like sand on a beach
clouds ripple across the sky
as the sun does down

-jws

green palm-sized tree frog
sitting near garden Buddha
statuesque buddies

-kaa

Haiku Slam!

theme: strawberries

juicy strawberry
leaves a stain on the table
ant comes for a drink

-jws


strawberries and cream
sweet and lucious to my lips
bug swimming in milk

-kaa

----------

theme: loneliness and the moon

moon shines in the sky
crickets chirring endlessly
wishing to see you

-jws


hopeless and alone
full moon sits high in the sky
sneaker on the road

-kaa

----------

theme: maple tree

tree stump in the yard
once it was a maple tree
orange in the fall

-jws



majestic maple
helicopter seeds flutter
windy afternoon

-kaa

high school soccer game
ambulance across the field
ball is still in play

-kaa

beyond the dark trees
where there are no more fire flies
brightly shines the moon

-jws

sun sets earlier
air is cool after rainfall
cicadas persist

-jws

taking out the trash~
in the recycling bucket,
a brown maple leaf

-jws

----------

he aims the crossbow
shoots at point-blank range and smiles
fake deer's head quivers

-kaa

pale translucent moon
rising in the eastern sky
shadows lengthening

-jws

before bed he sits
cradled by all the beings
even those sleeping

-kaa

----------

the tiny inchworm
floating along on fine thread~
quarter of an inch?

-jws

girl in the front yard
sitting in patch of sunlight
open book between bare feet

-jws

labrador puppy
chocolate brown and giddy
pee on my sneaker

-kaa

crickets, katydids
darkness pulsing with insects
moonlight through the trees

-jws

lost in many thoughts
sad, getting ready for work~
squeeze the toothpaste tube

-jws

back sticky with sweat
riding my bike in thick heat
relishing a breeze

-jws

how sublime he looks
regally posted to pounce
gray kitten in ferns

-kaa

sidewalk, warm and rough
earth and grass, soft and cool
walking in bare feet

-jws

there is a moment
between katydids and birds
quiet before dawn

-jws

just before sunrise
katydids have gone to bed
birds not yet awake

-jws

four crows huddle close
highway diner for breakfast
carry-out road kill

-kaa

she may be dying~
still, the insects speak all night
holding nothing back

-jws

----------

sun slowly rising
dreams sit under the lamppost
they fade with daylight

-kaa

lost in abstract thought
his mouth has uttered cancer
it's hard to focus

-kaa

cool evening comes now
crickets chirr and fireflies flash
grass and trees breathe deep

-jws

over and over
butter melts without much thought
cold toast on a plate

-kaa

loveliest garden
neighbor said she died last night
i stare at her house

-kaa

freshly fallen rain
a car drives past, puddles splash
thinking of allen

-kaa

----------

rose of sharon bush~
circle of fallen flowers
dying in green grass

-jws

deep shades of purple
taped to its next door neighbor
broken little toe

-kaa

staggered by the heat
blinded by glaring sunlight~
shade of a small tree

-jws

fancied resemblance
tries to project a fierce roar
wilted snapdragon

-kaa

orange sun setting
intense heat starting to drop
cool darkness rising

-jws

plastic bag in hand
waiting to pick up dog poop
drat, the bag's holey

-kaa

rising and falling
voices undulate in waves
sea of cicadas

-jws

early morning zen
just one thing keeps me awake~
buzzing of a fly

-jws

----------

pink letters on white
yard sign read "Pray for Tina"
summer evening

-kaa

biking in hot sun
grateful for patches of shade~
cicadas chatter

-jws

----------

kimberly circle
beyond where the sidewalk ends
walking home at dark

-kaa

your hair was long then
met on a park bench at dawn
my sweetest downfall

-kaa

look out the window
late at night in the Maine woods
one single fire fly

-jws

sand in my sneaker
another day at the beach
taste of salty skin

-kaa

beside the highway
cat stalking something in tall grass
rushing cars flash by

-jws

driving through darkness
headlights become the full moon
it's all inside out

-kaa

insecurities
confused and coming undone
she forgets the cause

-kaa

i woke from a dream
confined, in prison for you
house cleaning our mind

-kaa

an apparition
Lady of Guadalupe
in my kiwi fruit

-kaa

----------

waves washing the beach
sparkling in brilliant sunshine
a thousand diamonds

-jws

before the fireworks
clouds turn purple, pink, and gold
near a crescent moon

-jws

fireworks and parade
the coldness of strawberries
interdependence

-kaa

quick, shallow breathing
cold lake water surrounds us
like molding play-doh

-kaa

mindfully at work
a mudra with its small hands
chipmunk at road's edge

-kaa

shadow of a tree
sways gently on a curtain
stirred by a soft breeze

-jws

nervously tapping
a smoker trying to smoke
starting or quiting?

-kaa


----------


sunset through the trees
blue sky fades slowly to grey
all things unstable

-jws

romantic and free
short, golden-white wind-blown locks
caterpillar hair

-kaa

all the trees and plants
wave lazily in a breeze~
time to go to work

-jws

----------

hours after we fought
my arm, like a firm pillow
lies beneath thoughts

-kaa

how is time perceived?
deep in muddy earthiness
cicadas return

-kaa

an "A" and a "C"
scrabble letters on the floor
thoughts of "Albert Carl"

-kaa

flashing points of light
silhouette of darkened trees
evening fireflies

-jws

in the yard at night
facing skyward in the rain~
suddenly lightning!

-jws

ocean of birdsong
from the rich green foliage~
no bird to be seen

-jws

white petaled carpet
row of blooming catalpas
route 511

-kaa

weeds in the driveway
pulling a few every day
they just multiply

-jws

my snail, marigold
sits near Monty, a turtle
two unlikely friends

-kaa

waterless oceans
an apocalyptic dream
i woke quite thirsty

-kaa

after the downpour
rain keeps dripping off the trees
fireflies in the yard

-jws

simple white flowers
grow in a semi-circle
round a sewer cap

-jws

we didn't speak much
she murmured her last meow
leaning on my beloved

-kaa

purple stingray bike
i place rhubarb in my mouth
pictures of childhood

-kaa

----------

stiff and spiky,
the green stalk mostly barren~
soft blue cornflower

-jws

son, at dad's bedside
(dying with the TV on)
says he hates sitcoms

-jws

after a rainfall
two worms squirm on the sidewalk
we each rescue one
walk on to the restaurant
and order vegie egg rolls

-kaa

that night, that moment
white living room curtain sways
flower petal drops

-kaa

plastic storage box
mildewed shoes from last summer
i try to shine them

-kaa


----------

an ache in my heart
worried and sick all day long
rain falls everywhere

-jws

cat food on the floor
dirty dishes in the sink
he sleeps on the couch

-kaa

after arguing
the two of us, with a look,
work on forgiveness

-kaa

green oak leaf, so young
falls from the tree and lies still
long life not promised

-jws

blue-pink sunset sky
breathe deeply the evening air
smell the pig manure

-jws

man taking a shit~
she enters without a word
lights incense and leaves

-jws

it's not a fire drill
gaze on the chaos of life
try to get some sleep

-kaa

huge mosaic leaves
kong coleus foliage
stands guard at the door

-kaa

going directly
to the chair, stepping around
dead mouse on the floor

-kaa

----------

yellow sun rising
all the grass is green and gold~
dead worms on sidewalk

-jws

neighbor's lights are on
TV screen brightens the room
man reading a book

-kaa

----------

raccoons came last night~
crumpled Dunkin Donuts box
stuck in sewer grate

-jws

opening the door
an unexpected challenge
key is upside down

-kaa

broken flower pot
most startled rosemary plant
amidst dirt and clay

-kaa

peaceful gardening~
mother spider with her egg
running for safety

-jws

----------

turning muddy soil
dandeloins and quackgrass
weeds in the clear state

-kaa

saturday morning
awareness slowly returns
sunlight through the blinds

-jws

lying on cold tile
pulsating heavy breathing
old cat in pawspice

-kaa

two empty white chairs
overlooking the back yard~
rain drips rhythmically

-kaa

backyard veggie plot
neighbor planted orange flowers~
cohabitation

-kaa

slowly back and forth
sitting on the windy porch~
empty rocking chair

-jws

wind stirs grass and trees
flagpole rings incessantly
sunlight comes and goes

-jws

this generation
already passing away~
white dandelions

-jws

heart-shaped, newly-born
leaves of the cottonwood tree
shimmer in the wind

-jws

back alley pavement
buzzing soul through his trumpet
three frightened pigeons

-kaa

----------

watching the grey sky
thunder rumbles; no rain yet~
get home, soaking wet

-jws

is this my last time
am i that kind of grateful?
holding soapy sponge
somehow i doubt it's the last
lasagna stuck to the plate


OR

what if it's my last
mindfully washing dishes
holding soapy sponge
am i that kind of grateful?
lasagna stuck to the plate

-kaa

----------

grey sky drops the rain
cherry tree drops pink blossoms
dandelions rise

-jws

frog peeps from creek bed
silhouette of green leaf buds
spring is whispering

-kaa

marigold, my snail
seems to end her day simply
no fuss or flurry

-kaa

visitors gather
rest stop in Indiana
snake-handling preacher

-kaa

cat in the doorway
watching raindrops hit the porch
as for the first time

-jws

----------

simple yellow hat
left at a roadside cafe
cake crumbs on the floor

-jws/kaa

alone in the wild
ant on a dandelion
discovering gold

-jws

----------

child-like excitement
new brown leather mary janes
blister on my heel

-kaa

a slumbering wake
rumbles of morning thunder
nature's alarm clock

-kaa

frogs down by the creek
trill in their high-pitched voices~
purring of the woods

-jws

when your blossom falls
may i sit with your moonlight
friend at the pond's edge

-kaa

... but before you go
paths that cross will cross again
i will watch for you

-kaa

morning full of mist
lacy trees stand quietly
orange sun rises

-jws

on a chilly day
where does the firefly light go
a storage unit?

-kaa

all the tunes at once
(an orchestra warming up?)
birds sing over birds

-jws