the name of water
new year's baby
a blizzard
outside the maternity ward
puddles & lily pads
i learn the name
of water
dress clinging
to my rounded belly
cloudburst
low mist
over red mountains...
fading fire
hospice heartbeat
the steady descent
of snow
Author's note: rather than following a 575 structure, I've written this series in the style of the majority of modern English language haiku—with an emphasis on brevity, seasonal references, and juxtaposition, rather than a strict syllable count.
For more info on why I don't write 575 haiku, see this essay: https://www.graceguts.com/essays/urban-myth-of-5-7-5
Representative of Life & Death: Flowers
Breeze blows through petals
This is something new to me
because I am new
New things all the time,
though I am no longer new
Things I want to do
Things are hard. Who knew?
Some things I will never do.
Ends bring things anew.
The cold is coming,
I have no expectations
Fears I have no clue.
Wilted and rotting
Frosts have replaced: mo(u)rning dew
End: nothing to do.
Love(ingly)
It begins with love.
Soft touch, warm words, close embrace,
A cry splits the night.
Wobbly feet, shaking,
Stutter speech, cry of angels,
Gentle assurance.
Teacher reprimands,
Laughter of children joyful,
Playground dust trampled.
Rainbow caressing,
Music, lights, shining on skin,
Paradise of sin.
It ends with love, true.
Strong is the scent of family home,
Still of heart beckons.
That’s Life
Existence begins
Eyes and mouth open to scream-
Help me to survive.
Innocence thrives here
Learning and wonder emerge-
Time to discover.
Need to find one’s self
Change occurring everywhere-
Fears of truth appear.
Independence thrives
Choose adventure or comfort-
Accept ups and downs.
An ending appears
Pack only your memories-
Now time for a rest.
BIRTH
The glitch of an eye
Driving at the points of divine consciousness
Made its way to tranquil
THE CHILDE
My injured knees while playing
Watching the raindrops skitter down the window
The freedom molded my sorrows
GROWTH
My reflection, softened and distorted
An image lodged deep in my brain
Where the gray falls away
THE ADULT
The innocuous touch by someone
Laid over on an adult with degree
Brings the moment of truce
DEATH
Leaving behind an unknown constellation
Yet, my smoldering embers laid to rest
I became an epic story
the biggest road
Glimmer in a mother's eye
Upon the first breath a stubborn cry
Soothed by a loving hand
Knobby knees and gangly legs
Every day is its own wild adventure
The world is a wonderland
Time passes and adventures thin
A path once wide is suddenly narrow
And none seem to understand
No feat will ever sustain
Where none can slow down to see
The world has become bland
Ever present pleasure and pain
Course through the spindly fingers of time
Falling back to murky sand
Celestial Unfolding
First light at the dawn,
Fragile bud unfurls with hope,
Promise in petals.
River's ceaseless flow,
Carving valleys, shaping stones,
Youth's endless journey.
In the heart of storms,
Ship finds its guiding star's light,
Midlife's sturdy mast.
Autumn leaves descend,
Tapestry of stories told,
Wisdom in their fall.
Worn path, valleys crossed,
Snow-capped peaks of age we tread,
Seasoned traveller.
Vignette
Wails in the spotlight
Date, weight, time—here I am world
Wonder in my eyes
Creature of the wind
Conch shells and fairy tails mend
Unkept promises
Disillusion
Student loan and car payment
Is this really it?
Finding peace of mind
Cultivating vibrant paths
Actualizing self
Final curtain call
Reminisce of multitudes
Winter white goodnight
Cycles of Existence
Beneath moonlit skies,
A newborn's cry breaks the night,
Life's first breath in awe.
Years swiftly pass by,
Youth's fleeting flame burns brightly,
Adventure beckons.
Midnight's stars now fade,
Wisdom etched on aging skin,
Time's gift, bittersweet.
Autumn leaves descend,
Cycles turn, life finds its end,
Peace in twilight's embrace.
From ashes to stars,
In the cosmic dance we roam,
Eternal journey.
Fuck You Mark Zuckerberg
Cyber meta verse
A place not of time and space
Realm of the unknown
Blindly taken in
unknowing where we going
sucked in to control
manipulated me
computer generated
the influencer
listening to all
Processing every keyword
A Calculation
A virtual You
Creation by algorithm
All we have become