2001 saw a consolidation of the serious
haiku work I began in 1999. I continued to struggle to learn
how to juxtapose non-causally linked images to produce that all-elusive
haiku moment. It's tough for Westerners to grasp the art of minimal
juxtaposition, providing enough to suggest without laying it on thick
and heavy
In 2001, I worked a lot with “just-so” haiku that drew two images from my immediate environment. I spent time with the mundane and unremarkable, doing haiku sketches from life.
At the same time, I experimented more with humorous and ironic haiku. I worked the fertile ground between expectation and reality, all the places where the pedal fails to meet the metal.
Many of the haiku I wrote late in 2001 had a patriotic theme, as I tried to comprehend the post-September 11th world. I had a lot of strong and confused feelings as I watched my country's reactions to the tragedy.
The background image for this page is an arashi shibori fabric hand-dyed by yours truly. “Arashi” means “wind-driven rain” in Japanese.
summer dusk
the trees glow green
against the clouds
fog lifting
the bean vines climb
a little higher
afternoon nap
the hippopotamus opens
its nostrils
loneliness
the out-of-town guest
at the block party
brake lights
on the beach freeway
heat rises
city playground
one red m&m melts
on his hands and face
hot morning
the red poppy buzzes
with seven bees
tropical sunrise
guatemalan security checks
the overhead bins
same old moon
the blur of insects
against the stars
flapjacks
a large raven rummages
through the compost
mountain thyme
the bumpy flight
of a hornet
creek canyon
every trail leads
uphill
weathervane
the dead leaf spins
on spider silk
old pickup truck
the woodcutter shaves
in his rear-view mirror
ocean dusk
reflections of children
in the wet sand
four am
the silence between tick
and tock
unsettled weather
storm clouds gather
in my sinuses
bright moonlight
tree branches toss
in the wind
sunday deadline
the child climbs on my lap
in tears
may heat wave
the roses explode
into bloom
toddler love gift
tooth marks in the frosting
on a sandwich cookie
fourth of july
a mosquito waves its striped leg
evening coolness -
all colors fade
to shades of gray
morning fog
the spout of the teapot
drips
cloud trails
sun glints off the tail
of an airplane
river silt
a fingerling leaps
up the falls
distant traffic
the sine wave scamper
of a squirrel
slug trail
the truck dumps asphalt
in the paver
finished compost
the vegetable garden feasts
on chocolate cake
heat spell
a swallowtail butterfly
amongst the alders
willow island
the duck's neck extends
as she swims
slick rock
dumping the water out
of his river shoes
full summer
yellow leaves among the green
in the laurel
gnarled roots
a blackberry stretches
across the path
two ducklings
reflections from the water
ripple on the trees
wading children
the ripples of their footsteps
cross
birdsong
a jet roars across
the blue sky
swaying spiderweb
layers of sunlight filter
through the trees
rushing river
the sedges' leaves dip
into the water
rotten snag
the green kingfisher cups
his wings
long-legged wader
the rock-throwing boy
holds his fire
beach towels packed
the duck family emerges
from the thicket
dank water
a craggy oak branch
against the sky
depth charge
the diving boys climb
a little higher
distant thunder
the puzzled haijin
chews her hair
poetic mood
a swarm of sand fleas
on my leg
slow river
a wave of cirrus clouds breaks
across the sky
slow river waves
a single willow leaf spins
downwards
peaceful river
a boy cannonballs
from the cliff
river rapids
a leaf detours
around a rock
summer fog
layers of color
in the sand
time
the paper shredder of
life
summer river
a rock skips through the reflections
of the trees
summer break
the old woman stretches
her bare toes
drooping sunflower
so many dreams left
at summer's end
cold summer day
the deer's teeth prune
the bean vines
old gym shoes
the echo of the bounce
inside the ball
thinning fog
the dragon princess growls
good morning
broke-down paver
the tarred road felt wraps
around the car's axle
night swim
a corona around
the streetlight
clear cut
the twin horns
of a dilemma
years spin by
faces blur around the edges
no moon
the hiss of the ocean
against the cliff
lichened tree trunk
two streaks of silver
at her temples
old plumbing
the smell of sewage rises
from my bottom
half-mast
september sunshine streams
through green maple leaves
day of mourning
three ravens circle
the grocery store
firehouse barbecue
the stars and stripes hang limp
at mid-pole
october haze
a frayed american flag
on the new pickup
turning leaves
red, white and blue bunting
covers the mailbox
war on terrorism
a storm of yellow leaves
from the honey locust
labor day
the old man drills bolt holes
in the concrete
autumn leaves
the mountain ridge crisp
against the sky
calm see
the prelate dawdles
over his coffee
autumn clarity
upturned garbage carts
along the road
setting clocks back
his open hand cracks
against her temple
retirement community
speed bumps
in the cul-de-sac
autumn deepens
women exchange soup recipes
by the gourd display
woodland graffiti
a fallen branch carved
by bark beetles
town halloween party
the roadside maples dress
in gold
midnight brush stroke
the clouds part to reveal
the moon
sweet dreams
he carves a castle
in his ice cream
choir night
the bus brakes
in a-flat
first rain
the moss on the oak tree
uncurls
lost friendship
a stray wisp of fog clings
to the canyon
crumpled leaves
the haiku at the end of the page
run together
samhain night
another wreath
goes up in smoke
maternal caution
don't butter
the dog
autumn shower
the prickle of wet hair
dripping down my back
all souls day
the scent of smoke lingers
in my hair
library day
she buries her nose in the cream
on her cocoa
artistic streak
she dips a green crayon
in her tomato soup
rose garden
yellow leaves
among the prickles
moving day
a wet maple leaf sticks
to the mattress
autumn clarity
i turn down the radio
to hear the rain
november rain
a rainbow of peppers
in the produce section
drought's end
she scribbles haiku on the back
of her grocery list
just past Halloween
Christmas decorations
in all the stores
first drops of rain
leaves and persimmons orange
against the sky
winter dawn
he burrows deeper
under the quilt
no rain
the cat's tail disappears
around the fence
december
a plume of wood smoke
on the mountain
winter night
the sound of an ornament
breaking
december river
two small boys roll
off a log
christmas carols
a flock of blackbirds
over the parking lot
chocolate santa
do you bite the head off
or nibble the toes?
california dreaming
a white christmas
inside the snow globe
Copyright © 2000-2002 by Heather Madrone . All rights reserved.