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15.3.10
8.3.10
HAIKU by EDRIE
HAIKU by EDRIE JEFFERSON
these Haiku's are written by Edrie who is no longer with us.
I consider these gems to be as good as any ancient Haiku master.
Also some of the best Haiku is done by children.
Why?
Because children are not self conscious, nor self critical, nor philosophically inclined.
They just write what they see without discrimination.
SPONTANEITY........that is the essence of Haiku.
******************************
C A T
HERE KITTY KITTY!
THOUGH SHE WILL NOT COME TO ME
MY GOOD NEIGHBOR DOES
***
HAVING SLEPT ALL DAY
BEFORE THE FIREPLACE, THE CAT
NOW SITS IN THE RAIN
***
CAREFULLY, THE CAT
EXPLORES THE TABLE'S TREASURES...
THEN BATS ONE OVER
***
THE LITTLE BIRDS FEED
CLOSE TO THE GARDEN WINDOW
THE CAT'S TWITCHING TAIL
***
THE CAT LEANS INTO
MY SOFTLY SCRATCHING FINGERS
THEN TURNS TO BITE THEM
***
SOME KIND OF CRITIC...
THE CAT HAS CHOSEN TO SLEEP
ON MY NEW PAINTING
***
WHEN THE TEA KETTLE
STARTS TO PURR ON THE HOT FIRE
THE CAT LOOKS AT ME
***
THE CAT IS STALKING
SOMETHING THAT'S NOT REALLY THERE
AND...ALMOST GETS IT.
***
I FINALLY RISE
TO FEED THE PESTERING CAT
AND FIND HER ASLEEP
***
THE END
From: HAIKU IN YOUR GARDEN
by Edrie Jefferson
copyright @ 1975
***
**********************************
SPRING
***********************************
THE PUSSYWILLOWS
ARE FORCING SPRING TO APPEAR
IN SPITE OF SNOW.
***
TWO BECKONING GNOMES
WELCOME ME IN THE WELL SHED:
LAST SUMMER'S OLD GLOVES.
***
EARLY SPRING SUN
BEGINS TO PULL FROM THE EARTH
LIFE IT HAD LEFT THERE.
***
MORE LOVED THAN THE BEST
OF WHOLE ORCHARD'S BLOSSOMS
IS THIS FIRST SMALL BLOOM.
***
HOW LOVELY THIS BUD
JUST ASS IST IS ON THIS BRANCH
UNCHANGED BY MY JOY
***
THE BLOSSOMS FALLING
INTO THE MOVING RIVER
DO NOT FLOAT AWAY.
***
I ABSENTLY WAVE
TO THE NEWLY CLOTHED SCARECROW
SASSY BIRDS WAVE BACK.
***
CAN IT BE THUNDER
WHILE SUN IS STILL SHINNING?
BUT LOOK TO THE NORTH.
***
THE CLOUDS AND I RACE
TO BEAT THE SUDDEN RAINDROPS.
WINDSWEPT PETALS WIN.
***
LONELY SPRING RAINFALL
SEPARATES OUR VILLAGE HOMES
WITH MUD BARRIERS.
***
THE NEW GARDEN ROCKS
LONESOME FOR THEIR RIVER BED
REVEL IN THE RAIN.
***
UPON RETURNING
FROM WALKING, LOST IN SAD THOUGHT
I FOUND SPRSING HAD GONE.
***
*********************************
SUMMER
**********************************
THIS BRIGHT MORNING SUN
IS SWEEPING AWAY THE FOG
AND CLEARING MY MIND.
***
THE YOUNG BOY FISHING
FROM THE ROCK YEAR AFTER YEAR
NEVER GROWS OLDER.
***
THE BUZZING SOUND OF
BEES, CHAIN SAWS AND MOTOR BIKES:
SUMMER VISITORS.
***
I GO THE LONG WAY
NEW GROWWTH AND A SPIDER WEB
HAVE CLAIMED THE SHORT PATH.
***
THE CLOTHES BY THE BED
SMELL OF CRUSHED HERBS GROWING BY
THE PATH FROM THE GATE.
***
THE NEW ROCKERY
IS FINALLY SETTLING DOWN
ALMOST LOST IS FLOWERS.
***
GLOWING IN MOONLIGHT
INVISIBLE IN SUNLIGHT:
ELFIN WHITE FLOWERS.
***
STEPPED ON ONCE AGAIN
THIS SMALL PLANT IN THE PATHWAY
JUST KEEPS ON BLOOMING.
***
THE UNWATERED WEEDS
GROWING OUTSIDE THE GARDEN
HAVE BIGGER FLOWERS.
***
THE WINDING ROCK PATH
EACH DAY AND EXPANDING WORLD:
CREEPING MOSS AND THYME.
***
SURROUNDED BY SOUND:
ENDLESS HUMMING OF INSECTS
FLOWING IN SUNSHINE.
***
A FAT BLACK BEE RESTS
HAVING STAGGERED ITS WAY THROUGH
A MARIGOLD FEAST.
***
WE'VE BEEN FRIENDS TOO LONG
PERSISTENT COMPANION,
LOYAL MOSQUITO.
***
OH CATERPILLAR,
SHALL WE BOTH MAKE IT SOMEDAY,
AFTER ENOUGH TIME?
***
THE DADDYLONGLEGS
DESSTROYED IN THE WASH BASIN
RETURNS EVERY DAY.
***
THE WOODPECKER'S DIN
IMPATIENETLY CALLS ME BACK
FROM MY LAZY DREAMS.
***
THE SHADOWY TREES
SWALLOW THE RECKLESS BLUE JAY
THEN SPIT BACK ITS SQUAWK.
***
MY FIRST VISITOR
SITS DOWN ON AN UNPACKED BOX
WELCOME, SMALL CRICKET!
***
I HAVE GONE TOO FAR
INTO A SHADOWED FOREST
A BLESSED COCK CROWS.
***
I GAZE LOST IN AWE
AT STOEM CLOUDS BOILING ABOVE.
A RAINDROP FINDS ME.
***
A MISTY RAIN HIDES
THE HOT SUMMER'S GOLDEN FRUIT.
SWEET PERFUME ESCAPES.
***
DRIPPING AND SHAKING
THE FLOWERS SEEM TO BLAME ME
FOR LAST NIGHT'S RAINSTORM.
***
WHITE CLOUDS IN WET SKIES
AND A ROCKY WATERFALL
MEET IN A BRIGHT POOL.
***
A PART OF WHEEL
LEANS AGAINST A BROKEN RAIL.
I SQUAT DOWN WITH THEM.
***
LUCKILY, THE SUN
KNOWS WHEN TO LEAVE THE GARDEN,
OR I'D BE THERE YET.
***
EYES, TIRED FROM WRITING,
ARE SOOTHED BY A WASH OF SOUND:
A NIGHT BIRD'S CROONING.
***
***********************************
AUTUMN
***********************************
WITH SUMMER GUESTS GONE-
QUIET OF THE GARDEN
COMFORT OF NEIGHBORS
***
THE WIND AT ALL SIDES...
OLD FORBIDDEN MEMORIES
SIFTING THROUGH THE CRACKS
***
EACH YEAR MORE LOVELY
THE BURNISHED PLACE ON THE GATE:
VISITING NEIGHBORS
***
WIND WANTING ENTRANCE
THE TREES OPEN THEIR WINDDODWS:
THE SILVER RIVER
***
ON THIS DREARY DAY
A CIRCLE OF GLOWING LIGHT...
GOOD FRIENDS, QUIET TALK
***
CLUSTERS OF DEAD LEAVES
COVERING THE RIVER ROCKS
HIDE POOLS OF WATER
***
LAUGHING IN THE WIND
PLAYING WITH THE PAPER BAG
SOME OAK LEAVES FALL DOWN
***
THE LAST CLINGING LEAF
WONDERING IF IT'S TOO LATE
TO JOIN ITS OLD FRIENDS
***
I LOOK UP FOR RAIN
A JET TRAIL SLICES THE SKY
AN APPLE DROPS DOWN
***
THERE IS NO PLACE LEFT
TO SIT IN THIS OLD GARDEN
CROWDEDD WITH TIRED GHOSTS
***
THE OLD BASKET
NOW BEYOND GARDEN HAULING
BULGES WITH SOFT YARN
***
JAR OF DRIED HERBS
OPEN BOOK ON THE SINK
AN OLD PRESSED FLOWER
***
THE DOLL BY THE BUSH
HAS SPENT THE DAY FIXING HER
CHRYSANTHEMUM HAIR
***
THE LANTERN IN OUT
EMPTY GARDEN IS FILLED
WITH A VAGRANT WIND
***
THE BIRD'S SONG IS HEARD
IN MY REMEMBERING HEART
LIKE HEALING TEARDROPS
***
THE KNEES IN MY PANTS
FOLD TIREDLY ON THE HARD FLOOR
HOW GOOD THE BED FEELS
***
WINTER
***
HOW SILENT THE SNOW
UNNOTICED WHILE DAY DREAMING
ANOTHER YEAR GONE
***
LAST SUMMER'S GARDEN
IS SUNDRENCHED AND COLORFUL
ON THIS WINTER DAY
***
A GARDEN HAVEN
ROCKS HIDING IN WINTER GRASS
ALSO HIDE SMALL THINGS
***
NOW THAT IT IS FIXED
I MISS THAT GATE'S TROUBLESOME
HARSHLY WARNING VOICE
***
AN EARLY SNOWFALL
THE SHOVEL HUGS THE OLD TREE
NEVER ENOUGH TIME
***
WHEN SNOW STOPS FALLING
SOUND RETURNS TO VALLEY
HOW CLEAR THE WINDBELLS
***
ON LEAFLESS BRANCHES
WINDBELLS CALL TO EACH OTHER
IN THE BITTER COLD
***
SNOWFALL HIDES THE GATE
ALONE IN A DRIFTING WORLD
I HEAR MY HEART BEAT
***
ONCE AGAIN THAT PINE
WAITING 'TIL' I'M UNDER IT
HAS PLOPPED DOWN ITS SNOW
***
SNOWBIRD, UNABLE
TO STAY ON A WIND TOSSED REED
FLIES TOO ANOTHER
***
SNOW HIDES THE RIVER
THE MOON SEARCHES SLOWLY THROUGH
TANGLE PATTERNED GRASS
***
STAR FILLED CRYSTAL POOL
AND SNOW CLOUDS CAUGHT IN TREE BOUGHS
MAKE LACE OF TWO MOONS
***
WHITE CHURNING WATER...
A WINTER RIVER, DREAMING
OF FALLING BLOSSOMS
***
RISING WINTER STREAMS
GRUMBLE AT THE RIVER ROCKS
NOW RETAINING WALLS
***
DARK CLOUDS AND RIVERS
SWOLLEN WITH FURIOUS GRIEF
FROM SOMEONE UPSTREAM
***
ANCIENT SHIPWRECKED TREES
CAST SHADOWS OF TALL BLACK MASTS
ALONG STAGNANT POOLS
***
AT THIS LOW DARK PLACE
I LOOK DOWN UPON THE SKY
MOURNING ITS TORN MOON
***
A COLD FOREST POOL...
SHADOWS STITCHING SHATTERED STARS
BACK INTO THE SKY
***
THE BITTER WIND HOWLS
THE ROCKS CROUCH INTO THE CLIFF
A WARM RABBIT SLEEPS
***
THE EMPTY SPACES
OF THE WINTER GARDEN WAIT
TO BE FILLED WITH LIFE
***
RAIN BEATS BRITTLE LEAVES
INTO GENTLE SUBMISSION
THIS SPRING: DAFFODILS
***
WINTER USELESSNESS...
TOO EARLY TO SPADE THE GROUND
AIMLESS WANDERING
***
THE SKY IS BREAKING
INTO MILLIONS OF PIECES
OF FALLING SNOWFLAKES
***
WINTER SLOWLY MELTS
BUT RETURNS TO PEEK AT EARTH
FROM THE FIRST PINK BUDS
***
THE END
***********************************************
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