haiku-usa

anthology pieces

2012-02-14T18:17:00.000-08:00

I am honored to have two of my poems selected for Carving Darkness: The Red Moon Anthology of English Language Haiku 2011

mood ring

what she's not

telling me

a voice that says

my call is important

cold rain

Both have been previously posted at this blog. "mood ring" was an entry in the Shiki Monthly Kukai for December 2010 (it ran out of the money). "a voice" was first published in Modern Haiku.

This marks the fifth time in six years that I have been included in this anthology. For further information on this and other publications of the Red Moon Press, go to www.redmoonpress.com.

Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day

she tells him how much

he loves her

L

2012-02-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

morning after . . .

I think her name

begins with L

Monika's translation of this can be found among the comments on "kiss," february 5.

As Monika has reminded me, the original of this was a response to a comment on "kiss." I've made a slight revision in line 2. Let me know if you have a preference.

kiss

2012-02-05T13:01:00.000-08:00

midnight kiss

still making promises

to myself

Shiki Kukai January 2012; kigo: New Year's resolutions

snow in the city

2012-02-01T10:37:00.000-08:00

snow in the city

the homeless man

deep in a doorway

Second place, Shiki Kukai, January 2012.

79

2012-01-29T10:16:00.000-08:00

I make faces

at the mirror

so many things

2012-01-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

winter tree . . .

so many things

forgotten

A slightly different version of this haiku was posted as a comment at Andrew Lockhart's blog.

even

2012-01-25T13:17:00.000-08:00

even at my age

I feel myself smiling . . .

the first snowflakes

A slightly different version was posted as a comment at tikkis's blog.

dust

2012-01-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

dusting the books

I'll read when I have time –

winter solstice

first published at Temps libre

deep night

2012-01-17T10:41:00.000-08:00

deep night

snow falling through

the silence

This is a revised version of one I recently posted as a comment at Warren's blog.

undressing

2012-01-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

undressing for bed

I find a hole in my sock –

the winter wind

First published in Tempslibres

new year

2012-01-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

new year

same resolution

same weight

thaw (climate senryu)

2012-01-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

January thaw

right on schedule –

nothing to thaw

twelfth night

2012-01-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

Twelfth Night

the rest

is winter

Consider this the mood piece of a retired English teacher.

anesthesia

2012-01-03T11:47:00.000-08:00

anesthesia

wearing off

steady rain

first published in Notes from the Gean

boxing day

2011-12-29T09:45:00.000-08:00

Boxing Day

the homeless man

sleeps late

This was directly inspired by a "boxing day" ku written by my friend Chen-ou Liu.

Further information on Boxing Day, for those who may not be familiar with it, is available at Wikipedia

after: 24

2011-12-29T07:36:00.000-08:00

the lanterns lit

this holiday eve

nobody around

after Hosai (1885-1926)

angel

2011-12-23T09:42:00.001-08:00

Christmas angel –

lifting my granddaughter

to the top of the tree

Christmas blessings to all, and may your year be filled with haiku moments.

15 december 2011

2011-12-21T05:49:00.000-08:00

war's end

I cross an item

off my to-do list

teenagers

2011-12-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

winter solstice

the teenagers make a vow

for now

(Jumping the gun by a few days, I know. In spite of the kigo, this feels more like senryu to me. Maybe it's haikyu or senryku.)

after: 23

2011-12-13T06:11:00.000-08:00

a stray cat

crying in the garden

winter

After Shiki (1866-1902)

swim

2011-12-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

midnight swim

the curve of her hip

in my hand

First published in Notes from the Gean

En francais (Monika's translation)

bain de nuit

la courbe de sa hanche

dans ma main

random

2011-12-05T16:25:00.000-08:00

random thoughts

the bath water

gone tepid

Shiki Kukai, November 2011; keyword: BATH

crisp

2011-12-01T07:35:00.000-08:00

crisp wind

the taste of the apple

just after picking

First published in Tempslibre, where it is translated into French:

vent piquant

le gout de la pomme

juste cueillie

down under

2011-11-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

down under –

her lips as she says

eucalyptus

Shiki Kukai, November 2011

St. Cecilia's Day

2011-11-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

Saint Cecilia's Day –

the sound of my own

tuneless humming

November 22 is the Feast of St. Cecilia, patron of music and musicians

surfing

2011-11-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

surfing the web

at midnight

the winter wind

I've just posted a slightly different version of this in a comment on "voice." It's published in Haiku Calendar 2012, published by Allbook Books. If you're interested in the calendar, I suggest you e-mail my friend Mankh at

mankh@allbook-books.com

voice

2011-11-13T14:09:00.000-08:00

a voice that says

my call is important

cold rain

First published in Modern Haiku

after:22

2011-10-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

autumn loneliness

the distant sound

of a temple bell

After Yusui, 17th century

I'm taking a short break, to return around the middle of November. Stay well, my friends.

Honor

2011-10-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

I've just been informed that this version of the haiku I posted here on October 5 has been voted #1 for the year in the Shiki Kukai, free format category

rain on the windshield

the old argument

back and forth

Quite an honor.

equinox

2011-10-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

autumn equinox

the doctor explains

life expectancy

Posted as a comment at tikkis's blog a few weeks ago

late

2011-10-17T12:58:00.000-07:00

late autumn

she says I don't

look that old

First published in Modern Haiku

voice

2011-10-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

a voice that says

my call is important

cold rain

First published in Modern Haiku

la

2011-10-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

la petite mort . . .

as though I could

live forever

First published in Modern Haiku

rain

2011-10-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

rain on the windshield

the old quarrel

back and forth

First place, Shiki Kukai, free format, September 2011; Keyword "rain"

There's a copying error above. The text as it appeared in the kukai:

rain on the windshield

the old argument

back and forth

I'm leaving both versions up, since the earlier posting has already received comments.

A quarrel is an argument, but an argument is not necessarily a quarrel.

glass

2011-09-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

a glass half empty

on the windowsill

autumn sunset

First published in Ambrosia

snack

2011-09-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

midnight snack

at the kitchen window

a bite out of the moon

First posted as a response to an original by Melissa Allen at her blog. You can see her excellent original (and, if you're not already acquainted with it, get to know her blog) by clicking on red dragonfly in the list of blogs on the home page.

memory

2011-09-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

autumn memory

of those walks with my father . . .

the silences

A slightly revised version of a haiku originally posted at the Caribbean Kigo Kukai

commute

2011-09-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

commuter train

an abandoned crossword

started in ink

shadows

2011-09-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

morning shadows

a summer cough

lingers

First published in Acorn

moving in

2011-09-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

moving in

to my sand castle

the sea

Third place, Caribbean Kigo Kukai 28. Assigned kigo: sand

difference

2011-09-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

the difference

a sparrow makes –

bare branches

First published in The Heron's Nest

hiatus

2011-06-30T11:50:00.000-07:00

I won't be posting here in July and August.

Stay well.

See you in September

sultry

2011-06-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

sultry afternoon . . .

fingering

the wind chimes

First published in Notes from the Gean

marmalade

2011-06-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

midsummer morning . . .

licking marmalade

from a knuckle

prom

2011-06-21T18:17:00.000-07:00

senior prom –

a little too big

for Dad's tuxedo

Caribbean Kigo Kukai, June, 2011; kigo/topic: "tuxedo"

after:21

2011-06-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

cool of the evening

how happy I am

I was born a man

Kikaku 1661-1709

A comment by R. H. Blyth (Haiku, v. 3, p. 743):

What Kikaku meant was that being born a man enabled him to sit practically naked and cool himself in the evening breeze. But in addition, there is the fact that to be born a man instead of a woman is as much a matter of congratulation as being born a man instead of a giraffe.

A comment on Kikaku and Blyth by me:

cool of the evening

how happy I am

she's a woman

galaxies

2011-06-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

distant galaxies . . .

taking another

wrong turn

First published in The Heron's Nest

dawn

2011-06-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

dawn at the lake

I think about living

in the moment

First published in Modern Haiku

June 6

2011-06-06T15:19:00.000-07:00

sixth of June

a quiet day

at the beach

June 6, 1944: Lest we forget.

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day

our oldest veteran

is younger this year

coming

2011-05-28T07:19:00.000-07:00

the coming of summer

a new mother watches

the dawn

Skiki Kukai May 2011; Kigo: "the coming of summer"

ribbon

2011-05-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

old oak tree

a yellow ribbon

from some other war

In a lightly different version, this took second place in the Caribbean Kigo Kukai for May 2011. The assigned topic was "ribbon."

May 21, 2011

2011-05-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

iced tea

on a sunny afternoon . . .

rapture!

Okay, if the world does end today, I'll be very embarrassed.

after: 20

2011-05-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

"the spring wind"

say master and servant

walking side by side

Taigi 1709-1771

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

bar

2011-05-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

airport bar

the long descent

of evening

First published in Modern Haiku

breeze

2011-04-22T21:46:00.001-07:00

spring breeze

somebody's dog running free

or nobody's

I'll be running free for a couple of weeks. I'll be back around May 10. Stay well.

after:19

2011-04-19T16:02:00.000-07:00

sparkling

in the water I draw

spring

Ringai ?-?

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

friend

2011-04-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

a friend has died

dandelions

everywhere

First published in Notes from the Gean

colors

2011-04-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

the colors

in an old quilt

autumn deepens

First published in Acorn

spring moon

2011-04-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

spring moon drifting from dream to dream

First published in Notes from the Gean; one of my rare one-liners

after: 18

2011-04-07T07:06:00.001-07:00

even neglected

the potted plant flourishes –

spring day

Shiki 1866-1902

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

long afternoon

2011-04-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

long afternoon

a squirrel's leap

from tree to tree

Shiki Kukai, March 2011

kigo" "signs of spring"

Like "long day, " "long afternoon"is a traditional spring kigo. To be sure, summer days are longer still, but our awareness that the days are growing longer is a phenomenon of spring.

April 1

2011-04-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

bare branches

beaded with raindrops

April Fool's Day

crows

2011-03-31T06:53:00.000-07:00

crows skimming

the unbroken snow

nothing more

Shiki Kukai, March 2011; theme: crow

heaven

2011-03-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

heavenly days –

Andy Warhol kisses

Liz Taylor's ring

Let perpetual light shine upon them

buds

2011-03-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

first buds

the dream fading

as I tell it

First place, Caribbean Kigo Kukai, March 2011

names

2011-03-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

all the names

I'm learning to pronounce –

tsunami

shapes

2011-03-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

cloud shapes

I cross out

a line

First published in Notes from the Gean.

after: 17

2011-03-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

plum blossoms

red! red!

. . . red!

Izen ?-1710

A poem about being rendered inarticulate in his excitement at a natural phenomenon. What's got him so excited? Perhaps these will help to explain:

plum trees flowering

around the countryside

the only sign of spring

Rito 1680-1754

in nooks and crannies

you can still feel the cold –

plum blossoms

Buson 1716-1784

spreading my mat in the field

I contemplate

plum blossoms

Buson

raising my head

to contemplate the vast sky –

the scent of plum blossoms

Soin 1604-1682

for the one whose hand

breaks off a branch

the scent of plum blossoms

Chiyo-ni 1701-1775

after breaking off

a flowering branch –

no more hiccups!

Issa 1763-1827

someone is blowing

his nose with his fingers –

plum blossoms

Basho 1644-1694

The "after" posted Dec. 30, 2010 may cast further light on the issue.

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

shoreline

2011-03-06T11:51:00.000-08:00

shoreline

what winter

has left us

Shiki kukai September 2010

After: 16

2011-03-02T08:25:00.000-08:00

the evening bell

fades away . . .

blossoms' scent

Basho 1644-1694

We can use a little spring.

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

undocumented

2011-02-26T14:34:00.000-08:00

undocumented

he shows me pictures

of his children

First published in Notes from the Gean

clearing

2011-02-23T20:54:00.000-08:00

clear sky

she says we need

to talk

First published in Frogpond

safe

2011-02-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

safe sex –

saying nothing

I'll regret

First published in Modern Haiku

after: 15

2011-02-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

has spring arrived –

the hill without a name

lost in the mist

Basho (1644-1694)

For an explanation of "afters," see posting for Nov. 2, 2010.

returning

2011-02-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

returning spring

in the dawn light she looks like

my first love

Line 1 may be a bit optimistic, but it is warming up, and, in my personal saijiki, spring begins on Valentine's Day, regardless of the weather.

glittering

2011-02-10T05:24:00.000-08:00

glittering stars

the pine tree sheds

its snow

for Melissa

2011-02-06T05:49:00.000-08:00

This was written a few minutes ago in honor of Melissa's birthday

another birthday

I remind my friends

to forget it

You can visit Melissa to add your greetings or just to get to know her and her excellent haiku at

http://haikuproject.wordpress.com

My birthday was Jan. 29, in case you were wondering.

dawn

2011-02-03T09:07:00.000-08:00

winter dawn –

sorting out

my feelings

Shiki Kukai, January, 2011

after: 14

2011-01-31T08:35:00.003-08:00

after: 14

2011-01-31T08:35:00.001-08:00

first snow

having looked at it

I wash my face

Etsujin 1656-1739

The estimable R. H. Blyth says of this, "This is one of those things that should be left unsaid." In his rendering, the verb in line 2 is "gaze," rather than "look at."

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010.

old moon

2011-01-29T16:02:00.000-08:00

old moon

another friend

has died

Shiki Kukai, January 2011

after : 13

2011-01-26T16:06:00.003-08:00

even colder

than the snow – the winter moon

on my white hair

Joso 1661-1704

For an explanation of afters, see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

ruffles

2011-01-25T07:17:00.001-08:00

January thaw

a breeze ruffles the leaves

of the calendar

Revision of a haiku that appeared at the Caribbean Kigo Kukai, January 2010

year's end

2011-01-22T10:26:00.000-08:00

year's end

clouds carrying off

scraps of moonlight

First published in The Heron's Nest

thaw

2011-01-18T06:40:00.000-08:00

January thaw

empty storefront

at the mall

First published in Modern Haiku

after: 12

2011-01-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

mountain temple

the sound of a bell

in falling snow

Issa (1763-1827)

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010.

urban haiku

2011-01-14T09:47:00.000-08:00

A selection of urban haiku I've written has been posted at

http://haikutopics.blogspot.com/2011/01/bill-kenney-urban.html

These are the haiku MichaleenFlynn mentions in a comment on "winter." Most of them have previously appeared at this blog.

winter

2011-01-12T15:18:00.000-08:00

long winter

my wife slows her pace

to mine

First published in The Heron's Nest

Arizona

2011-01-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

CONGRESSWOMAN IS SHOT IN RAMPAGE NEAR TUCSON

Tucson – Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, and 18 others were shot Saturday morning when a gunman opened fire outside a supermarket where Ms. Giffords was meeting with constituents. Six of the victims died . . .

New York Times, page one, Jan. 9, 2011

Arizona

democracy

in the cross hairs

At the website maintained by the political action committee of Sarah Palin, former half-term governor of Alaska, along with the slogan "DON'T RETREAT, RELOAD," one could until recently have found a map that showed selected congressional districts through what appeared to be the cross hairs of a rifle. One of these was the district Gabrielle Giffords represents. (Reportedly, as of the morning of Jan. 9, the map could still be seen at Palin's Facebook page.)

Weaponry was also a theme of the unsuccessful election campaign run by Ms. Giffords' Republican opponent, Jesse Kelly.

According to the Arizona Daily Star:

"Kelly's campaign event website has a stern-looking photo of the former Marine in military garb holding his weapon. It includes the headline: Get on Target f0r Victory in November. Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office. Shoot a fully automatic M 16 with Jesse Kelly."

The event was scheduled for June 12, 2010. It cost $50

Score one for Jesse and Sarah.

mood

2011-01-09T05:06:00.000-08:00

mood ring

what she's not

telling me

Shiki Kukai December 2010

after: 11

2011-01-06T21:07:00.000-08:00

piercing cold

I kiss a plum blossom

in my dream

Soseki 1867-1916

On the significance of plum blossoms in Japanese haiku, see the note to "after: 10."

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2,2010

not

2011-01-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

not as tall

as I used to be . . .

winter sky

Shiki Kukai, December 2010

nothing

2011-01-01T08:40:00.001-08:00

nothing changes

once again I resolve

to change

fallen snow

2010-12-31T21:56:00.001-08:00

old snow

rising in the wind

the new year

It's 12:58 AM here.

year's end 2010

2010-12-31T06:47:00.000-08:00

year's end

staring at the moon

I blink

HAPPY NEW YEAR

after :10

2010-12-30T06:00:00.001-08:00

limbs of the plum tree

groaning in winter wind–

mine too

Buson 1716-1784

It's impossible to miss the humor in Buson's haiku, rendered very freely here. But there's also a willingness to see oneself objectively, humbly, and unsentimentally as part of nature, and not only when nature is smiling. Buson also knew that the appearance of the plum blossoms will be an early indication that the worst of winter has passed.

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

this old house

2010-12-28T06:41:00.000-08:00

this old house

after a blizzard

the wind on all sides

jingle

2010-12-24T09:47:00.000-08:00

the jingle

of a beggar's cup

Christmas Eve

And may your cup run over now and through the new year.