Maybe it’s the too-large flock of expatriate Canadian geese that is again causing trouble here in Schenectady County, New York. (see CapitalNews9, “Geese cause problems at airport”). Or, maybe it’s my visit over the weekend to Erie County, NY, just across the Niagara River from Ontario, Canada. Whatever the explanation — and it could simply be that they are such great haijin — I’ve been itching to present haiku from a few of our Canadian Honored Guests.
Shortest day
a sparrow chirps
in the dark
under the dirty,
one-eyed hen a perfect
white egg
for sale
an old house with creaky stairs
and a cricket
in a corner
of my dark mood
a star emerges
among the yellow roses
the yellow butterfly
grows still
my stomach growls
the old tomcat opens
one yellow eye
. . . by George Swede
“shortest day” from The Heron’s Nest (March 2006)
all others from Almost Unseen (Brooks Books, 2000)
a steady breeze
the last child
leaves home
summer heat
the crickets wait
for me to pass
empty cabin
the beached canoe
fills with leaves
. . . by DeVar Dahl from New Resonance 3: Emerging Voices
“a steady breeze” from these silent rooms
“summer heat” – Haiku Canada Newsletter XIV:3
“empty cabin” – Snapshots Calendar 2002
mosquitoes
the slap of a beaver tail
at twilight
more snow . . .
the brittleness
of the wishbone
. . . by Alice Frampton “mosquitos” – The Heron’s Nest (Sept. 2005); “more snow” – The Heron’s Nest (June 2006); “moving day” – New Resonance 3 & The Heron’s Nest (2002)
late August —
she switches
my fan to low speed
honking out my window —
frowns for the cabbie
smiles for the geese
. . . by dagosan
Postnote: Poems for his adopted city from David G. Lanoue, for the Hurricane Katrina Anniversary:
the city recovers
restaurant
by restaurant
blown away by the hurricane
every stripper
I knew
her pen dries up
she blames
Katrina
p.s. New Orleans’ most famous weblogging attorney, Ernest Svenson, hosts Blawg Review #72 today at his Ernie-the-Attorney weblog.