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

                    ***

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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.

***

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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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