The First Haikus

 In July I entered a haiku contest organized by Katonah Poetry. I'd never written haikus and had barely read them. This sounded like a good use of my creative energies, so I entered with enthusiasm. To move the odds in my favor, I submitted 15 haikus for $30, or 5 for $10.

That didn't help, I didn't place. The winners were shorter than the classical 5-7-5 syllabic format, which I followed religiously, and more illusive in their images. Reflecting my mindset, my haikus were concrete and sometimes autobiographical. I strayed from observation on nature. Still, I enjoyed the creative effort and have kept writing them as the unofficial bard of weddings, baby namings and visits to friends' home. People like these snapshots of a moment. I envision them being printed and slipped into photo albums from these life events.

Here's my first batch, in the order I wrote them, with links to explanations and inspirations, plus photos. More will follow as they drift down from the ether into my imagination:

Hurricane hits coast

Brings floods and then mosquitos

Nature says “howdy!”

 

Conjunto, palm trees

Rio Grande churns like drunk snake—

A border boyhood.

 

Hilda, junior high crush,

Our eyes lock in math class and

My heart skips, yes it . . .

 

Old Texas graveyard

Mom’s grave under mesquite trees

Kaddish floats on air

 

Bunnies in the yard

They may be last spring’s bunnies

But—probably not

 

Vacation breakfast

She sketches the old diner

While I watch her thrive.

 

Smoky air drifts down

From Canada, throats taste grit

But the cats? Don’t care.

 

Stop and go traffic

Meets indecisive rain storms

Wipers can’t keep the beat

 

Bedroom AC’s hum

Creates cool Edenic night

Then dawn—sweat outcasts

 

Pandemic hikes keep

Me sane; miles in parks and streets

Then meniscus tears

 

Kids chase around park

Moms unpack picnic lunch while

Dads hunt for wi-fi

 

Love's hard eyes accuse

From faded color prints yet

Not all’s in black and white 

 

“I think I’m pregnant.”

Yes, but not for long. She is

Not sure who’s the dad.

 

On beach’s stone edge

A 9/11 plaque stands

Seagulls wheel and cry

 

A man’s right to choose

What? Car job beer team band love

What are you thinking?

 

San Diego 2023

Bride and groom’s first dance

Spin and dip until they laugh

Der mentsh trakht un got lakht.

 

Japanese garden

Bonai koi water Buddha

My haiku flows there.

 

Baby at the beach

Pink hat bobs against blue

She waves at the waves