Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 13
By Wade Kwon- a flaw in weather technology
Who ever heard of
meteorological
seasonal rodent? - 140 characters at a time
I joined Twitter at
long last, but now I won’t have
time to surf Friendster. - a little too frosty
When you can see your
breath with your eyes closed, it’s way
too cold to exhale. - the fine line
The line between real
world and virtual world gets
thinner with each click. - the ocean
The ocean gently
laps at my toes, inviting
me to wander in. - making potstickers
These perfect little
pockets all in a row filled
with hidden morsels. - a world of wheels
Come, let us gawk at
the oversize trucks and cool
hot rods that burn cash. - an early visitor
Pity the nostrils
blasted by springtime pollen
two months too early. - dishonesty is the best policy
A lie, a fib, a
half-truth, a whopper, a tall
tale, sometimes ring true. - in a field of dirt
Out there, somewhere, is
a vegetable garden just
before it pokes up. - all the way to carnegie hall
It takes practice to
overcome those odd habits
that steal away time. - pain is relative
Childbirth, kick in groin,
chemotherapy. Nothing
compared to hangnail. - love recession
Flutters down 15
percent, as are blushes. But
lust up 8 percent. - tyranny of expectations
A silent phone, an
unreturned message. The hell
of waiting alone. - what has changed
Everything inside
constantly changes. We keep
the outside constant. - candy is dandy
Candy is dandy,
whether hiding in cookies
or half off on sale. - the playboy
He showed no fear in
the face of brutality.
He smiled and kept on. - the modern cyrano
I like you, but I
don’t like you like you. I like
that I like like you. - barking dogs
The little hot dog
shop serves ’em up until it’s
time to return home. - the opposite
If the opposite
of me is you, are we a
pair or a problem? - statues of limitations
Oscar cavalcade
trumpets unseen flicks to a
crowd of fanatics. - lights, camera, classroom
The video feed
carries the instructor to
bored students elsewhere. - the thoughts, they do not live
Around and around
they go, clogging the brain with
no chance for escape. - a hint of winter
The car skin shimmers
with a thousand drops of dew
held by chilly breeze. - believe in grandma
Memaw looks upon
her family through drooping
eyes, tending slowly. - around the eight ball
Worst way to win at
pool? When your opponent sinks
eight ball too soon. Twice. - mag hags
Vintage magazines
engross fans of historic
kitsch while eating dip. - whither the white blanket
Elegant flakes spin
and whirl across the Southern
sky, settle and melt. - the regulars
The regulars line
the bar, sharing tawdry tales
and bare misery. - snow angel
Romping atop fields
of snow, lying down to flap.
She’s a kid again. - all about the discography
Record collection
elicits apologies,
oohs and ahs at once. - a ring of truth
I cried because I
had no cell phone, until I
met man with no lips. - it just rings and rings
Why won’t you pick up
when I call you 20 times
a day to say hi? - masseuse attack
The muscles cry out
for aromatic oils,
warm towels, soft hands. - gone in 60 minutes
The days start somewhat
earlier, or later. Can’t
tell when clocks are changed. - hobby sounds so quaint
Extreme knitting, co-
ed naked kickball, Facebook
stalking, green Jet Ski. - pink cupcake
The icing, an inch
thick. The crumbly inside spills
forth when wrapperless. - there’s no rain
I’d like to keep my
cheeks dry today, so stay with
me. I’ll have it made. - squeak squeak
Squeak squeak the soles trudge
along the pristine floor now
wet with outside rain. - adrift in a sea of faces
I don’t know you, do
I? We’ve met, maybe once or
hundred times. Can’t think. - concentration
Stay on task. Focus.
Stick with it. Shut out noises
and interruptions. - grandma said
Kind words go further
than angry ones. Mind that you
keep plenty in stock. - wary
What do you want? With
me, with them, with anyone?
Who are you and why? - people are puzzles
People are puzzles
to solve. Tab A, slot B don’t
always seem to fit. - thespian, be not proud
Slither and slide the
actors transform the stage by
being ugly us. - via monorail
Train wanders not on
its journey around city
always straightforward. - cat napping
Furry purr nestles
on foot of bed, dreaming of
warm keyboard, slow mice. - the green line
I’m off to see her
somewhere down the monorail,
14 stops to go. - dead dinosaurs
Dead dinosaurs roam
within our tanks, combusting
for forward motion. - deep dark secrets
Where once we kept our
deep dark secrets in check, we
now blab them online. - a matter of belief
Just because I don’t
believe in the Rain God does
not mean he won’t strike. - an ebbing tide
The leaky rowboat
needs a bailout, but we sold
the bucket for food. - and in conclusion
Good pacing works fine
until the end zooms up and
youcramsuperfast. - collective thinking
Among artists and
dreamers, the ideas burst
like untamed fire. - even the unlovable need love
The guards lock up the
warehouse of misfits, unsure
if they’ll escape hate. - plan d
Wing it, wing it like
there’s no tomorrow, wing it
till the cows come home. - when next we meet
We shall be older,
wiser, with worries and grand
plans, when next we meet. - which equals hilarity
˙ɹoɯnɥ ʇɐ sʇdɯǝʇʇɐ
ɔıʇsɐɹp ʇnoɥʇıʍ ǝʇǝldɯoɔ ʇou
ʇuǝɯıɹɹǝɯ ɟo ʎɐp - the party schedule
Shower, dress up, park,
meet and greet, drink heavily,
go home, drop, repeat. - made and sold
The blacksmith hammers
away to create his art,
then sells it. Bang, buck. - along the canal
Along the canal,
we share a sunset dinner
filled with memories. - pas de deux
Their moves mesmerize
with honed dexterity. Dance,
fly, spin, imagine. - normal tone of voice
Tone shifts. Different
listener. Tone shifts. At work.
Tone shifts. Be myself. - if tweets and nuts
“How was your day?” “I
talked to an online squirrel.”
(pause) “Did he talk back?” - ennui excitement
The boring monster
slayed the villagers with an
apt non sequitur. - a connecting point
A to B to C
needs a who to see that they
should be a linked we. - all aboard academia
Our roots are in the
global classroom, to teach those
who have much to learn. - nap attack
A rush of drowsy
zombies infiltrate the nerve
center of awake. - broken link
Snapped. Watch band ceases
to function, though watch face moves
ever onward round. - tax season
Form 1040, where
each number added becomes
less in our pockets. - the city through new eyes
We storm the city
like old friends, new explorers,
drinking in the mead. - down the line
Down the line, sirens
scream the news. “Death is coming,
death is coming!” Rats. - preparation
Preparation is
an illusion. What comes our
way, we face and guess. - complimentary
I can’t take a joke
or a compliment. Either
way, it’s attention. - blogerati
Everything becomes
fodder for the select few
willing to share it. - questions beget questions beget questions
Greet. Ask. Listen. Ask.
Nod. Repeat. Ask. Inquire.
Listen. Pause. Listen. - halfway to mud
Season of rebirth
wrung wet with rain ritual
in nurturing ground. - concrete savanna
From on high, urban
structures kneel to the crushing
sky, brick versus steel. - who knew
Who knew we’d be at
war, that we’d be bankrupt, that
torture was OK? - hot wheel
Steering wheel scorches
hands turning mighty beast through
stampede of rabbits. - legs of an artist
The tent harbors a
micro-gallery of art
while the painter hides. - a focused lens
We banter on the
meaning of photos, only
to expose ourselves. - frail
Beep. Beep. Monitor
ticks off faint heartbeats, his life
in green pulsing blips. - in the shadow of Vulcan
Son of Birmingham
stuck with hometown, which has stuck
with him. It’s y’all good. - difference of opinion
We may share same stage,
but we live on different
planets, idiot. - elemental landscaping
Assorted weeds, clumps
of dirt define motley yard
begging for green thumb. - you’re not the blank boss of me
You tell me what to
do. Who asked you? You talk, but
no one’s listening. - the global alley
When people of the
world come to the neighborhood,
we cheer them with beer. - among the ghosts
Phantoms disperse as
we saunter into the dark.
Her lips haunt my lips. - forged onstage
The Bard’s eloquence
shines brightly as Bollywood
spice heats up the night. - afternoon in the african wing
The spiked urn, the mask
of war, the ancients live on.
Outside, it rains on. - plan j
The thing about Plan
J is, if we already
need it, we are screwed. - doppler lies
Sweeping arm spews dots
of storms and winds and plagues, not
quite reaching the ground. - that much sunnier
Even during the
stretches of rain, a peek of
sunlight seems so bright. - paradox of awesome
To be awesome, you
can’t announce your awesomeness.
(Unless you’re awesome!) - revelations between the lines
Even the smallest
of missives can contain some
enlightening facts. - kitchen duet
She chops, he mixes,
she measures, he hunts for spoon.
Cooking symphony. - wet seat
The booth is damp, but
pants are dry. Do I really
want to know how, why? - in hot water
When you make coffee
weak, at least drinkers will pass
out before striking. - a question of questions
“How are you?” is a
good opener. “Why are you?”
silences many. - tails in sync
The big dog romps with
the little dog racing for
sticks and affection.
• • •
Read more Wade’s 101.