...
search the laundry void
you never know what's in a
little boy's pockets
...
anxious universe
these eons in the making
crumbs of compassion
...
dream zebras are neat
a shame that you hate haiku
you'd despise my blog
...
silent shuriken
depression is a ninja
keep vigilant light
...
a vinegar truth:
poetry is more lovely
than many poets
...
logic and feeling
perpendicular senses
one is time, one space
...
happiness surprise
thank you for retweeting blog
from wild roses
...
when dreamer's dreams lost
devote soul to compassion
help others, help self
...
generosity
a trail of fallen branches
sunbeam from shadow
...
Saturday, April 30
Friday, April 29
Mister MacAllister
...
mister macallister
born a bomb
hot stuff teenager
married a waitress from utah
three kids with too many teeth
garage of broken pieces
job job job day in day out
punch a timesheet
punch at the bar and run
a man dies
electric chair
cowled death comes
“last words?”
mister macallister
says
“watch me explode”
...
Inspired by Flash Friday 55 at G-man.
...
mister macallister
born a bomb
hot stuff teenager
married a waitress from utah
three kids with too many teeth
garage of broken pieces
job job job day in day out
punch a timesheet
punch at the bar and run
a man dies
electric chair
cowled death comes
“last words?”
mister macallister
says
“watch me explode”
...
Inspired by Flash Friday 55 at G-man.
...
Collected Haiku #19
...
contact established
generous aliens gift
help to destroy us
...
anonymous brutes
crouch in computer caverns
these modern grendels
...
nothing is silent
except space, a glorious
potential of sound
...
dark chocolate bunny
as life devoured, dreams of
white chocolate human
...
grain of desert sand
resplendent affinities
when I respire
...
this lightning will not
strike my sensitivity
grounded with patience
...
no one knows what the
elephant knows, for fogy
he did retire
...
message compelling
cup a worthy metaphor
excellent poem
...
a balance between
our attachments loosened and
everything let go
...
contact established
generous aliens gift
help to destroy us
...
anonymous brutes
crouch in computer caverns
these modern grendels
...
nothing is silent
except space, a glorious
potential of sound
...
dark chocolate bunny
as life devoured, dreams of
white chocolate human
...
grain of desert sand
resplendent affinities
when I respire
...
this lightning will not
strike my sensitivity
grounded with patience
...
no one knows what the
elephant knows, for fogy
he did retire
...
message compelling
cup a worthy metaphor
excellent poem
...
a balance between
our attachments loosened and
everything let go
...
Thursday, April 28
I Made A New Word
...
After Anne Billson tweeted there should be a word for "the anxiety you feel about not having the time to see all the films, read all the books or hear all the music," and Neil Gaiman retweeted her request, I took it upon myself to make a word for just such an occasion:
"Blunderclumped"
Then I submitted both word and definition to Urban Dictionary, and bam, word made. It's that simple.
Here's a haiku honoring the birth of a new word:
"blunderclumped" a word
at urban dictionary
english grows, huzzah!
...
After Anne Billson tweeted there should be a word for "the anxiety you feel about not having the time to see all the films, read all the books or hear all the music," and Neil Gaiman retweeted her request, I took it upon myself to make a word for just such an occasion:
"Blunderclumped"
Then I submitted both word and definition to Urban Dictionary, and bam, word made. It's that simple.
Here's a haiku honoring the birth of a new word:
"blunderclumped" a word
at urban dictionary
english grows, huzzah!
...
They Say The Measure
...
They say the measure of our happiness
is the love we spread around, fertilizer
in the garden of soul seeds, I confess
nevertheless, thus far my rake did err
with a baleful slash of pessimism
followed by a mixture of glee killer
miasmatic spray of criticism:
"quick! aim! there falls another amateur!"
what a blighted landscape I would become
if I followed the path of toxic words
to witch's oven with creative crumbs
devoured by flock of pretentious birds
instead I'll devote my cultivation
to grow our grass greener with gentle sun
...
They say the measure of our happiness
is the love we spread around, fertilizer
in the garden of soul seeds, I confess
nevertheless, thus far my rake did err
with a baleful slash of pessimism
followed by a mixture of glee killer
miasmatic spray of criticism:
"quick! aim! there falls another amateur!"
what a blighted landscape I would become
if I followed the path of toxic words
to witch's oven with creative crumbs
devoured by flock of pretentious birds
instead I'll devote my cultivation
to grow our grass greener with gentle sun
...
Wednesday, April 27
Collected Haiku #18
...
smile electric?
poems that brainwash to stick
finger in socket
...
if I scratch my head
with everything you do, I'd
dig hole to china
...
jedi care not for
glory; interconnections
extant rather know
...
you love every ship
on the ocean, I love you
as the deepest trench
...
e e cummings speaks
to your heart when he is dead
and I'm wordless here
...
purple tenderness
from a diminutive frame
a smirk, wind scampers
...
your face painted is
sensual as a sunset
wonderful fiction
...
easter teaches us
every day we are reborn
to a precious world
...
when the world freezes
as I reach my winter years
your snowflake hand melts
...
smile electric?
poems that brainwash to stick
finger in socket
...
if I scratch my head
with everything you do, I'd
dig hole to china
...
jedi care not for
glory; interconnections
extant rather know
...
you love every ship
on the ocean, I love you
as the deepest trench
...
e e cummings speaks
to your heart when he is dead
and I'm wordless here
...
purple tenderness
from a diminutive frame
a smirk, wind scampers
...
your face painted is
sensual as a sunset
wonderful fiction
...
easter teaches us
every day we are reborn
to a precious world
...
when the world freezes
as I reach my winter years
your snowflake hand melts
...
Tuesday, April 26
You Know Me Not
...
You know me not for I am a poet
how would you? I've not accepted myself
others threw different roles at life's roulette
dependence on creation did I quell
my brain teems as did keats, though I defer
judgment of my genius until I pass
to nothingness and my verses transfer
to conceits of society en masse
I surrender to inspiration's call
zealous eyes aflame confirm evidence
of a transcendentally possessed thrall
please! don't mistake ardor for arrogance
ahead overgrown path of artistry
with bladed wit, strike in service to dreams
...
You know me not for I am a poet
how would you? I've not accepted myself
others threw different roles at life's roulette
dependence on creation did I quell
my brain teems as did keats, though I defer
judgment of my genius until I pass
to nothingness and my verses transfer
to conceits of society en masse
I surrender to inspiration's call
zealous eyes aflame confirm evidence
of a transcendentally possessed thrall
please! don't mistake ardor for arrogance
ahead overgrown path of artistry
with bladed wit, strike in service to dreams
...
Monday, April 25
As I Should Have
...
As I should have in ages past, I give
up, I surrender to your desires
though no longer in me do you believe
I believe in you, ever your squire
cast aside my sword, to your wants I yield
lo, though you said you'd love me forever
back then; my broken banner quits the field
right now when you say your love will never
return; I'd defeat any foe for you
yet with only a word you lay me low
bury hope in catacomb, I set to
an oubliette from which you'll never know
my suffering; from dungeon I'll emerge
armor battered: still, mettle will resurge
...
As I should have in ages past, I give
up, I surrender to your desires
though no longer in me do you believe
I believe in you, ever your squire
cast aside my sword, to your wants I yield
lo, though you said you'd love me forever
back then; my broken banner quits the field
right now when you say your love will never
return; I'd defeat any foe for you
yet with only a word you lay me low
bury hope in catacomb, I set to
an oubliette from which you'll never know
my suffering; from dungeon I'll emerge
armor battered: still, mettle will resurge
...
Collected Haiku #17
...
I'd grumble about
murphy's law, then twitter would
probably explode
...
great, now you've done it
murphy's law twitter crash on
this #followfriday
...
dig sense of humor
now need a profile pic
anything 'cept egg
...
wish has been granted
welcome to the twitterverse
doubt pic is you though
...
would one rather be
doppelganger dynamic
or a lone figment?
...
if you have a dream
rather, if a dream has you
do not be consumed
...
your love a sparkle
of sunlight on rolling sea
unattainable
...
sweep crumbs on the floor
converge a quiet place when
all else diverges
...
luke writhes in lightning
darth vader chucks emperor
feat of atonement
...
I'd grumble about
murphy's law, then twitter would
probably explode
...
great, now you've done it
murphy's law twitter crash on
this #followfriday
...
dig sense of humor
now need a profile pic
anything 'cept egg
...
wish has been granted
welcome to the twitterverse
doubt pic is you though
...
would one rather be
doppelganger dynamic
or a lone figment?
...
if you have a dream
rather, if a dream has you
do not be consumed
...
your love a sparkle
of sunlight on rolling sea
unattainable
...
sweep crumbs on the floor
converge a quiet place when
all else diverges
...
luke writhes in lightning
darth vader chucks emperor
feat of atonement
...
Sunday, April 24
I Have Never
...
I have never seen a sunrise as bright
as your smile when the next whimsical
idea, book, place, or person excites
your electric mind intellectual
I have never heard a stream as soothing
as your voice when you sing our kids to sleep
with a "hush little baby" as they cling
like rockabye babies in cradle tree
I have never felt a satin as soft
as your tummy when you were with child
during a nap the blankets you'd kick off
I'd hold you, my face with your hair wild
please do forgive me if I reminisce
I can't help but feel about what I miss
...
I have never seen a sunrise as bright
as your smile when the next whimsical
idea, book, place, or person excites
your electric mind intellectual
I have never heard a stream as soothing
as your voice when you sing our kids to sleep
with a "hush little baby" as they cling
like rockabye babies in cradle tree
I have never felt a satin as soft
as your tummy when you were with child
during a nap the blankets you'd kick off
I'd hold you, my face with your hair wild
please do forgive me if I reminisce
I can't help but feel about what I miss
...
Saturday, April 23
Collected Haiku #16
...
the ceiling shimmers
from the glare as my eyes stare
at the sky beyond
...
mcfly, I advise
before you die to revise
prize of large size fries
...
instead of drowning
we shall drift in dreams, rescue
our aspirations
...
when I weep, these tears
not for me, they are blessings
I return to earth
...
summary of life
accept your hunger nature
create solutions
...
if your pain is full
pour sorrow into your heart
and you shall be healed
...
dear goldfish, now we
need a new stunt double for
finding nemo two
...
this #followfriday
wish I could green check the world
to honor #earthday
...
sire, perhaps we
shouldn't behead ted, chop hand
instead? it's just bread
...
the ceiling shimmers
from the glare as my eyes stare
at the sky beyond
...
mcfly, I advise
before you die to revise
prize of large size fries
...
instead of drowning
we shall drift in dreams, rescue
our aspirations
...
when I weep, these tears
not for me, they are blessings
I return to earth
...
summary of life
accept your hunger nature
create solutions
...
if your pain is full
pour sorrow into your heart
and you shall be healed
...
dear goldfish, now we
need a new stunt double for
finding nemo two
...
this #followfriday
wish I could green check the world
to honor #earthday
...
sire, perhaps we
shouldn't behead ted, chop hand
instead? it's just bread
...
Friday, April 22
Shall We Not Sink
...
Shall we not sink to the bottom, settle
as debris in suburban backyard pool
this microcosm of ocean, farewell
to our shipwreck with treasure chest of jewels
plastic, of course, sunk next to lost goggles
overwhelmed by our heavy anchor hearts
a wasp drowns, death knell on a mini swell
a sailor and ambitions torn apart
by boogie boards moonlighting as shark fins
a struggle as I grab the net, fling wasp
to grass, chill wind on skin as the kids grin
"Dad, hot pool! Let's go!" and drag me to spa
a life lost, a dream aimlessly ravaged
through joy of my children I am salvaged
...
Shall we not sink to the bottom, settle
as debris in suburban backyard pool
this microcosm of ocean, farewell
to our shipwreck with treasure chest of jewels
plastic, of course, sunk next to lost goggles
overwhelmed by our heavy anchor hearts
a wasp drowns, death knell on a mini swell
a sailor and ambitions torn apart
by boogie boards moonlighting as shark fins
a struggle as I grab the net, fling wasp
to grass, chill wind on skin as the kids grin
"Dad, hot pool! Let's go!" and drag me to spa
a life lost, a dream aimlessly ravaged
through joy of my children I am salvaged
...
Thursday, April 21
Collected Haiku #15
...
a samurai duel
focus ki into language
strike with a poem
...
under couch we find
a spoiled cranberry and
a stormtrooper's head
...
butterfly, why dart
from your home? she sighs, replies,
a world of color
...
a feigned wilderness
flowers in contrived garden
phantasms of love
...
a poem should flow
between poet and reader
as a gentle wave
...
serene flow drives me
to find intrinsic rewards
within these haiku
...
if you live as a
socket instead of light bulb
then never burn out
...
mountain of high road
is surrounded by canyons
treacherous and steep
...
this flooded river
we stand on opposite banks
gaze downstream with me
...
a samurai duel
focus ki into language
strike with a poem
...
under couch we find
a spoiled cranberry and
a stormtrooper's head
...
butterfly, why dart
from your home? she sighs, replies,
a world of color
...
a feigned wilderness
flowers in contrived garden
phantasms of love
...
a poem should flow
between poet and reader
as a gentle wave
...
serene flow drives me
to find intrinsic rewards
within these haiku
...
if you live as a
socket instead of light bulb
then never burn out
...
mountain of high road
is surrounded by canyons
treacherous and steep
...
this flooded river
we stand on opposite banks
gaze downstream with me
...
Wednesday, April 20
Peace Of Mind
...
Peace of mind is a place only breathing
carries us to, when the weight of worry
drags in the dust, a caravan for kings
yoked to baubles, though we yearn to be free
this air, this sweet, sweet breeze unshackles us
knocked to blistered knees, we inhale, exhale
as we emigrate from history, thus
it's always been, our search for sacred vale
you arrive at peace when we all enter
your bondage is mine to bear, as mine yours
we shall share this space, this holy shelter
young and old, feeble and strong, rich and poor
for we share this atmosphere, and so should
this earth be as our breath, for it is good
...
Peace of mind is a place only breathing
carries us to, when the weight of worry
drags in the dust, a caravan for kings
yoked to baubles, though we yearn to be free
this air, this sweet, sweet breeze unshackles us
knocked to blistered knees, we inhale, exhale
as we emigrate from history, thus
it's always been, our search for sacred vale
you arrive at peace when we all enter
your bondage is mine to bear, as mine yours
we shall share this space, this holy shelter
young and old, feeble and strong, rich and poor
for we share this atmosphere, and so should
this earth be as our breath, for it is good
...
Collected Haiku #14
...
there's a difference
between changes for others
and changes for self
...
twitter silences
the spaces between the tweets
that everyone shares
...
a psychic named me
a shapeshifter once, am I
a stream or a stone?
...
contemplate breakfast
cheez its and chocolate cake are
possibly okay
...
trees uproot, tangled
branches demolish buildings
forest finds freedom
...
dances with three year
old, this wolf just three feet tall
yet she hamstrings me
...
happiness breathes in
the flow of people being
happiness breathes out
...
raindrops on rooftop
pitter patter little feet
child in darkness
...
cynical people
are useful, someone must trim
an optimist's dreams
...
there's a difference
between changes for others
and changes for self
...
twitter silences
the spaces between the tweets
that everyone shares
...
a psychic named me
a shapeshifter once, am I
a stream or a stone?
...
contemplate breakfast
cheez its and chocolate cake are
possibly okay
...
trees uproot, tangled
branches demolish buildings
forest finds freedom
...
dances with three year
old, this wolf just three feet tall
yet she hamstrings me
...
happiness breathes in
the flow of people being
happiness breathes out
...
raindrops on rooftop
pitter patter little feet
child in darkness
...
cynical people
are useful, someone must trim
an optimist's dreams
...
Tuesday, April 19
Collected Haiku #13
...
ask yourself daily
"what would me I want to be
want to do today?"
...
the past is a cave
where memories hibernate
best not wake the bears
...
first asexual
reproduction: a poem
bacteria wrote
...
old sumeria
where poetry was the same
trade as pottery
...
psychic jealousy
future reverts to savage
mental fisticuffs
...
tired eyes stare on
tiny voice squeaks, "let's put seeds
in here," so it goes
...
poems are distilled
chaos, translated into
words of potency
...
though moon be sober
celestial consorts all
as phantoms spiral
...
let's up the ante
low stakes are monotonous
all in with my heart
...
ask yourself daily
"what would me I want to be
want to do today?"
...
the past is a cave
where memories hibernate
best not wake the bears
...
first asexual
reproduction: a poem
bacteria wrote
...
old sumeria
where poetry was the same
trade as pottery
...
psychic jealousy
future reverts to savage
mental fisticuffs
...
tired eyes stare on
tiny voice squeaks, "let's put seeds
in here," so it goes
...
poems are distilled
chaos, translated into
words of potency
...
though moon be sober
celestial consorts all
as phantoms spiral
...
let's up the ante
low stakes are monotonous
all in with my heart
...
Monday, April 18
A Love Song
...
Years past, you asked me to write a love song
foolishly never got around to it
one of multitude verses I've sung wrong
listen: music surrounds, now that we've split
perhaps I lacked proper motivation
maybe we've been stuck in a rut, boredom
induced misery, poor explanation
I know, how else do we interpret our problems
no matter, you cannot attend, the part
played, the dance ended, symphony silent
the past's frozen museum framed the art
time sweeps, ever the janitor tyrant
though I know performance over, I fear
you will not chance this love poem to hear
...
Years past, you asked me to write a love song
foolishly never got around to it
one of multitude verses I've sung wrong
listen: music surrounds, now that we've split
perhaps I lacked proper motivation
maybe we've been stuck in a rut, boredom
induced misery, poor explanation
I know, how else do we interpret our problems
no matter, you cannot attend, the part
played, the dance ended, symphony silent
the past's frozen museum framed the art
time sweeps, ever the janitor tyrant
though I know performance over, I fear
you will not chance this love poem to hear
...
Sunday, April 17
Collected Haiku #12
...
black cat crosses path
what type of luck is it if
I scratch behind ears
...
passion, release me
your collar around my neck
so weary of this walk
...
interstellar gas
such an unfortunate phrase
for magnificence
...
hermit on mountain
"perfection: skin must exude
a robe please, I'm nude"
...
as I scrub the sink
look myself in the mirror
clean water humbles
...
every haiku feels
like an ending, oh, what's this
here's another one
...
if you had a sign
on your forehead, what would it
read? who would read it?
...
dreams, please accept my
token of thanks for guiding
me on path of sleep
...
deja vu happens
is a prophecy that says
deja vu happens
...
black cat crosses path
what type of luck is it if
I scratch behind ears
...
passion, release me
your collar around my neck
so weary of this walk
...
interstellar gas
such an unfortunate phrase
for magnificence
...
hermit on mountain
"perfection: skin must exude
a robe please, I'm nude"
...
as I scrub the sink
look myself in the mirror
clean water humbles
...
every haiku feels
like an ending, oh, what's this
here's another one
...
if you had a sign
on your forehead, what would it
read? who would read it?
...
dreams, please accept my
token of thanks for guiding
me on path of sleep
...
deja vu happens
is a prophecy that says
deja vu happens
...
Saturday, April 16
An Ordinary Love
...
Though world be wide and love ordinary
with exhausting abandon sweethearts fling
themselves from highest branches of the tree
cascade down leaves of lust and wedding rings
past limbs that claw at exposed tender flesh
taxes, children, mortgages and feral
bills, these mutant horrors devour fresh
dreams, and though they tumble as one peril
collapse proves the calamitous ordeal
separate in pile of withered hopes
eyes too stunned to see, hearts too numb to feel
a frozen flurry on the blasted slope
some gather kindling to build patient light
a compassionate warmth in this bleak night
...
Though world be wide and love ordinary
with exhausting abandon sweethearts fling
themselves from highest branches of the tree
cascade down leaves of lust and wedding rings
past limbs that claw at exposed tender flesh
taxes, children, mortgages and feral
bills, these mutant horrors devour fresh
dreams, and though they tumble as one peril
collapse proves the calamitous ordeal
separate in pile of withered hopes
eyes too stunned to see, hearts too numb to feel
a frozen flurry on the blasted slope
some gather kindling to build patient light
a compassionate warmth in this bleak night
...
Friday, April 15
Writing Is Like
...
Writing is like
skiing a slope
of white powder.
snot freezes on
lip, gnawed like
bark of trees you
evade, the mixed
metaphor timber,
the boulders of poor
word choice, other
skiers in your mind,
who shout, "get out
of my way, chump!
you're an amateur!"
your fingers and toes
and brain are numb, as
each word is like a new
swish swish swish swish
neverending swish until you
finally find a resting place at the bottom and blubber, "was that the kiddie slope?"
...
Writing is like
skiing a slope
of white powder.
snot freezes on
lip, gnawed like
bark of trees you
evade, the mixed
metaphor timber,
the boulders of poor
word choice, other
skiers in your mind,
who shout, "get out
of my way, chump!
you're an amateur!"
your fingers and toes
and brain are numb, as
each word is like a new
swish swish swish swish
neverending swish until you
finally find a resting place at the bottom and blubber, "was that the kiddie slope?"
...
Collected Haiku #11
seer with walking stick
"there are no happy endings
just happy journeys"
...
paradox: this art
will change world for the better
where's my paycheck, bro
...
I don't wear heart on
sleeve, though you can still launder
love in spin cycle
...
miniature voices
scuffling in the darkened room
singularity
...
hey, the problem with
#poeminyourpocketday
skittles are sticky
...
metasyntactic
variable bemoans lack
of identity
...
man version: worries
are codes hidden by posh spy
stuffed into codpiece
...
equilibrium
a complicated word for
something so subtle
...
an artist without
an audience is like an
angel without wings
...
"there are no happy endings
just happy journeys"
...
paradox: this art
will change world for the better
where's my paycheck, bro
...
I don't wear heart on
sleeve, though you can still launder
love in spin cycle
...
miniature voices
scuffling in the darkened room
singularity
...
hey, the problem with
#poeminyourpocketday
skittles are sticky
...
metasyntactic
variable bemoans lack
of identity
...
man version: worries
are codes hidden by posh spy
stuffed into codpiece
...
equilibrium
a complicated word for
something so subtle
...
an artist without
an audience is like an
angel without wings
...
Thursday, April 14
Why Haiku?
As you may have noticed, I've been recently writing poetry on this blog. Specifically, a boatload of haiku. Here is the best explanation I can come up with for why the sudden shift in focus:
Ever since I quit playing video games and roleplaying games, my brain has been working in overdrive to find a replacement to mull over. Something to keep my mind busy during the course of the day when I'm changing diapers or watching Dora for the gazillionth time, and thus far, words have been it.
Not just any words, however, but a quick and concise form that comes to a point and ends, without waste, without leftovers, as minimal as possible without losing an aspect of creativity.
Thus, the haiku:
haiku are puzzles
organize the syllables
objective is love
Each haiku takes me at least ten minutes (most of the time a lot longer) to write. That's because each word is absolutely paramount to the structure of the whole. I only get 17 syllables to fit a precise idea or phrase: no more, no less. A thesaurus and dictionary are critical, and I found myself at Barnes and Noble the other day purchasing a hardback version of each, plus a rhyming dictionary for those times when I don't have convenient internet access.
Haiku also have a syncopated rhythm that I have come to love, since 5-7-5 is a groovy...
duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh,
duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh,
duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh,
...not a stilted marching band sound like 4 or 6 or 8 or 10 would be.
Not that I won't write other poems as the mood takes me, and perhaps I will become bored with this form, as I eek out every drop of creativity from its simple arrangement. I doubt that highly, however. It has lasted throughout the ages, and it would be arrogant of me to think that I could write every possible decent haiku.
What I also enjoy about haiku is that they easily fit into the 140 characters of Twitter, which means I gain immediate publishing and feedback to my work, and if something sticks to people they are more likely to pass it on than if they had to fork over cash for a book, then lend it to a friend, then lose the friend and by association, lose the book.
Granted, I'll never get rich doing this, however, that's not really the point. I already have a day job, so this is meant as a constructive hobby that will keep my mind occupied, unlike video games, which can only ever be a deconstructive distraction. That's not to say that I decry anyone who plays a game, just for me, at this point in my life, I'd prefer to use the talents I've cultivated over the years in school, and glue together the words that appear in my brain in the dark of night.
...
Ever since I quit playing video games and roleplaying games, my brain has been working in overdrive to find a replacement to mull over. Something to keep my mind busy during the course of the day when I'm changing diapers or watching Dora for the gazillionth time, and thus far, words have been it.
Not just any words, however, but a quick and concise form that comes to a point and ends, without waste, without leftovers, as minimal as possible without losing an aspect of creativity.
Thus, the haiku:
haiku are puzzles
organize the syllables
objective is love
Each haiku takes me at least ten minutes (most of the time a lot longer) to write. That's because each word is absolutely paramount to the structure of the whole. I only get 17 syllables to fit a precise idea or phrase: no more, no less. A thesaurus and dictionary are critical, and I found myself at Barnes and Noble the other day purchasing a hardback version of each, plus a rhyming dictionary for those times when I don't have convenient internet access.
Haiku also have a syncopated rhythm that I have come to love, since 5-7-5 is a groovy...
duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh,
duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh,
duh-DUH-duh-DUH-duh,
...not a stilted marching band sound like 4 or 6 or 8 or 10 would be.
Not that I won't write other poems as the mood takes me, and perhaps I will become bored with this form, as I eek out every drop of creativity from its simple arrangement. I doubt that highly, however. It has lasted throughout the ages, and it would be arrogant of me to think that I could write every possible decent haiku.
What I also enjoy about haiku is that they easily fit into the 140 characters of Twitter, which means I gain immediate publishing and feedback to my work, and if something sticks to people they are more likely to pass it on than if they had to fork over cash for a book, then lend it to a friend, then lose the friend and by association, lose the book.
Granted, I'll never get rich doing this, however, that's not really the point. I already have a day job, so this is meant as a constructive hobby that will keep my mind occupied, unlike video games, which can only ever be a deconstructive distraction. That's not to say that I decry anyone who plays a game, just for me, at this point in my life, I'd prefer to use the talents I've cultivated over the years in school, and glue together the words that appear in my brain in the dark of night.
...
Wednesday, April 13
Collected Haiku #10
juggling octopus
with twelve chainsaws in the air
um, do they grow back?
...
hello miss bennet
despise me now, for my name
is mr. darcy
...
#uknowlifehardwhen
u apply at wal-mart and
need a ph.d.
...
poets by nature
are egocentric braggarts
this one included
...
this beat momentous
harmonies significant
strumming of the now
...
sunrise on skyline
should I rush to you, or should
I sit motionless
...
on BART: advice from
business people is, "invest
lunch money now, kid"
...
don't eat the air force
chili, man, I had some and
gotta drop a load
...
an institution
is a herd of gazelle that
grazes the lush grass
...
with twelve chainsaws in the air
um, do they grow back?
...
hello miss bennet
despise me now, for my name
is mr. darcy
...
#uknowlifehardwhen
u apply at wal-mart and
need a ph.d.
...
poets by nature
are egocentric braggarts
this one included
...
this beat momentous
harmonies significant
strumming of the now
...
sunrise on skyline
should I rush to you, or should
I sit motionless
...
on BART: advice from
business people is, "invest
lunch money now, kid"
...
don't eat the air force
chili, man, I had some and
gotta drop a load
...
an institution
is a herd of gazelle that
grazes the lush grass
...
Tuesday, April 12
Collected Haiku #9
war will never win
as long as humans affirm
communication
...
one plus one is free
these limited resources
divide you and me
...
"hey, what's the rule kid?"
"no punching at school, also
no headbutting, boom!"
...
wish steam escapes ears
with every thought thunk, so no
one thinks me lazy
...
the whispers do not
approach when called, yet ever
their presence is here
...
I speak not from a
podium, rather from the
murmurs of my soul
...
two vibrant saplings
bow to their mature burdens
with age, grow apart
...
distorted humor post
stop sign means wait for traffic
a branch picks horse's nose
...
I know you darling
your toes wrinkle when you laugh
like tide ebbs to sea
...
as long as humans affirm
communication
...
one plus one is free
these limited resources
divide you and me
...
"hey, what's the rule kid?"
"no punching at school, also
no headbutting, boom!"
...
wish steam escapes ears
with every thought thunk, so no
one thinks me lazy
...
the whispers do not
approach when called, yet ever
their presence is here
...
I speak not from a
podium, rather from the
murmurs of my soul
...
two vibrant saplings
bow to their mature burdens
with age, grow apart
...
distorted humor post
stop sign means wait for traffic
a branch picks horse's nose
...
I know you darling
your toes wrinkle when you laugh
like tide ebbs to sea
...
Monday, April 11
Collected Haiku #8
every daybreak is
another chance to be the
people in our hearts
...
lady on bus roars,
"like ghenghis khan, I shall rule
this transportation!"
...
bus man jots haiku
old woman with umbrella
assaults ghenghis mom
...
ghengis mom conscripts
fear yellow bus warriors
children on horseback
...
"that gnome's a ninja."
"know-it-all, how do you know?"
"numskull, his hat's black."
...
mr. edward burns
estimated tax return
point of some concern
...
scientists in lab
discover an excellent
veggie hamburger
...
dreaming of future
"I'll have a #1 with
algae on McGreen"
...
a happy bucket
are contents joyous, or the
bucket, or both? hrm...
...
another chance to be the
people in our hearts
...
lady on bus roars,
"like ghenghis khan, I shall rule
this transportation!"
...
bus man jots haiku
old woman with umbrella
assaults ghenghis mom
...
ghengis mom conscripts
fear yellow bus warriors
children on horseback
...
"that gnome's a ninja."
"know-it-all, how do you know?"
"numskull, his hat's black."
...
mr. edward burns
estimated tax return
point of some concern
...
scientists in lab
discover an excellent
veggie hamburger
...
dreaming of future
"I'll have a #1 with
algae on McGreen"
...
a happy bucket
are contents joyous, or the
bucket, or both? hrm...
...
Sunday, April 10
Collected Haiku #7
lone person persuades
one sided story has a
simple conclusion
...
tango, music stops
sweetie where are you going
band is on smoke break
...
oh no brain runs dry!
for the untapped potential
dig a well to dreams
...
fly buzzes around
sorry bud, got no advice
keep flying, I guess
...
no wonder I can't
sleep, if art is from dreams, then
I should be writing
...
closed is a woeful
word, with wisps of bogs and marshes
and wailing banshees
...
if you are blinded
then I am blinded too, and
so too are we all
...
through buttoned eyelids
we peek at truth eternal
may our minds be nude
...
if the clock is tock
ticks like a knock with a brick
likely be sick, grok?
one sided story has a
simple conclusion
...
tango, music stops
sweetie where are you going
band is on smoke break
...
oh no brain runs dry!
for the untapped potential
dig a well to dreams
...
fly buzzes around
sorry bud, got no advice
keep flying, I guess
...
no wonder I can't
sleep, if art is from dreams, then
I should be writing
...
closed is a woeful
word, with wisps of bogs and marshes
and wailing banshees
...
if you are blinded
then I am blinded too, and
so too are we all
...
through buttoned eyelids
we peek at truth eternal
may our minds be nude
...
if the clock is tock
ticks like a knock with a brick
likely be sick, grok?
Saturday, April 9
If The People
If the people
in the steeple
love the laypeople
and the laypeople
love the townspeople
and the townspeople
love the congresspeople
and the congresspeople
love the businesspeople
and the businesspeople
love the salespeople
and the salespeople
love the tradespeople
and the tradespeople
love the craftspeople
and the craftspeople
love the little people
and the little people
love the no people
then we sheep
might reap
what we sow.
in the steeple
love the laypeople
and the laypeople
love the townspeople
and the townspeople
love the congresspeople
and the congresspeople
love the businesspeople
and the businesspeople
love the salespeople
and the salespeople
love the tradespeople
and the tradespeople
love the craftspeople
and the craftspeople
love the little people
and the little people
love the no people
then we sheep
might reap
what we sow.
Friday, April 8
Collected Haiku #6
grey mist at morning
I fry country potatoes
by light of your eyes
...
in dreams I soar like
superman, an alien
a space traveler
...
optimism is
hope that who we are matters,
that life has meaning
...
horizon expands
new people to understand
this follow friday
...
they might be giants
so you think about music
instead of eat it
...
haiku: less is more
economy of action
diamond to poor man
...
moon says to stars, pick
up line, neptune to venus
baby, you melt me
...
#haiku #poetry
#yes #ifgovernmentshutsdown
#twitter #hashtag #all
...
so, at show with bro
in row, jane doe was aglow
alas, just for show
...
I fry country potatoes
by light of your eyes
...
in dreams I soar like
superman, an alien
a space traveler
...
optimism is
hope that who we are matters,
that life has meaning
...
horizon expands
new people to understand
this follow friday
...
they might be giants
so you think about music
instead of eat it
...
haiku: less is more
economy of action
diamond to poor man
...
moon says to stars, pick
up line, neptune to venus
baby, you melt me
...
#haiku #poetry
#yes #ifgovernmentshutsdown
#twitter #hashtag #all
...
so, at show with bro
in row, jane doe was aglow
alas, just for show
...
Thursday, April 7
Collected Haiku #5
brain boiling in skull
grasping ears with potholders
colander strains stress
...
one kid in bathtub
other glued to iron man
bedtime approaches
...
there, down on the ground
a human tramples my roots
yup, that's me, a tree
...
yellow green leaves sway
brilliant in a spring zephyr
your smile for me
...
ain't got no limbs to
weigh him down, better watch out
for snake with a plan
...
dalai lama knows
with patience and compassion
the center can hold
...
TPS reports?
you know where you can stick those?
the inbox right there
...
guaranteed that we
will sympathize with fish when
polar ice caps melt
...
I chucked the monkey
don't need the hoots in my head
damn unreal jungle
...
grasping ears with potholders
colander strains stress
...
one kid in bathtub
other glued to iron man
bedtime approaches
...
there, down on the ground
a human tramples my roots
yup, that's me, a tree
...
yellow green leaves sway
brilliant in a spring zephyr
your smile for me
...
ain't got no limbs to
weigh him down, better watch out
for snake with a plan
...
dalai lama knows
with patience and compassion
the center can hold
...
TPS reports?
you know where you can stick those?
the inbox right there
...
guaranteed that we
will sympathize with fish when
polar ice caps melt
...
I chucked the monkey
don't need the hoots in my head
damn unreal jungle
...
Wednesday, April 6
Universal Zombies Themes, Part 2
You wouldn't know it from outside my blog, but for some reason, this post has the most page hits of anything I've written so far. Apparently some college professor somewhere has a class with an emphasis on the walking dead, so lots of sweaty students are typing "zombie themes" into Google and ending up here. Don't worry about it, I've been there. Your secret is safe with me.
I'm also fully aware (as it has been thus since Shakespeare's day) that the players should conform to the wishes of their audience, so here is another thought on zombies as a trope. Steal it...ahem, quote me and provide a proper MLA style citation. Or whatever. Just be aware that the dusty dude with glasses and a red pen can use the internet, too.
So here goes:
For the majority of movie history, zombies have been predominately one type: Sad. They wail, they shuffle around, they don't particularly look like a fun lot. I'd even go so far as to say they were depressed. I mean, maybe that's why they eat brains, just to make themselves feel a tad better before they burst apart at the seams. They aren't even really that scary, since they are so freaking slow. I mean, one dude with a baseball bat can take out at least twenty without any effort. Come on Hollywood, hear that? It's called suspension of disbelief shattering.
Then around 2002 we had a new type of zombie, the angry type. You can thank 28 Days Later for that one. Finally, a film with zombies in it that is actually scary. Rage zombies are pissed off, and oh yeah, they can run really fast. They are also pumped with adrenaline, so that means they are like undead PCP junkies with super strength. Think Incredible Hulk.
Still, rage zombies, while fun to watch, aren't necessarily built for one of the major tools in filmmaking: Suspense. It's tough to build up to a scare in an audience when the zombies are so stinking fast, and your entire movie changes to a shlocky surprise flick at every turn if the zombies aren't laying in wait for an ambush somewhere.
Okay, so we have sad and angry zombies, what are we missing? What major emotional state has been yet to be explored fully by zombie filmmakers as a whole? I'll tell you what:
Happiness.
That's right. There should be happy zombies. Think Wall-E. Think of zombies that actually wanted to become zombies in the first place. Imagine the themes possible in an exploration of that. You'd have protagonists that would have to wrestle with the fundamental questions of an eternal reward, right here on Earth, that would be better than living as a "normal" human. Let me list a few places where a movie like this could be applicable to our modern world:
That's just a drop in the bucket of what I'm talking about. Sure, there have been movies that tangentially explore these themes, but minus the zombies. Get some gory zombies running around with giant smiles on their faces, have Woody Harrelson say, "Man, I'd sure like to be happy again and see my little pup," and get some drama going with this stuff. Add in some clowns for giggles, just to be sure.
So get to it Hollywood. Make some freaking Happiness Zombies.
I'm also fully aware (as it has been thus since Shakespeare's day) that the players should conform to the wishes of their audience, so here is another thought on zombies as a trope. Steal it...ahem, quote me and provide a proper MLA style citation. Or whatever. Just be aware that the dusty dude with glasses and a red pen can use the internet, too.
So here goes:
For the majority of movie history, zombies have been predominately one type: Sad. They wail, they shuffle around, they don't particularly look like a fun lot. I'd even go so far as to say they were depressed. I mean, maybe that's why they eat brains, just to make themselves feel a tad better before they burst apart at the seams. They aren't even really that scary, since they are so freaking slow. I mean, one dude with a baseball bat can take out at least twenty without any effort. Come on Hollywood, hear that? It's called suspension of disbelief shattering.
Then around 2002 we had a new type of zombie, the angry type. You can thank 28 Days Later for that one. Finally, a film with zombies in it that is actually scary. Rage zombies are pissed off, and oh yeah, they can run really fast. They are also pumped with adrenaline, so that means they are like undead PCP junkies with super strength. Think Incredible Hulk.
Still, rage zombies, while fun to watch, aren't necessarily built for one of the major tools in filmmaking: Suspense. It's tough to build up to a scare in an audience when the zombies are so stinking fast, and your entire movie changes to a shlocky surprise flick at every turn if the zombies aren't laying in wait for an ambush somewhere.
Okay, so we have sad and angry zombies, what are we missing? What major emotional state has been yet to be explored fully by zombie filmmakers as a whole? I'll tell you what:
Happiness.
That's right. There should be happy zombies. Think Wall-E. Think of zombies that actually wanted to become zombies in the first place. Imagine the themes possible in an exploration of that. You'd have protagonists that would have to wrestle with the fundamental questions of an eternal reward, right here on Earth, that would be better than living as a "normal" human. Let me list a few places where a movie like this could be applicable to our modern world:
- video games (particularly MMOs)
- religion (specifically heaven)
- pharmaceuticals (a pill that makes you a happy zombie)
- humans as secondary lifeforms (alien or machine or whatever zookeepers, think Matrix)
- advertising
- government
- movies (talk about self-referential)
- relationships (eHarmony type sites)
That's just a drop in the bucket of what I'm talking about. Sure, there have been movies that tangentially explore these themes, but minus the zombies. Get some gory zombies running around with giant smiles on their faces, have Woody Harrelson say, "Man, I'd sure like to be happy again and see my little pup," and get some drama going with this stuff. Add in some clowns for giggles, just to be sure.
So get to it Hollywood. Make some freaking Happiness Zombies.
Tuesday, April 5
Collected Haiku #4
truck in parking lot
little girl and boy running
oh, cellphone mother
...
river of torment
waterwheel of history
grinds flour of life
...
sleep swims in chaos
art dredges the waterway
order's frozen frame
...
yea, when stone crumbles
stories endure evermore
as our dreams live on
...
glittering comet
a planetary impact
her sequined blue jeans
...
smooth meditation
polished by rugged ocean
pebble on seashore
...
preschooler wisdom
dora the splora is my
favorite color
...
awkward son skitters
tiny spider on the wall
a beautiful web
...
roly poly bug
nonresistant temperment
teach me humble guide
...
little girl and boy running
oh, cellphone mother
...
river of torment
waterwheel of history
grinds flour of life
...
sleep swims in chaos
art dredges the waterway
order's frozen frame
...
yea, when stone crumbles
stories endure evermore
as our dreams live on
...
glittering comet
a planetary impact
her sequined blue jeans
...
smooth meditation
polished by rugged ocean
pebble on seashore
...
preschooler wisdom
dora the splora is my
favorite color
...
awkward son skitters
tiny spider on the wall
a beautiful web
...
roly poly bug
nonresistant temperment
teach me humble guide
...
Monday, April 4
Collected Haiku #3
shooting star contrails
are meteoric debris
of burnt VIPs
...
lost pages soar free
ideas float above world
granted, class is failed
...
righteous rocket launched
trajectory undefined
sir, how can we miss
...
excuse me waiter
I'll have the macaroni
and cheese for breakfast
...
funny potato
how to write haiku for you
oh well, I'm hungry
...
darling, make a wish
mama, where my penny go
there, I can get it
...
mountaintop hermit
perspective confines wisdom
ski around a bit
...
who will remember
your concerns for you when the
eternal night comes
...
the moon embraces me
the sun incinerates me
the earth nurtures me
...
are meteoric debris
of burnt VIPs
...
lost pages soar free
ideas float above world
granted, class is failed
...
righteous rocket launched
trajectory undefined
sir, how can we miss
...
excuse me waiter
I'll have the macaroni
and cheese for breakfast
...
funny potato
how to write haiku for you
oh well, I'm hungry
...
darling, make a wish
mama, where my penny go
there, I can get it
...
mountaintop hermit
perspective confines wisdom
ski around a bit
...
who will remember
your concerns for you when the
eternal night comes
...
the moon embraces me
the sun incinerates me
the earth nurtures me
...
Friday, April 1
Collected Haiku #2
acts of charity
seeds scattered from an airplane
indirect rewards
...
we are the homeless
vagabonds of dawn's decay
dew in our closed eyes
...
my world would be lost
if you blink you might miss it
so small this poem
...
ice cream entices
if money was a flavor
who would eat chocolate
...
young boy with carrot
imagines he's jedi with
orange lightsaber
...
white flowers on green
my little daughter dashing
destined wedding gown
...
happiness spins free
happiness is momentum
happiness is earth
...
grasping in the murk
mucilaginous word choice
adhered to my tongue
...
radioactive
houseplant bites me, will fight crime
asleep in sunlight
...
seeds scattered from an airplane
indirect rewards
...
we are the homeless
vagabonds of dawn's decay
dew in our closed eyes
...
my world would be lost
if you blink you might miss it
so small this poem
...
ice cream entices
if money was a flavor
who would eat chocolate
...
young boy with carrot
imagines he's jedi with
orange lightsaber
...
white flowers on green
my little daughter dashing
destined wedding gown
...
happiness spins free
happiness is momentum
happiness is earth
...
grasping in the murk
mucilaginous word choice
adhered to my tongue
...
radioactive
houseplant bites me, will fight crime
asleep in sunlight
...
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