Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 25
By Wade Kwon[Share on Twitter]
- the stinging storm
Sun turns to darkness
turns to rain turns to hail on
a June afternoon. - the littlest wish
She beheld the cake
and presents and besties and
wished with eyes shut tight. - first day of summer school
Her backpack has a
stowaway hitchhiker who
wants to sleep in class. - idiocracy by the numbers
What’s scarier? One
lone idiot or a mob
of crazed idiots? - a weed in the kitchen
A tomato waits
to be born in a cramped pot
on a dark counter. - new south blues
Where once was farmland
and forests now stands Starbucks
and Piggly Wiggly. - ode to a fallen truck
The monster plowed through
many a dirt road and mall
lot on big tankfuls. - lenses
We look at the world
through warped lenses, eyeing each
other with concern. - to the guillotine
They marched to their doom,
not for crimes committed, but
for years of service. - the fraternity of the notebook and pen
They would never be
strangers. Each member knows their
kin from all newsrooms. - sustainable food 2012
People, people who
eat people are the super
hungriest people … - walking invalid
Her brain demanded
she be happy and sane and
miserable, too. - the hum of comfort
As long as the fan,
fridge, TV and computer
work, summer’s a blast. - american nightmare
New dream: Can we stop
working one day? Newer: Will
we have enough work? - ode to a catfish
Dark orphan purrs his
way into a regal life
in hilltop castle. - dream car
Runs on moxie, parks
anywhere, top comes down, big
cup holder, blasts tunes. - summer at last
The walk from parking
lot to doorway roasts bare flesh
with intense UV. - the limits of obsession
Sifting through garbage,
watching through binoculars,
but no mornings, please. - the blind recruiter
The agency wants
the right candidate, but no
one too “elderly.” - all the ghosts have moved on
He looked back for friends
from childhood, lost loves, schoolmates,
but they were all dead. - the torch approaches
Along a quiet
road in the English country,
a flame heads homeward. - baskets beyond
Weaving the strips in
deliberate sequence to
make lovely patterns. - problems, solutions and everything in-between
Some educated
guesses mixed with wild hunches
to look somewhat smart. - digital cave drawings
Our hieroglyphics
consist of pithy slogans
on sunset photos. - symphonic oddities
If the platypus
played an instrument in band,
it would be trombone. - vaudeville in the woods
The young campers hop
about backstage, waiting to
dazzle their parents. - the lost inbox
Fate tosses select
emails declaring love, hate
aside for more spam. - 100 degrees at the beach
Let’s hide in the cool
of the ocean, when the sand
scorches our bare skin. - a reviewer’s eye
The ability
to spot talent, flaws, passion,
potential, mistakes. - face race
She wouldn’t dare step
out without a dab of blush,
lipstick and liner. - keep america dutiful
Picture a nation
that crowds its polls and teaches
its young as a norm. - the trout was innocent
The eager scamp dropped
the fish on an untended
foot. She yelped and fled. - the fireworks continue
Firecrackers bang
through the night, lit by tempers
on loosened triggers. - becoming undone
They shared space, yet kept
their distance, unable to
find the words to meet. - after the service, before the church picnic
Parson Wilkinson
sped through a shorter prayer when
he was too hungry. - stomp the pool
Little bathers romp
in 3-inch water, splashing
and laughing in waves. - garden trespassers
The fresh produce aisle
attracted furry and winged
shoplifters to feast. - vacation from beeps
“This cabin,” the dad
declared, “is off limits to
phones, gadgets and gear.” - the fallow corporate farm
In the dim and dust,
rows of cubicles remain
unmanned, untended. - weather extreme
Blistering heat wave
interrupted by clanging
thunder and harsh storms. - modern meditation
If peace and bliss can’t
come through breathing and yoga,
give me Valium, stat. - making ends meet
What bills get paid and
don’t seems silly when children’s
bellies rumble on. - strange stirrings
Once she got ahold
of his heart, she made it dance
and race at her will. - visual communion
They stared into each
other’s eyes, comfortably
alone from the world. - songs among the nothings
She spoke like a jazz
sax solo. Her audience
of one begged for more. - all you need is
Makes the world go ’round.
Is a many splendored thing.
Is blind. Conquers all. - flawless perception
They were never flaws
to her, but more like worn-in
quirks to be adored. - sentiment immortal
His love refused to
lie dormant, creeping up through
soul cracks to sunlight. - more vulnerable than venerable
True love scares me, but
I have found it scarier
to go without it. - no more empathy
The mob grew in size
as disgruntled users called
for firing squads. - if not for the tall blades
The sidewalk cracks were
hidden behind the weeds and
heaps of dry branches. - business envy
The drone longed for air.
The field agent longed for rest.
The jobless, for work. - solar system refugee
A steel probe hurtled
toward deep space, guided by where
it had once surveyed. - a history once whispered
The technicians put
in a bare slab where once stood
a bronze champion. - darkness at the edges
Gloom descends, not in
a sudden wave, but as a
creeping fog of dread. - the bounty
Her broad bonnet at
the window meant a basket
of unwanted squash. - a drink of dust
Rows of seeds crawl out
of the baked earth to breathe their
last before dying. - the gymnast’s lament
A slip becomes a
deduction, and a small fall
into a big plunge. - the boldest steps
The boldest steps are
often the quietest ones,
tiptoeing forward. - track star
Speakers bop, earbuds
pop, an infectious rhythm
comes with a tight riff. - two feet high
The champion stands
above others, hand over
heart, beaming proudly. - whispers
Once in a while, a
few rumors slip past the wall
of cynicism. - tuning up by the stove
One pot simmers, a
pan warms up, the cutting board
groans with chopped items. - interplanetary roadtrip
Curiosity
brings us to Mars. Let’s drive to
the new horizon. - the universe makes no sense
We unite to make
great things, yet spar over slights
real and imagined. - a start and a finish line aren’t enough
No more plain races.
Add hurdles, pace car, pursuit,
targets and synchro. - the dozer
The salesman pitched his
wares to the audience, save
for one sleeping gent. - shopper’s lament
Cashier wasted time
ringing up coupons, time she
could have been clipping. - ask not for whom the school bell tolls
They played in the yard
somberly. Soon, the school year
would claim their free time. - the modern crusades
They shopped and shunned as
a congregation, secure
in their holy cause. - a bit overloaded
The ones struggled down
the circuit, the zeroes kept
still. Micro meltdown. - man’s best fiend
The schnauzer snuck out
to dance in the rain, leaving
mud tracks back inside. - force of habitual reading
About 12 pages
into the mystery, he
took a sip of tea. - sponsor saturation
After the ad came
a promotion, then a paid
message and come-on. - though the squirrels had it first
The bulldozers left
in their wake a picturesque
park where kids could romp. - missteps among the suvs
The marching band sweats
and struts in the parking lot
as the field is mowed. - pumped
The bodybuilder
in the mirror had once been
a shadow of doubt. - all eyes front
A gaggle of new
faces stared from rows of desks
at the scared teacher. - the stork 2012
Delivering tots
requires tracking codes, thumb
scans and good earplugs. - deferred admissions
Lead by example,
a great ideal that falters
among flawed rulers. - tics
Wash the hands, scrub the
hands, flex the knee, check the phone,
wash the hands, glance left … - opera of the times
The fat lady skips
the aria to wheeze from
poor health management. - like a warm itchy blanket
I wrap myself in
hate and look upon the world
with mistrustful eyes. - trudging the campaign trail
The candidate knocked,
but the dweller had no clue
it was time to vote. - hurricane party
The hardy few stayed
behind to mix cocktails and
serenade the wind. - decision day
Which candidate? Do
I stay or flee? Ignore or
take call? Nap or jog? - it shouldn’t be this nice
Hurricane nearby
sometimes produces crazy
beautiful weather. - the homework begins
Read two books, write three
papers, dissect a worm, solve
the worksheet. First week. - yule celebrate now
Now that back-to-school
season is over, stores can
focus on … Christmas. - hidden flasks and other rituals
The season ticket
holder took a little nip
in case his prayer failed. - knock knock who’s there it’s leaves
Along came fall to
the party, early with a
flashy ensemble. - in honor of 70-hour work weeks
Spend the holiday
planning how to do the same
work in fewer days. - evolution of candidate support
“Smith for Congress,” once
a yard sign, now ironic
temporary tat. - the city on the edge of foreclosure
Abandoned buildings
along the one-way streets waved
goodbye to locals. - the trend is bucked
Rather than follow
the crowd, the freshman opened
a book for pleasure. - how to win at stomach punching
Aim low. No, lower.
Administer repeated
blows. Always go first. - at times, she misses him
The empty spot on
the couch, the missing footsteps
behind her, the fuzz. - twilight of the scarecrow
The seeds have risen
and left the site. The birds peck
at harvested ground. - the vikings of new
Clad in costumes and
wielding props, they conquer the
stage and football field. - an extra 12 years
Had they survived, would
they want to live where mistrust
and madness flourish? - a visit from the ghost of james buchanan
“Be more playful,” he
commanded to the snores of
the slumbering dolt.
• • •
Read more Wade’s 101.
Read more haiku.
Subscribe via RSS to Wade’s Daily Haiku. Or have it delivered daily by e-mail.
[Share on Twitter]