Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 8
By Wade Kwon- keeping hope alive
When will the next great
leader step forward and drag
us into the light? - diplomatic tide
Citizens of the
world find their way to the hills
of Alabama. - are you smarter than a mayoral candidate?
Forum sheds little
light on dark reality
of city’s problems. - the 5:15 to fabulous
They say most awful
delicious things at salon
where cutters gossip. - the perfect plan
Let us to the hills
or the beach or the woods to
share but a moment. - fried like hide
Melting brain shorts out.
Nothing left to do except
reboot for weekend. - secret lives of weekenders
Sipping iced tea while
lazing on the back porch for
hours, days and nights. - reunion of the wretched
The past comes back time
after time in a town so
small but forgiving. - discussion direction
A question becomes
more troubling than an outright
conniption out loud. - credibility check
And if you believe
that, I’ve got a shiny new
pony to sell you. - traces of the departed
Extra keys, baby’s
eyes, folded laptop, pickup
still parked on driveway. - gen. fatigue
Weary warrior nods
off as battle plans unfurl
to legions of troops. - the herbivore’s dilemma
Yummy grass-fed cows
deliver forbidden fuel
via mass slaughter. - greetings, sort of
Mating dance not as
complicated as choosing
side hug or full hug. - mystery silence theater
Even a bad film
is redeemed with company
of a thoughtful friend. - nail-biting and then some
This football season
has given money’s worth of
thrills, if not triumphs. - getting through to myself
I taught and I learned
in the span of one day. I’m
a better person. - apart and aparter
The distance between
us grows so large as not to
be crossed without trust. - when seconds count
So much depends on
timing. Lack of rhythm is
gonna get you. See? - don’t let on, foolish softie
The stray comment tipped
my hand unwittingly, proof
that I care. Too much. - a real salad
A real salad comes
straight from the ground, tasting of
sun and rain and earth. - atop vulcan, saturday night
You look up, you see
his butt. Down, you see the ground.
Out, you see it all. - constant companion
Grief pursues her at
all hours, a flickering
presence without shame. - kitchen postlude
The frying lingers
in oily pans and extra
pounds and pungent air. - the service begins
We are bound tightly,
ready to embark on a
journey of our hope. - alone at the bar
The stool underneath
keeps me upright and drinking
as the hours pass. - cool like that
And suddenly the
land cooled, inserting crispness
in prelude to fall. - grate expectations
High standards become
the sucking chest wound when left
untreated, unmet. - i can haz salvation
Through his baptism,
we are all saved, at least for
a moment. Amen. - costume conundrum 1
What should I wear for
Halloween … Kitty cat or
slutty kitty cat? - costume conundrum 2
Best part of dressing
up: Explaining who you are
and why you look so. - costume conundrum 3
Some people have gift
for transforming themselves from
normal to knockout. - under my proboscis
Only now, office
scuttlebutt reaches those of
us not plugged in well. - death by a thousand pricks
It’s not the bullets
or knives that get you, but the
littlest insults. - with some power …
That impossible
thing that can’t be done? It’s up
to you to help change. - viaduct view
Parallel tracks stretch
into darkening distance
unburdened with trains. - belittle voice
Roll my eyes? Easy
to do with a flick of the
tongue and snide aside. - southern warm front
Hospitality
makes for sunny climate all
year long in Dixie. - what’s next
Time to get back to
things that move life forward and
not sideways or back. - bacterial holocaust
Thinning of herd starts
with cubicle crowd heading
to bed while sickly. - price is right, carey on
Hosts change, game remains
the same. “Come on down” still quite
addictive to watch. - down 50
Even marginal
talent at blackjack becomes
losing streak too soon. - no stopping us now
There is a time for
talking and a time for us
to take action. Go. - front seat driver
Tiny paws nestle
in lap. Defensive driving
becomes dogged jaunt. - here i sit, broken-hearted
Eight-hour meeting
takes toll on posterior.
My ass has gone numb. - treat tricked up
Hydrogenated
lecithin, xanthan gum, high
fructose corn syrup. - optimism dries up
The coming drought will
guarantee that the glass is
no longer half full. - pate pitch
Infomercial host
almost closes sale except
for dubious hair. - game faced
Beneath the sneer of
approval lies the boiling
discontent of rage. - ghosts of mississippi
Surrounded by bunks
missing bodies, unclaimed spots
needing helpful souls. - the house that we built
These pre-walls need mud
and sanding, trowels of care
from floor to ceiling. - too many memorials
We stop and study
monuments to tragedies,
in awe and despair. - impressions of mold
Stubborn fungus won’t
stay away. But how do we
eject this houseguest? - east biloxi blues
The boat people take
the undesirable lands
to build and rebuild. - art class in the lunchroom
Swirl of colors sparks
impulse to paint in new hues
through brushes of youth. - restoration, hard work
Drywall crumbles from
prying, leaving historic
frame intact for now. - driving highway 90
The coast laps gently
along the broken shoreline,
casino lights burn. - grindstone cold
It is a slow road
back to productivity
after some time off. - delayed knowledge
Lessons learned show up
at unexpected times. The
light bulb snaps on. Pop! - camera candid
Aside from more pounds,
the lens adds humility.
Unless you’re pretty. - outfit in-crowd
Cowboys and pirates
and witches and princesses
hang out on the racks. - dance dance evolution
They can’t stop grinding
it out on the dance floor, but
we can’t help but watch. - twenty-four hours of haiku
The clock chimes on the
hour, marking a daylong
marathon of verse. - pressure cooker of the mind
Do better, do your
best. Go for broke, even if
it breaks you apart. - commiseration of the wretched
“The budget’s tight.” “My
boss is impossible.” “Who’s
running this circus?” - down in the tumps
His heart went tump-tump
as he tumped over the pans
fixin’ to fix lunch. - just a chat
Ringtone brings world to
standstill. New voice pierces gloom
with friendly nuance. - bird is the word
Cruel dressing, to have
ungainly paper socks to
mask those turkey legs. - i have gone to the mall 18 times
Online shopping can’t
compare to joy of parking,
crowds and dirty aisles. - favorite grizzard joke
Looking at bulldog
licking … “I wish I could do that.”
“That dog would bite you-u-u!” - wake up, little snoozy
Giant ball of flames
stalks horizon for dozers.
An alarm buzzes. - breakfast in the cube
Banana, peanuts,
Diet Coke and vitamins.
No time for real meal. - the screwy days of late november
Autumn is summer
in Southern clime, when outside
it’s 72. - peeping with the fishes
Dark half-circles stain
underside of eyes, fixed marks
of poor sleep schedule. - opening night at the pepper
Post-modern sketches
grace bare walls as onlookers
nibble on cheeses. - past bedtime
Grownups’ chat becomes
wrestle time for moppets when
Sandman runs behind. - the future of art
Turntables, talent,
exhibits, networking, Gen
Y takes up the cause. - unwrapped
Not using bags or
boxes or paper. Lazy
or eco-friendly? - papa needs another miracle
I’m addicted to
the dreidel, but only till
I win back my beans. - baby brigade
Many mamas in
the making. Hope it’s not some
infantile outburst. - parties of the first part
Every block dons its
gay apparel to greet guests
for festivities. - parties of the second part
No one believes in
Thanksgiving in a cup. Proof
is in the dressing. - parties of the third part
Sitting in one spot
isn’t anti-social, just
cornering market. - bounty tracking
Letters and numbers
tell tale of shipping routes to
doorsteps and signees. - three weeks to a new you
Still time, scolds the wry
observer, to honor this
year’s resolutions. - beyond the beyond
Out there lies culture
and adventure, places
to discover next. - ratings rankings rantings
No, I will not play
your desert island mind games.
Fave CDs, indeed. - blame the mistletoe
Saw Mommy kissing
Santa Claus, and that led to
marriage counseling. - popularity contested
So much depends on
just showing up. And yet we
often work alone. - guitar zero
Real gamers take on
fake rock-star personas to
jam on plastic gear. - ripoff van winkle
He awoke from a
long slumber, only to find
the world hadn’t changed. - the emperor’s new clothes 1
The specter of the
dome: large half-built shell bankrupt
with hopes, promises. - the emperor’s new clothes 2
Demolish structures.
Not a bad idea, but
cloaked in ignorance. - the emperor’s new clothes 3
Every breath you take,
every bond you make, the cops
will be watching you. - the emperor’s new clothes 4
To pay for favors,
why not raise taxes without
supplying details? - the emperor’s new clothes 5
Real reason to give
15,000 laptops to
kids? To meet Oprah. - the emperor’s new clothes 6
Every 23
days, the city gets a much
needed clean sweep. Thanks. - the emperor’s new clothes 7
The feds have questions
about past payments and loans.
Honeymoon? Over. - check the trunk
Even gifts exchanged
in the parking lot are still
treasures without tree. - eve of tidings
All’s quiet. The world
outside settles in for a
night of peace on Earth. - o christmas shrub
O Christmas shrub, o
Christmas shurb, thy shrubbiness
(in short) delights us.
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