principles of kireji). The crystalline’s syllabic limit is consistentwith the common western definition of haiku as a “seventeen-syllablepoem.” A regular crystalline may be iambic or trochaic tetrameter,with or without one excess unstressed syllable, but a completelyregular beat can be boring. Writing to a metrical formula will,predictably, yield formulaic, unsatisfactory, verses. The harmony orbeauty of sound that has a pleasing effect to the ear is achieved bothby the selection of individual word-sounds and also by theirrelationship in the repetition, proximity, and flow of sound patterns.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

162This is euphony, more important than strict metrics. Skillful wordselection to modify the rhythmic pattern, i.e., modulation, is desirable.For further study regarding Japanese “on”, click here.LINKING CRYSTALLINES: A crystalline is an untitled couplet,either a complete poem or a stanza, which follows a strict syllabicverse form, as described in the previous paragraphs. Severalcrystallines may be linked together as stanzas of a larger poem. In linewith the renga tradition behind the development of haiku, alternatingcrystallines by different poets may be combined in a single poem.This is not to debar a single poet writing a linked poem, which isentirely permissible. In any such linked crystalline, each couplet mustbe autonomous, able to stand on its own, yet each couplet must beclosely related to its following and preceding couplets; the internallinks are substantial so that the whole poem has a poetic unity.The rhyme scheme for linked rhymed couplets should have sufficientvariety to avoid a cloying effect. Three adjoining couplets should notuse the same rhyme. Some sample rhyme schemes for linkedcrystallines include: aa bb cc aa bb cc; aa bb bb aa cc dd dd cc; aa aabb bb cc cc; aa bb cc bb dd ee ff ee. These are only samples; manyother combinations exist. Also, please do not take these examples tomean that linked crystallines must include 6 or 8 couplets. While 2couplets (viz., a quatrain) is obviously the minimum, there is nonecessary upper limit. The poets need to be able to recognize excessand limit the poem appropriately. Remember, rhyme is not requiredfor a crystalline, but also is not prohibited.KEYWORDS: The use of keywords (e.g., kigo and analogues thereto)is desirable in order to most succinctly establish a couplet’s context,whether the context is a natural surrounding, time of year, or day, orphase of moon, a manmade surrounding, or even a situation. Thesuccess of a poem’s keyword depends upon whether it conveysessential information to the reader; it is not dependent uponcompliance with a poetic canon of keywords, kigo, etc.. Nevertheless,the poet may be well-advised to consider canonical keywords and kigoprecisely for their potential utility.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

163CONTENT: It is in content that the more fundamental differencefrom traditional haiku will be found. While traditional haiku valuedirect observation with the greatest possible degree ofnon-subjectivity, subjectivity is permissible in a crystalline. The poet’sresponse to the object is admissible. The poet’s thoughts and feelingsare admissible. The content of the poem is not of greater importancethan the beauty of the language. As stated at the beginning of thisarticle, a primary concern for the crystalline is the euphony of theverse. Now, content is of great importance also, but not so greatimportance that the beauty of the verses should be sacrificed.That having been said, poets are advised to keep the haiku traditionin mind, to consider natural elements for each couplet, to consider thepoetic value of objective imagery, and to consider the concept of thepoem as objective correlative of the emotional and perceptual contentwhich the poet wishes to communicate to the reader. Poets are alsoadvised to keep in mind other haiku techniques such as juxtapositionfor resonance and the “third effect.” In summary, three majorcharacteristics of haiku, in western estimation, are the seventeensyllable limit, the kireji (cutting word) and the kigo (season word). Thecrystalline form incorporates all three of these characteristics.Furthermore, the haiku traditions of natural subjects and of objectiveimagery / the “objective correlative” are highly valued, albeit notenforced.This new form is named the “crystalline” because the core value ofthe form is the highly condensed and concrete imagery of the couplet,transparent in its accessibility. The fact that the name breaks down to“crystal - line” is serendipitous. The original crystalline concept is thework of Denis M. Garrison.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

164A Brief Technical Description of the CrystallineThis brief techical description is derived from a posting by DenisGarrison, on July 6, 2001, to the WHC Shortverses list.This new form, this haiku analogue, is named the “crystalline”because the core value of the form is the highly condensed andconcrete imagery of the couplet, transparent in its accessibility. On thefirst level, the technical criteria are really very simple. I have said ofcrystallines that writing them is like weight-lifting: technically simple,but hard to do well.The hard part, the fun part, the real art, is developing a good earfor a euphonious verse. Nothing works here except practice. Ofcourse, for those of you who are already accomplished poets and havehighly developed ears for a pleasingly modulated line, the challengemay be simply in fitting a lovely line to this strict form. When all thetechnique is second-nature, and the knack of writing in the haikutradition, but in natural English diction, is yours, I expect and hopeyou will see crystallines as a viable western analogue of the classicalhaiku. Here is a simple listing of technical criteria:- A crystalline is a couplet, either regular (8/9 or 9/8syllables) or irregular (5/12 to 12/5 syllables maximum range).- The couplet may be rhymed or unrhymed; in any case, donot force rhymes.- The couplet should consist in one or two sentences withnormative initial capitalization and terminal punctuation.- The couplet must have exactly seventeen syllables, withdeference granted the poet for dialectical variations.- An essential is natural English diction, carefully modulatedfor euphony.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

165break.- The function of kireji (cutting words) is served by the line- Use of kigo (seasonwords, keywords, etc.) is encouraged but isnot prerequisite.- Traditional English poetic devices (e.g., metaphor, simile,alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, allusion, rhyme)are permissible.- The harmony or beauty of sound, i.e., euphony, is moreimportant than strict metrics. Skillful word selection to modify therhythmic pattern, i.e., modulation, is highly desirable.poet.- Crystallines may be linked by one poet or by more than one- The fundamental difference from traditional haiku is that,while traditional haiku value direct observation with the greatestpossible degree of non-subjectivity, subjectivity is permissible in acrystalline. The poet’s response to the object and the poet’s thoughtsand feelings are admissible.- The haiku traditions of natural subjects and of objectiveimagery / the “objective correlative” are highly valued, albeit notenforced.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

166HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Haiku HarvestSpring 2002Volume 3 Number 1167Matthew Cheney — New Hampshire, USA.Kathy Lippard Cobb — Bradenton, Florida, USA.Martin Gottlieb Cohen — Egg Harbor, New Jersey, USA.J. B. Conway — Mobile, Alabama, USA.Su Fidler Cowling — The Midwest, USA.Jasminka Nadaskic Diordievic — Smederevo, Yugoslavia.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.J. D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USA.Andrea Kenkmann — Norwich, England.Linda Robeck — Amesbury, Massachusetts, USA.Ann K. Schwader — Westminster, Colorado, USA.Florence Vilén — Stockholm, Sweden.Matthew Cheneymoonlight through a cracked windowa lilyon the floordistant churchbell ...is it so late?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

168dawnthe driveway coveredwith crushed applesthe last tree with yellow leavesshiversrainon the screen doorheadlightsfallen leavesa hawkrisescold summer night woodsmoke and lollipopsalonein the housea coughsunlightin my coffee cupstill dreamingHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

169mosquito!mosquito! mosquito!mosquito!twilightin the rainChristmas carolsKathy Lippard Cobbthe raft bobswith each wave...billowing cloudsthe handwritingof a boy I once knew—first valentinepink tulips—the picket fencewet with dewI blame it allon fluorescent lighting—swimsuit seasonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

170blush sunrise—ducklings huddlenear the river’s edgea wind blowsthe moon aroundI remember him...with eachebbing wave...seashellsred roses—sounds of “blue moon” fillthe conversation gapfocusing the zoom lenson my best friend—graduation daysigns of spring—her steps lightenas workmen whistleHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

171Martin Gottlieb Cohenan old leafslides to the storm drainwinter suncattails—a rowboat listsin the mudtrain windowthe sun follows geese across the lakerush hour—a sparrow restingon the third railtv roomthe light from a passing stormHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

172J.B. Conwaycrippled speckled birdlives last seconds creatinglast morning calldefiant struggleseveral Canadian geesecompete for air timeartistic skylineclouds pass through brilliant sun strokesblind poet listensSu Fidler Cowlingfog wafting on snow ~cold shadows rise into airto breathe once and whirlsnowflake flutteringin spider web as grey cloudslumber across sunHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

173birdsong in fragilehush of winter morning, dark ~glass beads on the snowicy brick walk, night ~hope to avoid shatteringexquisite stillnessJasminka Diordievica fast motor boatsplits clouds in the laketo the left and rightwith rhythm of winddancing leaves and shadows—tricks of the springthe weeds and the wind—soul of a lonely manis a wounded birdthis morning I foundmy mountaineer hiking stickenriched with some leavesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

174after the rain—sunshine and shadowson the grass againfirst grass (sprouts)over father’s grave—tenderness of windapple tree is bloomingflying to, flying awaybees getting frenzyafter spring downpourthe swollen mountain springflows in my yard toostation on the mist—through the noise of the passing trainrain is drizzlinga clear moonlightdrawing ring around the pond—deep silenceHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

175Denis M. GarrisonThe mural on the mall’s facade isfestooned with butterflies at rest.At the bottom of the wishing well,a thank-you note lies bleeding ink.Whippoorwill wakens to the full moonrising clouds of delicious gnats.the creaks of wind-tossed elms—swinging shadowsJ. D. Heskinthe fish market~here and thereI catch a wordtakes mewhereverthe rowboatHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

176onceI could have run up this hill...time outcoming or going?only the passengersknow for surebedtime soon--the city is startingto wake upembraced,she is as elusiveas at a distancefinally,The Possum Pot Pie Singerstake a breakAndrea Kenkmannbrand-new Mercedesshining in twilighta cat on its roofHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

177rainy November daya passing horse crapson the cycle pathunmown lawnthe sunbather’s presenceremains on the grassnude model clingingto the pillowed floorboards -Beethoven’s fifthlonely Novembera sparkling rocket flyingtowards the full moonthe lecturer’s deskdaughter and wife greetingunknown students...tiny mosquitohumming the sleeper’s dream -alarm clock tickingsteamed-up windowa giant spider eatingher husband for teaHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

178start of winter -one single pink rose lookingover the fencelate afternoon lectureon email communicationsI analyse shoesLinda Robeckletting gomy daughter’s kiteleaps skywardPublished in 2001 in Linda Robeck’s chapbook, “arriving.”spring rainseeping into everythingthe scent of grasslaid offI turn the car keythe wrong wayNew Year’s Eveexplosions of colorin the seed catalogsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

179autumn lightthe roughnessof old stone wallsfor KBfour-year-old vowsto marry her daddy -brightness in his eyesyear in review -the stuffed dog goes with hereverywherelooking awaythese feelings we never talk aboutquietas the sunriseyellow violetlonelinessone flowering dogwoodat the forest’s edgeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

180Ann K. Schwaderthe old doglimps on the path --windblown leavesdusty sweater --first snow melting offthe sundialthe corner pondthree goldfish sharingone sunbeamstalk by stalkclearing out the garden . . .another funeralthe quiet skyshatters in sparrows --kestrelflurry of sparrowsemptying the feeder --almost snowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

181pale lotusstrangled in pond weedsher drowned faceFlorence VilénCrystals of Cold WaterFrost and snow; in their beautiful and cold reality they differcompletely from commercialized versions in plastic or cottonfor people in milder climes. Some countries have winters ofsolid cold but where I live the weather is ever-shifting, reliableonly in its complete lack of reliability. Cold air from Siberia willmeet mild air from the Atlantic and the temperature may changewithin a couple of days from freezing cold to thawing wet andthen back to cold again.When temperature first falls below the freezing-point of water:This is black frost.Frozen dewon fallen leaves,not a flake of snowFrost at night,the moss in the shadowstill stiff with whiteHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

182Even the sense of touch is involved.Sunbeamson frosted grassescrystal reflectionsThere will be miniature rainbows in the direct light.Then the first snow:Virgin snow –trampled on the pavementto icy ridgesJust a few feet on the soft cover of the soil and it changescompletely, particularly in the city.Hard trampled snow,a white poodle carriedhigh on a shoulderNeither animal nor owner well at ease after huge snowfalls inthe city.There are many ways to see shades and colours in thewhitenesses of snow.Rising sun,light on snowy branchesbeyond snow shadowThis was seen from a west-looking window, with shadow onmost of the gardens.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

183In memory, summer is never completely absent, as long as thereis a name for the bushes.Mock-orange,bare branches bendingwith clusters of snowAnother kind of blossom than that of mid-summer when itturns the dusk into whiteness.Bowed to the groundby its burden of snow,this lilac bushIt is huge, with white flowers in late spring. Its time of fragranceseems very far off now…Darkness falls in the early afternoon so there is much time toobserve the effects of artificial light as well.Lamp-lit night –glittering stars in the snow,in the skyScattered over the white ground snow, crystals look like starswhen struck by light; formerly, often compared to diamonds.From November, garlands of light celebrate the commercialseason rather than the old religious mid-winter festival.Christmas card –not Mary’s child any morebut their ownHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

184The nuclear family takes over from The Holy Family. Well,rather family photos than such religious pictures that are ugly tothe point of blasphemy.White Christmas –ten inches of snowto shovel by handFurther to the North, this would be true any year. Here thishappens only occasionally, always to the great surprise ofeverybody responsible for roads and railways that are blockedby snowfall.Such a post-card view –as long as you don’thave to shovel the snowYes, we tend to be ambivalent in our attitudes to winter snowand a white Christmas.From 0 celsiusdown to 0 fahrenheit,a deep-freeze fallIt seems strange that such a scientific society as ours cannotagree on how to express basic measures. Celsius chose thefreezing-point of water for his 0. Fahrenheit chose a cold that,to him, must have seemed an excessive temperature for livingpeople.Faded carnationsthrown out through the window –heads up in a snow-driftHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

185To a garden owner, it would seem a shameful waste of plantmaterial to throw them in the refuse bucket. As for carnations,they seem to be the prime choice when people buy flowers asa gift. When they choose for themselves, they usually prefersomething else.The New Year begins in cold and darkness. In other cultures itwas reckoned to begin in spring. Whenever it is celebrated thereis, or might be, room to consider the time past.Year’s end,so many days to rememberthis night of new-fallen snowSnow upon snow,another day is gone,another yearDivisions of time in months and years are artificial yetunavoidable, even to us who do not live an agricultural year.Moon-shadows,grey brancheson night snowWinter weather is a study in all the shades of grey and white, butwe need a touch of colour, too.Deep red and orange,the tulips make my sunsetthis day of snowy sleetHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

186Towards the end of January our commercial greenhouses startto produce tulips, in all colours, much in demand during thelong period of late winter until Easter or thereabouts.May these words help to keep memories alive and true!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Haiku HarvestJanuary-February 2003Vol. 4 No. 1187Dennis Michael Holmes (chibi) — Rome, Georgia, USA.Jon Davey — Redruth, Cornwall, England.Angelee Deodhar — Chandigarh, Punjab, India.Moussia Fantoli — Rome, Italy.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.Barry A. George — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.Elizabeth Howard — Crossville, Tennessee, USA.Jason Jones — The Woodlands, Texas, USA.Joan Payne Kincaid — Sea Cliff, New York, USA.Deborah P. Kolodji — Temple City, California, USA.Tomislav Maretic — Vrapche, Croatia.Michael Rehling — Livonia, Michigan & Ahwautukee,Arizona, USA.Bruce Ross — Hampden, Maine, USA.Helen Ruggieri — Olean, New York, USA.Lewis Sanders — Jackson, Tennessee, USA.Ann K. Schwader — Westminster, Colorado, USA.Adelaide B. Shaw — Scarsdale, New York USA.R. K. Singh — Dhanbad, India.Nancy Stewart Smith — Athens, Georgia, USA.Carmen Sterba — (USA) / Yokohama, Kanagawa-ken, Japan.Richard Stevenson — Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.Alan Summers — Bristol, England.Keith Tobin — Harleysville, Pennsylvania, USA.Robert D. Wilson — Groveland, California, USA & thePhilippines.KU NOUVEAUHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

188Margarita Engle — Clovis, California, USA.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.Allen McGill — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.Terrie Leigh Relf - San Diego, California, USA.Editor’s ChoiceWinter rainname of a dead friendon my lipsLewis Sanderspast midnightand nothing seems rightbut the starsMichael Rehlingsunday lunchthe chatter of childrenamong hard drinkersAlan SummersHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

189a colourful squarethe new lover enteringat number fiveTomislav Maretic- - - - - - - - - - - - - -chibifirst raindropripples in ripples ~early spring rainlast raindropwho really notices?spring thawshy moon shadowcircles in and out ~first night of springfirst day of spring ~I count seventeen stepsto the hill topHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

190Jon Daveyseaward path—behind rusty fencewild orchids bloomrain-strewn skyegret meltsinto cloudsrising moonsunfish driftswith the tidefrost-stilled seaOrion rises overfrozen sands.Angelee Deodhara cloud of pinkacross the late afternoon sky—mountain rosesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

191exam feverawake all nightcats in loveeaster eggspainting a yin-yang symboltheir pregnant daughterMoussia FantoliSilk painted fanall that remainsof the girlHigh tidefor the boat of dreamsno landingPond waternew floating fishescherry blossomsTwilight in your eyesshadows awaitingstarsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

192Denis M. Garrisonknee deep inthis icy brookmy vision clearsstone stillon the church steps—no one’s sonhomeless no more—the soles of his shoeswhite with frostyellow police tapecrackles in cold wind—patch of red icemown rosesin this madman’s garden—a hard rainice-fishermanfrost-brittle line stillin pale fingersHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

193dead-end alleydarker than vacant sky—yowl of a catzoo mothersclutch their babiesboth sides of barsBarry A. Georgeel tunnel—the cloud of light beforea train appearsthe flood’s wake—driftwood bisonand dinosaursafter hours gym—a heavy bag sways slowlyin the windowrose-colored dawn—taillights disappearin the parking garageHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

194winter sunset—the art museum shimmerson the riverlost flight briefing—choking on the sciencein their voiceshalf dark rooftops—the soundof falling snowElizabeth HowardNew Year’s snowthe white mare’s breathcurls out the barn doormuted honkinggoose silhouettescross the sickle moongolden morningby the ancient rock wallpatches of jonquilsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

195Jason JonesParched red yuccasscratch turquoise sky—will it cry?Desert floorwelcoming monsoon rainsquick sandJoan Payne Kincaidall these years laterthe night-window facedimly familiarblue skyon snowsiamese catsnight on the harborJapanese lanternswork-lights on the dredgeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

196Deborah P. Kolodjithe leaf fallsbetween iron bars—a prisoner weepsmorning sky arcs—a mother remembersan astronaut’s dreamgroundhog’s shadow—grandma stitches anotherwinter quiltTomislav Maretica rich autumnin the garden cleanerscollecting colourslistening to bluesin the metro I missedseveral trainsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

197a colourful squarethe new lover enteringat number fivefrozen field weeda goldfinch under the snowpicking berriesat dead of nightthe shops are closedneon signs shineeven in the cross-firethe butterfly doesn’t seemto be in a hurryMichael Rehlingpast midnightand nothing seems rightbut the starsin the picturereminding me I was theremy thumbHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

198reading Issacherry tree blooms againlight snow fallscanoe capsizesthe disposable camerafloats byBruce Rossthree dips one waythree dips the otherspring magpielake breezetrying out an old rushyoung bobolinkabove a shackon a sagging wiretwo spring birdsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

199Helen Ruggieriskyscraper windowsflashing secret messagesin the sunfar away friendhas died suddenlydouble absencehibiscus opensa red umbrellain the sundream of haikudark color of sleepa sickle moondark skydark pondtwo Holsteinsred tractorslowly slides out fromunder heavy snowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

200Lewis SandersWinter rainname of a dead friendon my lipsAnn K. Schwaderbehind each petalof the blue water irisfirst lightpower linesacross dawn sky—the crooked pineshattered citywind ripples the shroudsof living womennight fadesbetween pine brancheshalf moonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

201Adelaide B. Shawat the weddingthe bride’s parentshold handsold graveyardthe smooth stoneswarm in the sununder dead leavesa new crop of wild violets—raking carefullythe setting sun—houses light upone by onegiftshop conchroar of the seain just one earHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

202R. K. SinghDisappearsinto dust her lastphotographNancy Stewart Smithdropsin the lily pondbird songwindy pond—long haired girl does her waist bendswith the willowspring windthe swirl of her hairunder clematisEaster morninga tall shadow onthe dusty roadHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

203at the centerof the garden mazea gardeniatea timeoutside the prayer wheels turnin the windCarmen SterbaPassover weeka mother’s gaze lingerson her firstborn sonspring roadsafter a three-day absencethe beloved returnsFrom the chapbook, sunlit jar.Richard Stevensonfirst warm Sunday—even the whirligig beetlesare turning handsprings!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

204the emerald hour—grass greener, dog piss craterssofter somehowfirst warm day of spring—I shave my beard down toa less grey goateeyakky dachshund’s bark—louder, more shrill reflectedoff the propane tanksAlan Summerssunlit sweat...the young vagrantsucks his thumbscorpion tattoo—he discusses spidersthe stillness of itsunday lunchthe chatter of childrenamong hard drinkersHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

205morning brown eyes...she tells meit’s the dog’s sofabedthe mid-day bagladystitches her piece of nylonover againKeith Tobinfirst date:the waitress interruptsour silencelake’s edge;a swan drifts throughthe brilliant foliagerows of corn stubblein snow-covered fields ...cold rainHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

206Robert D. Wilsonwar hero,asleep beneath a rice fieldripe with land mineson the lily pad,jade buddha contemplatesthe meaning of fliesmelting snowplaying on a keyboardof stonegreat persimmon,is that shiki coughingbehind you?where did you go, moon?you know i am afraidof the darkHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

207KU NOUVEAUMargarita EngleCrystalline SequenceSTORMAfter the torrent, wanderingalmond blossoms ripple into streams.Stranded by rain, the lost earthwormstretches into the soft, yielding mud.Just before your deathbed farewell,wind, rain and sun divide the wide sky.Denis M. GarrisonCrystallinesYour smile, so secret in the dark,is betrayed by your moon-flashing eyes.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

208Ebb tide turns and surges ashore.Meadow abloom glistens in sea mist.Waiting for her at the clinic.Windows writhe with rivulets of rain.SEA STORY(experimental haiku-sonnet)Sailor’s cliff-top home, with widow’s walk, is damp-dark on the seaward side.The village schoolyard’s oak-lined lawn is sea-fragrant in the onshore breeze.Sailor embarks before first light. His whimpering dog stays on the wharf.The ship’s wake, spreading and fading, curves slowly out to the horizon.Dead calm twilight sea. A dolphin leaps from black into the rosy blue.Waves, rolling waves, waves rolling, rolling; the swinging cabin lamp keeps time.A soft bed shared; flowers in a jar; farewells: another shore leave ends.Buried at sea, the helmsman slips beneath the waves. Flying fish take flight.In a distant port, a young man and his poor mother curse Sailor’s name.This final leg of his last voyage, Sailor carves several scrimshaw gifts.Home appears high on the horizon. The widow’s walk is empty, dark.His dead wife’s sister puts a teacup in Sailor’s old rope-hardened hands.Reflected in his milk-blue eyes, the sea is still in the cold, cold gaze.His cliff-top home and its widow’s walk are damp-dark on the seaward side.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

209Allen McGillCrystallinesDesert night. Mountain silhouettes.The headlights project my loneliness.Raucous grackles flock to treetops.The sun settles beyond mountain peaks.Rays of morning sun light the garden,warming chilled birds of paradise.CinquainsSIERRASuch raysthat streak from pastthose mountain peaks, to lightthe clouds above this valley, soamaze.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

210CLOISTEREnshrinedin ivy vines,a nymph of stone. She smilesthrough seasons wet and dry, maintainsher poise.Zipvolunteer readera storychildren’s warddies in her armsTerrie Leigh RelfCrystallinesA sleepless night... The haijinrummages in the kitchen for poems.Overloaded, the chug-thug of the washeracross the kitchen floor.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

211Across the kitchen tile, a familyof roaches scurries for cover.Haiku Noirbeneath the moona cemetery dancetil dawnthe first bone-cracking cryof the newly bornearth shiversas the bloodbegins to flowearth quickensZipInto the puddlea purplered galoshesparty dressfirst rain of springyellow-petaleda child excited byweedsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

212left behindthe cup of green teain the stormnow fermentedgust of windflow up a child’s nosedandelion tuftsachoo!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Haiku HarvestMarch-May 2003Volume 4 No. 2213Gillena Cox — St. James, Trinidad and Tobago.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.Beverley George — Pearl Beach, New South Wales,Australia.Jasminka Nadaskic Diordievic — Smederevo, Yugoslavia.Elaine King — Auckland, New Zealand.Deborah P. Kolodji — Temple City, California, USA.Fran Masat — Key West, Florida, USA.Allen McGill — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.Mihajlo Pavlovic — Beograd, Serbia.Bruce Ross — Hampden, Maine, USA.Ann K. Schwader — Westminster, Colorado, USA.Adelaide B. Shaw — Scarsdale, New York USA.R. K. Singh — Dhanbad, India.Gary Warner — Birmingham, Alabama, USA.Robert D. Wilson — Groveland, California, USA & thePhilippines.KU NOUVEAUMartin Gottlieb Cohen — Egg Harbor City, New Jersey,USA.Denis M. Garrison — Monkton, Maryland, USA.Beverley George — Pearl Beach, New South Wales,Australia.Allen McGill — San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.Terrie Leigh Relf — San Diego, California, USA.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

214Editor’s Choicefresh bread is bakingin an old and worn oventhe past is cracklingJasminka Diordievicso much to doabout a stone by the roadsummer crowBruce Rossfuneral daywinter deer settleon the lawnAllen McGillIn the moving trainsleeping on his feetthe newspapermanR. K. Singh- - - - - - - - - - - -HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

215Gillena Coxdog-eareda best sellerwell-readHiroshimayesterday; still today theJerusalem bussilhouettestrees still against the skyat duskquarter moonsliced watermelonson saleevening shadowspart of the moon coveredin a hazeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

216Denis M. Garrisonchimney smokecaught by the windendless flock of gracklesgrandfather rakes leavesfrom the courtyard of his hut—deep in golden woodswhite fire in treetops,the moonrise in tanglewood—an owl’s waking callthe salmon runfighting the flowan elder throws his netcemetery dawnfootprints in hoarfrostunbearable coldstorm-tossed baydark jade in last lightno ship todayHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

217in a pool of lightthe last boat in unloadscatch of the daymoonless nightthe blind wind singsin edgeless skyBeverley Georgebehind heavy curtainscat on the window silland a gibbous moonsmell of rainon the air again ~the thinness of cloudsJasminka Diordievicmorning frost—through the bare branches passingnoiseless snowflakesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

218dear old birth house—memories covered witha wealth of ivygray clouds veiling the sky—wind in the field danceswith four scarecrowson an oak branchthe winter sparrow twitters—nested evening sunfirst sounds of rain—the sickle moon rises intostarless infinitysnowfall—a child draws the horizonon a windowfresh bread is bakingin an old and worn oventhe past is cracklingHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

219Elaine Kingthrough the tree branchesthe sunsetleaks awaysea in the shelltime and milesdisappearDeborah P. Kolodjicracks of thunderhe can no longer hearsilent rainpuddle of tadpoles—my sister brings a jaron her morning walkshattered chinashe puts the wedding photosinto storageHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

220clock chimesa hummingbird’s nestemptyFran Masatcattails—children runningin drifting cottona storm breezestirs duston the window sillbefore dawn—indigo satina harbor ripplingold war clip—again and againalive - dead, alive - dead, ...dawn—a snail creepinginto a cracked wallHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

221a bottle driftingon a canalseagrass wavingold building—signs of the pastbeneath the painthazy fields—far awaya windshield glaresAllen McGillvotive candlesan old womandusts the saintsnewspapersblow through the carsubway morninghammock swaysthe smell of orangesthis warm afternoonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

222funeral daywinter deer settleon the lawnmorning walka light film of icein the tire tracksa leafless treenets the mooncampfire smellan old footpathwinds through the meadowtilted fencepostswinter raindimples the snowa yellow crocussunrise glowthrough the frosted panemy down comforterHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

223Mihajlo PavlovicA long thick nighthides—cypresses fragrance,swarms of fireflies.Alive lightning flock.Circle of roaming sky.All speedy shadows.Circle of white wolf.The beak of new moon.Breath of wilderness.Bruce Rosslate spring rain . . .the soft little hornsof a young deerhead then tailthe sparrow takesa puddle bathHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

224ocean breezethe yellow pansieslift and fallsweltering foresta moth lands on gray barkand disappearsso much to doabout a stone by the roadsummer crowAnn K. Schwaderred slashof the flicker’s throat—snow thickened skyradish seedsseeing my mother’s handsevery rowSanta Fe roadstop light chili stringson the white standHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

225white sunimpaled by branches—a raven’s cryAdelaide B. Shawsticky hand printsframing the windowbuds on the dogwoodApril sunshinethe cafe umbrellasgo updriftingfrom somewherepear blossomsthis North wind—rolling waves of greenin fields of new wheatspring cleanup—connecting the broken railsa fresh spider webHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

226weather-worn barnten different viewsby the art classR. K. SinghBathing in thousandsthey float lamps on her breasts—the river sparklesIn the moving trainsleeping on his feetthe newspapermanGary Warnersun on the cliffsa seam of black rockin the sandstonedeer vs. pickupa vulture arrivesbefore the towtruckHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

227mountain bikingbeside the traila stone fireplaceRobert Wilsona mirrornot water, the lakein front of meKU NOUVEAUMartin Gottlieb Cohenblue skya black wave falls into itselfcrying gullsthe ship’s wake stretches into twilightHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

228Denis M. Garrisonshelter trash canfilled with ripped-out labelsand assorted IDstank rutscrisscross the field—haiku from hellcrocus everywhere—except over her graveCrystallinesAbove the maple full of songbirds,two spreading contrails slowly drift.Worming my way westward,I devour herds and flocks—I pass fertile fields.Greybeard loon goes laughing down the laneastride a gust of passing wind.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

229CinquainsFIRE-DANCERBonfireon the cliffside;the calm blue sea below.Plunge through the flames, breathless, intocool waves.STUBBORN RUBBLEShatteredby the pressureapplied so steadily,rock rumbles through the crusher’s jaws—then jams.PERPETUAL MOTIONThrough warand pestilence,through famine and the plague,sea tides ebb and flow, their rhythmchangeless.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

230STILL STONEMillstoneimmobilized—grit in the gears preventsits slow rotation to the stream’sbrisk flow.THE ANVIL OF KHRONOSHammerhead misshapenby thousands of hard blows—when it was new, such wear was notforeseen.Beverley Georgemoon-rise the light path to my feetHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

231Allen McGillCrystallinesGood days, bad days - gone, forgotten.But the perfume you wore still stirs me.Gray morning, chill in the air.Cafe tables fill as the sun burns through.On a stone bench at the gravesite,a yellow butterfly fans its wings.Zipsthe musica fountainof falling waterin the sunlightpower outagethunder shudderslightning flashesthe windowsthe silencelate shadowsof a librarycross the windowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

232from behind dark glassesso muchher eyesmore beautiful nowCinquainGONE NOWI longfor times we’d spentalone. The hours and dayswe knew would last forever. Wewere wrong.Terrie Leigh RelfCrystallinesWelcome home party...We share poemsand a dish of mango ice cream.Protected by the bright blue bus stop,we watch the whirling steel-gray clouds.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

233Reading poems on the porch...a narrowing of the pine tree’s shadow.Instead of news, morning cartoons;the house too quiet with the kids gone.ZipsSnow driftsshe calls the neighborsfill the stairwellto dig her outearly morning rainwiththe alley fillsoil-slickened puddlesa spider’s webwhoacross the bathroom sinkis more frightened?What happenedPerhaps the butterfliesto spring?have lost their waylate to schoolrehearsea mother and daughterspelling test wordsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

234HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Haiku HarvestFall & Winter 2005Volume 5 Number 1235The original print edition of this issue had this ISBN: 1-4116-6770-0.Aurora Antonovic — Ontario, CanadaCarol Bleichert — Ontario, CanadaDawn Bruce — Sydney, AustraliaRobin M. Buehler — Mays Landing New Jersey, USARoxanne Carstetter — Lewistown, Pennsylvania, USAJanet Lynn Davis — Houston, Texas, USAAngelee Deodhar — Chandigarh, Punjab, IndiaKevin Doran — EnglandJim Doss — Sykesville, Maryland, USAMargarita Engle — Clovis, California, USAMichael L. Evans — Port Orchard, Washington, USAKelly Fedorev — Illinois, USALorin Ford — Melbourne, AustraliaLaryalee Fraser — Salmon Arm, British Columbia, CanadaJack Galmitz — Elmhurst, New York, USAChristopher T. George — Baltimore, Maryland, USADon Haney — Mount Vernon, Texas, USAJ.D. Heskin — Duluth, Minnesota, USAElizabeth Howard — Crossville, Tennessee, USAKeiko Izawa — Yokohama, JapanKami (Judy Kamilhor) — Brooklyn, New York, USADeborah P. Kolodji — Temple City, California, USAMyron Lysenko — Brunswick East, Victoria, AustraliaEd Markowski — Auburn Hills, Michigan, USAFrancis Masat — Key West, Florida, USAAllen McGill — Ajijic, MexicoHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

236Jane McLean — Sydney, AustraliaScott Metz — Tsuyama, JapanZoran G. Mimica — Mimice, Croatia and Vienna, AustriaCristian Mocanu — Deva, RomaniaVasile Moldovan — Bucharest, RomaniaSandee Mpony-McMullan — Ameliasburgh, Ontario, CanadaDustin Neal — Marshall, Texas, USAMihajlo Pavlovic — Beograd, SerbiaFrancine Porad — Bellevue, Washington, USAKala Ramesh — Pune, IndiaKaniparambil Ramesh — Chennai, IndiaRay Rasmussen — Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaAndrew Riutta — Traverse City, Michigan, USAChad Lee Robinson — Pierre, South Dakota, USABruce Ross — Hampden, Maine, USAHelen Ruggieri — Olean, New York, USAAnn K. Schwader — Westminster, Colorado, USABam Dev Sharma — NepalAdelaide B. Shaw — Scarsdale, New YorkR.K. Singh — Dhanbad, IndiaMaria Steyn — South AfricaBrian Strand — Aylesbury, Bucks, EnglandMarie Summers — Excelsior Springs, Missouri USATony A. Thompson — Lufkin, Texas, USACarrieAnn Thunell — Nisqually Delta, Washington, USAGeert Verbeke — Kortrijk, Flanders, BelgiumRobert D. Wilson — Groveland, California, USA & LosBanos, Laguna, PhilippinesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

237THE CINQKU — A Five-Line Haiku AnalogueHaiku Harvest has long promoted the development ofinnovative haiku, including haiku noir, zips, shinku, and evenAmerican Cinquain.In 2001, I developed the crystalline, a seventeen-syllable coupletform, for which euphony is a critical concern. Many poets nowhave essayed the crystalline form, creating some beautifulpoetry.In 2005, I developed the cinqku, a 17-syllable cinquain form ofhaiku, to be a closer analogue to haiku than the 22-syllableAmerican Cinquain (Crapseian) can be. The cinqku maximizesthe utility of the line break technique, much as AmericanCinquains and free verse do. The technical side is rather simple:a cinqku is a 5-line poem (cinquain) with a strict syllable count(2,3,4,6,2), which has no title and no metrical requirement.Cinqku may use haiku style free diction and syntax and mayhave a “turn” similar to kireji or an American Cinquain turn. Asequence of cinqku may be titled.Five poets, collaborating on the Haiku Unchained list, havewritten a 35-cinqku sequence entitled, Broken Hearts, which waspublished by LYNX October 2005. See in this issue the cinqku,in Romanian and in English, by Cristian Mocanu; see also thecinqku, including cinqku noir, by Michael L. Evans. Anotherearly success in this new form is John Dalieden’s 5-cinqkusequence entitled, The Haunting: Echoes, which won the poetry“Editor’s Choice” for the August/September ezine, ScorchedEarth Publications.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

238Following is a short sequence of my own (cinqku #s 5, 6 & 7)entitled Gone.GONEsalt scentocean air—cliff-side cabindoor swings slowly withouta soundfire-rosecloud fanned outon twilight sky,low moaning tide—your lastletterfar offChevroletspeeding inland—from exhaust and windowsmoke trailsThe first cinqku written, my # 1, included in Broken Hearts, is anexemplar of the form:buriedfive cold yearsbut never gone—our bedroom’s fragrant withher scentHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

239Following are my most recent cinqku, #s 30, 31 & 32.middaybroiling sun—horses and I,the spring water trough, allsweatingdrenchingJuly stormwrithing steam liftsthrough the downpour—falling,risingstiflingafternoontiger liliesscent the air—Mother bringsiced teaHaiku Harvest is interested in publishing fine cinqku. If youwrite in this form, you are invited to submit several of your bestfor our consideration.— Denis M. Garrison, EditorHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

240HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

241Editor’s Choicemid-summer dawn ...the one robin hasso much to sayBruce Rosssoundless waterfallbeyond the conference windowa drift of yellow leavesAngelee Deodharcrossing a bridgetwo monks in saffron robesone blue umbrellaMargarita Englenight rivertrains ripple overthe floating cityLorin FordHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

242next doora chainsawgrowls, the air thickwith the scent of warm sap—old elmLaryalee FraserA woman in the slumwatching the moon’s halobursts into laughter.Bam Dev SharmaA birdunawarethat it’s unknowneven to the Atlasstill sings.Cristian Mocanuwild irisestwo petals loosen intoa butterflyMaria SteynHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

243wind-blown snowmy father’s story stopsin mid-sentenceTony A. Thompsoncrowded caféshafts of sunlightstir the coffeeCarrieAnn Thunellher calloused fingerscushioned with desire... autumn moonRobert D. Wilsonthe park café—catching my breathafter the duck’s long diveElizabeth Howardwinter temple—the white arms of a young monkwiping the floorKeiko IzawaHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

244dad’s graveall the flowers he wouldn’t letmother plantEd Markowskirainy day—staying dryon the wrong busFrancis Masatsilver tongueslides between dark hillsinlet at duskJane McLeanrainy afternoon—egrets walkin the football fieldKaniparambil Rameshagain and againtwo leaves touch as they fall;the warmth of her handChad Lee RobinsonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

245from nowhere& everywheresnow lightAnn K. Schwaderlike snowflakesstars and shadows falling—the travelers’ templeMihajlo Pavlovic- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -THE POETS- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

246Aurora Antonovicon the way to the mailboxthe feral catby the fenceTankaarguing on the phonewith my best friendthis winter nightthe water in my bubble bathgrows coldriding the subwaythis autumn morningwith my best friendwho lets me tag along on his errandsas though I am a childyearsit’s been yearsyet still his kisscan make metrembleHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

247he loves mehe loves meevery petal from this bouquetwhispershe loves meaway from homein this strange countryeven the breadtastesdifferentCarol Bleichertwaiting on the porchto welcome the silence—the brook babblescatch of the dayrainbow colored in the pond—plastic fisha snakebeneath the rocka toadHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

248shutters slapthe house awake—clock snoozesthe easelleans against the wall—waitingwinterwhistles a cold tune—the furnace humsCinqkurain dropsthat first touchstartles the leaveswet softly trickles downstiff spinesDawn Brucestepping over puddlestoddler forgetsto hold up her umbrellaHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

249on the railway platforma sparrow drinks from a puddle—winter stormalone—rain patters onthe windowupstairsnew tenants move in;my canary singsRobin M. Buehlerchild’s playglass jarsflickerher scent lingerslong after her departure—that wild rose!fallen Geminiamong the ash and carnagea Phoenix rebornHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

250homeboundhot August mornwild turkeys jaywalkingRoxanne Carstettersilver birches danceat river’s edgeto liquid applausehot august night—milky way meltsagainst midnight skyraindrops onred geraniums;mirrored cloudspeat smoke andstrong black tea—memories of youHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

251Janet Lynn Davisrestlesseyes heavywith everything but sleepmorning emptyno messages to answerno spam to deleteTankawhite petalson the rose of sharonsmirk at methrough the window …snow in sultry Houstonsweater weatherdelicious for thin armsnothing likethe ecstasy of yarnto protect against the lean timesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

252Angelee Deodharafter the summer showerthe sun filters througha hoopoe’s crestsoundless waterfallbeyond the conference windowa drift of yellow leavesa cormorant’s divethe deaf haijin’s handsbecome his voicefor Jerome Cushmanwinter duskfrom last year’s diarya pressed maple leafducks paddletowards our voicesthrough half moon ripplesthunderstormunder the laburnumwidening pools of yellowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

253Kevin Doransilver expressionon the face in rainoutside the limo windowthe end—ashes falllike snow onto deadautumn leaveswinter partygrass dancingin the windJim DossTrash day—a snow of stillborn poemsblows across the yardNo trespassing signs—an army of starlingsglean freely before springHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

254Blonde thunderstorm—my wife’s curls wake mea morning shower of kissesThe drunken manspills his wisdomon everyone else’s shoesNight after nightthe old toad sitson the front porch waiting to talkGraveyard angel—wings coatedin high-altitude iceDustpan—give me back those small thingsyou’ve taken from my lifeMargarita Englecrossing a bridgetwo monks in saffron robesone blue umbrellaHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

255forest green housewoman on a laddertraining the vinestopiary zooan old woman sellingdream catchersmountain meadowthe wild morning glory climbsall over itselfpawnshop windowplain and fancy guitarsequally silentmilkweeda bumblebeenurseskoto concertshorebirds at playwith ocean wavesswanbeneath cloud plumeslife adriftHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

256orchid showwe bow our heads to meeteach fragranceautumn vineyardgrape leaves turningthe color of winesheepdogon the beachherding wavesforest floorthe gold filigreeof autumn fernsflowering pecan grovemy footprints of pollenold bridgebeside the newsame riverHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

257dreary raineven the darkest umbrellaslook festivewet and shinytwirling ... gliding ...after leaningfor fifty yearsthe fallenSequoia tree is nowa bridge across the meadowrumba cubanaon the radioI drivebeneath the mating danceof redtail hawkssoon aftermy grandmother’s deathI dreamof flooded shoresher tropical homelandmarket dayvillagers wanderin and outof the street artist’sprimitive landscapesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

258runningbeside a miniature horsemy grown daughterlooks like the small childof a fairy tale giantMichael L. Evansnew home—I pick ripe strawberriesin the raindandelion—the universeon a stemalonein this evening chillI peel my first grapemy echohas no answers—her empty roomstorm front—I walk through the rising tideof my mindHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

259Cinqkuwalkinghip-to-hipwith her that day—funny, how words can failpoets ...sing methat love songhid in your heart—the one your pulse whisperswarm nightsCinqku Noirpaint mewith the bloodof warriors—I have no other cheekunturnedAloneon dark nights,when the wind howls,I play Russian roulette—all smiles!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

260Each day,while othersenjoy the sun,behind closed blinds I makedark plans.full moon ...the wolf bloodhowls through his veins—a girl in red shifts herbasketKelly Fedorevmy city boy ...these folk balladssung by hearttwilight slumber ...tonight, in this bed,only the kitten purringperformance art ...the treading of water& biding of timeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

261reaching outtoward a windowalready openduct tape ...if, by chance,she comes undoneupon her armthese wide bands ...leather braid & bonefresh produce ...lovers’ lips meetingin the marketplaceskid row ...mother warnsof bedbugsLorin Forddry wintera geranium wiltsin the pub windowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

262winter afternoonthe rabbit in the moonturns bluehermitagemoonlight deepens the crevassebetween two melonspuddle moonthe poet pisseson his shoessheep countrypassing clouds grazethe hilltopnight rivertrains ripple overthe floating citytouching the wingsof the long dead moth... dustclingingto the fig’s damp roots... his ashesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

263candlelightthrough rice paper... grandmother’s faceunswept leavesmy foot brushesa sparrowLaryalee Fraserbobbing kitethe spin of sunlighton a cobweblakeside strolla chunk of driftwoodsprouts a heron!touching me–the part of a breezethat touched a roseharvest moona spider farmsthe wall ivyHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

264aerobics classtwo swallows swervepast the windowhighway rest stop–a heron stretchesits necktwilight–a motorbike cutsthe scent of rosesdry cattailsa spider inches closerto the sunCinqkunext doora chainsawgrowls, the air thickwith the scent of warm sap–old elmHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

265dark-stainedyearbook pageonly a hintof the path I once tooklightlymoonlighton black silk–the slight tingleof memory’s blue-veinedfingersJack Galmitzchanting a mantraa cicada in the leaveschants anotherinto my teacupa jasmine petal falls:a dream appearingSacre Coeur:a man feeding sparrowsfrom his open palmHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

266in the riverbobbing with the geeseat last at peacewrathful deities:coming in from the snowstormthat’s what greets meone paper waspreturns to my brass bell:the future binds usChristopher T. Georgemonarch butterflyby a pink wall danceswith its shadowI wait for youby the castle wall—cherry blossoms fallthe ocean roars—I hear you overthe waves’ beatHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

267waterfallabove usrainbowed mistblossoms:the first and lastdelight the heartTankaLast summer’s lovinghas given way to fall: leavesaccumulate wherewe walked hand in hand, fillthe roofless house where we made love.Don Haneythe whole bedyet she lays her headon my chestmountain peakflamingthe trees belowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

268charred earthsilence in the airHiroshimaclouds fightfor more sky—thunder clapslate summer dayan empty coke canwords escape mesilent conversation—my bodyfelt her every wordJ.D. HeskinHaiku Noirpacked and readyfor that job in Chicago—I lock and loadHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

269she’s swell, but I knowshe would turn me infor a nickelmy lawyer visitsme in prison, but that’s notwhy I hired himher name is Sugar—she’s sweet, but one can nevertrust a pit bullif he lovedthe smell of gunpowder,he died happyshe likes hereggs over easy, her menhard boiledwaiting all dayin this alley for the sunto go downHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

270I could smell hercheap perfume even in thistoilet of a placein a pinch, my Ma’sthe only dame I’d trust,but not for longmy last ten spotI bet on What The Hell ...what the hellthe lipstick stainson some cigarette butts—all that’s left of herfor what I know nowI wouldn’t have done it,but it’s too lateCinqku Noircoldlysurveyingsome new targets—time to lift a wallet,or twoHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

271hitching ...I prepareas the mark stops—doesn’t anyone read thepapers?heavycellar doorslams behind me—what I don’t do for abodyElizabeth Howardthe park café—catching my breathafter the duck’s long diveeighteen-wheelersgrasshopper on the windshieldshifts its antennaedaylight savings timetree shadows crosshatchthe crescent moonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

272hot and hazya kettle of hawksat each bend in the rivermisty hillsturkeys’ mating dancesamid unnamed stoneswhite goats caperon the cliff, in the sky—high pressureTankaGentlemen’s Swimming Holeat the British colony—a century lateryoung men still leap to their deathsfrom the jagged rocksbehind the lawn mowerthe prim bonnetand long flowing gownof a young woman—how to count the dangers?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

273first day of vacationthe boy stands in the drivewaywondering where he’ll gowhat he’ll do everydayfor two whole monthsKeiko Izawamorning dewin the autumn winda newborn’s cryautumn endsin the murmur of the brooka fallen leaf sailsdeserted townthe freight train leaves behindan empty whistlenew year’s eve—in the echo of fog hornsanother voyage startsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

274first snowa passing childsticks out her tonguewinter temple—the white arms of a young monkwiping the floortenderlypeeling the mandarin orangemother’s lean handsmorning strollflower to flowerwith a beeKamiA man talkson his cellphone—his dog looks mad.Chelsea homeless man:more of the moon thanI wanted to see.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

275Almost that timewhen pumpkins turndisgusting.Deborah P. Kolodjibirth announcementan opened packetof marigoldspeony moonlace flower curtainsin the nurserycorn silka child’s face peeking outbehind the stalksSunday pot roasta bowl of tomatoeson the windowsillold recipefor strawberry rhubarb pieher gold-rimmed glassesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

276graffition the corner mailboxnews of bombsdriftwooda wizened retireewith his surfboardMyron Lysenkostairsto a hermit’s front doorcollapsemidnightyoung lovers kiss outsidea brothelsunny morningin the branches of my nectarinea jet planelakesidetwo fishing rodsand no fishermanHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

277cemeteryeven the sunseems coldEd Markowskiprairie sunset ...the glow of the cattleman’sbranding irondad’s graveall the flowers he wouldn’t letmother plantvalentine’s day ...the candy machinekeeps my changemoonless nightwe follow the glowof a texaco starcold windthe sweep of the speed skater’s armsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

278falling starhow many breaths leftbefore i too?christmas evei give the mall santaa jumpfirst time on the riveri fish the spotthe heron fisheddesert motelthev cancy signmorning glories ...the bite & burnof a double espressotomatoes ...the weight of sunlighton mother’s back52 candles ...burning rubber all the way down main streetHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

279Autumn Equinox ...the long whistleof a northbound trainfirst day of schoolthe bus arriveswith fresh graffitiher kisson the cool side of tepid ...indian summerbarn cats ...moonbeams slip through a seamin the cedar plankswinter dusk ...counting the carsof a southbound trainhunting seasoni lower my shotgunto watch the pheasantsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

280Francis Masatprairie dawn mist slowly rises through the silencerainy day—staying dryon the wrong busa motionless snailon half a leaf—outdoor seminarour cat purrssoft sounds—distant thunderfishing—sunlight ripples playon the bottom of a bridgeTankabreezy summer day—a bearded mantrades an empty cupfor a half-full onefrom a trash canHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

281old English castle—flying high - heraldic flagsof polyesterchildren playing cardswith Kings and Queensa line of antsascendinga Roman columnon a Greek templein a Celtic villageAllen McGillopen birdcagean old sycamorefills with songcactus spinesthe prickly sensationdown my backhorizon—beach grass flattenedin the windHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

282snowfallthe forest fadesinto silencemisty trailthe crunch of pine conesunderfoota mosquitoskitters up my windowtreetops swayshower pasta mantis glistenson the garden wallhill crestthe slow of trafficat the red maplebare brancheseveryone’s hairsmells of smokefirst lightmist stirs in thepine barrensHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

283Jane McLeantakes a sharp knifeto slice the moonso thinwhite camelliaopensnew spring moonSunday organistsunder flower garden hatspedaling hymnsferry turnsthe island comesto meet ussilver tongueslides between dark hillsinlet at duskHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

284Scott Metzlingering daylight . . .she hasa way with wordsa rockthe rivergoes arounddust floatinganother wayto look at myselfback from the beach—two drawerswe left opensummer twilight . . .making each other guessour candy’s flavorbuildingthe firebetween usHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

285crimson leaves in a line outside the graveyard gateZoran G. Mimicaonly the sea—who can pay thisall summer longfried fish bones—eating themwith a peace of breadstupid touristsobserving me rowing a boatagainst the strong windraindrops fallingfrom the clear sky—wet sunglassescleaning fish—their eyesobservingHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

286south wind—children cry jumpinginto big wavesthe first figsthis August—not yet sweet enoughCristian MocanuInseninareanu va mai dura prea mult—mustele o stiuThe skies won’t be clearfor very much longer—even the flies know.Devenind leneslasai ceasul sa sune:semne de toamna?Becoming lazyI let the alarm clock ring:is autumn nearer?Romanian & EnglishHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

287Scrisorile vechi:chiar si nepuse pe focincalzesc casa.Letters from the past:without turning to ashesmake the house warmer.“A sequence, on the National Geographic map showing theimpressive distances covered each year by migrating birdsaround the world.” – Cristian Mocanu.A stork named Princessflew over seven seas forthree months of sunshine.The disabled childtracking the wild geese’s routeon the NG map.Bon voyage, old stork!Would you send me some postcardsfrom South Africa?8th of September:Mary’s blue cloak shelteringthe youngest swallows.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

288TankaCourtyard barbecue:smoke, Christian songs, dancing,all trying to delayyet another heartbreak,another separation.Heavy thunderstormthe cell phone networks are down.just one feeble light:someone presses his phone keys,playing with all the smileysThe garden’s floodedfor the second time this year—I don’t look that way,yet the heart’s gaze cannot turnaway from the flood of tearsThe power failureturning all things to silenceunleashing the night:suddenly, with each heartbeat,the old sorrows come to life.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

289Nail-biting finish:the water polo playersin the last quarter.Even the foam’s on firein the hot summer evening.CinqkuRomanian:Versuride prin zari—alung friguldin jurul inimiicu voi.English:Versesfrom afar—I chase the coldthat’s circling round my heartwith you.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

290The next three are originally written in English:A birdunawarethat it’s unknowneven to the Atlasstill sings.Dark cloudstook over.Reminding lightin the eye of the storm—your beads.Vespers—the old tapesinging psalms inalmost perfect Latinwith me.Vasile MoldovanBurnt stubble—the wind disseminatingseeds of grassHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

291Early ploughing—burying under the soilthe moon’s kernelNight in the market—topping the heap of melonsthe harvest moonAt the autumn harvestthe reward in kind:a few golden leavesThe empty fieldno creature, no blade of grass ...only the earth breathingUnsown field—the train dividesthe lonelinessLate autumn—a single farmer in the field:the old scarecrowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

292Sandee Mpony-McMullanopening the doorladybug crawls outwhite moth flies inferal kittens pounceon feathers in the grass—more orphanspurple loose-strife—at the swamp edgeEdsel flower potpansystares at robin—eye to eyefly, orchid bee—dust your wings on blossom’svelvet bustHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

293Dustin Nealbamiyan valleytwo buddhas weep—crumbling rockair conditionerblowing at my back—treetops stole my breezewindow blinds closed—blind man staresat the moonthe statuestands through all seasons—even bird shitdistant thunderand a dog’s cry—kerouac interruptedbirds chirpingin the summer’s heat—the choir still out of tuneHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

294graves side by side—the poet still writesof deathin my stomachthe ulcer speaks—lonely nightsewing roomthe thread like a rainbow—heavy black eyesmorning farm roadcaters breakfast to buzzards—honking at strangersclouds rolling in—a fly caught in the stormof my sneezefrog floatsin the dog’s bowl—we both jumpedchurch pews empty—a hollow cocoonhangs from a crossHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

295june bugs gatheraround backyard lights—a midnight raveMihajlo Pavlovicthree blue bees—in the cactus gardensunsetgrizzled owl in the bush—dusty full moonsows stillnessflower of blue lightning—in the sandy harborflattering misttwo slow clouds—on the sundialthe last beeteeth of the snowstorm—fireplace song followsa long nightHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

296dry trace of tearlike accidental butterflysunset flutteringsmell of resin,thunder–forest shadowshide the wind’s roarthe gray forestsinks in a still water—dusk is flutteringlike snowflakesstars and shadows falling—the travelers’ templemoonlight’s web,light roaming wind,linden fragrancecloud’s rags,the flock of new stars,moonlight’s ashbefore sunset,the distant sun’s rustextinguished by mistHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

297light wings of dream,dust of blue moonlight,fragrance of grassquick sand of fate,in the inflow of lightmist in flowerFrancine Poradartist’s model—becoming part of the still-lifefallen petalswithering windsparrows and bundled toddlerstwice normal sizescent of seaweed ...seeking a good-luck stonewith one dark ringsmall songbirdsnest in the carportend of a journeyHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

298big birthdayinstead of perfumeI smell of Ben-Gayriver rocksurrounds the water sculpturespreading circlesabstract sumi-efingers strokethe imageKala Rameshlift . . .going up with mea mothbathroommirrors facingme and me and meantsclimbing on one anotherout of the honey jarHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

299indian dance recital:long plaited hair in stepwith her hipsTankasparrowswithout coachingsing beautifully . . .amount of hard workthat goes into our songs?strong windssweep leaves awayleaving me . . .alonewith my thoughtsmisty dawnup on a hill for a walki while-away the time . . .far away a group of villagerson their way to workHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

300Zipsagainst a dark sky lightly takes offheavy-tailed bird swiftlytwilighther laughtercoming down the hilltinkling glass banglesCinqkuwalkingto the endthe grassy pathends where the steep hill dropsI gazei seedragonfliespause–fly–fly–pausecreating symphonyin airHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

301Kaniparambil Rameshrainy afternoon—egrets walkin the football fieldtwitter of birds . . .scent of sweet limeas she peels the rindno visitor this evening—frogs croak inthe pond outsidebird droppingson my T-shirt . . .stars through the branchesuprooted tree . . .two kids watchin silencesunday mass . . .the keyboard teacherin black and whiteHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

302night rain . . .a baby frog hops intomy lit roomRay RasmussenSpicy Noodle SoupThe tiny Vietnamese restaurant is dimly lit, just a few tables,fewer people. The two of us, old friends, scan the menu, orderspicy noodle soup.She lives alone. “I’m okay with that,” she has often said. “I can’tgive myself over to one demanding man, I won’t let anyone takeover my life.”Yet, it has been a long dry spell for her, no romance, no lovers,none of the physical contact that she craves. She had becomeincreasingly resentful that the world of men render women intheir 50s invisible. That resentment may be the reason that Isometimes feel the rug pulled out from under my male feet. Itmay also be the reason why some men hesitate to cast anamorous look in her direction.But today is different. Today, she sports a hint of a smile andeven a few giggles, a sound that I usually associate withteen-aged girls. Soup arrives and she announces: “I have a lover,met him several weeks ago.”Lust is running strong, I think to myself. Good for her. Weslurp the spicy noodles, our foreheads beading with sweat.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

303“It may be love, I don’t know, I don’t care,” she says. “I’vejumped off the cliff.” Her eyes are sparkling.“Maybe we should treat ourselves to a dessert in celebration ofthe plunge,” I say.I think to myself, but don’t say, “I hope it’s a long way to thebottom.”thorn bushflush with wild roses—a late spring romanceAndrew Riuttadistant foghorn—a perfect stoneskips foreversmelt run ...my father’s bucketfull of beer cansup and downthe teeter-totter,moonlightHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

304deepin the scent of summera homeless manChad Lee Robinsonprairie horizon—a windmill’s last blade frozenin the empty dawnagain and againtwo leaves touch as they fall;the warmth of her handstill water—she dips a toe inthe Milky waysummer droughtthe lake islandreaches shoreHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

305Bruce RossBoddhisattva vowsthe mosquito too sleepyto bite meby the roadall its feathers in placedead crowmid-summer dawn ...the one robin hasso much to sayheavy chopa guillemot up and downwith the buoydense night fogthe clear space aroundan old barndeep ocean fogthe dark heron emergesand disappearsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

306morning stillnessacorns settled aroundsmiling BuddhaSeptember light ...the slender black shadowof a dragonfly’s spineThanksgiving Dayan empty phone boothby the toll... end of autumnthe last yellow tingeof the goldfinchHelen Ruggieritwo fruit fliesone cut cantaloupenew world ordermosquitoover my bed composinghis death songHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

307Haiku Noirrain on windowsneon reflection in puddlescorpse in the alleyneon flashingcigarette smoke, mirrorsanother night to killgrand openingnew rest stop on 86—come pee with ushe wore his leathersbut not his helmet—sashimiAnn K. Schwadermagpie in the middleof roadkillisHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

308each sparka distant campfirewinter starslast zinnias—distant geesesuddenly loudfirst snowon the sundialearly darkno cloudsclear to the mountainssweet cloversleepless—how late the birdswake upfrom nowhere& everywheresnow lightsnow acrossthe windshield sideways—twenty-five milesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

309hunger moonon the wane—dreamless. . . OF DOGthe rest of the warningchewed downBam Dev SharmaSeasonal choresdamsel’s wood reapsthe twilight glow.A woman in the slumwatching the moon’s halobursts into laughter.Morning hobnoblarks on thatched roof chirpingbeyond castle.Harvesting maidswalking with grain sacksthrough swerving hills.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

310Nursery wardsthe babies and dollsall holy sermons.Intoxicated:the caravan men sing songsechoing with woods.The flirt moonbidding adieu to the windsighing and chill.Adelaide B. Shawwhite sheets on the line—slow-motion cloudsin the summer skya gull’s feathercaught on a blade of marsh grassthe sun’s lightlow tide in the wind—marsh grasses bowto queen Anne’s laceHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

311an old dogwood—the flowering limbs casta crooked shadowovercast sky—another pause in the returnof springanother wet day—robins on the lawndrink from puddlestwilighttouching down on the wavesthe fog bankscattered shellsin the pebbly sand—saving just oneR.K. SinghTaking a napon oranges in his shop—a fruit vendorHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

312Negotiatingthe long sleepless night withmantra and alpraxPaintingspring with willowas brushUnmindfulof body’s joy—the asceticRepeated orgasmin the back: morning rounds ofhalasanaA couple fumblesthrough the non-stop rain in searchof paradiseVeiling her breastswith the season’s first snows—the hill blushesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

313Maria Steyndisa viewing—we retrace our stepsthrough the mistwild irisestwo petals loosen intoa butterflywinter holidaysa stray dog zig-zagsacross the playgroundwalkman ...a pinecone crunches underthe jogger’s shoebirdsongthe old cat dreamlessin the gardenwaterfall ...the bush-willow catchesa twirling leafHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

314twilightI try to imitatethe robin’s songBrian StrandTankaspoor tracksimprintthe virgin snowfootsteps of yesteryearecho my mindthe diaryfell,pages scatter the floor—just out of reachyesterday’s dreamsCrystalline#1Chill breath of fall seared scarlet red;tears well within for comrades, long dead.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

315Cinqku#3a lightfrost whitensthe frozen verge—inert below, summerawaits#6dank fogenvelopsa bonfire night—the party becomes adamp squibMarie Summersafter the snowfall ...the gray hairsin your beardmorning dewa farm girl singsto the cornHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

316wave petunias—the crackle of band musicon a phonographgrilled hamburgers—a fly invites himselfto dinnerclimbing roses—the monkey bars coveredwith kindergartenerspink begonias—the highschoolers posefor prom picturesTony A. ThompsonFather’s Day—a tree limb snapsin the graveyardmy wife brushesher mother’s hair—night deepensHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

317summer dayin a scorched cornfieldwe chase butterfliessolitary crowon the poleafter the funeralwind-blown snowmy father’s story stopsin mid-sentencethrowing outthe wilted flowers . . .winter nightNew Year’s Daysweeping out brokenornamentswindy dayunlatched gate in the cemeteryopens, closes, opens . . .picking blackberrieswith my toddlerour shadows distantHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

318CarrieAnn Thunellcrowded caféshafts of sunlightstir the coffeefilling upthe moving van—maple leavesransacked cupboards—the hidden coffeehalf emptyVivaldi—four seasonsdrift past my teaorigami—i foldinto your armswhite foamrushes past my toes—river over stonesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

319Haiku Noirhis backthe stark wallreflecting snowdriftshis wildnessrises with the tide—my windblown skirthis face reflectedin one stark tear—her terse speechGeert VerbekeSequence: DEMENTIAmother gets confusedmid-conversationher amber still shiningshe takes out the dogwhile everyone sleepsshe uncorks a bottleHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

320mother singsan old-fashioned songher voice quiversshe waves againand calls a namein vainbeing the centreof great interestmother beats timegarden partymother doesn’t rememberthat she has a problemRobert D. Wilsonentering autumn,the laborer’s sonchasing duckstwilight dawn ...hanging yesterday’s dreamson the clotheslineHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

321her calloused fingerscushioned with desire... autumn moonautumn coolness ...raccoons weave a tapestryout of moonlightstaring at you fromthe crevice of a dream ...autumn rainlate afternoon... a shadow-playof deerhumid night ...the quiet hum ofa passing busbeneath my window,a snail... in no hurrywearing a cloudaround his loins,mahatma moonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

322this morning,in a different light . . .a dewdrop!this waning moon . . .my neighbor inthe doorway cryingthe moon appearsbetween my legs,less stoic than usualthe image hershadow left in thecrevice of a dreamthe sound of a riverpassingthrough moonlight . . .in the rice field,drinking darknessfrom cone hatsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

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324HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Haiku HarvestSpring & Summer 2006Volume 6 Number 1325Leander Aalders — Bruges, Belgium.Aurora Antonovic — Ontario, Canada.an’ya — Oregon, USA.C. Avery — Kailua Kona, Hawaii, USA.Carol Bleichert — Ontario, Canada.Minerva Bloom — Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.Brentt Bodoh — Illinois, USA.Dawn Bruce — Sydney, Australia.Grant Caldwell — Melbourne, Australia.John Tiong Chunghoo — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Susan Constable — Nanoose Bay, British Columbia, Canada.Frank Critelli — New Haven, Connecticut, USA.Susan Dailey — Pleasanton, California, USA.Angelee Deodhar — Chandigarh, Union Territory, India.Jasminka Diordievic — Smederevo, Serbia.Jim Doss — Sykesville, Maryland, USA.Margarita Engle — Clovis, California, USA.Kelly Fedorev — Illinois, USA.Lorin Ford — Melbourne, Australia.Laryalee Fraser — Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada.Victor P. Gendrano — Lakewood, California, USA.David Giacalone — Schenectady, New York, USA.Warren Gossett — Twin Falls, Idaho, USA.Eric Hayden — Orlando, Florida, USA.Ed Higgins — Yamhill, Oregon, USA.Elizabeth Howard — Crossville, Tennessee, USA.Keiko Izawa — Yokohama, Japan.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

326Colin Stewart Jones — Aberdeen, Scotland.Kami (Judy Kamilhor) — Brooklyn, New York, USA.Kirsty Karkow — Waldoboro, Maine USA.M. Kei — Elkton, Maryland, USA.Bill Kenney — New York City, New York, USA.Anna Martha Klimstra — Twijzel, the Netherlands.Deborah P. Kolodji — Temple City, California, USA.Tracy Koretsky — Berkeley, California, USA.Maria Kowal — Opole, Poland.Darrell Lindsey — Nacogdoches, Texas, USA.J. Andrew Lockhart — Van Buren, Arkansas, USA.Myron Lysenko — Brunswick East, Victoria, Australia.Jacek Margolak — Kielce, Poland.Ed Markowski — Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA.Francis Masat — Key West, Florida, USA.Elena Naskova — USA & Macedonia.Dustin Neal — Crockett, Texas, USA.Polona Oblak — Ljubljana, Slovenia.Zane Parks — Livermore, California, USA.Bosa N. Pavlovic — Beograd, Serbia.Mihajlo M. Pavlovic — Beograd, Serbia.Paul Pfleuger, Jr. — Tainan, Taiwan.Francine Porad — Bellevue, Washington, USA.Kala Ramesh — Pune, India.Kaniparambil Ramesh — Chennai, India.Ray Rasmussen — Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Lynne Rees — Kent, England.Bruce Ross — Hampden, Maine, USA.Natalia L. Rudychev — Des Plaines, Illinois, USA.Helen Ruggieri — Olean, New York, USA.Deborah Russell — Timonium, Maryland, USA.Carla Sari — North Carlton, Australia.Ann K. Schwader — Westminster, Colorado, USA.Adelaide B. Shaw — Scarsdale, New York, USA.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

R.K. Singh — Dhanbad, India.Grzegorz Sionkowski — Torun, Poland.Sue Stanford — Melbourne, Australia.Brian Strand — Aylesbury, Bucks, England.Marie Summers — Excelsior Springs, Missouri, USA.Dietmar Tauchner — Puchberg, Austria.Alan Taylor — Inkberrow, England.A. Thiagarajan — Mumbai, India.CarrieAnn Thunell — Nisqually Delta, Washington, USA.Geert Verbeke — Kortrijk, Flanders, Belgium.Robert D. Wilson — Groveland, California, USA & LosBanos, Laguna, Philippines.Rafal Zabratynski (RaV) — Rzeszow, Poland.327EDITORIALTime for a Truce in the “Haiku Wars”This final issue of Haiku Harvest is our largest ever: 73 poetsfrom seventeen countries! We have been very fortunate,indeed, to have so many fine contributors. One might wonderwhy Haiku Harvest is closing down after this issue, right at theacme of its success. The answer to that question is the subjectof this editorial.First, to put this in context, we are not stopping our publishingefforts. Concurrent with the end of Haiku Harvest (HH), anew digital and print magazine, 3x5 Poetry Review (“3x5"),will open for submissions at www.3x5poetry.com. Why theHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

328break in continuity? Well, sometimes a magazine’s editorialpolicy and mission change so significantly that a fresh start witha new name seems the best path to take. That is the case here.The HH mission was always clear:“HAIKU HARVEST Journal of Haiku in English isdedicated to publishing and promoting haiku, senryu, and tankain English, both in the more classical traditions and in newerrelated forms. We give generous space to poets so they candemonstrate the range of their poetry and we promote innovationby providing a showcase for poetry in new styles and forms that areserious attempts to assimilate the best of the haiku, senryu, andtanka traditions into a continuously developing English poeticshort verse tradition.”However, over the years, my analysis of the perpetual “haikuwars” over the very definition of haiku and over everyconceivable aspect of haiku and related forms has brought meto conclude that, for me at least, the time has come to call a haltto a non-productive course of inquiry and strike off in a newdirection. 3x5 is meant to embody that new direction. Anyonewho wants to know 3x5's editorial direction, will do best toread the webpages online at www.3x5poetry.com/masthead.html et seqq. Suffice it to say, here, that defining“haiku” and “senryu” is not on 3x5's agenda, rather:“We are interested in fine tercets, including those in the Japanesetradition. Taxonomy and classification of such are not an interest.Whatever definition you might want to use, if your tercet poem isfine, we want to see it.”The defect in the Haiku Harvest mission statement is in theclause “publishing and promoting haiku, senryu, and tanka in English”HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

329which suggests that one can identify such forms. At least onefamous haiku poet has been quoted as saying that her definitionof haiku is that it cannot be defined. The truth of her statementis at the heart of the “haiku wars.”In my personal estimation, a central and controlling dichotomyexists between “Japanese haiku” written in English and“English haiku.” [“English haiku” refers to English generically,regardless of nationality of the poet.] For lack of better terms,I will use “eastern poets” to refer to poets (and critics, etc.) whofavor Japanese haiku written in English and “western poets” torefer to poets, etc., who favor English haiku. The dichotomy isin these two groups’ conceptualizations of haiku along theJapanese/English divide.Eastern poets tend to utterly dismiss the idea that Japanesehaiku in English and English haiku are different poetic genres.The common refrain from Eastern poets, when responding tothis idea, is “why do people who break the rules of haiku stillwant to call their poems haiku?” This often-heard questionmakes perfectly good sense in their own context, in which thereis only one haiku, the age-old traditional Japanese haiku, whichthey are now trying to write in English. It is, however, thefallacy called “begging the question.” The destructive result ofthis approach to English haiku is to apply many traditionalistrules which have no applicability and, on that basis, to disparageEnglish haiku as defective by Japanese haiku standards.Western poets, predictably, are generally much more acceptingof the idea that Japanese haiku in English and English haiku aredifferent poetic genres. In reaction to that premise, however,HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

330there is a wide range of positions taken by western poets, not allof which are equally respectable. Not so respectable is thereductionist criterion by which anything at all written in 5-7-5 isto be considered acceptable “haiku.” By its very definition, thisincludes doggerel. Some western poets take the position (whichI think is misguided) that English haiku should try to follow allthe rules of Japanese haiku. They find common cause with theeastern poets in this respect and they find disappointment downthe line as their attempts at haiku continue to be rejected byeastern poets. Some western poets say haiku is whatever theywant it to be and cannot be bothered to study Japanese haiku tolearn the craft. I have written often that there is no merit infreedom by virtue of ignorance. Yet others try to find the rightformula (it always centers on “juxtaposition”) into which theycan plug images to crank out haiku; well, formulaic poetry isalways bad, in every form, in every language. But, mostdisturbing to me, western poets continue to engage easternpoets on technical poetics questions and issues which beliestheir cooption by the eastern poets. Why any working westernpoet would consider “on” (aka, “onji”) or the orthodoxy of akigo word in the composition of an English haiku isinexplicable.I repeat here, without modification, the opening two paragraphsof my 2001 article, The Need for Experimentation, reprinted below.“When an art form is adopted by a different culture thanthat which originated the form, it becomes the new culture’s ownproperty and it is made over in the cultural context which it hasentered. There are, in every case, many from the original culturewho demand adherence to their tradition, but it is futile. It isHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

always futile to attempt to control what one has given away.”331“It is a delicate balance that one must strike. One mustnot discard the past in ignorance, but one also must not beconstrained by the past. One must assiduously study the rules ofpoetics and then ignore them. The rules of poetics are not forwriting the poem; the rules are for forming the craft of the poet.Every time a poet puts pen to paper, poetry is reinvented - orshould be!”I stand by those words today. I find myself in the middle of the“haiku wars,” always the most dangerous position since all shotsare fired through the middle. Japanese haiku have so capturedme that I have tried to learn to write Japanese haiku in English.(A few kind souls have suggested that I may have succeedednow and again.) I do respect the tradition and firmly agree withthe dedication to tradition of those eastern poets whose goal isto continue that tradition as completely and authentically inEnglish as possible. I wish them every success and hope to beincluded at the edges of their circle.At the same time, I am a western poet, to the bone, dedicatedto the English poetic tradition and, as part and parcel thereof,to assimilating haiku, senryu, tanka, kyoka, etc., into thatEnglish tradition, not as a museum artifact of Japanese poetry,but as our own. Such cultural theft IS our tradition. We took theProvencal “sonet” and Italian “sonetto” and made them ourown: the venerable sonnet. Virtually every form in Englishpoetry (except, perhaps, the limerick) we appropriated from itsparent culture and made our own. There is no reason to stoptoday. The English haiku will become what English poets makeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

332it. There is no stopping it.So, what about that controlling dichotomy between Japanesehaiku in English and English haiku? My advice (even if it is onlyworth its price) is that both eastern and western poets would dobetter to recognize there are two different genres of poetry nowand begin to deal with it rather than bashing each other over the“one true haiku” which is, of course, non-existent.In any case, I am moving my camp into the territory of thewestern poets with the establishment of 3x5 Poetry Review. Itwill deal with English haiku and will not toe the line of Japanesehaiku orthodoxy. I can and will take other positions in differentvenues, but in my magazine, English haiku is the extent ofdefinition. I know this will not be a seamless transition, but itought not to be such a wrench as one might imagine. HaikuHarvest has published the whole spectrum from the mostorthodox Japanese haiku to the most radically unorthodoxEnglish haiku.I do not want to close without thanking, one last time, all thewonderful poets, writers, and artists who have contributed toHaiku Harvest’s success these last several years. Without you,my friends, there would have been no magazine. Thank you!— Denis M. Garrison, EditorHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

333The Need for ExperimentationReflections on Western Poets Writing HaikuWhen an art form is adopted by a different culture than thatwhich originated the form, it becomes the new culture’s ownproperty and it is made over in the cultural context which it hasentered. There are, in every case, many from the original culturewho demand adherence to their tradition, but it is futile. It isalways futile to attempt to control what one has given away.It is a delicate balance that one must strike. One must notdiscard the past in ignorance, but one also must not beconstrained by the past. One must assiduously study the rulesof poetics and then ignore them. The rules of poetics are notfor writing the poem; the rules are for forming the craft of thepoet. Every time a poet puts pen to paper, poetry is reinvented- or should be!There is, of course, paradox in this view, but paradox is thenatural condition of humanity driven by base desires and loftyideals. The orthodoxies about haiku: the haiku moment, haikumind, objective correlative, purely objective imagery, etc., etc.,all fall before the onslaught of paradox and ambiguity.For what haiku poets of the older Japanese tradition wereseeking to accomplish with their haiku, the traditional haikupoetics are necessary and appropriate. For modern poets inWestern languages who wish to emulate the same kind of poetrytowards the same ends and with the same philosophicHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

334underpinnings, those same traditional haiku poetics are,likewise, necessary and appropriate. However, for modernwestern poets who find in haiku the greatest value in itscrystalline brevity and in the rigor of condensation to a lyricalminim, adherence to the traditional haiku poetics is bothinappropriate and needless, since those poetics are intrinsicallyinconsistent, even incompatible, with English poetic tradition.To the degree that each poet (or group or school) follows theirown values and poetics, there is not any one group which is“correct” and others which are “incorrect.” Artists are free andcannot be constrained by scholastics. On the other hand, to thedegree that some poets set themselves up as arbiters of all haiku,including haiku in English and other western languages, thenartistic politics enters the arena and “right and wrong” becomean issue.Western poets are intrinsically unencumbered and unobliged bythe eastern traditions. They work within their own cultures.Western poets who essay haiku nevertheless need to study theoriginal traditions and understand them as well as they may, andmust respect those older traditions even in the breach, becauseto do otherwise is to rebel out of ignorance, which is inherentlywrong. If a western poet is to write haiku, and if that poet isgoing to go beyond the traditional boundaries of the art form,then she or he had better know where the boundaries are. Thereis no merit in freedom by virtue of ignorance.Furthermore, for the western haiku poet, assuming that the poethas indeed studied the original tradition as suggested above andmoved beyond it, there is also the ongoing utility of examiningHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

335anew the craft aspects (the “tools”) of the original tradition inorder to discover new and more culturally relevant (in the poet’sculture) ways to accomplish the ends of those tools. Forexample, while some wish to simply discard the idea of kigo(season-words), others might not. Kigo have changedsubstantially before. From setting the moment of composition,they have mutated to set the context of the content of the haiku.Now, in an age when many cultures are not agrarian, use of theseasons for context-setting on an exclusive (or nearly-so) basisis questionable. So, there is growing interest in new directionsfor kigo - including internationalization of natural kigo andconsideration of keywords which are not rooted in seasonality.Continuing experimentation with such poetic tools is firmlywithin the English poetic tradition, certainly, and probably manyothers’ as well. Choice within freedom, as against doctrinaireconstraints - that is the goal.— Denis M. Garrison, EditorThe Need for Experimentation was published in Ku Nouveau (Summer 2001),in World Haiku Review (August 2001), and in Eight Shades of Blue ISBN:1-4116-3226-5. (Lulu Press, Morrisville, North Carolina. 2005).HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

336Haiga by Minerva Bloom.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

337Editor’s ChoiceListed in alphabetical order of names.jasmine on the breeze—he says my namewith a sighAurora Antonovicmy eyes closeto the cadence of rainon a skylighta much cleaner worldwhen they reopenan’yamarriage jubileethe blurred lovebirdson the pillowcasesJohn Tiong Chunghoowillows in the raintracing their patternon the windowpaneAngelee DeodharHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

338high abovethe shantytownhomemade kitesMargarita Englethunderclap!even the windchanges colorLaryalee Fraserhollow log—the forest wind blowsout of tuneWarren Gossettabandoned fishing portone egretfishingKeiko Izawalooking for the moonin a moon-colored sky,the smell of smokeKamiHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

339sudden spring rainmy shape on this flat rockfor only a secondKirsty Karkowearly thaw—the earth tuggingat my footstepsBill Kenneythe train bridgeallows dreams to passto MississippiJ. Andrew Lockhartdeserted playground—on the hopscotch boarda yellow leafJacek Margolakcanoe in the mist—an old friendI thought I’d lostFrancis MasatHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

340mudflatspainted over—scarlet ibisesDustin Nealtorn cobwebhe tells mehe’ll never marryPolona Oblakon Lover’s Bridgea cigarette lightpacingPaul Pfleuger, Jr.at duskthe refinery glitters—a Taj MahalHelen Ruggierimountain spring—a butterfly’s shadowfrom stone to stoneGrzegorz SionkowskiHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

341zen gardena bit of the sunin the koi pondMarie Summersa childholds the sky by a string—blue kiteAlan Taylora cat peeksfrom the homeless man’swool coatCarrieAnn Thunellbreathing togetherin a personal rhythm—my mum and the seaGeert Verbekethis eveningthe same mirroras yesterdayRobert D. WilsonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

342THE POETSLeander Aaldersa holein the darkness ~pink moontwo planesabove the streetlights ~shooting starsleaves twirlin line with the wind ~an ant seeks shelterHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

343Aurora AntonovicNovember rainall the magazinesdog-earedbefore his morning walknews of his cousin’sdeathnot yet twilighther new necklacebreaksjasmine on the breeze—he says my namewith a sighleaves piled high—he keeps ajournalHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

344an’yafrom the eavesan occasional dripcloser to springunpicked flowersI gather a bouquetonly in my mindsunlit yardsnow clumps on branchespoised to fallstepping stonesbetween each tuft of grass—equinoxplease Lord let me goat Eastertide when graveyardsbegin to flourishwhen signs of new life bringmore visitors than beforeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

345one more thoughtbefore it’s bedtime—to douse the lightslest tonight I may missmy very last starmy eyes closeto the cadence of rainon a skylighta much cleaner worldwhen they reopenC. Averyred baby shoeshung on the wall,the nailheads shiningagainst a grey skymimosa blooms expanding—afternoon mailyour cell phone ring toneon someone else’s phone:daylight savings timeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

346pulling out crabgrassin the pavement—the smell of soilbutterfly;never againto the same leafinto the cornthe blue of his eyesfollows the diving hawkin a hole under the statueof the king,the rustle of ratsmy own voicefrom far away returningin the ambulancethe hobo at easein the gloaming,eating my tomatoesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

347Carol Bleicherteight-thirty pma bee inside a bloom—stillweathervanesqueaks in all directions—the rooster long goneraindropsping the roofwe lie aroundlike porch hounds—ears perked forsilenceraining all daythe lawn has growna 5 o’clock shadowon Sunday morningticklesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

348Minerva Bloombone colda fisherman singsof Señoritasmidnight tremorsmy jackhammer heartcan dreams lie?the moonlit oakon raven’s wingsmother of pearlout for a walkthe sounds of crushed stoneson the trailthe old treesweet and stronga cedar breezelate afternoonthe cat and Inot getting any youngerHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

349to see the orchidsalso a partof our breakfastMinerva BloomHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

350Brentt Bodoha candle flicker…the warmth of her breathupon my neckearly morning essence…candlelight and coffeeblues and body oilangel making…the snow meltingagainst my bare skinDawn Brucezoopacing pacing pacingbreathof a lovermisty dayHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

351heat wavea grove of willowsgreens the laketai chialong the bankgliding gullscrowded cafeoutside the lone doghowlsfirst smilefrom my grandchildspring morningthe toddlerre-arranges jasmineon the buddhalearning to bathethey watch mothertwo sparrowsweevils in the flourI fold awaythe electric blanketHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

352I turn onthe air conditionera cricket singsbetween our wordsthe silenceof autumn leavesdawn:first lighton an ancient stonestreets at dawnonly middle-aged walkersand birdsongGrant Caldwellclearing sky—moonon the roadwayheat wave—flags foldedagainst their polesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

353summer sunsetalone on the beach—driftwoodin summer twilightducks in formation—breaking waveswaves at night—the moonthrough cloudsfacing the riverthree empty deck chairs—thunder!John Tiong Chunghoomarriage jubileethe blurred lovebirdson the pillowcasesantique storeold thai puppetpeeps through glassHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

354late autumnwindswept bee clingsto my shirtautumn gardenchildren shakefor last persimmonsSusan Constablepetting farm—strands of fencingwrapped with hairbirdsong—so many foreign languagesin my backyardsummer showers—the sound of the houseshrinkingspring break—a boy and his dogoff leashHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

355sudden storm—only a book on his sideof the bedMay morning—a crack in the pavementblossomssummer opals—jellyfish glisten on stringsof seaweedFrank Critelliold friends:the pond jumps upto meet spring rainearly summer—a glass of champagnewith the strawberry moondriving home—rolling up the windowto find myselfHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

356the same rivernot the sameriverSusan DaileySince whendid I start wearingmy mother’s skin?Even greying featherssometimesneed the nest.At 3 A.M.My ancestors whisper.By dawn, I’ve forgotten.Angelee Deodharpredawn—the fading blueof a beached jellyfishHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

357dew wet grassthe quivering earsof a cottontailwillows in the raintracing their patternon the windowpaneButtermilk Falls—the spray tickles our faceslengthening shadowsa hairy crab scuttlesacross the beach comberseagulls screamdeer crossingon the dark mountainsidelights dip and flickersummer solsticethe sun not lettingthe moon glowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

358Jasminka Diordievicinstead of leavesplastic bags on the branches—the wind day after daysound of train whistle—fingers tightly squeezea pink rose bouquethalf moon dark covered—cats from the streetmake serenadewinter morning noise—a long line of sparrowson the wirespring after divorce—just emptiness growswhere memories werenoon heat—moving grassswings the skyHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

359picnic blanket––the ant came before meto the breakfaston an oak branchthe winter sparrow twitters—nested evening sunancient fortress—centuries covered witha wealth of fresh grasshighway in the mist—a red sport car fliesout of the skyJim Dossstep by stepthe cat shakes morning dewfrom each pawa bridge at either endof the mistthe leap of faith in the middleHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

360from the pawnshop windowmy guitarsearches for its voiceabandoned farmhouse—spiders spin forgotten thoughtsbetween the pillowswinter washinghis and hers PJ’s on the linefrozen in embracethe owl fliesfrom chimney to chimneywaiting for an answertwilight graveyardthe homeless man restswhere he won’t be disturbedMargarita EngleJanuary sunbetween past and futurepeaceHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

361after the rainI follow a snail’ssilvery pathhalf moonmy conversationwith dogsfalconry clubwingspans in fogthe hooded birdsafter the storma one-legged seagull’sgraceful landingafter the downpoura windstorm of starsafter a dream of beesa dream of honeyside by sidefisherman and egretwaitingHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

362stinging nettlesa soldier’s gravebeside the lakestormy lakeshorethe watercolor classpaints with rainthrift shopframed autumn leavesfrom long agofull moonover Iceland poppieswhite echohigh abovethe shantytownhomemade kitesfull moonthe lone fireflyrisingold templethe floor of sand softensour footstepsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

363rush hourplum blossoms driftagainst trafficyard salea small dog guardsthe old chairpaper fanon a hot daythe wisdomof women who liveda long time agoellipsethe shape of my orbitaround GodI draw near,drift away, return...full moonabove trafficon a bridgeabove another full moonin the riverHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

364old chartof the known worldmy ancestryfloats between sea monstersand the face of the windas the daysgrow shortera still life—gold pears on a platemy hunger for lightafter I complainabout the monotonyof flatlands—spreading oak, double rainbow,a mountain of cloudsguitarand marionettethe dualidentity of antiquewood and stringsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

365Kelly Fedorevsunday afternoon…even the shadows lingerin a lovers’ embraceoctopus sashimi…wasabi and promisesupon her tongueovercast skies…the sheer breadthof eagle wingsvirgin snowfall…three angels bornamid the moonlightnight shadows…her head restingupon his chestdirty litter box…she tells me the catsmells of perfumeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

366the tasteof his kiss…seduction bypork loin and pineapplechutneyher ownreflectionin silhouette…murky puddle waterripplingsilent,thumb-to-thumb,breath deepening...she sits amid lotusblossomstonightthe mailboxreads both their names…ice cream and cabernetin beddespiteweekend chores…making slow love,only to sleep the dayawayHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

367onlyyesterday,murky ripples—today’s puddle waterfrozenloverstogetherawakening…only to drift asleepagainstarlightand her ownfallen lashes…finding forever inthis wishwinter’shunger moon…they move, as one,amid the night’s silentshadowssundayafternoon…learning his heart,soul, and the fold of hisblue jeansHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

368loungingnude in bed…a man, a dog,and a blue umbrellawalk bya winter rabbit’smost sudden dash and scamper—then, the low rustleof her own soundless footsteps,drying leaves, and pampas grasswarm almond latte…with his kiss, a handupon her swollen breast ~autumn leaves driftinginto a lovers’ embracethe weightof his hand restingupon her belly…beneath a birch moon,lovers dreaming the same dreamHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

369Lorin Forda seagull blackenstoward the horizon—ebb tidelast rites—incense dilutes the reekof irish whiskeybutterfliesthe book falls openat his love poemtemple looting—another buddhaloses his heada ragain the junkyard—summer rainwalled gardenthe pleiades hiddenby the moonHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

370achiote stallthe red of sunriseon high cheekbonesbare cottage rose—rain fills the emptyblackbird’s nestleaking skylight—suddenly the moonin the drip buckethome renovations—under old linoleumold newsLaryalee Fraserbeetle shellthe soft nudgeof a cat’s pawpatter of raindrops...the spaces betweenmy toesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

371thunderclap!even the windchanges colorSt. Patrick’s Daya raindrop wearsthe shamrock’s greenwaning moonin a curve of the hillspring equinoxmidnightan eighteen-wheeler rollsinto tomorrowtax daythe cat findsmy long-lost earringchugging traina track of sunlighton the carpetmeteor shower...following a trailof bent grassHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

372Victor P. Gendranoher touchsensual and caressingmy lady barberspring raineven Death Valleyis alive with flowersholding handsan old couple enjoysthe teens’ staresL. A. traffic jamhe peeks at the sports pageMarch madnessgarden pondthe lotus flowers floatin a sea of cloudsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

373David Giacalonefarewell picnic—wind blows the blossomsoff the dogwoodswakingto dogwood blossoms—the boys like pink todayapril showers!trudging backto fetch a snow brushalmost april—baked apple seasonlingersspring arrives—new snow bleachesold snowbanksthe smile that humblesthe cherry blossoms—too far to see herHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

374rainon my bald spot—recalling dry-scalp Aprilscoldest day this winter—the early budsmiscarrybrushing off the snow—warm enough todayfor a park bench momentWarren Gossetthollow log—the forest wind blowsout of tunequickened heartsthe robin and wormthis spring daythe rain, the rain...doesn’t it realizemy cloud has lifted?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

375incenseamong burning leavesjasmine petalsforgotten pond—only a garter snakehas kept the mapnarcissus moonabove the reflecting pondadmiringlythick woods—a shaft of sunlightloses its wayEric Haydenafter workdrops of rainin my teathe seeing eye dogis tentatively sniffing...chrysanthemumsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

376clothes tumbling dry,a fresh wind blowson the window panerain beats the thicketbut, here inside—a snailthe white egretblown away bya gust of cold windclear morning sunlight;a dandelion seed-puffrises into the skysummer breeze;goldfinches in the willowflit from bough to boughfeeling for the light,a chorus of insects—cool summer eveningHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

377Ed Higginsa velvet nightpours down starsby whole handfulsbouncing rainoff the skylighta light-gray altoshamelessly redMay’s tulipsunhinge the daya lone gray whalebreaching the horizon. . . . then anotherripe wheatswaying in August heatthe combine stalledhidden moonyour eyes so silentnothing speaks of loveHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

378unzipping summerin the grassyour lips to mineElizabeth Howardsuburban mallblackbirds whistlein the crabapple treesvelvet antlers—deer after deer after deerbounds over the fencea wintry mixwoolly alpacas munch haywith walking horsesa student shows meboa constrictor photosthe snake lost in her car seatson my drive homemy legs trembleHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

379leaky roofat the public libraryaides tiptoe aboutdumping soggy classicsinto the trash canevening walkgoldenrod slices the gladeinto broad triangles—grandmother’s custard piewaiting in the kitchenKeiko Izawaspring hazethe rickshaw man smilesat his first passengerone butterfly...his son watches its patternhe watches its courseabandoned fishing portone egretfishingHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

380a drop of perspirationonto the rusty bolt of my bike...spring deepenssummer heatthe gossip of a widow, as shebites into a cucumbersummer fireworkshow did I feel on that nightof the unfolding peony?Colin Stewart Jonesthe cryof returning geese—I bed downwatchingrain spots stain my windowher tearsinland haara gull’s shadowclimbs the graniteHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

381studying moths...the penny dropskitchen worktop—the breadbin pushed asideby her bunslookingover my shoulderthe Scots pineKamilooking for the moonin a moon-colored sky,the smell of smokefallen leavespress against the fence:soccer fansbetween footsteps,the percussionof sleetHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

382telling me aboutlaughter and tears,a subway beggarsisters old and new:tea and family,steepingmy storykeeps changing:each sunrisealong the hudson,construction goes onabove the mistthe misty park wafts by—late night bus rideonce I wasthe naked womanin someone’s bedup all night: unruly haikuHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

383every night,waiting for me:OrionKirsty Karkownew coolnessthe sweep of a crow’s wingacross the dawnicy stepsI vow once againto slow downnot quite homemallards in a puddlebeside the roadsudden spring rainmy shape on this flat rockfor only a secondHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

384backyard rainbowlinking lawn and skyephemerallike yesterday’s lovethat I considered solideasingstorm-fed feara minke whaleslow-rolls by the sternit’s eye locked on minebad boyof the tennis worldtwo sets downI wish I didn’t thinkof good versus evilbroad-shoulderedhe strides across green fieldsa hiking saintapple seeds start to sproutin all the wildest placesdarknessI wake distraught. . .a rehearsalof your dyingdestroyed my dreamsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

385M. Keion a night like thisnot even the owls haveanything to sayswaying in the wind—your inconstant heartin a garden gone to weedsis the temple of my heartthe whirling snowfallbatters my weary heart withinsistent beautyUpon the loss of a loverMy life has been agarden of many flowers,but I will still grievewhen each blossom fallsand leaves me behind.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

386The clangor of bellscalled me from my seat intothe bright frosty air;barefoot in the snow I stoodto hear the carol of hope.The comb she droppedbroke when I stepped on itby accident;but I enjoyedthe sound of spite.The flight of wild geeseacross the trackless grey skieswhich leaves no record.Calligraphy of the airlike the thoughts of mortal men.Bill Kenneyzen gardenthe silence surroundinga woodpecker’s rapspinning drierher turtle neck embracesmy t-shirtHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

387a sparrow’s flight—the curve of his breastin the sandfirst robinmy overcoatunbuttonedmy shadowmaking a spectacleof myselfearly thaw—the earth tuggingat my footstepscancer patient—his favorite ice creammelts in the cupsonogram—they begin to thinkabout a nameafterglow . . .in the soft light she lookslike his ex-wifeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

388the smileof the young woman I passedon the subway steps—it ought to last me at leastanother stop or twoAnna Martha Klimstrathe föhn blowsover wet wavesa hair dryerthe sun risesat the horizonhot-air balloonfireworksin the dark ~NymphaeaDeborah P. Kolodjiwallpaper rosesthe infant daughterafter two sonsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

389divorce papersthe rose cuttingfrom his gardenyour voicein a distant waterfallthe washed out trailthe fault between usearthquakecranberry saladmy sister talks abouthome-schoolingthe itchin your absencepoison oakmorning hazeover the sprawling cityyour plane landsmorning sunafter the rainstormasphalt earthwormsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

390Tracy Koretskywalking alone—fog separates the upper boughfrom the lowerthe sound of breaking waveson a moonless night— distant friendsaplings bend in the wind—children under their boughsplay hokey-pokeysummer twilight :licking the line betweenchocolate and vanilladaffodils at the market—I have forgottenMama’s yahrzeitin my bathmy tearsare cleaner!HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

391Maria Kowalsunset—on stained glass windowrose blooms againempty streetin wind’s whistlesound of flutedusty pipe...in grandpa’s armchairfat catsummer meadowwith raindrops darkeningflower after flowerspring morningon wool sweaterstill his smellHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

392Darrell Lindseyroasting marshmallowsin the backyard...meteor showergravel roadto the graveyard...fireflies all the waysweaty palms...cane pole fishingin the old man’s pondhowl of a wolfhands closerto the campfireJ. Andrew Lockhartthe train bridgeallows dreams to passto MississippiHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

393listening to78 rpm’s—cobwebs on windowsnight recital—in the audiencea child yawnsMarch first—dusty short sleeve shirtsunboxedwriting alonelate at night—listeningto far awaytraffic going westand eastMyron Lysenkoroses in blooma chicken scratchesher shadowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

394trifolium repensi tell her i am sorrythree timesafter a holidaybeside sea and mountain—suburban creekchampagne glasswithout a leg to stand on—dawn birdsongfull ashtrayshe starts to speakItalianspring dawna myna bird goes offbefore my alarmsummer heatbeside my nectarine treei become a scarecrowtwo fat peopleon a fitness track—the wind behind usHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

395teenageron a river rockthe dragonfly hoversnew shoesa boy walks offthe pathovercast skyyellow strandsof a willowwet afternoonpedestrians crossagainst the lightssunday morningyoung people walk pastthe churchseagullsdescend on the mall—clouds on a mountaingrey skyunder the bridgea cobwebHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

396Jacek Margolakautumn winda chimney sweep’s shadowslips down the roofwindless morningonly the snapdragonsare movingcloudy skya lingering fragranceof rotting leavesblooming lilya Chopin mazurkafrom the windowdeserted playground—on the hopscotch boarda yellow leafsunset—only the scarecrow’s shadowgrows in the winter fieldHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

397distant shoreonly spring moonnear bysunrisebrightens the garden—the glitter of chicorythe first toneof nightingale’s trill—spring full moonspring equinoxdaffodilhalf full of rainfull moonelder flowersbrighten the nightEd Markowskiapril rain...my grandson practiceshis infield chatterHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

398spring equinoxi wash mother’s hairwith baby shampoosunday sunlightsomewhere, someone is prayingfor the world to exploderoller coasterwe have no adviceto offer the newlywedshoneymoon photoa mountain path ascendsinto the mistFrancis Masatdawn goodbye—ice crystals insidea paw printthe smellthe cool tasteof early morning fogHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

399waiting room—leaning on one anothertwo old broomsrising watersliding under the fencea land crabsunset—the coldnessin her lipstractor plowing—seeds fallin the smell of wet earthcemetery laneshoulder to shouldershadows press togetherhoneymoonthe suitcases— unopenedcanoe in the mist—an old friendI thought I’d lostHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

400a monk doses—dragonflies wheelabove the meadowwinter morning—fresh powdercovers old tracksElena NaskovaMy rapid breathinglouder then the wind—I’m losing the race.Another gray daylike the one before—the clock has stopped.Under the giant treeGrandpa’s spring covered with leaves—Who else knows about it?Full Summer moongazing back at the curious childrenthe owl with broken wing.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

401Cold November rain—under the dried tomato plantsa bud of a late comer.On the first day of Springhail batters the windows—I wake up from a nightmare.The North windbatters my face—I daydream of winning lottery.Dustin Nealflyingthrough the sunset . . .dad’s empty beer canalmost full, the moondraped with a thin cloud. . . no privacy from the poetsthe cool morning breezewavingthe squirrel’s tailHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

402busy morning—coffee splotchesreveal his paththe slow dripof our coffee—we watch the drizzlea baseball gloveleft on the little league field—spring deepensafter prayerstill praying over our meal . . .the flyclothed in leaves . . .my father’s dog missinga toothlast day of february—the black catholds up trafficmudflatspainted over—scarlet ibisesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

403february sun—a pink housebrighter pinktailless lizard . . .i wonder who gotthe biggest scare?a jacket sleevewaves in the doorwayalmost springdead mothat the edge of the drainwinter stillleavesin early winter windconverselonely in the fieldher back faces memonday morningpacked and ready to goone last glanceat the heavy bagsunder my eyesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

404this heatagainst the cold windowpanemy breathforms a returning ghosthaunts pass like a feverPolona Oblaktorn cobwebhe tells mehe’ll never marryfading darknessa blackbird rehearseshis songcool breezefalling petals strewthe swan’s nestfamily celebrationthe Sunday trip ends ina traffic jamHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

405passing shadowsilenced for a momentthe chirping hedgehalf-veiled moonthe white magnolia petalsunfoldmelting icethe letter I hesitateto answerspring rainthe clatter of changein the beggar’s hatawaiting the newsmoon sliver peeksthrough my windowsudden showerumbrellasbursting into blossomHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

406Zane ParksAccidentJust a kid. Riding my bike. A funny noise. The chain? Lookingdown, bam! A parked car. The handle bar twists into my groin.On the ground, I can barely breathe, barely move. Slowly crawlhome. Over lawns, sidewalks, street.Mom checks me out. Just a spot of blood. It’s not so bad. Shetucks me into bed. I get to stay home the next day. My friendscome by after school. It’s kinda funny. They each give me adime. But man, that’s cool. A dime is a new comic book.weekday morning ...I watch a mousesave the dayBosa N. Pavlovicstillness of snowfielda sunbeam peering outthe crown of a treewinter morningwet roofs covered by mistforeboding snowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

407window glass and snowfire twitters in the stoveflushed faceswatching the skyfalling snowflakemelts on the eyelashalong the streetice cracking under feetsour cabbage smellwinter morningchimney smoke looks for the wayin misty skythe town roofssmoke from a single chimneyone crow flyingthe stove’s chirpingwarm coffee and plum brandysmelling sweetHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

408Mihajlo M. Pavlovictwo grey owlsicy moon followedby warm eyesblue linden of dreams—cold ash, shadowsthe full sky growsthe nest of starswarmth, sand fragrancehome of shadowsdream phoenixwind roar, thunder echo—in the distancefireplace smellin the home of moonlight—stillness echoesdream rosein sandglass shadow—new spider webHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

409caterpillar’s waydandelion field—middaywind and beesthirsty grass fieldbefore the moon passes awaydew glistensthunder storm echoin the grey shadowshome-fire twittersfalse daybreakthe first birds’ voices—a moving dreaman empty lookingriver of oblivion—the bridgeferns and starsmoon in mistin the empty field—weeping willowHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

410Paul Pfleuger, Jr.invisible moonstrokingthe black catmy wordsin her earslike ice fishingwhen they finishupstairs—wind chimesvet’s office—the fixed catquestions my scenton Lover’s Bridgea cigarette lightpacingfour chopstickswave outa long fly ballHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

411candlelightin her eyeson her eyelidsin the cold tonightits criesno longer a puppy’sFrancine Poradhaunted dolls.comthe musicbox starts, stops, starts“You Are My Sunshine.”spring breezea duck’s quackdoesn’t echoKala Rameshspring carnival:after much haggling, i winthe laughing BuddhaHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

412winter templeour desires twirl aroundthe aroma sticksthe whole roomto herself, still the mosquitoafter meautumn—her hair pullsthe windKaniparambil Rameshsilence in the hills...a moth gives me companyin the cabinwaiting atthe railway crossing...full moon over a banyannews on the radio...I tell herthe beans have sproutedHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

413the squirrel’s call louder...after eating a handfulof riceyellow butterfly...I pause stepping onstones in the streamRay RasmussenChest pains!A voice in my head says ‘have it checked’, but another voice,the one that likes the lawn to get long before mowing it, says:“just a muscle spasm, don’t worry about it.”One day passes, two, three—seven now. The pain has ebbedand flowed, but not gone away. The possibilities dance throughmy mind: heart attack, cancer, ulcer, kidney stone, gallbladder—the list goes on and on.And, I drive to EMERGENCY.The triage nurse asks how long I’ve had the pains. I confess toonly 2 days. She pats my hand: “You mustn’t wait when youhave chest pains. Sit over there and we’ll take you NEXT.”“NEXT” echoes in my mind. Who gets immediate attention inan emergency ward? I imagine metal tongs prying my chestopen, a quadruple by-pass, a dead person’s heart being jammedHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

414into my empty chest cavity.Soon, I’m squeezed into one of those tiny hospital gowns withtoo many personal parts hanging out. They draw blood, taketemperature, read blood pressure, administer ECG, x-raybones—everything but floss my teeth.Wait time ... minutes like hours ... white coats pass by, but nonestop. Have they forgotten about me? Or, better, perhaps they’vedecided to ignore me because there’s no immediate problem.My imagination’s evil doctor, the one with the pencil linemoustache and snide smile, whispers to the charge nurse: “Aspunishment for waiting seven days, let him sit for a few morehours.”I can’t quite accept the possibility of death, but related thoughtsstream in: I should have done my will, pre-arranged thecremation, hugged my kids more, told someone I was comingin—gurney wheels squeak—the sound of a monitorflatliningStartled, I consider getting dressed, bolting out the door. Iimagine orderlies dragging me back, the triage nurse’s ‘tut-tut’as they lash me to a stretcher.And, then, the DOCTOR arrives, no pencil moustache, scansthe paperwork for what seems like hours, says: “ALL CLEAR.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

415Guess you had a bit of a scare, eh? Next time come in rightaway.”viagra ad—twenty old men dancingin the streetLynne Reesevening suna crow walkinghis shadowan egret’s featherin the pages of my booka drift of snoweighth floor...a man holds onto the edgeof his window boxeighty next yearhis garden fullof dandelion clocksHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

416all the puddlesI step inyesterday’s raingirls in pink bikinisat the edge of the poolthe waves beginBruce Rossthe pale blurof a night heronwinter starsChristmas Evethe piped-out carolsfor evening massa chickadee hopsfrom one twig to the nextwinter sunlightHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

417Natalia L. Rudychevcaress ~spring windshapes the sandtrace of lipstick—dry moonat sunriseseventh moon—firefliesmirror loveempty house—dead vineon the porchegg fightyour wishunder my shellHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

418Helen Ruggieriin the darkmaking moon shadowson the snowyour eyes—the color of jadein the moonlightsnow falls—I shovel old poemsinto the fireplacehigh water—a tree trunk goes withthe currentacornscrack under pressure—the oak insideautumn afternoon—old pond ringed with ragweeda frog in my throatHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

419at duskthe refinery glitters—a Taj Mahalcows cometo the fence to look—my shoesthe clamkeeps its mouth shut—it’s Augustmail man comes—a moment of hopethen billsDADDY NEVER DROVE BY MAPSDaddy never drove by maps. He learned to drive backbefore the first World War and there was usually only one wayto get anywhere so you didn’t need maps and during the warthey took down all the sign posts so if they were invaded theinvaders wouldn’t know where anything was.If we had to be somewhere, we’d set off in the generaldirection – west or southwest – and go about fifty miles or soand then we’d stop some stranger and ask, Do you know howto get to ???? from here? And the stranger’d give us lefts andrights and landmarks and we’d keep on going until we forgotand then we’d stop some guy and ask again or pull in at a gasHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

420station and fill up on air and stale cheese-peanut butter crackersand ask the guy pumping gas.He might call over somebody else and they’d conferwhile we ate our crackers, maybe had a coke out of the red fliptop ice cooler. They lean down to the window and point downthe road or maybe sometimes, back the way we’d been butdaddy didn’t like to do that. He’d rather circle around as ifforward motion was all that mattered, the old Chevy thumpingalong until we got where ever it was we were going or deadended at the ocean waves crashing on the beach and all the signposts gone to war.red lines on roadmapseverything goesthrough the heartA BICENTENNIAL GIFT FOR MY FATHER’SBIRTHDAYWe all sit around looking at the Sunday papers talkingabout the Bicentennial. It’s Daddy’s 80th birthday and theconversation turns to when he first felt old. Daddy says at 50 hegave himself another 20 years or so and now he’s figuring 4 or5. I say Grandma lived to 97. He nods and figures 3 morewould be a 100 and that would be 1996. Another 4 would be2000. “Nice to see the new century,” he says.My sister says 40 was the worst and at 50, she didn’tknow where the time had gone, she was just 50. I’m headingfast for 40 and it’s when I’ll face my own demons but I don’tknow that yet.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

421The new millennium will come. Daddy will be 104 andI’ll be 61. My daughter will be as old as I am now; perhapsshe’ll do my portrait to hang in an ornate frame. My son will bea paleontolo-gist thinking about bones and fossils; he’ll hardlynotice time passing.We’ll all sit around reading the Sunday papers, talkingabout the turn of the century, about when we were young,about when we were old.by the door of theabandoned farmhouse—lilacs bloomDeborah RussellDAY’S JOURNEYdaybreakherons rise from water-ringson the pond, in clouds, lotus blossomswind songthe slight stir of my reflectionquiet streamthough the clouds bird soundsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

422clouds in the wetlandsbreak from the reedslightningbetween flashes, a blossomless treeold garden, leaves in the pool, partingsummer rain—a white stone, whiterstepping stones—near the waterfall, my shadowlotus leaf—the sound of rain returnsmoonlight, the useless colorof fragrant pineswaning moonthe weight of blossomsgrows dimAUTUMN LEAVESalone, in each other’s steps, in the midstof autumn leavesautumn breeze, his fragrant words driftfrom my handsunlight strums the mountainside, nowand again a spider webHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

423from mountains to valley, the sunstretches crimson leavesmirrored in our eyes—mid-autumn’scolorspine cones tumble to the ground, we gazein a single gesturefaintly purple, twilight weaves throughthe pinesfull moon—only a pen carries my dreamsinto your worldour kiss, reading the old love letters inyour eyeswhat must I do with this heady scent thathaunts my dreams?wild geese in the sunlight—shadowsripple across the lakemorning fog—the aroma of coffee climbsthe stairsbeneath his coffee cup, a hidden love noteunopenedautumn, dreams unfurl like colorfulleavesHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

424Carla Sariwinter dawnthe unceasing screechof a hawkebb tidethe jellyfish stealsthe moonbeamssummer twilightthe old man next doorbreaks into songneap tidea cormorant skims pastheading to sunriseheat wavethe cat’s fur ruffledby a fanwedding partytoasting he recalls howwe metsitting on a park benchboth let down by our loversHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

425overgrownwith banksia roseencircled by silver birchthe house of my dreamsstill homeless, I look onAnn K. Schwadernight thunder—shadow of a mothon the screenslow arcof the sprinklerfading summerrusty wheelof the flicker’s calllate raspberriesa silenceof crickets in the nightfirst frostHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

426light breeze . . .a leaf takes its timedownOrionrises toward dawnwhite mothsautumn sun—last leaves flickerinto the blueAdelaide B. Shawalmost spring—walking through townstrangers smilecontrailspiercing through purple clouds—slow traffic homehigh tidefilling rock basinseroding themHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

427washing the careach swing of the hosesprays a rainbowwe speak softlyin the heavy spring fogall edges blurredthe heavy air—a pause at middayto collect myselfnothing to do...we sit and listento the pulsing heata cool evening—gone from the garden,the scent of summeradvancing spring—flowers bloom and fadein an eye-blink;through all the seasonsour love enduresHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

428early morning bird songscarried on the damp breeze—the day begins slowlyplaying out the melodiesof Aprilcrabapples in bloom,one white, one fuchsia,limbs entwined;through the years each has blossomedwith the help of the othereven in chilled earthdaffodils poke through;the wait get easierin the warming sunanother day passesgulls soaring abovethe spongy marsh;fiddler crabs burrowingand we stand heresomewhere in betweenan old woman,her face rutted with wrinklespushes through wet leaves;I inhale deeplythe scents of autumnHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

429blustery windsslowing down in the afternoon—I slipinto a holiday moodwith tea and ginger cookiesNew Year’s breakfast—an elegant tablewith longtime friends;the talk is more of the pastthan the futurethey call me Grandmathese children of my children;not of my womb,but still I feel the bondas if the cord had been mineeach with a canearm in arm the old couple,leave the cafe;in this life togetherand surely in the nextHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

430R.K. SinghSitting cross-leggedthe Hutch receptionistbehind the glassPausing between biteson the guava treethe parrotsDiving in the skyapsaras on the stone caves—god-touch in motionTo reach the branchraising her other arm—twisted hibiscusSpring returns:autumn in my courtyardunendingWith sweated smilestands behind the broken fencehis aged fatherHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

431Grzegorz Sionkowskimountain spring—a butterfly’s shadowfrom stone to stoneautumn morning—in the new mirrornew wrinklesmy father’s words—trying to recallhis voicebird song—the sky clears upin each puddlethis stoneleft by a lizardstill warmHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

432Sue Stanfordnew lovera flock of sparrowsclear the disheshot trainone sitsanother moves awaywhite rufflesa black swan extendsa leathery footBrian Strand#5Augustshaded goldbecomes monsoon—berries rot beneath thebrambleHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

433#13overthe stubblecarrion crows—the gamekeeper heads homefor teaMarie Summerscool breeze . . .one by onethe leavesmigrating geese:dark streaksin the sunsetprairie grassesnot one refusing to bendwith the windpasserbya butterfly leansinto the blossomHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

434garden walkthe sudden liftof beeswinter passing . . .a spider websmy door closedyour love for me—the snow meltsas it hits the earthlooking both waysto cross the street—her shadowsap moon . . .still mourning youyears latermidwinterthe sudden chillof bathroom tileszen gardena bit of the sunin the koi pondHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

435bedtimeour goodnight kissheavy with mintDietmar Tauchnerwinter dawn lighther blue skinbefore I touchmy uncle’s deathdidn’t make me crybut a moviemuseumon a black monitormewaiting for asylumday in day outthe sun’s silencelate winter suna birch grows out ofthe drunkard’s abandoned houseHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

436Indian summertaking a nap in the parkthe homeless mansea of starsbeyond blizzard cloudsmy love for youin bedin the gapbetween usspring lightAlan Taylorin the woodssome sky has fallen—bluebellsan old cottage—spiders have re-hungthe doordawn—spiders ensnarethe dewHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

437a silent forest—the moon emergesfrom an owl’s eyea bloom opensthen closes—butterflythe manreels in his kite—sunseta childholds the sky by a string—blue kiteA. Thiagarajanroad to stationon the laptop casemorning sungentle breezethe fragrance introducesher passing byHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

438early morningthe crow barksat the puddleautumn eveningin dad’s diarymy first letterdark skythe only one outis the floating leafmorningalong with him gets ina butterflysudden darknessdogs bark on the roaddotting my waytrain cancelledhe starts solvingcrosswordend of termlizard all aloneon the writing boardHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

439long dayshadows crawlat snail’s pacesunriselotus leaf holdsa mercury dropdawn rainhilltop temple restsin the puddle belowsudden drizzledrum beat joinsdriver’s humearly morningcoffee aroma sneaksinto blankethighwaycar in front takes awayafternoon sunfirst rainstatue washes itselfof droppingsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

440vacation overa cockroach rushes outfrom shoesso coldthe rat doesn’t come outfor the baitafter cooking at 5starchef returns homefor mom’s dinnerbrief rainon the balcony rimrow of pearlsin bedshe exchanges side with himfor warmthlightninglovers adjusting dressat beachin the poolhow many fish open mouthher nakednessHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

441CarrieAnn Thunellrain slidingdown leaves—cat-stretched windowsillanother flatthe cold bike pumpice-moonreachingpast my sneezesto pet the catthe hissof brewing espresso—a cat streaks bythe momentof sunset on red leavesalonethe new traineefumbles my blood draw—white starflowersHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

442a cat peeksfrom the homeless man’swool coatauburn haira cold face turning—the setting sunpaper air planestow-away—ladybugbeakspeel back the nightwith songFlat-bottomed cloudsburn in the noonday sun.I inhalecloud vapor. Carry themtill I make rain.Las nubes de fondo planoqueman en el sol de mediodía.Inhalo vaporesde nube, los llevan hasta hacenla lluvia.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

443His unused cup bobsin the wake of his leaving—The trainwhistles a lamentruffling unturned pages.Su copa no usadacorta tras su partida—El trensilba un lamento que erizapáginas por mover.Harvest moon:overripe, swollen and low,a babe droppedin the womb. No wonderancients saw portents.Coseche luna:pasado, e hinchado.Un bebé dejó caeren la matriz. No es de extrañarantiguo vio los presagios.Caughtfondling our camping gearin winter,I darn his backpackjust to sniff stale camp smoke.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

444Planningour fifth hiking season.I dream of thatlong-ago moonlit kissunder a staircase of stars.Tangledin his sleeping bag—the roarof my mate calling for coffeeand help with the zipper.The scentof wood smoke and coffeearrivesbefore his cupped handsfilled with wild berries.Lao Tsu,I’d like to know—who that waswho chased you to the city’s gateto bid you write The Way?HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

445Geert VerbekeTSUNAMI:in the harboreverything devastated—a cresting wavethe earthquakedisplaces the water mass—forgotten shipwrecksdue to curiositypeople stay at the shore—no warning systema great wavein the harbor waters—orphan songstidal waves—between the driftwooda teddy bearyour mother diedthe cover of her coffincreaks in your mind~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

446on his heada knotted handkerchief—the fishermana ballerinaon impossible toes—elderly womanon her shouldera fat Siamese cat—both straysimple voicessinging in the subway—only small coinstalking with the rainand the rustling of leaves—mum has Alzheimer’sthe stone angelfrom the end of his wingan iciclesitting on a bencha yapping tyke on his lap—the garden gnomeHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

447she smells sweetthe girl next door—our first datebreathing togetherin a personal rhythm—my mum and the seaon the stepsin the site of pilgrimage—the trampled flowersRobert D. Wilsonpine trees carry dawn across the horizonmorning twilight . . .a salmon swimmingthrough your breaststwilight dawn . . .everywhereher outstretched handHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

448this eveningthe same mirroras yesterdayready for springthe bearded dragontakes off his clothesthis morninga gray whaleswallowed the sunwinter morning . . .living betweenthe same mirrorthe windtonight a whispertickling reedsthe possum visitsme this eveningas she does every nightwhen the moonis somewhere elseHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

449if i release you,carp,will you divewith me intothe sun’s reflection?having no recoursebut to stand with the stars,a strand of treesweighted down withclumps of cloudegretpatiently waitsin his shadowfor the sun to painthim another colorhe retreatsinto the womb thatbore him,towing shadowstowing shadowsHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

450Rafal Zabratynski (RaV)ONE SUMMER DAYa sugar crystalwalks away with the ant—morning coffeescorching sunthe asphalt creepsunder the solescool showerthe heated pavementsteamsdouble rainbownot a single soulto share it witha puff of windtickles the feet—evening drinkHAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

451Haiga by Minerva Bloom, from the back cover ofHaiku Harvest, Volume 6, No.1.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

452HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

453HAIKU HARVESTJournal of Haiku in EnglishDenis M. Garrison is the editor and publisher of Haiku Harvest.He lives in Maryland’s Hunt Country in northern BaltimoreCounty with his wife, Deborah. A 1974 Towson graduate inEnglish literature, he edited Towson’s literary magazine andtaught creative writing for Johns Hopkins University’s FreeUniversity. His poetry is published in Poetry Scotland, Nightingale,Verse Libre Quarterly, Simply Haiku, Ribbons, Nisqually Delta Review,Moonset, Wisteria, Roadrunner, Stirring, World Haiku Review, HaigaOnline, and many others, in his chapbook, Port of Call and OtherPoems, and in his books, Eight Shades of Blue (haiku) and The Brinkat Logan Pond. Garrison’s short fiction has been published inStirring, The Writer’s Hood, and Talisman and in his book, ThreeOdd Tales. He has edited the webzines, Ku Nouveau, Haiku Noir,Templar Phoenix, Haiku Cycles, and Gunpowder River Poetry. In2005, Garrison was a founding editor of Loch Raven Review. In2002, he was a founding editor of Amaze: The Cinquain Journal,the primary print and web resource for this intense andbeautiful poetic form, which has led a renaissance of classiccinquains and new polystanzaic cinquain forms. Besides hiswork with cinquains, Garrison created three poetic forms, thecinqku, a set form for tanka, the crystalline, a haiku couplet, andthe nautilus, based on the Fibonacci sequence and the GoldenMean.HAIKU HARVEST 2001 – 2006

Also fromMODERN ENGLISH TANKA PRESSThe Salesman’s ShoesTanka by James Roderick BurnsISBN 978-0-6151-4396-5Working within the discipline of tanka, oneof the world’s oldest continuously-writtenforms, this striking debut collection byJames Roderick Burns identifies theabsurdities and deflations of the humancondition, from farm boys thinking of flyingsaucers to a workaday vision of the end of the world. Intelligent, witty,sometimes melancholic in their beauty, the poems constitute a collectionto be relished.“The Salesman’s Shoes presents us with the common reality of ourselvesand our situations, but in formulations that we have never encounteredbefore. The language is cool and lucid, the content is striking, theimagery is superbly memorable, and the perspectives are irresistiblyappealing, making for a fine and satisfying body of poems.” —MikeStocks, Anon“For James Roderick Burns, the tanka form serves as a meter—of lightor of syllables—through which an album is built up of city views, cafes,shopping malls and skylines as the ‘salesman’ treads his territory. Thereis room for observation, reflection, humour and philosophy in these 75open-eyed poems, which contain many memorable, re-readable lines.You nearly walk by, but you stop. Acquire The Salesman’s Shoes, andacquire an understanding of tanka on this delightful traipse.” —SallyEvans, Poetry Scotland“This is poetry you will want to share. A distinctive voice that makes theordinary memorable, the common-place remarkable and the usualunusually quotable.” —Frazer Henderson, Haiku ScotlandPrice: $13.95 USD. Trade paperback. Perfect bound, 96 pages.Available from www.Lulu.com/modernenglishtankaor major booksellers.www.modernenglishtankapress.comwww.thesalesmansshoes.com

Also fromMODERN ENGLISH TANKA PRESSThe Five-Hole FluteModern English Tanka in Sequences and SetsDenis M. Garrison & Michael McClintock, EditorsISBN: 978-0-6151-3794-0.THE FIVE-HOLE FLUTE affords thereader an impressively compact and richoverview of modern tanka, cinquain,and haiku, and of the changing shapeand power of these forms when arrangedin sets and sequences.The works in this exemplary collection offer a glimpse into theextraordinary diversity and sometimes startling richness of themodern short poem in English, and disclose a fascinating buthitherto concealed dimension of literary creativity: the integrationof autonomous short poems into new, coherent, interactivepatterns that break free of the conventional stanzaic forms of longernarrative, epic, and lyrical verse. Several techniques areillustrated—including anaphora, thematic linking, antiphonalresponse, and more—demonstrating the manifold possibilities forgrouping tanka, cinquain, and haiku in compositions that conveyan expanded poetic experience, a compound literature havingbroad scope and unlimited potential for dealing with the manylayers and complexities of human experience, thought, andemotion.Resonant with the breadth and vision of literary collage, mural, andexistential mandala, the short form poets of the twenty-first centuryreveal cultural and artistic roots not only in the ancient Japanesewaka/tanka tradition, but equally in the subjective realism of theImpressionist painters and the short works of such Imagist poets asAdelaide Crapsey, the early Ezra Pound, T. E. Hulme, Amy Lowell,H.D, and Wallace Stevens.MODERN ENGLISH TANKA PRESS is pleased to present readerswith this compelling, highly readable, unique anthology.Available from www.Lulu.com/modernenglishtankaor major booksellers.Price: $13.95 USD. Trade paperback. Perfect bound, 116 pages.www.modernenglishtankapress.comwww.thefiveholeflute.com

Also fromMODERN ENGLISH TANKA PRESSHidden RiverHaiku by Denis M. GarrisonISBN: 978-0-6151-3825-1.“One wonders when they read the name of aman or even if they see his picture, what is hetruly like? In my opinion, the best way to knowa man is to study in depth what he puts down onpaper. Denis Garrison would easily berecognized for the outdoorsman that he is by hishaiku. Words and phrases such as: ‘hidden river,plowed field, leafing orchards, hunger moon, old tin cup, rabbit spoor, riverstones, bridle paths, spring-fed creek, woodpecker’s vibrato, fragrant hay bales,sparrow tracks in fresh snow, field of ripe pumpkins, scorched dirt, cowpies,frog song and fireflies, woodcutter’s cabin’ and so forth, appear throughout hisbook. Denis skillfully gives readers a strong but pleasant taste of nature in thisfine presentation via the many outstanding haiku found around every bend of his‘Hidden River.’ ” — an’ya, Editor of TSA Ribbons and moonset journal.“Denis Garrison is an excellent poet; a breath of fresh air. He understands haikuand, as an editor of literary journals and the owner of a small book publishingfirm, he realizes that, like any art form, one must pay their dues; putting intime, study, practice, and hard work. . . . With a fresh voice, Garrison writespoetry that resonates, doesn’t ‘tell all,’ and lingers in the mind after being read.. . . Garrison does not adhere to a strict 5/7/5 syllable formula. . . . Added tothe haiku are good metre, more than one layer of meaning, and a unique way ofviewing life. . . . This is the genius of haiku: using an economy of words to painta multi-tiered painting without ‘telling all.’ Garrison does this well. His poeticcanvasses only look simple. . . . however, level after level of meaning unfolds,calling to mind the way tones, tints, and simple brush strokes bring to life asumi-e painting. Denis Garrison writes beautiful haiku. I recommend his newbook, Hidden River, to all who appreciate the genre and to those who want agood model to emulate in their journey to becoming a better poet. His bookwill leave an indelible print in your mind.” — Robert D. Wilson, ManagingEditor of Simply Haiku.Price: $15.95 USD. Trade paperback. Perfect bound, 184 pages.Available from www.Lulu.com/modernenglishtankaor major booksellerswww.modernenglishtankapress.comwww.hiddenriverhaiku.com

Also fromMODERN ENGLISH TANKA PRESSEight Shades of BlueHaiku by Denis M. GarrisonThird EditionISBN 978-0-6151-4798-7These exquisite poems by Denis M.Garrison prove once again that the bestthings come in small packages. Fromawesome beauty to stark terror; from the heights of joy to thedepths of despair; all in gem-like tiny poems! Treat yourself to thesetraditional haiku, fascinating haiku noirs, and lovely crystallines. Alsoincluded are four articles on haiku and the prosody of crystallines.Denis M. Garrison, the longtime editor of Haiku Harvest, Haiku Noir,and Haiku Cycles, and co-editor of Ku Nouveau, is the creator of thecrystalline form, a western haiku in a seventeen-syllable couplet.“A book to be read again and again. Once again thisauthor has produced a beautifully crafted book that iscomposed of a balance of instructional essays on poeticforms such as haiku, haiku noir and crystallines followed bynumerous examples of each form. This is a valuable bookfor both the novice and the expert; especially anyoneinterested in shorter poetic forms.”—Jim Doss, Editor of Loch Raven ReviewPrice: $12.95 USD. Trade paperback. Perfect bound. 96 pages.Available online at:www.lulu.com/modernenglishtankawww.modernenglishtankapress.com

Modern English TankaPrint Edition: ISSN 1932-9083 Digital Edition: ISSN 1930-8132Modern English Tanka Press,P.O. Box 43717, Baltimore, Maryland, 21236 USA,publishes the quarterly journal of western tanka,Modern English Tanka, both as a print journaland in an online digital edition.The best tanka poets in Englishare to be found in the pages of MET.Visit the MET website at www.modernenglishtanka.com.Modern English Tanka Press maintains an online presence atwww.modernenglishtankapress.com.

TankaCentral.comSponsored & maintained byModern English Tanka PressWWW.TANKACENTRAL.COMis the internet megasite for tanka enthusiasts and students.The mission of TankaCentral.com is to promote the tanka form of poetry,to educate newcomers to tanka about the form's history and future,techniques and uses, and to work for wider publication of tanka in bothspecialty and mainstream poetry venues. In order to accomplish thismission, we built this megasite that is the best place to study tanka on theinternet, with its own onsite resources, with comprehensive links to otherrelevant sites, with connections to others who write, read, and publishtanka, and that is the best source for finding places that publish tanka, callsfor submissions, contests, etc.SPECIAL FEATURES: Audio & Video of poets reading their tanka.Bibliographies. Links to organizations, communities, discussion lists, etc.,for tanka poets. The Tanka Roundtable (a Google Group). Thewww.TankaNews.com blog. Submissions Calendar. Links to journals thatpublish tanka. And much more. If you love tanka, you owe it to yourselfto visit TankaCentral.com.