Wade’s 101: Haiku retrospective 15
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009- notes from voltaire
Life is a shipwreck,
but we must not forget to
sing in the lifeboats. - relative insignificance
A man can feel small
next to a saint, who feels small
next to a belief. - pick a direction
Turn left, then right and
head for daylight. Soon, you will
see an opening. - the liberal lion sleeps tonight
Teddy Kennedy
gave life to public service
so we don’t have to. - smiling and wagging
Pet me, says the hound
on the patio. And we
oblige the canine. - traffic snarl
Clogged lanes move inch by
inch in never-ending race
between points A, B. - the days are getting shorter
Impatient autumn,
wait your turn. The unruly
summer needs more time. - football season: can you hear the roar?
Can you hear the roar
coming from across the quad?
It’s time for kickoff. - football season: dear coach
Please take us to the
national championship
(or else, you’re fired). - football season: all bets are on
What’s the line on the
game? Not that I want to bet
or call my bookie. - football season: painted chest dudes
Noble collegians
preen with school spirit on their
fermented torsos. - football season: hey ref
Do you know why you
suck? I shall tell you why. You
suck because you suck. - football season: sideline hazard
When approached by the
mascot, make no eye contact
and don’t shake its hand. - football season: yell, then yell some more
The raging crowd roars
its lusty approval as
the team marches in. - the naming of a decade
The aughts? The naughts? The
zeros? The oh-ohs? Decade
ends in just four months. - working world
Overproductive,
underpaid, stressed out, under
deadline, over it. - at the drive-in
I declared my love
over shakes and a burger,
hold the mushiness. - 09-09-09
Dogs for dogging, hands
for clapping. Birds for birding,
and fish for fishing. - hip to be unemployed
Meet you at the bar
for networking after some
time at coffee shop. - inconsolable souls
Did we really just
leave 9/11 victims
without true justice? - art in review
How can so many
artists spend so much time and
yet produce such crap? - impromptu sing-along
We don’t start and end
each others’ sentences. We
belt out made-up tunes. - the unhappiest place on earth
What Walmart offers
(besides low prices): show of
human misery. - courtesy of the love bandit
A mysterious
note appears: “Meet me in the
bedroom, without pants.” - kindness
Look back, and see all
who treated you with kindness
when you weren’t looking. - fizz
The glass bubbles in
anticipation. Lips to
devour the drops. - d-i-v-o-r-c-e
A parting of the
ways, man the lifeboats, let one
man put asunder. - wash away your sins
The clouds formed the new
sky, a torrential dome of
unending downpour. - the chosen ones
Get gussied up, preen
for the cameras, hear them pick
other, cry inside. - the fog
Where is the coffee?
Why is the alarm blaring?
Morning comes too soon. - wake up
Wake up, world. Don’t you
know there’s injustice and sin?
(Like there’s always been.) - last edition
The presses rolled one
last time, and the very last
newspaperman left. - poisoned from within
The municipal
halls were choked with false leaders
lining their pockets. - saw it in a movie once
This dude swooped in and
knocked out the villain, then made
out with, like, three chicks. - stale popcorn
The rattling of the
tough popped kernels goes well with
the warm flat soda. - restless audience
They waited in line,
they waited in seats. Start the
movie already! - march of the chairs
The rolling chairs sped
down the hallway, while folding
chairs ambled along. - beyond sleepy
Eyelids remain at
attention, desperately
in need of at ease. - weather that demands specific tops
Air with a bite, light
with a waxing crispness, and
sweaters without holes. - this play is just for us
If we sit very
still, the performance will keep
us gripped in drama. - things you learn
How to tie your shoes,
bake a pie, drive a car, kiss
properly, feel good. - trapped on a shuttle bus
The route takes us no-
where, yet it’s where we belong,
looking out windows. - yard warfare
The yard next door has
an abundance of leaves, which
makes this yard pristine. - mask of uncertainty
Halloween costume
rejects: Jacko, birther, swine
flu, Larry Langford. - the unblogged life
The unblogged life is
not worth tweeting, Socrates
said via Facebook. - in the grip of fall
Art festivals, cool
air, an abundance of dead
leaves and Christmas sales. - nature by night
Silhouettes of trees
form towering dancers. Dusk
settles in for now. - a little bit behind
Later turns into
next week, which becomes sometime
eventually. - the palace gourds
A pumpkin for each
table, a dancer for each
stage. Cue the frolic. - cutting smile
Eyes of triangles,
crooked nose, and a toothy
sad grin carved by hand. - all it takes
All it takes is a
look from you, a thoughtful gaze,
a playful hug … (swoon). - the obvious punchline
Where is the dislike
button? That’s what she said. I’m-
ma let you finish. - bundle of nerves
Stomach a’quiver.
Unable to sit or stand
still. Peace of mind gone. - an empty closet
Hangers dangle on
the rod, in a sad closet
without her effects. - the unfinished haiku
The grand poet took
up his quill with a flourish
but came up short - that was the whole of her sermon
Only connect the
prose and the passion, and both
will be exalted. - the bells have stopped ringing
The standing army
of one-armed bandits take cash
as muted beggars. - introvert’s delight
Learning to reach out,
then finding a dark hole to
climb in and recharge. - last on the tarmac
Luggage comes spilling
out from the steel belly, glad
to be home at last. - timed travel
Two hours forward,
90-minute delay. Flight
breaks late barrier. - fiction-finding mission
Among the bogs and
swamps, intrepid children looked
for minotaur eggs. - feats of moderate human strength
When it comes to doors —
elevator, revolving —
he has leverage. - fortunes on the field
All eyes from the stands
and from living rooms were glued
to the final play. - pick up the pieces
Love endures, despite
aches and despair and baggage
and fear and hardship. - city in two
City of progress
or site of urban decay.
A mayor on trial. - deck the haunted halls
Any decor plans
beyond orange/black scheme, fake webs
and witches and ghosts? - political thievery
A crook stole more than
just the county’s wealth. He stole
our trust and goodwill. - the horizon within reach
A new day, a new
chance to clear out old tactics
and lift Birmingham. - birmingham renewed: baby steps
Who we are as a
city comes not from who leads
but who does the work. - birmingham renewed: exorcising ghosts
Are we haunted? Must
we fear those who would corrupt
this town for their gain? - country song 2009
She done defriended
me on Facebook and tweeted
me for the last time. - all souls’ day
They came for a stay,
to check on those not ready
yet for their last trip. - daylight saving redux
Would it be OK
to get an extra hour
of sleep, clock keepers? - what do you want to hear?
I’ll tell you what you
want to hear. But only if
you listen closely. - birmingham renewed: the reins
The reins are tattered,
yet still tethered to horses,
strong but unguided. - birmingham renewed: let’s undo something
The mistrust, the lies,
the hopelessness, the rancor,
the path to nowhere. - birmingham renewed: smash cynicism
Begone, cynics and
sycophants. Let us begin
with true dialogue. - birmingham renewed: vulcan says
The god of the forge
leapt from the mountaintop to
keep watch from up close. - birmingham renewed: what we have
Good people, good food,
stubbornness, sense of humor
and stories galore. - gobbler holocaust
Somewhere, in the pens,
struts a turkey who’ll be my
Thanksgiving repast. - forgotten wars
We sometimes forget
those conflicts that kept us free,
and those who fought them. - the old-timers
The old-timers sit
and chuckle in their booths each
and every morning. - think bigger
Do not dwell on what
has been done, what has “worked,” but
go forth with gumption. - the saddest pup in the world
Don’t think you can con
me out of dinner bites. I
see your tail wagging. - among the ruins
Among the ruins
of the decaying forest
lurked the rogue possum. - fulfillment
Fulfillment is warm,
clean laundry, walking along
with the one, deep breaths. - brisk
The wind whips up, as
if to show who’s in charge while
autumn takes its hold. - let out a woo hoo
Let out a “Woo hoo!”
when something goes right, when you
feel like making noise. - vampire weekend
They live off blood and
apparently fervored teen
girl adulation. - wish list for mayor
Good ideas, some
common sense, vision, fiscal
stewardship and charm. - home stretched
Moments of silence
deafen the fields of high school
teams out of playoffs. - slowly the leaves turn
Too much water, not
enough water, and the leaves
go pale without fail. - visions of cranberries
The table is set.
Soon, Tom Turkey will bring feasts
to all good children. - you may say
I’m a dreamer. I’m
not the only one. I hope
someday you’ll join us. - the view from the shore
From rude beginnings,
a prosperous, kind, violent
nation came to be. - the iron bowl in 17 syllables
Tradition, empty
malls, rivalry, crimson white,
orange blue, braggin’ rights. - just a little more effort
Some more writing here,
some more cleaning all around.
Who needs any sleep? - unable to escape its melody
Over and over
the piano sounds out the
notes heard just by me. - chat away
Type your sentiments
on a tiny window in
a phosphorous screen. - so much good stuff
Don’t be surprised by
so much good stuff. Be alert:
Catch it in advance. - make the season bright
Head down the street to
reward neighbors with an off-
key Christmas carol.
• • •
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