Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Haiku Chain - Cats

A conversation with April Gilliland, concerning our cats!  

Earliest (first) haiku at the bottom



July 19 -- Hap
cat as ring bearer
will your sister allow it?
spread heirloom roses



May 13 -- April
Purring lulls me to
sleep, but the morning meow
jars me awake fast




May 13 -- Hap
cat alarm clock spent
all night outdoors --- but my own
internal clock worked




May 10 -- April
A cat day-timer
would lead to happiness- eat,
sleep, cuddle, and dream.




May 10 -- Hap
the gentle rumble
of her purr, weight on my chest
black cat alarm clock



May 9 -- April
More demanding of
my time than the toughest boss,
my cat rules my day



May 9 -- Hap
hair on my neck stands ~
involuntary shiver ~
as black cat's eyes stare



May 7 -- April
Buttons aren't as cute
as your pinkish little nose,
adorable prince.



May 7 -- Hap
my feline muse mews
she paces the piano
a ragtime kitten



May 5 -- April
Velveted paw strikes
my hand when undoing shoes.
He stalks shoelaces.



May 5 -- Hap
spent; too pooped to pop
as the saying goes --- she dreams
of stalking sparrows



May 4 -- April
Once exuberant,
now snoring on back of couch.
My cat ebbs and flows.



May 3 -- Hap
cat streaks thru the house
up walls, over furniture
less catnip next time!



Mar 22 -- April
Why watch a movie,
when I could stare at a wall,
or groom my striped tail?




Mar 22 -- Hap
Ahh, 'Aristocats'
streaming on Netflix.com
fun for one and all




Mar 21 -- April
If I could just find
paperclips so engaging . . .
Cancel my Netflix.




Mar 21 -- Hap
like me, she's older ~
but still enjoys a romp ... just ~
a little slower




Mar 19 -- April
A feather on string
becomes a bright flying bird.
A brilliant cat toy.




Mar 18 -- Hap
lioness at heart ~
mistress of her domain ... roams ~
our home's savannah



Mar 17 -- April
I am suspicious
when cat trips me yet again.
Is there a hit out?



Mar 16 -- Hap
I'm often sure the ~
cat is plotting my demise ~
when her meal is late!



Mar 15 -- April
Husband gasps in pain,
as cat leaps onto his lap.
Twisted cat humour.



Mar 15 -- Hap
cat circles three times ~
then kneads my lap ... careful there! ~
she purrs, I relax



Mar 13 -- April
Am I just a chair
for your afternoon cat nap?
Silence! You’re a bed.



Mar 12 -- Hap
the cat and I, a
lively chat ... her acks and mews
my grunts and rumbles



Mar 11 -- April
The cat won’t forget
about the missed treats or pets.
Interrupted sleep.



Mar 11 -- Hap
legs at the gallop
she dreams of the chase
the fearless feline



Mar 10 -- April
Finally the sun
has returned to warm his spot.
Reserved window seat.



Mar 9 -- Hap
she curls on my lap
her prized pillow ... a dream of
white billowy clouds



Mar 8 -- April
This heating pad is
not being used; it’s mine now.
Sharing is caring.



Mar 8 -- Hap
whine builds upon whine
pacing, she waits for cat chow
'hurry', she whimpers



Mar 7 == April
Before the sun’s up,
a soft bunt and "brrrrt" rouse me.
It’s time for cuddles.



Mar 7 -- Hap
cat purrs vibrate
thru her weight on my chest
personal alarm



Mar 6 -- April
Passed out on the couch,
like a small sleeping leopard,
Lamont distracts me.



Mar 6 -- Hap
her weight on my chest ~
so near I feel her breathing ~
'feed me', her purrs say



Mar 5 -- April
An extra pillow
by my head that snores and purrs.
The joys of cat love.



Mar 5 -- Hap
Luci and I know
each other; such a kitten
I stroke her, she purrs.



Mar 4 -- April
On dark rainy days,
my cure to the blues is cat
cuddles and chocolate.



Mar 4 -- Hap
catnip mania
Lucifer berserker
like a March lion



Mar 3 -- April
It’s only my foot,
but cat delivers death bite.
Dangers of catnip.



Mar 3 -- Hap
nervous tail twitches
yellow eyes fixed on her prey
cat gathers, and springs



Mar 2 -- April
The steady drizzle
saturates the garden bed.
Wet cat mews at door

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

haiku - Page 3






Explore
my fingers explore
your hills and caves --- and feel
the quaking begin 
 
 
 
 
Blossoming
in April wind gusts
a blossoming butterfly
flowers on plum branch
 
 



Daisy Petals
loves me, loves me not
daisy petals flood the floor
drought amid bounty 





War Dead
war dead ~
silently await ~
the bugle's call





Life And Death
crows march to and fro
eyeing the dying rabbit
fear and hunger vie







Buddha's Smile
the serenity
of the Buddha's smile --- reborn
a hyacinth blooms







Mountain Lake
Teton mountain lake
windless water flat as glass
mirrored earth and sky







Passing Reflections
passing reflections ~
in the mind's panorama ~
a long winter night




Words
bend of the river ~
building silt changes the flow ~
words pile upon words




Foray
mountains and valleys
foray into new exploits
your feminine form





Thoughtless
gentle patter of ~
rain of roof tiles --- the thunder ~
of our thoughtless words




Her Happiness
her happiness
my sole desire --- tears bathe
a fertile garden



Broken Hearts
broken hearts in pain
the banked fires of passion add
to our bonds of pearl


The Ant
an ant
struggles up a
mountainous pebble
 




Spring Cleaning
spring cleaning distress
as an ant struggles up a
mountainous pebble
 

 
 
Spring Baseball
sitting in the sun
thrill at the crack of the bat
spring in Florida
 



Lonely Mockingbird

lonely mockingbird
sits on my porch railing
singing his desire
 



Persephone
Persephone wakes ~
from her winter nap ~
leaves and blossoms sprout 



 
 
Caffeine
caffeine beckons
hot, black glory
my mood lightens
 



Fireflies
laughing children
filling mason jars
with fireflies  






my reflection leapt ~
from the still, clear water ~
liquid mirror




Lady Bug

Lady Bug is a
deadly mistress ... rose aphids
make a tasty snack

 
 
 
 
 
 




Scissortail
sharing the porch
with two flycatchers 
watching the rain




 
 
 
Chrysanthemums
chrysanthemums ~
offered to the Buddha ~
plea for early spring
      
 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

haiku chain

...a conversation in hokku, or chain of haiku, between April Gilliland (@ajegilliland) and Hap Rochelle (@haproche)


Hap begins with...

Jan 23
April is such a
lovely reminder of Spring
in frigid winter

Jan 24 ... A
Your name implies luck,
I feel lucky to know you.
Loved your poem, Hap.

Jan 24 ... H
the luck of the French
lacks the panache of the Celts
I slip on the ice

Jan 25 ... A
From my name you’d think
April birth, but that’s not true.
Eccentric parents.

Jan 25 ... H
parents, the only ~
friends we do not choose ... give ~
thanks for their passion

Jan 25 ... A
My sister’s bonded
to me by shared genes, parents.
And yet we are friends.





Jan 26 ... H
My sweetheart sister ~
as close to me as a twin ~
a muskmelon halved



 


Jan 26 ... A
Younger sisters are
a duty, joy, and precious.
I love Julia.


Jan 27 ... H
siblings I think, are ~
sent to test our love ... patience ~
of walking in snow


Jan 28 ... A
When we were children
petty squabbles seemed so big.
Time bridged our age gap.


Jan 28 ... H
winter becomes spring ~
time allows for beginnings ~
new family ties

Jan 29 ... A
Sister’s impending
wedding makes me feel so old.
Childhood slips away

Jan 29 ... H
December sneaks in ~
while we fritter May ... turn round ~
and youth is finished






Jan 30 -- A
Distant memories
of our summer vacations.
Faded old photos.










Jan 31 ... H
box upon box of _
bright and faded memories ~
sandals or mittens


Feb 1 -- A
Memory fades but
I still smile wearing those shoes.
Black suede peep-toe heels.


Feb 2 -- H
the heels of my shoes ~
worn from hard effort ... struggle ~
against the north wind


Feb 3 -- A
The wind whispers of
regret and long lost chances.
Always seize the day.


Feb 4 -- H
regrets are assured ~
love life despite faint errors ~
view a hazy moon


Feb 4 -- A
When I stare at my
reflection, where did time go?
River keeps running.


Feb 5 -- H
bent form, agile mind
looking back ... as plum blossoms
follow autumn leaves


Feb 5 -- A
Blossoms fluttering
down to the slow moving creek.
Our youth drifts away.


Mar 4 -- H
spring becomes summer
the passions of youth remain
intemperate dreams


Mar 4 -- A
Flowers don’t paint their
faces like youth in their prime.
Youth’s wasted on youth


Mar 6 -- H
Like blind men
we stumble our way through youth
wrong turnings add up


Mar 6 -- A
Whispering in my
ear, time tells all, but I’m deaf.
Siren’s song of youth.


Mar 7 -- H
imprison your youth
age is full of aches and pains
stiffness of winter


Mar 7 -- A
Injecting vials
of botulism won’t halt time.
Can’t outsmart the Fates.


Mar 8 -- H
low self-esteem leads
fools to poison 'remedies'
freeze wrinkles away


Mar 8 -- A
Petal soft cheeks will
crease with age, but that’s okay.
Age creates beauty.


Mar 9 -- H
from babies we grow
silken skin becomes softer
as old age creeps in


Mar 10 -- A
While my mother dreads
birthdays, I anticipate,
cake with fine ice cream.


Mar 11 -- H
cold ice cream, warm cake
essence of birthday joy, on
a sunny spring day


Mar 11 -- A
Wrinkles, aches and
pains, slowing metabolism.
Wouldn’t change a thing.


Mar 12 -- H
Don't get me started.
Never watched the diet till now.
old age is such a pain!


Mar 13 -- A
When we’re young we
wish for age and vice versa.
Grass always greener.


Mar 15 -- H
Like melting snow, this ~
life is all we have, but then ~
I've been wrong before!


Mar 15 -- A
The small snowball fast
becomes a boulder downhill.
Time accelerates.


Mar 16 -- H
age sneaks in ... I think
much more often of one last
summer in the sun


Mar 17 -- A
In my mind I switch
from child to teen to aged.
But my body’s stuck.


Apr 19 -- H
my paramount fear
is the blight of dementia
a cold winter wind


Mar 19 -- A
Or fully aware
yet physically all helpless.
Aging has its barbs.