HAIKU DIALOGUE – Haiku Prism – Red

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1. Congratulations, Christa Pandey, on this lovely haiku! I think your first appearing in THF Haiku Dialogue? Perfect image in each line… ending in “pursed lips”
   the first bite
   into a strawberry
   pursed lips

   Christa Pandey

2. Commercial or corporate parties can get wild with copious alcohol mixed with adrenaline with or without John McClane! 🙂
   .
   .

   office party
   her scarlet lipstick
   everywhere
   .
   Marion Clarke
   .
   .
   This can be of course a harmless excited employee, or boss (Tia mentioned?) merely pecking everyone on their face. In six words this haikai verse perfectly highlights the wind down of business stress for at least one evening-into-morning party, possibly a Christmas party.
   .
   One of my best Christmas parties ever was an off-duty Santa invited along by my elves, and we had ice fights and more in Nandos, as well as a number of us chased by security smoking cigarettes (nothing heavier). I only wish we had been in full costume and caught on cellphone footage, darn it! 🙂

3. It is a great treat, and also a useful discipline, to see haiku poems under a single theme of red, in its various manifestations. Writing to a prompt is something that will occur from time to time for a poet, whether the haiku dialogue themes, or anthology themes such as set by recent anthology editors.
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   This haiku reminded me that on occasion I will unwind by being transfixed by the old method of sitting before a television! 🙂
   .
   .
   bloodshot eyes…
   a late night movie
   and then another
   .
   Madhuri Pillai
   .
   .
   Often if I find a new series that I can green link, I’ll click the green button to see the next episode instantly, while in olden times I might have to wait another seven days!
   .
   That was the case of a previous night! 🙂 While last night it was to watch a derivative movie by a company that makes low-budget versions (mockbusters) of blockbuster movies, followed by half a Cloverfield movie, which I’m sure I’ll see the other half later this year!
   .
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   It will certainly be fascinating to see what comes up next week with ‘orange’! 🙂

4. Have you all quite finished?
   Good.
   Adieu.

5. Thank you for including my haiku here Tia! Lots of excellent choices as always. This one especially caught my eye:

   red eye
   the silent skies
   these days

   Nancy Liddle

6. Ok Robin,

   I thought long and hard about entertaining your invitation.
   So, a work of unbridled genius. An offering to be savaged.
   A focus for ‘the community’ to devour.
   How very Japanese and historical.
   A fencing competition.
   .
   The sun rises.
   Curtains keep it back.
   “Play with your sister.”
   .
   Enjoy!
   .
   I only asked a question.
   And, if the prompt had been ‘lipstick’ I would have composed thusly.
   I didn’t pose to grief.
   I just like answers to questions.
   .
   My rebuttal. (And last word, I assure you).
   .

   1. Fools rush in where angels dare to tread. Okay, Darren, I can be considered a fool.Having said that, I generally submit every week, but I don’t always find my haiku in the mix. Case in point, neither of my haiku was chosen. So, I can appreciate the ones which were. Yes, normally there are a few haiku that Tia focuses on for commentary and are disparate from each other. This time all happen to use the RED of lipsticks, but they also demote differences in tone, and I thought her commentary was wonderful because of it. Would another editor, especially a male, choose different poems to comment upon? Possibly. Would another editor choose other haiku? Again, possibly. In a sense, we are all held to a kukai standard, in which poets choose what they think is a good haiku on
      a theme. I have participated in several, and not only is difficult to narrow down many good haiku into the three best from 100 or more, your own haiku is being chosen for votes (or not). Tia has to do this every week. A very difficult task in my opinion. She has asked for people to make comments about those haiku that they connect with or even to give up what prompted their own haiku, also. The back story, if you will. It’s funny that people read into an individual haiku something the poet never ever considered, and they do remark on those haiku that resonates with them. Those short three lines can be construed in so many ways and that is one of the beauties of writing in this genre of poetry.
      .

      Now, exiting soapbox mode…I have a kukai that I need to look over and choose three haiku from a long list of excellent haiku. Not an easy task, but that is the nature of competing in the kukai.
      .Darren, I wish you well and don’t forget that you have until tonight under 11:59PM to write a haiku or two on the theme of Orange. Good luck.
      .
      Congratulations to all of the poets on the theme of red.

      1. You prove my case. Savage away.

         1. Sorry to disappoint you, Darren, but I don’t disparage any haiku. I am still trying to learn to write a good haiku. Sometimes I get close; most times I don’t so I am not going to ‘savage’ any haiku here including yours.
            .
            If you read all of the comments, I was one of the first to comment, and yes, I called out my fellow poets where I live because I happen to personally know them. I also referred to Alan Summer’s red fox haiku and the crayons on the wall ones, which resonated with me because as a young child, my best friend Jeff B. and I colored the wall of the closet in a bedroom. I used purple, my favorite color, as my mother reminded more than once through the years. That wasn’t the only time I did something to add art to the walls, either, which is why when my young sons colored the wall in our dining room, I was not that upset…and repainted it.
            Peace
            .

   2. Women wear lipstick; men have women in their lives who wear lipstick; some men even wear lipstick. The commentary doesn’t mean they are necessarily the best of the selections, just the ones the editor chose to comment on. Unbridled, genius?

      1. Humour.

7. Thanks Tia, for your color themes this month and your interesting choices and commentary.

   I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites too, and surprisingly, they were all found next to each other in about the middle of the list of poems.

   at the turn-off
   to the old logging road
   wild strawberries

   Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland

   Having traveled on many a logging road myself, I appreciated this setting, and the pleasant discovery of wild strawberries in a place where trees are being cut, the land ravaged to the logging industry. Of course, my imagination took me to thoughts of bears too, knowing how they can also be found on those roads, and probably appreciating the berries too.

   even through
   the morning fog
   a cardinal

   Jessica Wheeler

   So enjoyed this simple image, not so simple really, as it shows just how ‘red’ a cardinal in that even morning fog can’t hide it. A lovely moment.

   chickenpox
   the boy with a red crayon
   poxes everyone

   Randy Brooks

   Had to laugh at this one, brought out my inner child. I remember chicken pox…itchy horrible for kids, and loved this boy’s efforts to share his chickenpox. LOL

   caught
   between grass blades
   ladybug

   Ann K. Schwader, Westminster, CO

   Simply love this image…..this focused moment. The writer is obviously very observant, and it helps to be a bright little red dotted ladybug to stick out among those blades of grass. Something I see often, but nice to see in a haiku. The definitive word, caught….which of course makes me look at the ladybug just a little bit differently than I might have…

   Carole

   1. Sorry…it looked great before I clicked send…not sure how formatting works in here…but hopefully you can read it all even though jammed together… 🙂
      Carole

      1. Still looks and reads great, Carole

8. I’m quite sad at certain comments aired here, but can’t reply directly to them, maybe because they’ve run their course.

   As a relative newcomer to micro-poems of the Japanese ilk, I had first been attracted to this genre for their perceived gentleness and empathy, especially important these days.

   1. Dear Ingrid,

      It’s an extremely rare occurrence on this side of the THF site. Be assured, that on the other side we have only lovely inclusive comments made. Lipstick or no lipstick. 🙂
      .
      .
      It’s a one off this side, the THF blog. I’m no longer a moderator but have witnessed years of just friendly banter and rarely had to step in other than in a good humoured way. 🙂
      .
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      Enjoying the ongoing themes that Tia sets everyone, and so well!
      .
      .
      warmest regards,
      Alan
      .

9. Thank you to Tia, Lori and Katherine for their roles in putting together another fascinating column. I am delighted to have a poem included in this eclectic and thought-provoking collection. Again, I enjoyed reading all the poems. Again, I find it challenging to pick out particular poems for praise as I liked so many of them. My personal favourites included
   *
   beach–
   her red rose tattoo
   burning

   Teiichi Suzuki

   I love the image of sun burn on the beach and the untold story of her red rose tattoo burning. Is it burning because her relationship is deteriorating? Or is it just sunburn?

   *
   seeing red
   a crowded market
   without masks

   M. R. Defibaugh

   A very pertinent image for these troubled times. It captures the zeitgeist.
   *
   initiation
   his gang’s color pools
   on the asphalt

   Jonathan Roman

   This is so cinematic. There’s a film in these three lines.
   *
   snowflakes
   but for the red
   of this fox

   Alan Summers

   Another great cinematic image!

   Many thanks to all the poets. I have learnt so much by reading your work.

   1. Thank you! 🙂
      .
      .
      I’ve been doing round the clock Call of the Page commentaries so I haven’t got round to fully reading every haiku and commenting, but great set.
      .
      .
      Being able to use these themes as a resource has been a brilliant asset. I know if I want to look at a certain theme, there might have been one set by the various Haiku Dialogue editors! 🙂
      .
      Alan

10. chickenpox
    the boy with a red crayon
    poxes everyone
    .
    Randy Brooks
    .
    red crayon on the wall unleashing her inner Picasso
    .
    Susan Burch
    .
    blood moon
    forced to become
    a woman

    Isabel Caves
    .
    snowflakes
    but for the red
    of this fox
    .
    Alan Summers, England
    .
    a brief focus!
    how wonderful they are
    together
    .
    Thank you guys!

    1. Thanks Robert. 🙂
       .
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       Again, I’m thinking anthology, and a colour chart anthology, of all the hues each color can bring.

11. I’m a bit confused. The theme was ‘red’ ? Maybe ‘lipstick’ or ‘lips’ would have been more appropriate or maybe restrict the theme to women only or whatever is clearly on the mind of someone…
    Last time for me reading this fiat.

    1. The theme was red. It just seems that many of the writers first thought was of lipstick or lips. That doesn’t change the theme. There were many haiku written on poppies, several on the blood moon, raspberries, strawberries, red crayons, and at least one on a red fox. I think that’s a pretty broad range of topics. Anyone is welcome to respond to the theme as he or she is inspired.

       1. You miss the point. Only lipstick was selected. I do not argue that anybody is not free to submit what they like. That is irrelevant. But never mind I can see you wish to avoid my point.

          1. There seems to be a clique here to be honest. Full of cliches, sexism and students marking their own homework. It’s ok to be negative, but defensiveness plus diversion…The poetry of power…the poetry of I’m in charge.

             1. So, let’s see your prize-worthy haiku. The rest of the community will be happy to judge you, I am sure. I don’t know who you’re calling defensive when you just posted to whine.

          2. Perhaps you would’ve rather seen posts about footballs or fishing rods or other manly pursuits.

             Or perhaps you think the color red is the color of misogyny. It certainly is the color of the puffed up penis…such as you are.

12. Dear all responsible for this creative forum,
    greetings. Many thanks for this educative insightful writes,
    published. List is endless.
    Of so many my picks for this week comprising:

    red kimono…
    the silence before
    the ceremony

    Tsanka Shishkova

    the pain
    behind her words
    red poppies

    cezar-florin ciobîcă

    snowflakes
    but for the red
    of this fox

    Alan Summers, England

    ed crayon on the wall unleashing her inner Picasso

    Susan Burch

    How many different perspectives of RED images dipped in words of wisdom,indeed words beggar description

    1. Dear Radhamani sarma,
       .
       I agree, a wonderful array of haiku on the theme of red.
       .
       Hope to see how poets approach the color of orange! 🙂

13. Another wonderful batch. Thanks, Tia, and everyone who contributed. As usual I liked too many to mention them all. These seemed to have special resonance:
    *
    just that
    touch of red
    feng shui

    Rehn Kovacic

    *
    yes, who can say why something works? Color, balance, visible and invisible harmonies–same goes for a good haiku
    *

    red kimono…
    the silence before
    the ceremony

    Tsanka Shishkova

    *
    wow–would never think of red for quiet! Loved the disrupted expectation, the sense of passion disciplined–or the passion for discipline–fascinating to imagine the ceremony

    *
    the first bite
    into a strawberry
    pursed lips

    Christa Pandey
    *
    so precise! red of berry and lips, plus all the contrasting shapes. A beautifully painted detail
    *
    blood moon
    forced to become
    a woman

    Isabel Caves

    *
    a lot behind that “forced”! I sense it’s as much cultural as biological, or even more so..
    *
    at the turn-off
    to the old logging road
    wild strawberries

    Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland
    *
    I hope it remains a disused “old” logging road! Such a hopeful sign for berries to take root where nature was plundered and wrecked.
    *
    seeing red
    a crowded market
    without masks

    M. R. Defibaugh

    *
    boy oh boy–I see it every day on uncrowded sidewalks. People think carrying a mask is good enough, it seems.
    *
    Looking forward to the oranges!

    1. Laurie, Thank you so much for commenting on my poem. I really appreciate it.

       1. Thank you very much, Laurie, for mentioning my poem!

14. Just been reading through these again this morning.
    .
    raspberry patch
    the songbirds and I
    breakfast together
    —Greer Woodward
    Not only a wonderful image, but such a delightful way to start the day. You have certainly seized the moment with this gorgeous verse.

    1. Wow, Carol, for mentioning my poem! I don’t think I’ve ever received a nicer compliment. Sadly, I can no longer eat raspberries because of their seeds, but I have a thriving raspberry bush in my backyard and plenty of songbirds. This poem was a combination of putting two and two together and wishful thinking.
       Thanks also to Tia for including my poem in this week’s collection.

       1. Always a pleasure, Greer, and thanks too for your reply, have many more seed free mornings while enjoying that sharing caring moment 🙂

15. Thank-you Tia for editing this column and for including mine. Congrats to all the poets.

16. red crayon on the wall
    unleashing her inner
    Picasso

    Susan Burch

    This one really stood out for me. Sometimes parents don’t recognize their children’s talents and why they do what they do, instead seeing only the result…a wall marked with crayon instead of an artistic rendering.

    This makes me think of several childhood memories.

    1. I had read a story once about a mom walking in on her child who was coloring in all the square tiles on the kitchen floor. Before getting angry, she stopped and asked herself why this was happening. Was her child intentionally misbehaving or did they not realize what they were doing was against the rules because they were so lost in their coloring? The take away was that “it’s not about the tile.” That has stuck with me as I’ve navigated life with my own wall-drawing children who are both wonderful artists. My youngest has even created a large mural next to her bed.

    2. Wow! What a pleasant surprise to see my senryu commented upon by Tia! Thank you! There are so many wonderful pieces here that I will have to come back and read them again to decide which I might mention as a little more special for me than all the others. Congratulations to all.

17. Thanks to Tia, Lori, and kj.
    I’m happy to be included with the other red-lipstick poems, and appreciate Tia’s commentary. So much strong work in the whole collection!

18. A wonderful collection, I too loved the lipstick verses.
    Congratulation to all poets.
    Thankyou Tia and all the unseen who work tirelessly to bring us this very entertaining feature.
    .
    funeral day
    the mourners wear
    rose tinted glasses
    —Louise Hopewell
    Not only is this true it is also uplifting, and has a touch of humour, even when the person is no longer present, we all look for the good things to remember and talk about.
    However what is said behind closed doors is another matter 🙂

    1. Apologies –
       .
       funeral day
       the mourners wear
       rose – coloured glasses
       —Louise Hopewell

19. Quite a collection this week. Loved all of the lipstick haiku and the various interpretations. I rarely wear lipstick especially red, but am always impressed with those who have the courage to do so. Alan’s red fox in the snow stood out for me as well as the war ones and the red crayon walls. Mine was a purple crayon.
    .
    Congratulations to my fellow Ohio poets and to Tia for another outstanding column.

    1. Thanks Nancy! 🙂
       .
       .
       Yes, get set of red-colour-haiku! 🙂
       .
       I remember being sponsored for visiting schools while I was a haiku poet-in-residence for the first and biggest Festival of Nature. Along with easy visits I also visited a special needs school, and a pre-school. It was at the pre-school that a four year created a poem out of purple! 🙂
       .
       She used the sheets of paper I had, with that purple crayon, and then continued off page onto her coat and onto herself! 🙂
       .
       I just had to show the entire poem to the class and her class teacher. Such ingenuity for someone so young! I’ve been inspired to replicate that poem which turned white space on its head and became purple space! 🙂

       1. That’s a fantastic story, Alan 🙂

          1. It was very rewarding. So I’ve had renga events where the youngest was perhaps a year old, with mother, and someone just short of 100 years old, with the SAS in her garden, as I talked to indoors! 🙂

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