I realized, after posting the prior Hollyku message very early this morning,
that I had forgotten the gang at Volokh’s place. Since my webserver won’t
let me edit the earlier post (I can’t explain it), and I had no intent to boycott
the VConspirators, they get their own little dedication (plus, a pointer to EV’s
excellent post on the freedom to tell the truth about another person):
for Eugene, Orin, Erik, David(s) and
shortest day —
all of the yellow
beaten out of eggs
update (5 PM): How could I possibly forget my weblog-haijin colleagues, Paul
but being an Old Brain is not.] Since they’re suffering from an Artic Express today,
like we are in Schenectady, they will hopefully understand dagosan’s lament:
bitter cold
before the solstice:
the weather man’s surprised
married a decade
she hides
the mistletoe
married a decade
he buys
new mistletoe
[Dec. 20, 2004]
one-breath pundit
Not an Irony: One of my biggest pet language peeves is the misuse of the
adverb “ironically.” See a fuller discussion here. I am happy to say, therefore,
that it was not ironic, but definitely serendipitous and coincidental to counting
our year-end blessings, that someone did a Google search today for the query
Ironic vs coincidental> and f/k/a was the #1 result in the Search. As we
stated in our earlier post and are more than willing to reiterate:
The indiscriminate discovery or attribution of irony where there is
no incongruity is, to use the vernacular, dumbing down the English
language, as well as the human thought process. As aptly noted in
the American Heritage Dictionary:
The words ironic, irony, and ironically are sometimes
used of events and circumstances that might better be
described as simply “coincidental” or “improbable,” in
that they suggest no particular lessons about human
vanity or folly.
For further discussion of the use and misuse of the concept of irony, see
I realized, after posting the prior Hollyku message very early this morning,
that I had forgotten the gang at Volokh’s place. Since my webserver won’t
let me edit the earlier post (I can’t explain it), and I had no intent to boycott
the VConspirators, they get their own little dedication (plus, a pointer to EV’s
excellent post on the freedom to tell the truth about another person):
for Eugene, Orin, Erik, David(s) and
shortest day —
all of the yellow
beaten out of eggs
update (5 PM): How could I possibly forget my weblog-haijin colleagues, Paul
but being an Old Brain is not.] Since they’re suffering from an Artic Express today,
like we are in Schenectady, they will hopefully understand dagosan’s lament:
bitter cold
before the solstice:
the weather man’s surprised
married a decade
she hides
the mistletoe
married a decade
he buys
new mistletoe
[Dec. 20, 2004]
one-breath pundit
Not an Irony: One of my biggest pet language peeves is the misuse of the
adverb “ironically.” See a fuller discussion here. I am happy to say, therefore,
that it was not ironic, but definitely serendipitous and coincidental to counting
our year-end blessings, that someone did a Google search today for the query
Ironic vs coincidental> and f/k/a was the #1 result in the Search. As we
stated in our earlier post and are more than willing to reiterate:
The indiscriminate discovery or attribution of irony where there is
no incongruity is, to use the vernacular, dumbing down the English
language, as well as the human thought process. As aptly noted in
the American Heritage Dictionary:
The words ironic, irony, and ironically are sometimes
used of events and circumstances that might better be
described as simply “coincidental” or “improbable,” in
that they suggest no particular lessons about human
vanity or folly.
For further discussion of the use and misuse of the concept of irony, see
2004 was a very good year for the characters who hang out at 
“kholly” 
.
Prof. Yabut and ethicalEsq got to retire (and butt in sua sponte). haikuEsq
has been able to share with you some of the very best contemporary haiku
(plus the work of the imitable Master Issa) — due to the generosity of more than
a dozen Honored Guest Poets. Plus, dagosan has had a place to begin to learn
the haijin craft, with daily deadlines to inspire productivity.
We want to thank all our visitors, plus the webloggers who keep us informed
and entertained, and on our many toes. So, below are an array of haiku that touch
on various feelings and themes, which human beings all around this planet share
as one year ends and the new year brings hopes and challenges, with renewed
faith and energy and community. We’ve dedicated each to one of our weblog friends
and colleagues, but feel free to mix and match and find your own favorites.
Happy Hollidays to All who who have joined this humble venture and made it a
fun and fulfilling adventure!
piano practice
our scowling child plays
Ode to Joy
on New Year’s day
a cute little pilgrim
at the gate
for RiskProf’s poohbear-poobah Prof. Martin Grace “santaDudeNegF”
naughty child–
instead of his chores
a snow Buddha
oh New Year’s god
this year too
send help!
waves of light
up and down the tree
fireflies
other lights
than our own–
the Milky Way
a present, a present
a New Year’s present!
her healthy face
snow flurries
candlelight moving
from window to window
a red flush
on the amaryllis bud
New Year’s Eve
home for Christmas:
my childhood desk drawer
empty
bitter cold
the bell ringer –
peppermint breath
shortest day
the highrise disappears
into indigo
the year’s first rain–
my grass roof’s
first leak
which lucky direction
for drinking sake?
New Year’s almanac
year’s end
the bartender
blocks my reflection
a new year begins–
nonsense
piled on nonsense
Christmas morning
a yellow ribbon
of sun
paying no mind
to the year’s last day…
a floating bird, asleep
Kobayashi Issa,
for Rick Klau at tins
first snow
at every window
a child’s face
for Prof. Bainbridge at his eponymous weblog
for drinking buddies
the usual New Year’s pilgrimage…
sake shop
feeding pigeons
on Christmas morning ~
the can collector’s red socks
”Can Collector’s Red Socks” (2003)
backstreet–
on the year’s last day
a lover cat
drifted snow
the welcome disappears
from the doormat
for haiku-lover Robert Ambrogi of LawSites
New Year’s Day–
that I’m off on this journey
unbelievable
winter sickness
my daughter tucks me in
for the first time
the newly resurrected Stuart Levine at TaxBizLaw
the chicken is treated
to one…
New Year’s herbs
for the solo maven Carolyn Elefant of MyShingle
clamoring for New Year’s
gifts, children
and grandchildren
Christmas eve
the carousel animals
all motionless
new year’s fog
she washes
all the windows
Christmas eve
in the courtyard below
a flutter of wings
New Year’s Day
a lucky, lucky
light blue sky
new year’s rain
the circles in the puddle
widen
Millennium Haiku Calendar Contest (2000)
even cows and horses
with New Year’s faces…
mountain home
bag lady
tied to her hat
a Christmas bell
drawing words
in an old tray’s ashes…
winter cold
turning into a child
on New Year’s Day…
I’d like that!
bamboo thicket–
on the year’s last day, too
evening rain
starting the New Year’s luck
first stoke
of the fire
for editor-emeritus Prof. Yabut:
the cat steals
a New Year’s nap…
sitting room
for skepticalEsq and his sweet-tooth
January 3rd
the Weight Watchers meeting
doubles in size
for ethicalEsq, who motivates (and aggravates) haikuEsq
guard the haiku
I beseech you!
snow Buddha
Kobayashi Issa, translator: D. Lanoue
- “Snow Buddhas” are much like our snowmen (snowpersons), with the added
appeal of showing both the creativity and transience of all our material world.
for Tom Mighell at 
for Kevin O’Keefe at 