The origins of the haiku (pronounced "high-coo" with equal emphasis on each syllable) go back to the 12th century in Japan, where poets, often in groups, would improvise verses which would eventually create very long poems. It wasn’t till the 16th century that ordinary Japanese folk became interested in the arts, and it was Matsuo Basho who is credited with developing and making popular the little poems which later became known as haiku.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

No.12

on the old farm track
rainwater in the wheel ruts
frozen over

outside the cafe
a dog's lead and collar
chained to a lamppost

at the cottage door
a canary in a cage
sparrows on the ground

a thousand raindrops
sparkling on the fir trees
first day of spring

eclipse of the sun
for a few minutes darkness
closes the daisies

nothing on TV
opening the old biscuit tin
for needle and thread

a fierce gust of wind
the tea garden's umbrellas
become airborne

facing the March winds
the summer seats
nobody sits on

my coffee untouched
I lose track of time
preparing haiku

smoking cigarettes
+
deciding to stop
+
hanging wallpaper
+
smoking cigarettes

-o0o-

THAT BRINGS THIS SERIES TO AN END

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Thursday, March 19, 2015

No.11

in shallow water
the tiny flounder is hidden
on the sandy bed

after the rainstorm
the midnight sky clears - a moon
in every puddle

rain from the wind chimes
dripping on the oil drum
adds to the music

there's no escaping
The Yellow Rose of Texas
from the ice cream van

first day of spring
the sound of children's laughter
floats down the stream 

on the carousel
a ventriloquist's dummy
among the cases

at the check-out
without looking up
have a nice day - take care

spring is here at last
I get a new jacket
so does the scarecrow

from the promenade
we watch a poor man
fight with a deckchair

where the old car had parked
all the colours of the rainbow
on the oil spills

-o0o-

NEXT POST HERE THURSDAY

-o0o-

After a break of three months
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL ART
returns on Sunday 22nd March

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Thursday, March 12, 2015

No.10

another cold day
tapping the barometer
still no sign of spring

visiting grandma
the little boy plays for hours
with coloured buttons

summer evening
on the golf course - long shadows
follow us home

in the surgery
surrounded by wall pictures -
internal organs

through the distant trees
the flash of leaping antlers
and a rifle shot

gently caressing
she moulds the wet clay
poetry in motion

in the fading light
the owl just a dark shadow
against the dovecote


excited squawking
from the budgie - a big cat
on the window ledge

the old gentleman
 enters the elevator
and takes off his hat

one tiny dewdrop
the sun, clouds, the entire sky
reflected therein
[inspired by a saying of the 13th century Zen master DOGEN]

-o0o-

ANYONE FOR HAIKU
will now be updated every Thursday

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-


Thursday, March 5, 2015

No.9

still in the silence
the shadow of the wind chimes
on the garden wall

smell of burning wood
wisps of smoke above the trees
the sound of an axe

the farmer's gun fills the sky
with a flock of birds
and my dog with fear

into the cavern
following the torchlight beam
a sudden chill

placing her coin
in the slot, the little girl
pats the stone dog

from the summit
the village lost in mist
just the church spire

held up by roadworks
noticing for the first time
the colour of corn

before the roller coaster
has started
the girls are screaming

evening on the loch
my hand joins its reflection
in the cool water

yesterday
admiring a butterfly
today
killing a moth

-o0o-

ANYONE FOR HAIKU WILL NOW BE UPDATED EVERY THURSDAY

The new blog
TAKING THE ONE LESS TRAVELLED BY
begins on Saturday

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Monday, March 2, 2015

No.8

after the downpour
the pavement wriggles
with a host of tiny worms

summer afternoon
the weather cock's shadow
on the hen house roof

low tide - noisy gulls
forage in the rock pools
for stranded fish

her Anais Anais
announces her arrival
before she appears


early morning breeze
a beach ball bounces along
the deserted shore

both thumbs in plaster
(the job would be no problem)
bent nails everywhere

peep through the curtains 
rain again 
the day can start without me


in the Old Folk’s Home
the lady who never speaks
joins in “Danny Boy”
silent pond
suddenly alive
sound of frogs

a gentle wake-up
the blackbird's insistent song
creeps into my sleep

-o0o-

NEXT POST THURSDAY

Now online
WOMEN ON CANVAS
the new art blog began yesterday
http://womenoncanvas.blogspot.com

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Thursday, February 26, 2015

No.7

A new art blog begins on Sunday 1st March
WOMEN ON CANVAS

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

cloudless spring night
a stone thrown into the pond
shatters the moon

struck by a small branch
the hedgehog retreats
into himself

at the foot clinic
embarrassment
an odd pair of socks



in the moonlight 
the sycamore's shadow 
above my bed

in the mirror shop
a dozen images
confirm my ageing

Sunday morning
my reflection follows me 
round the boating pond

unconsecrated
the unmarked graves of paupers
concealed behind trees

three tin openers
lie mangled - defeated 
by a can of soup

the old house empty
our tiny footprints still there
on the concrete path

on the common
two old men among the boys
flying their kites

-o0o-

NEXT POST HERE MONDAY

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Monday, February 23, 2015

No.6

spring sunshine
the kitten and her shadow
lie down together


at our store of nuts
for the birds, a tiny mouse
scurries away

between each wave 
crashing on the rocks
a moment's respite

childhood memory
waking to the sounds and smells
of gaslit breakfasts


steam clearing slowly
from the bathroom mirror
an old face takes form



turning a corner
the redness of the poppies
field after field



sunset at the pier
the creaking of timbers
wind in the rigging


at the dolls' party 
we sit on the grass
drinking invisible tea

trailing in the stream
the willow branches gently
sway in the current

-o0o-

The last one here is of course not a haiku. It has 9 lines and each of them has 4 syllables. Just a bit of fun!

sitting alone at the party 
in a corner
during a lull 
this is my chance
I clear my throat 
they turn to me
I hesitate 
I say nothing

-o0o-

NEXT POST HERE THURSDAY

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Thursday, February 19, 2015

No.5

at the second tee
the sparrows are fluttering
in the sprinkler's spray

Sunday morning
a howling dog competes
with the church bells

the moon keeps dodging
out of sight
behind the storm clouds

pulling petals off
he loves me he loves me not - 
best out of three?

the little girl
tries to escape her shadow
midday sunshine

in the newsagent's
the Daily Sport always racked
upside down

to reach the suet
a crow on the bird feeder
does acrobatics


sudden downpour
the bouncy castle empties
and fills with puddles

at our store of nuts
for the birds, a tiny mouse
scurries away


-o0o-


in the Japanese garden
just the whispering 
of running water

-o0o-

NEXT POST MONDAY

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Monday, February 16, 2015

No.4

 on the branch 
a gull cleaning its beak -
on the ground
a broken eggshell

memory failing
and no one left to confirm
how things used to be

in grandpa's garden
held together by creepers
an old wooden hut

 out of the dusk 
the last pigeon 
checks in


now the gentle breeze
releases a tiny leaf
to the flowing stream

freed from his tack
the pony rolls on the grass
hoofs punching the air


evening shadows creep
over the pond - the ducks leave
one
by
one
by
one

early visitor
a slimy trail on the path
our dog checks it out

self-assembly kit
proud of the finished bookcase
but what's this thing for?

-o0o-


late summer sun
the colours of autumn
between sky and loch

-o0o-

NEXT POST HERE THURSDAY

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-


Thursday, February 12, 2015

No.3

bitter cold dawn
four young deer on the golf course
synchronised leaping

on the clothes line
feathers fluffed up in the wind
a line of sparrows

in the gutter
a bouquet of flowers
still in wrapping paper

letting the cat out
we welcome a visitor -
a little robin

early morning mist
across the loch trees take shape
the promise of sun

another birthday
old age crept up on me
when I wasn't looking

at the refuse dump
an escort of seagulls
for the cleansing truck

floating on the pond
the leaf with a passenger
a tiny frog

market day
at sunrise long shadows
fill the empty stalls

-o0o-


a blank page waiting
for my next masterpiece -
the perfect haiku

-o0o-

NEXT POST MONDAY

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Thursday, February 5, 2015

No.2

nose to the ground
Cody explores the garden
an inch at a time

-o0o-

between the rocks
a moon 
in every little pool

-o0o-

each time he tells the story
the angler stretches his arms 
w   i   d  e   r

-o0o-

in the hermit's hut
a bed a bowl a table
and peace

-o0o-

bitter cold morning
the eight twenty five is late
the platform shivers

-o0o-

summers day outing
between wiper and windscreen
a parking ticket

-o0o-

lost property desk
the woman loses patience
the clerk his temper

-o0o-

low tide
a chain of seaweed snakes
along the foreshore

-o0o-

technical fault
the automated toilet
opens
closes
opens
closes
opens

-o0o-



high on the hillside
a thousand autumn colours
from a thousand trees

-o0o-

NEXT POST THURSDAY

-o=0=o-

Sunday, February 1, 2015

No.1

three score years and ten
and a further nineteen
is that really me?

-o0o-

a pair of trousers
on the frozen washing line
stand at attention

-o0o-

from start to finish
Saturday's game is replayed
in the old men's hut

-o0o-

evening on the loch
much quieter now that the geese
have taken their leave

-o0o-

a caterpillar
slowly climbs the blade of grass
then slowly back down

-o0o-

clinging to the wall
every ivy leaf shivers
in the angry wind

-o0o-

twisted roots criss-cross
the forest floor - overhead
branches entwining

-o0o-


day in day out
the caged bird and the goldfish
side by side

-o0o-

silence in the lift
then the door opens - freeing
us and our tongues

-o0o-


taking a short cut
the squirrel hurries home
on the phone wire

-o0o-

NEXT POST HERE THURSDAY

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