Monday, February 8, 2010

Haiku-a-day

I took a creative writing class my senior year in high school. Mrs. Meleski, bless her, was a great teacher! In that class, I formed a couple of friendships that endure to this day. I also developed a taste for the Japanese poetry form known as haiku. There's about a jillion variations, but the one I learned first was a triplet that had five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. The haiku is a perfect form for the person how has observations on things, but not a lot of time - or in my case, talent - to write a lot. Because of the discipline required, haiku can be very evocative and profound. Like a Japanese sand garden, they are austere and direct.

This morning, on the way to work, I saw a bit of nature that inspired a haiku, and got thinking that maybe I'd set myself a challenge. I'm going to try to write a haiku a day for a year. Don't know if I'll make it, but I'm going to give it a shot. I've never challenged my creativity this way.

And yes, I've watched, "Julie and Julia" twice, and enjoyed it, so that probably has a good deal to do with this impulse.

So here we go.
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Well, I almost made it. I got to the 5th of March. It was fun, and not too stressful, but in the end, the stuff that was stressful just buried this project. I'll probably still add to it occasionally. In fact, I composed a haiku this morning, while I was working outside at my property in the South Valley of Albuquerque.

29 comments:

  1. 8 Feb., 2010

    This morning, on the way to work, across the valley I saw a row of brilliant, white snow clouds, hanging on the tips of some low ridges. It reminded me of something I've seen at Gettysburg, Wilderness, Wilson's Creek, and similar places.


    Winter Memories

    Fat, pregnant snow clouds
    Perch on the skyline like smoke
    over batteries.

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  2. 9 Feb 10

    Well, here it is the first full day, and I think I'm going to scale this back a bit. If I can do it for a month, I'll consider a year. Thinking about being creative for 2 minutes a day, every day is a bit intimidating!


    ROSE

    Needletoes, dig dig.
    Huge eyes, fishbreath in my face.
    Dumb cat, let me sleep!

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  3. 10 Feb.

    Poor ol' mem'ry's shot.
    Poor ol' mem'ry's shot. Poor ol'...
    Did I just say that?

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  4. (The previous entry was written on the 10th, but I conked out before getting it in here.)

    11 Feb.

    Cold wind slicing through
    My coat, shirt, skin, guts, and soul.
    Warmth abandons me.

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  5. 12 Feb, 2010

    ‘03

    Pull her close to me.
    Now breathe, relax, aim, slack, squeeze.
    Thunder in my hands.

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  7. 13 Feb, 10

    Today, my dear friends Eddie and Elaine will be sealed for time and all eternity in the Albuquerque Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints.


    Temple covenants
    Testify of The Master;
    The House of the Lord.

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  8. 14 Feb., 10

    Valentine’s Day

    What a goofy day.
    One more for men to forget.
    Did we need more stress?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Can She Fly?

    Parents’ final test –
    Little girl unfolds her wings;
    Sword of Damocles

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  10. Final Test Failed

    Children's agency -
    Things no father wants to see -
    Innocence dies young.

    ReplyDelete
  11. We All Po’ Sometime

    Everybody smile,
    Doin’ jus fine an’ laughin;
    Mus’ be payday, sho!

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  12. The day I got my learner’s permit, my dad took me to an auto wrecking yard and we walked up and down the long rows of wrecked cars. He never said a word, except for an occasional, “Bad decision, there,” or “Some bad judgment in that one.” It scared me to death, and I’ve never forgotten it. I’ve never had the chance to do something like that with my girls. Those wrecks, and all that bad judgment stand in my mind as a metaphor for what our kids often do in their lives in the broader context. How will our children survive? The same way we did, I guess: by the Grace of Him Who Made Us.


    Bad Judgment

    Blind. No brakes. No belts.
    A hundred miles an hour
    Down a dead end street.

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  13. Young Lover

    Years of livin’ done,
    Every scar a lesson earned;
    Thinks of her, and smiles.

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  14. About this time of year, on the first few warm days, the sandhill cranes begin to stretch their wings. In v-formations of 10 to 200, they wheel and circle above the valley of the Rio Grande, honking their chattering, staccato cries. It is a sight to stir the heart of an old South Valley boy.

    SANDIES WARMING UP

    Formations pass through
    Each other, like combs, wheeling
    In the blue spring sky.

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  15. Not many good times.
    She laughed some, cried a lot more –
    Too late. Too bad. Done

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  16. .
    .
    Betsy

    Amaryllis blooms
    Low over a little grave.
    Love waits in silence.

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  17. .
    .
    PALS

    Bad breath, cold noses
    Shedding, barking, and pooping.
    I miss those dumb dogs.

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  18. .
    .
    1911

    This black iron shadow
    Fills the hand with death and life –
    Balance, sudden fire.

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  19. .
    .
    AMBUSH

    A soul-jarring drop –
    Punji I’d forgot were there
    In the mind’s dark trails.

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  20. 65 years ago, on 24 Feb. 1945, my father went ashore on Iwo Jima with the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.
    .
    .
    IWO

    Place of agony,
    Stinking, horrid, ashen death -
    Dad was so young then.

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  21. .
    .
    Hack cough wheeze sniff gag-
    This bug must be NVA -
    Like to kill this boy!

    ReplyDelete
  22. .
    .
    LATE

    Just me. No one else.
    Ashes of fireworks falling -
    Double bed. Just me.

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  23. .
    .
    MONDAY MORNING

    Screeching dawn monster,
    Blessed, warm cocoon of sleep -
    Juxtaposition

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  24. .
    .
    BROTHERS

    Old trucks and old men
    Rattle and creak down life's road -
    Junkyard at the end

    ReplyDelete
  25. .
    Shoot! I missed the 2nd! Well, here's a double
    on the 3rd...
    .
    .
    JOSIE IN THE MORNING

    Lavenders and pinks
    Pastels all running amok
    Sunrise comes calling

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  26. .
    .
    TIME HEALS

    Hope springs eternal -
    Attitudes change and soften -
    Lets me see your heart.

    ReplyDelete
  27. .
    .
    VICTORIA INVINCIBLES

    Starving ghosts in Gray.
    We came later, in their steps -
    Their road was tougher.

    ReplyDelete
  28. .
    .
    FIRST WARM MORNING

    Big black raven barks
    His hoarse, gravel-throated cry.
    House finch yodels back.

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  29. .
    .

    SOUTH VALLEY LANDLORD

    Working under arms –
    Wound up tight, ready to go.
    It’s my house, by damn.

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