Haiku Selections
Jeanie Mercer
Margaret Reid Poetry Contest for Traditional Verse 2009 (view all the winners)
Most Highly Commended
1
With green lace dresses,
Easter updates the image
Of dowager trees.
2
A purple iris
Pokes its nose through the wire fence,
Yearning to breathe free.
3
A rich red rosebush
Blooms indiscriminately
By a poor man's shack.
4
A caterpillar
Hangs in close to give the leaf
A butterfly kiss.
5
His garden sparrows
Chirp like ones who know they're worth
More than a farthing.
6
I clutch at April,
Hoping to hold onto spring
While it is still young.
7
In one vacant lot,
Vast arsenals of sword grass
Arm midget soldiers.
8
An old man stares long
At the wild honeysuckle,
Leaning on his cane.
9
How did fireflies choose
This summer night to start their
Blinking yellow lights?
10
Pursing little lips,
He tries to blow candlelight
From the birthday stars.
11
Laid back quarter moon
Relaxes up in the sky
And enjoys the stars.
12
A whippoorwill calls
And a nervous dog barks back,
Disturbing the peace.
13
Tonight God serves me
A slice of moon cantaloupe,
With a dash of stars.
14
Reciprocating,
I hope the man in the moon
Enjoys the earthlight.
15
Somewhere in the dark
A sleepless bird gives voice to
My song in the night.
16
Soft, yellow lightning
And low thunder in the night—
A lullabye storm.
17
Taking by the hand
A faint scattering of stars,
The night slips away.
18
Copper rainlilies
Sprang up in the wet grasses
As I was blinking.
19
The warm summer sun
Wipes away every tear
From the willow's eyes.
20
Heavenly sunlight
Puts some roses in the cheeks
Of the pale morning.
21
A summer peacock,
Feeling way too hot to strut,
Folds up his feathers.
22
Drooping rows of corn
Turn brown in the summer sun,
Roasting on the stalk.
23
Attached to summer,
Crape myrtle trees bloom fall-ward
A bridge of flowers.
24
The geese overhead
Honk because they love Jesus,
Having read no signs.
25
November norther
Performs on the backyard trees
A leaf glissando.
26
Reprising sweetness,
The scent of honeysuckle
Fills a winter thought.
27
I see a blue bird
Frolicking on a brown tree
In all optimism.
