March 31, 2018

along the canal
peepers promising spring —
do I dare believe?


March 30, 2018

this widening gap —
I tell myself our stories
and still you are gone



March 29, 2018

late night moonlight —
marveling again as the fox
moves over the earth


March 28, 2018

dogwood blossoms
nearly touching each other
the curve of her face


March 27, 2018

grey days
and a longing for change

she unfolds the map


March 26, 2018

home with a cold
melting snow running
down every driveway


March 25, 2018

low-lying clouds
seeming briefly like mountains  
first love


March 24, 2018

finally kicking
the heavy blanket off
snowdrops in March


March 23, 2018

Chesapeake House
protesters gently smiling
at each other


March 22, 2018

packing for my trip
I tuck some pussywillow
into my hair


March 21, 2018

first day of spring
the end of the lake obscured 
by fast-falling snow


March 20, 2018

after the ducks
a penciled line of light 
sketched by their wake


March 19, 2018

running down
the hills of my childhood
long-gone long hair flying


March 18, 2018

their first dance, to Satchmo’s
What A Wonderful World
she takes off her shoes



(Inspired by my friend @BFFox, who participated in my #haikuversary by challenging me to write a haiku w/ the word "Satchmo" in it.)


March 17, 2018

watching the qala
until they, too, disappear —
from water to mind



(Inspired by a request from friend @Steph_Yin, who asked for a haiku including the word "gala," and helpfully shared this article.)

March 16, 2018

Wanna play?

Friends, my #haikuversary is coming up on Saturday, March 17th!

I hereby invite you to join me in celebrating the art of haiku.

Here are some ways that you might decide to join in the fun. (Put whatever you decide to share either here in the comments or over on Twitter, where I am @butwait.)

  • Poke around in the archives, find a favorite, and share it! Bonus points if you tell me why you like it. (But sometimes it's hard to say why, so no pressure.)
  • Find a photo that you think pairs well with one of my haiku, and either tell me about it or create a haiga (image + haiku, e.g. this one)!
  • Pick a date that is meaningful to you - just the date, not the year - and let me share a haiku I wrote on that date. Bonus points if you tell me why the date is significant to you.
  • Send me a word that you'd like to see me try to incorporate into a haiku (no promises!)
  • Tell me about a moment that seemed "haiku-worthy" to you, but that you haven't quite managed to capture in the way you were hoping to
  • Share a haiku of your own! (And don't focus too much on the whole 5-7-5 thing.)
  • Tell me about your haiku reading practice! Do you come here and read mine, or do you only read them on Twitter? Who else writes haiku that you enjoy?
  • Got any other ideas? Last year at least one friend wrote a haiku in response to one of mine, which was lovely and thrilling.
Thank you for considering putting some time and energy into making what is sure to be an already excellent day even sweeter!

March 15, 2018

we remember, now
that coming down is work too
leaving the mountain


March 14, 2018

national walkout
cars horns in solidarity
under a cold sun


March 13, 2018

broken promises
buds looking for a way back
as puddles refreeze


March 12, 2018

after the storm
everyone’s story starts
with fallen pine trees


March 11, 2018

snow in the forecast
birds sing to one another
while the singing’s good


March 10, 2018

warming trend
underneath the bird song
snow banks trickling


March 09, 2018

torn in two
the tree that Cedar Lane
was named for




March 08, 2018

amidst black trunks
broken spear of a lost limb
still reaching for sky


March 07, 2018

once we let ourselves
hear what our hearts were missing
avalanche rumble


March 06, 2018

snow day planning
a jar full of buttons,
some strong white thread


March 05, 2018

redwing blackbirds
their brief songs threading
between the cattails


March 04, 2018

just checking
to see that the world is still here
spring’s first turtle


March 03, 2018

our neighbor’s tree
has torn itself from the earth
new space for flying


March 02, 2018

pink petals
blown into a tiny drift
concentrated April


March 01, 2018

late night train whistle
pushing through 
the sound of rain