Our plea from a year ago is as fresh as ever – vote for a kid-centered halloween. This morning’s post at Overlawyered.com shows that the spoilsports are at it again this year in Canada (don’t want to upset the wiccans). And, in Hammonton, New Jersey, the school district (nbc10news.com):
“decided to do away with scary outfits and the traditional procession because they were worried about too many unidentified family members descending on the school.
So, no costumes in Hammonton schools — instead, they’ll be having a (very exciting) “Orange and Black Day.” There are no details on just how you might celebrate O&B Day.
halloween twilight
again this year my son waits
alone by the door……………………… by Roberta Beary, The Unworn Necklace (2007)
1st place, Tokutomi Memorial Haiku Contest 2006
tawny sunset
and a family of crows –
empty treat bowl……………………………………….. dagosan [Oct. 31, 2005]
Of course, good haijin everywhere will be penning haiku and senryu for Halloween. Check out today’s Morden Haiku, and Saturday’s, too. There’s also a treat for you from David at haikupoet.com.
Also, DeVar Dahl
frozen pumpkin-
the little ghost’s
parka and mittsand Roberta Beary
Halloween twilight
army helicopters
fill the sky. . . were among a couple dozen poets contributing to the Shiki Kukai Halloween contest in 2001. Click to find over 40 other one-breath Halloween poems.
Preter-naturally, the always-generous ed markowski has been brewing a batch of goodies for haikuEsq to hand out to you this Halloween Day (in addition to the pair we shared yesterday):
halloween snow
the yeti’s
tiny footprints
halloween party
she qualifies each sentence
with ‘honest’
halloween mail
a bill arrives
from the plastic surgeon
devil’s night
father john’s profile fills
the confessional screen
…………………………………………..ed markowski
The f/k/a gang hopes everyone, young and old and in between, will have a fun and safe Halloween. We may have a few more haiku treats throughout the day, so don’t be to shy to knock on our door again.
– got time to kill before trick-or-treating? Float over to Blawg Review 30, for the Denise Howell-ween special.
who are you 
today?
Goth kids yell “trick-or-treat”
……………………………………………………. by dagosan [Oct. 31, 2005]
Hi David
In full agreement with your thoughts on Halloween.
You might be interested in http://www.anxietyculture.com/
which although a UK site (and the design leaves a little to be desired…) has a number of articles on how politians choose to ramp up the fear of crime for thier own ends. I could also get on my soap box about the US/UK risk adverse culture, but I can feel the blood pressure rising.
Happy Halloween!
Matt
Comment by matt — October 31, 2005 @ 3:57 pm
Hi, Matt, Thanks for stopping by and thanks for all the good haiku at Morden Haiku! I shall delve into Anxiety Culture later this evening, after the trick-or-treaters are all off the streets
If you haven’t been to Overlawyered.com or checked out the books of its editor, Walter Olson, you need to do so — when you’ve got your blood pressure under control. Also, if you haven’t read Michael Crichton’s “State of Fear,” please seek it out to learn how politicians, academicians, environmentalists and others love to keep us all in a state of fear.
Comment by David Giacalone — October 31, 2005 @ 5:05 pm