HAIKU DIALOGUE – Simply a Winged Thing (1)
Simply with Guest Editor Craig Kittner
Simplicity is one gateway to a balanced mind.
The world sorely needs balanced minds to mitigate all this conflict.
Haiku is uniquely suited for the cultivation and dissemination of simplicity.
In this round of Haiku Dialogue I’m seeking works that invoke the simple perfection of a moment in time.
The successful haiku will be formed out of love for what is not everlasting, but impermanent.
Below is Craig’s selection of poems on the theme of simply a winged thing:
Creatures and objects with wings are capable of entering and leaving your perceptual field with rapidity. Such a quality is useful for haiku.
With this week’s theme and the submissions it inspired I again got a sense of the place of primacy held by observation in the writing of haiku.
I found a keenly observed encounter, whether cerebral or visceral, to be the most common fuel for the haiku that worked well with this theme.
Backed by mindful word selection and rhythmic choices to give a sense of sudden connection, or an unlooked-for chance to be free.
Or so it seems to me.
hum of bees –
the hawthorn is covered
with new soundsSilvia Bistocchi
Italy
Glasswing butterflies –
all my secrets
safely hiddenCaroline Ridley-Duff
UK
quiet twig –
hidden in the light
dragonfly wingsNicole Pottier
France
ours
for a little while
dragonflyVandana Parashar
India
double-decker bus —
from open arms
a butterfly takes flightNitu Yumnam
India
petals fly
the butterfly knows
its routeBakhtiyar Amini
Germany
sundown
eyeing the crows
eyeing meJohn Pappas
United States
spring breeze
my urge to fly
still thereStephen A. Peters
Bellingham, WA
Zen garden
a butterfly leads the way
through the gateJackie Chou
United States
jackdaws the character of smoke
John Hawkhead
UK
on the stage
on the child
glittering wingsTuyet Van Do
Australia
frost on the edges
of yesterday’s puddle
robin splashes hardCindy Guentherman
Loves Park, IL
morning stretch – –– –––
a dotterel’s wings
touch the skySue Courtney
Orewa, New Zealand
rising lark–
not to be found anywhere
listenersTeiichi Suzuki
Japan
pond ripples
the silence of
a butterfly’s flightSubir Ningthouja
Imphal, India
a firefly’s wings
light up
my grandson’s eyesNeena Singh
India
with each wave
my feet sink deeper
a tern lifts offKavita Ratna
India
pieces of sky
on the wing
peacock butterflyMarion Clarke
Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland
catching butterflies
suddenly my son
is a big boyArvinder Kaur
Chandigarh, India
still noon
a dragonfly entering my room
entertains meRam Chandran
India
bush trail –
a butterfly follows along
for a whileDaniela Lăcrămioara Capotă
Romania
jackfruit pods…
the flies i try to count
and cannotVidya Shankar
India
the silence
between goodbyes
blackbirdAlvin Cruz
Philippines
the wingspan
of a sea eagle
90-mile beachLouise Hopewell
Australia
wings
the living room splits
into left and rightDaya Bhat
India
afterthought…
a white butterfly flits
over my shoulderFirdaus Parvez
India
badlands
a butterfly buffeted
by the windTerri French
Huntsville, AL
drop of river
off a heron’s wing
solitudemarilyn ashbaugh
usa
just seen
already gone
blue titOlivier Schopfer
Geneva, Switzerland
nowhere sky
the spiraling circles
of turkey vulturesCynthia Anderson
Yucca Valley, California
northern lights this far south jewel beetles
Ingrid Baluchi
North Macedonia
the ladybird
without spots
a ladybirdRuth Holzer
Herndon, VA
dragonfly wings my transparent lie
Bryan Rickert
Belleville, Illinois
a ladybug
unfolds its wings …
the edge of a pageuna coccinella
spiega le sue ali …
il margine di una paginaDaniela Misso
Umbria, Italy
feather
a farewell
as she flies awayRoberta Beach Jacobson
Indianola, Iowa, USA
green lacewings
folding into
my ownJenn Ryan-Jauregui
Tucson, Arizona USA
resting butterfly
on her headstone
Mother’s DayMargaret Mahony
Australia
potato planting…
a thin wind
fetches a robinTony Williams
Scotland, UK
monarch grove
a painted lady
pauses on the benchHelen Ogden
Pacific Grove, CA
nowadays
collecting dust
butterfly netKeith Evetts
Thames Ditton UK
bats stirring what’s left of the light
Polona Oblak
Ljubljana, Slovenia
reconnecting…
a bee finds the hole
in the screenLaurie Greer
Washington, DC
rising condor
my fingers quivering
with hisHarrison Lightwater
Netherlands
burnt forest
the silence
of the birdsMike Fainzilber
Rehovot, Israel
evacuation —
a dove’s blood-stained feather
at the borderNitu Yumnam
India
twilight
the chuckle of a robin
flying awayRupa Anand
New Delhi, India
hospital garden
filling the silence
humming bird…Adele Evershed
Wilton, Connecticut
feeling for it
the flower a butterfly
almost lands onTomislav Sjekloća
Cetinje, Montenegro
watercolour class…
my dragonfly caught
in an updraftRobert Kingston
Chelmsford, United Kingdom
birdbath sky
a pair of jays
pairedAnn K. Schwader
Westminster, CO United States
those toys
the hawkers toss in the air
spinning rainbowsPeggy Hale Bilbro
Alabama
heat shimmer
a blowfly resting
on the street binMeera Rehm
UK
moths
fluttering by
one thought after the otherMarianne Sahlin
Sweden
cuckoo arrives—
the old newspapers
in my neighbor’s mailboxKeiko Izawa
Japan
singing
her very own song
tufted titmouseColette Kern
Southold, NY
wood ducks
but not today
whistling reedsAnn Sullivan
Massachusetts, USA
a cardinal stands out
against the snow –
Christmas cardValentina Ranaldi-Adams
Fairlawn, Ohio USA
crosswalk
outside the lines
a pigeonMariel Herbert
California, USA
Wings of skin
flutter at dusk —
my short hair is safeJenny Shepherd
London, UK
as the light
lifts
blue dragonflyC.X. Turner
United Kingdom
uncertain flight
among the perfumes of the world –
blue butterflyMaria Malferrari
Bologna Italy
on my palm
a flitting breeze …
shadow of a butterflyJharna Sanyal
India
buzzing of bees
ripe figs thump
in the afternoonStoianka Boianova
Bulgaria
pegging the sunset
on a line . . .
tree sparrowsLori Kiefer
London U.K.
escaping
from the magician’s hand
a white doveMark Gilbert
UK
briefly
in a spot of sun
the first spring flyJoseph P. Wechselberger
Browns Mills, NJ USA
the shadow
of her wingspan
groundedRon Scully
Burien WA
shared morning sun
a common grackle’s
golden eyeMike Stinson
Nebraska USA
afosa sera-
un’ape vagabonda
sul mio ventagliosultry evening-
a wandering bee
on my fanGiuliana Ravaglia
Bologna (Italy)
glasswing butterfly–
becoming the rose
it rests uponCarole MacRury
Point Roberts, WA
forgotten word …
a moth flutters
at the windowAnnie Wilson
Shropshire, UK
the wind
takes my breath
albatrosspetro c. k.
Seattle, Washington
white butterflies
a little girl puts on
her fairy wingsFlorentin Untanu
Romania
sunset
the flies stop for a moment
and flyMaya Daneva
The Netherlands
swept from the shed
with last year’s leaves:
dead bumblebeeElizabeth Shack
Illinois, USA
biplane exhibit
still dreaming of flight
the old manJonathan English
Washington, DC
our daily walk
the mated pair
on the power lineKerry J Heckman
Seattle, WA
the dead roach
kicks it legs
childhood nightmareKimberly Kuchar
Austin, Texas
tossing them up
to watch them spin down
maple seedsSheila Sondik
Bellingham, Washington
children’s ballet
the feathered wings
from different flocksAmoolya Kamalnath
India
Join us next week for Craig’s commentary on additional poems, & our next prompt…
Guest Editor Craig Kittner claims a round-earther identity as an alternative to the ones the world would impose. While their feet feel the earth, their ragpicker mind works the trash heap that’s their brain, pulling out words. Origami Poems Project, Shot Glass Journal, bottle rockets, and Acorn have recently hosted his work.
Lori Zajkowski is the Post Manager for Haiku Dialogue. A novice haiku poet, she lives in New York City.
Managing Editor Katherine Munro lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and publishes under the name kjmunro. She is Membership Secretary for Haiku Canada, and her debut poetry collection is contractions (Red Moon Press, 2019). Find her at: kjmunro1560.wordpress.com.
The Haiku Foundation reminds you that participation in our offerings assumes respectful and appropriate behavior from all parties. Please see our Code of Conduct policy.
Please note that all poems & images appearing in Haiku Dialogue may not be used elsewhere without express permission – copyright is retained by the creators. Please see our Copyright Policies.
This Post Has 34 Comments
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Congratulations to all the poets here. I loved each poem, especially:
Glasswing butterflies –
all my secrets
safely hidden
Caroline Ridley-Duff
UK
This haiku immediately intrigued me because I didn’t know the glasswing butterflies. I really appreciated the juxtaposition: the image of the secrets hidden against this type of butterfly.
pieces of sky
on the wing
peacock butterfly
Marion Clarke
I love the peacock butterfly. I can see it clearly. It evokes the vision of the butterfly instantly.
drop of river
off a heron’s wing
solitude
Marilyn Ashbaugh
A pure moment of silence.
northern lights this far south jewel beetles
Ingrid Baluchi
Amazing juxtaposition. This one caught my eye.
Thank you Craig. What a delightful and diverse list of haiku! Every poem whets my appetite for the upcoming short list next week. Picking a favorite was impossible, but here are a few that pulled at me and wouldn’t let go.
jackdaws the character of smoke
John Hawkhead
UK
Such an original line, ‘the character of smoke’, and I can see this in the bird as its black/gray coloring shifts in sun and shadow.
the silence
between goodbyes
blackbird
Alvin Cruz
Philippines
I’m crazy about blackbirds as my favorite, the red-winged blackbird, has a song that is unmistakable and one i welcome each spring. It fills the silence of this haiku.
badlands
a butterfly buffeted
by the wind
Terri French
Huntsville, AL
Fabulous jux, the reality and connotations of ‘badlands’, against a fragile butterfly. The ‘b’ sounds really hold this together nicely.
drop of river
off a heron’s wing
solitude
marilyn ashbaugh
usa
A lovely distilled moment, especially as it’s a moving river, not a pond, lake etc.
a ladybug
unfolds its wings …
the edge of a page
una coccinella
spiega le sue ali …
il margine di una pagina
Daniela Misso
Umbria, Italy
Love ladybugs! I’ve seen this happen on the edge of a flower, but the added depth of ‘the edge of a page’ makes this personal and intimate to observer and reader.
bats stirring what’s left of the light
Polona Oblak
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Awesome, just imagining that black cloud emerging from where they come from to greet the fading light.
reconnecting…
a bee finds the hole
in the screen
Laurie Greer
Washington, DC
Evocative jux…and I love the fact the bee finds its way out/in, as so many haiku (including my own) speak of the trapped bee! This resonates on many levels of connection…
buzzing of bees
ripe figs thump
in the afternoon
Stoianka Boianova
Bulgaria
Had to say something about this one. it’s so sensory with sound, and the suggestion of texture and taste. I simply wanted to pick up one of those dropped figs and dig in!
Thank you for commenting on my haiku, Carole!
thanks for the mention, Carole.
there’s yugen in your glasswing butterfly that i enjoy. never saw one live, though
Here are six of my favorites from this fine collection:
drop of river
off a heron’s wing
solitude
marilyn ashbaugh
usa
peacful poem. The only heron poem—my favorite bird
.
dragonfly wings my transparent lie
Bryan Rickert
Belleville, Illinois
such understated truth
.
heat shimmer
a blowfly resting
on the street bin
Meera Rehm
UK
visual beauty (for me anyway!)
.
moths
fluttering by
one thought after the other
Marianne Sahlin
Sweden
I like the way the middle line acts as a swing; moths or, indeed, thoughts fluttering by
.
the shadow
of her wingspan
grounded
Ron Scully
Burien WA
I’ve never thought of shadows as being ‘grounded’ but now I will forever. I saw an eagle with unlimited freedom but for it’s shadow.
.
tossing them up
to watch them spin down
maple seeds
Sheila Sondik
Bellingham, Washington
Yes, yes, yes!
.
Thanks, John! Here we go again with childhood pleasures.
oh yes, used to do the same!
i was actually trying to write something about samara seeds but the words wouldn’t come right
Something so magical about those spinning samaras!
Thank you for commenting on my haiku, John!
So many fine haiku this week, but I really love this from Polona Oblak:
bats stirring what’s left of the light
‘dusk soup’!
much appreciated, John.
being fond of corvids, i absolutely love your poem.
‘the character of smoke’, just wow!
Thanks Craig for the selection and I’m looking forward to seeing next week’s too. I would highlight Valentina Ranaldi-Adams’ postmodern haiku with a twist:-
a cardinal stands out
against the snow –
Christmas card
Thank-you Mark for commenting on my haiku.
Thanks to everyone who has shared their thoughts and reactions.
A true dialogue is building.
Please keep them coming.
Thank you Craig for publishing my haiku. A delightful theme, I loved each poem.
What a wonderful collection of poems! I was struck by so many, but though I’m not the first to mention it, I would be remiss not to further applaud
escaping
from the magician’s hand
a white dove
Mark Gilbert
UK
This poem instantly transported me to my love affair with magic which still persists within me.
I’m glad this flew with a few!
birdbath sky
a pair of jays
paired
/
Ann K. Schwader
Westminster, CO United States
/
This haiku has interesting word choices. The word “birdbath” is an unexpected adjective to describe the sky. The words “pair” and “paired” are
effective use of repetition.
A fine yield from the week’s prompt, with the prospect of more to come… Thanks to Craig and the team for all the work.
I lingered over:
the silence
between goodbyes
blackbird
— Alvin Cruz
I’m a sucker for anything with a blackbird’s song in it and this poignant verse of five words hit the spot.
the ladybird
without spots
a ladybird
— Ruth Holzer
…talking of spots…thoughts of diversity, affirmation, ‘changing one’s spots’ (dangerous ground…), even a zitty teen becoming a flawless peach…. I like Ruth’s work a lot.
potato planting…
a thin wind
fetches a robin
— Tony Williams
Our beloved British robins appear out of nowhere, often on the lookout for a quick worm, sometimes out of sheer curiosity that seems like friendliness to us (one wanted to see what I was doing in the garage the other day). They lead appalling dissolute lives, but they are our favourite bird….
rising condor
my fingers quivering
with his
— Harrison Lightwater
A sense of soaring in unison with the majestic bird, its wing-tips quivering in the thermal. Lovely.
heat shimmer
a blowfly resting
on the street bin
— Meera Rehm
Ah, the heat!
wood ducks
but not today
whistling reeds
— Ann Sullivan
I love the tone of hope and resignation and hope again, with a touch of haikai humour
pegging the sunset
on a line . . .
tree sparrows
—Lori Kiefer
Imaginative and pictorial, evoking an immediate image in anyone’s back yard.
My impression is that haiku/senryu are getting ever more minimalist. The purity comes through.
Craig, thank-you so very much for publishing my haiku. It is always a pleasure
to be published. Thank-you to Kathy, Lori, and the Haiku Foundation for all the efforts on this column. Congrats to all the poets.
What a lovely collection to send my imagination winging! I look forward to seeing the ones you selected for comment next week.
I loved this one by Terri because I know those western winds too well from my western childhood spent being blown around.
badlands
a butterfly buffeted
by the wind
Terri French
Huntsville, AL
.
This one by Nitu broke my heart. It tells of too many tales in our insane world.
evacuation —
a dove’s blood-stained feather
at the border
Nitu Yumnam
India
.
And finally this one from Jackie to give us some hope.
Zen garden
A butterfly leads the way
through the gate
Jackie Chou
United States
Thanks for the mention, Peggy! Appreciated. True, it is a bit poignant. Wrote this for those who have recently been through evacuation. Glad it moved you the way it moved me.
Two that caught eye on the way through that I thought worthy of an extra mention.
nowadays
collecting dust
butterfly net
Keith Evetts
Thames Ditton UK
bats stirring what’s left of the light
Polona Oblak
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Put together I felt they tell a remarkable story.
Thanks, Robert! Appreciated.
thanks for the mention, Rob, and yes, i also see a renku-like link between these two.
i must admit i had to spend some time with your watercolour dragonfly in an updraft but it proved rewarding
Thank you Polona. Pleased my dragon fly reached you.
between spots the dragonfly’s own dot to dot
Loved our renku spell.
Thank you, Craig for considering mine loving the themes.
I am still reading… but this one caught my eye, a perfect illustration of what I said about magic… smiles…
escaping
from the magician’s hand
a white dove
Mark Gilbert
UK
Wonderful !
I loved this one too. Well done, Mark!
Thank you!
I’m glad you liked it!
I just love the airy lightness and magic of these responses and choices. So perfect for winged things! I will keep reading but there are too many already already to quote! These caught my eye right away!
ours
for a little while
dragonfly
Vandana Parashar
India
double-decker bus —
from open arms
a butterfly takes flight
Nitu Yumnam
India
petals fly
the butterfly knows
its route
Bakhtiyar Amini
Germany
and
Jackie Chou. !!
Zen garden
A butterfly leads the way
through the gate
Jackie Chou
United States
….So delightful!!
Thanks for the mention, Kathabela. Glad you liked it.
So many lovely moments captured here. I love Annie Wilson’s moth moment. Lori Kiefer’s struck me at once with her sparrows pegging the sunset which is a brilliantly observed moment. Lori, I have just recently written about sparrows unpegging blossom! It’s below for you – we both love these companionable little birds.
April showers –
sparrows in the cherry tree
unpegging blossom