Early Summer Haiku
10 poems from the start of summer
I grew this! Amongst lots of other things! Let this overuse of exclamation points illustrate my degree of excitement!
Seriously, though, this spring has been a turning point in my recovery from various injuries and I have finally begun to garden again, which has been something like coming back to life for me. This miraculous turn of events also meant that this spring my daily poetry practice had to take a back seat as I tilted my time and energy into re-opening the garden, and, frankly, remembering all I had forgotten about growing things. My apologies to those of you who missed these poetry posts, and my thanks to those of you who reached out when my absence here was noticed. Now that things have stabilized in the garden as we’re moving into summer proper, my intention is to begin my daily writing practice again.
Onward to the poems!
Eternity
A robin questions the inevitable dusk with a looping song.
Persistence
The rising bindweed takes many pluckings to rid— as all troubles, vice.
Scape Harvest
Pigtail curled and just as smooth, cut ends dripping juice— it was very good.
Morning Lesson
Each pass of the peas yields overlooked pods, each fresh angle, seen, fruitful.
Good Work, II
All day tending to— weeds suppressed, trellises, food, given as received.
Adding new chicks to an existing flock of chickens is a challenging process, and there’s always a few weeks in which the older hens beat up on the younger pullets as they establish their new pecking order. It’s probably my least favorite part of being a chicken keeper, watching these birds I can’t help anthropomorphizing at some level bully and be bullied. It’s always a relief when things start to settle out. The poem below, and another later on, are both inspired by this.
-
Peace
Pullets stand among hens, briefly tolerated— two flocks into one.
Cosmos
The porch flower bed range—mountains of fronds and peaks dotted with blossoms.
In Service
Breakfast offering— to the guest, an omelet, and the orioles, jam.
97 Degrees
Squabbling pullets and hens allied against their new enemy—heat.
At Sunset
Every evening, perched on the garden fence, the song sparrow serenades.