Thursday, September 15, 2011

Poetry

Poetry has always been my favorite form of literature, both to read and to write. I became nearly obsessed with haiku a few years ago, and it continues to be my favorite poetic form. I've recently submitted some of my writing for a literary magazine to be published by my school, Brown Mackie College, and I thought I would share some of my haiku submissions here. Enjoy.




Chicago, 2009-2010:


Five-seven-five is

Much harder to accomplish

When you've "had a few"

...

sitting on the beach

a frosty beer in my hand

a lush's life: grand

...
Finding yourself out
Learning more about the world
Learning not to care


Yours hands: Just like his
I see his face when you smile
He would be so proud


a single stingray
ocean vast and frightening
swimming towards hope


Oak instead of Palm
We found our homes by water
City by the lake


(09/21/09)
New to the city
Looking for the perfect one
Student; twenty-three



An awkward rising
My mistake sleeps next to me
Drunken one-night stand


Cross-eyed, view askew
Sky-scraper sways in the wind
A wandering thought                                                                                 


Curious moon-man
Peeking for eternity
Oh, the things he’s seen!


Ever-peeping Tom
Makes nightly observations
Stranger in the moon


Bumper-to-bumper
Lives of city residents
Caught up in traffic


City sounds abound
Unexpected breeze blows in
Window left open


Shrinking city view
A visit home, overdue
Not home anymore


Address change request
“State and city,” Post-man pressed
Changed my mind and left


(10/11/2009)
A fascination
The thin line we are walking
Unpredictable


(05/18/2010)
An ageless instinct
Guilty curiosity
Morality wins


(05/19/2010)
Windswept limbs and leaves
Bark split where cruel lightning struck
Shaded garden grows


World none the wiser
A ladybug climbs blades of grass
So significant


Cherry blossom blooms
Carried by the winds of spring
Certain wilting looms


shadow lies in wait
dimly shrill Death looms silent
gratifying chase


Indiana, 2011

Hypnotizing hum
Time ticks by with squinting eyes
Begging for a blink

I became part of an online discussion forum for Haiku, via Craigslist, when I moved to Chicago. Every day the moderator has a competition for who can write the best haiku based on the daily subject. The other writers then vote on the Haiku through a point system, and the winner is given the opportunity to choose the subject for the next competition. I won several of these contests, and they became a daily obsession for me. I've highlighted the subject in bold for the poems that were written for the forum. All of these haiku were written in Indiana in 2011.

Buds and blooms quiver
Anticipating Spring’s warmth
Winter’s slumber ends


Ninety acres wave
Summer stalks sway in sunlight
Mother Nature’s gold


Eager Blue jays sing
Chipmunks gather cones and nuts
Early signs of Spring


sneaking through shingles
Spring sending in her soldiers
drumming in tin cups


Tin cup of coffee
Cabin with wood-burning stove
Wintery retreat


Tin cups by the fire
Cowboys sharing war stories
A spring cattle drive


Daily street sermons
Collection plate: tin cup
Homeless preacher man


Wrinkled red skins age
Becoming sweeter with time
Sun-dried tomatoes


No comments:

Post a Comment