Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 12
By Wade Kwon- the eerie quiet
After the crater,
an unspoken wake begins,
to pay our respects. - uncool beans
Sitting in Starbucks
makes me smell like burnt coffee
long after I leave. - ponderings on mid-life
It was then his life
had spun out of control, a
hopeless wreck of dreams. - the tempo of fall
I just sat down, and
now it’s time to head out to
another meeting. - death to pundits and attack ads
Just seven days till
this election nonsense is
over. Oh, thank God. - the crooked road
The broken asphalt
skewers the dirt fields on its
journey to somewhere. - where did the year go?
Quite suddenly, it’s
cold and there’s Christmas shopping
to be done. No time. - true horror
People getting thrown
out of work, out of their homes.
Trick or treat, indeed. - too late for masks
All Hallows Eve has
passed, yet strange creatures roam the
streets still undeterred. - the extra hour
Sixty minutes come
from nowhere, only to slink
back when spring arrives. - shaking hands, kissing babies
The marathon ends
not with a close two-man sprint.
Millions walk to polls. - the fourth of november
Celebrate your rights
by casting a ballot for
tomorrow’s leaders. - obama wins
Americans bring
back hope. In these times, can he
succeed? Yes, he can. - so much for the sky
The plane wants to fly,
yet cannot. The passengers
cannot, but want to. - trapped in an SUV
Each stop seems distant
on this never-ending ride.
Where is the bathroom?! - a steady trot
Ted the horse seems to
tolerate his unsteady
greenhorn for the ride. - mountaintop reconnaissance
Despite fall, the lush
valley embraces the ridge.
The trail reveals all. - an anxiety unlike any other
What has stolen peace
of mind without warning? Why
has it come for us? - soldier on
They fought and died in
brutal wars. We owe them more
than we can repay. - roboshill
The waiting room would
be quiet, save for the drone
of health TV loop. - deceptive tendencies
She promised herself
she wouldn’t be taken in
again. Yet, she was. - all is calm
When the phone and the
noise go away, the soul rests
for tranquil healing. - nothing important happened today
Inside, the drafty
air chills frail bones trapped alone.
Outside, the world spins. - so what
I am a rock star.
I got my rock moves. And I
don’t want you tonight. - that time of year
As days get busy,
sickness spreads like wildfires
burning down free time. - change is on the way
Make way for a new
generation, ready to
lead, follow, not yield. - the path to sustainability
How do we grow to
the point where we no longer
worry about growth? - the human heart
It beats coldly in
a sheltered place, only to
warm with openness. - out loud
I tell my issues
in 40 minutes, leaving
10 for awkwardness. - in from the cold
Weak from week of cold.
Symptoms subside, fever goes.
Bad feelings remain. - a new thing
I need a new thing,
one that doesn’t require
big change or much cash. - big game
Crimson and white fights
orange and blue on bright green field.
Colors of iron. - dark days ahead
The twilight ceases
long before the day’s work is
done. We walk blindly. - littlest wish list
Tiny noses pressed
against panes, peering at shelves
of Christmas future. - thanksgiving symphony
Gobble, gobble, munch,
munch. Smack, smack, plop, plop, fizz, fizz.
Thankful for so much. - black friday blowout
Carts with flat-screen sets
and mutant Barbies clog the
aisles with wild commerce. - at the iron bowl
Drizzle envelops
stadium hungry for win,
blood and perfection. - a tangle of wires
Mass of black cables
encircle themselves looking
to connect somehow. - clothes make the man
No matter how good
the fit, fierce finery can
grip all too tightly. - too much potpourri
Fragrances attack
shoppers trapped in the home store
with smelly come-ons. - resolution bin
And so the year has
flown by all too quickly. Where
did all that time go? - they’re not actually pink
When they give you the
pink slip, it’s really a white
packet in disguise. - prints and the evolution
Views of Italy
beckon to retail tourists.
A new artist blooms. - lap for sale
Tabby on patrol
eyes empty lap with longing
from cold cruel carpet. - repast and rejoice
Pot roast in the Crock
and cookies in the oven.
Kitchen in winter. - dear santa 2008
Please reduce your staff
by 10 percent and drop all
bonuses. Thank you. - fancy pants
The stylish trousers
awaited its turn to step
out for the evening. - frosty toes
Quilt only goes so
far, as frostbitten piggies
shiver while exposed. - a need for usefulness
I give so that I
feel useful, an urge never
to be placated. - so much for small talk
It starts out as an
introduction and ends up
as a fumbled gulp. - the russian
The blonde navigates
among partygoers kept
warm by their eggnog. - sprig is in the air
The mistletoe hangs
around for lovers who’ve not
made their acquaintance. - the last push
Clock winds down on months
of work due soon. What must get
done will trump all else. - modern theater
Staged coming-of-age
requires uncloseting
of gay mixed-up mensch. - the pain of letting go
I said I didn’t
need you any more. But I
lied just a little. - according to plan
Fairy tales, horror
stories stop with “The End.” Thus
the page turns once more. - been here before
Wake up, look out the
window, and gaze upon the
unchecked horizon. - the ghosts of progress
Their passing does not
go unnoticed, with spaces
left unfilled, untouched. - a winter tan
A holly jolly
season brings tropical sun
and Hawaiian shirts. - clipboard memorial
The fallen have their
names etched in ballpoint, a sheet
of layoff victims. - war on santa
Wanted, for spying
on citizens, scaring kids,
and reindeer fighting. - atop the tree
An angel looks out
over the living room, her
halo protects us. - rotting underneath
Pillowy pile of
leaves yields fertile sludge soaked with
dark brine of decay. - dwt, driving while texting
Tap tap tap as the
car rushes through traffic, hit
send before we crash. - the girls and boys of 2008
No need to visit
baby store for discount kids.
The stork delivers. - martini to martini
The olives go for
a swim in the shallow pool
of gin and vermouth. - shoulda put a ring on it
Single ladies, make
sure that ring doesn’t come
with a hidden chain. - buzzword bailout
Change! Terrorist fist
bump! Maverick! Staycation!
Recessionista! - let it begin
Oh nine, oh well, time
to crank through another 12
months of mystery. - unending gray
Bitter sky roils
with tremulous webs of bleak,
mist-covered monsters. - a steady tremble
Her soft hand keeps watch
over mine, while a second
hand provides backup. - hat collection
You wear many hats.
Some fit, some cover your eyes.
One should stay in place. - the mugs are where we left them
A fine layer of
dust has settled over the
phone and the keyboard. - the mysterious disappearance
One moment, he was
there, keeping us together.
We checked. He vanished. - a knack for corrections
The red pen sees all,
knows all, to the annoyance
of those marked around. - dinner is ruined
It’s dark, and she’s tired.
The mood ruined, and the house
smells of burnt onions. - chapter the thirteenth
Prose populates the
pages, to literally
interpret the soul. - table for one
Two drink minimum,
jazz until the wee hours,
lost in smoky gaze. - traction fraction
Worn tires send car
sliding down the interstate
to oblivion. - pump up the jam
Shot, swish. Shot, swish. They
rallied to save the day when
it mattered the most. - i don’t even like coffee
Much of my life is
spent smelling like burnt coffee
from Starbucks dwelling. - on the surface, unkempt
Dirty hair closely
resembles clean hair, and it
styles much easier. - the creative liar
Forget modesty.
The sweetest fibs bring our dreams
to breathtaking life. - virtual office
The cubicle no
longer shields me from wonders
and warts in the world. - neck-row-philia
Snazzy scarf becomes
wrapped up in knotty neck, a
tangled, tussled heap. - party casa
Entertaining at
home begins with love and ends
with massive cleanup. - unselfishness
Volunteer army
battles apathy for hearts
and minds of fallen. - president obama
The American
dream starts with one voice preaching
possibilities. - starting point
We begin as a
single cell, expanding to
a mass of crazy. - and the nominees are …
Benjamin Button,
Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader,
Slumdog Millionaire. - a round of champagne
We toast from the ice
bucket and the clinking of
glasses to good times. - rings of fire
Flames twirl in blazes
of glorious daring, a
kerosene sideshow. - hell to the no
No pressure, no rush,
no big deal, no worries, no
complaints, no hassles. - ignorance is piss
Living a life of
invisibility takes
its toll on ego. - intimacy
True intimacy
comes from intertwining of
unsheathed beating hearts. - spring turns to winter
In a flash, nature’s
kiss icily hardens, a
hostile cold shoulder. - the lost art of concentration
Look ahead, but keep
your eyes on the prize. Remain
diligent, heads up. - one-man band
The one-man band stole
the show, hogged the spotlight, kissed
the groupies and fled. - alone in my ride
Inch forward, only
to wait as fumes build, patience
frays in snarled traffic. - peace of ache
It was over when
she winked at me, but really
just the beginning. - jumbotron
The big game seems to
loom larger than life when viewed
on giganto screen.
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