Mann Library Haiku
Poems
from the month of May 2016, as featured poet at the Mann Library haiku page at
Cornell University. My thanks to Tom Clausen for his serendipitous selections
and sequencing of the following poems, all previously published. May 1 spring sun— at the top of the roller coaster she says yes May 2 tulip festival— the colours of all the cars in the parking lot May 3 reading in bed my pulse flickering the lightly held bookmark May 4 morning bird song— + my paddle slips into its reflection May 5 landing swallow— the ship’s chain dips slightly May 6 spring breeze— the pull of her hand as we near the pet store May 7 morning sun a patch of frost in the holstein’s shadow May 8 mountain spring— in my cupped hand pine needles May 9 meteor shower . . . a gentle wave wets our sandals May 10 after-dinner mints passed around the table . . . slow-falling snow May 11 fresh snow on the mat— the shape of welcome still visible May 12 crackling beach fire— we hum in place of words we can’t recall May 13 empty silo— spring wind pops the metal in and out May 14 summer moonlight the potter’s wheel slows May 15 pulsing in the wiper’s blade the bee’s abdomen May 16 spring cleaning— dirt in the grooves of the five iron May 17 you squeeze my hand . . . how still the sky after fireworks May 18 toll booth lit for Christmas— from my hand to hers warm change May 19 under the umbrella stormy face May 20 taking invisible tickets at the foot of the basement stairs— child’s magic show May 21 gridlock on the freeway— the skywriting drifts May 22 beach parking lot— where the car door opened a small pile of sand May 23 clicking off the late movie . . . the couch cushion reinflates May 24 first cold night— the farmhouse linoleum worn at the sink May 25 moving day— the coolness on my cheek after your kiss May 26 deep in shadow three generations counting tree rings May 27 first on the trail— the pull of a spider’s strand across my face May 28 fox on the trail— your hand held up to my chest May 29 my hand on your thigh . . . from the window seat the curve of the earth May 30 first day of summer a postman delivers mail in a safari hat May 31 from horizon to horizon the milky way Author BioMichael Dylan Welch has cultivated his sense of wonder with haiku poetry since he was a teenager. His poems have appeared in hundreds of journals and anthologies in at least twenty languages. He enjoys writing essays about haiku, which have also been widely published. Michael has served the haiku community in various ways: founding, running, and helping to run organizations such as the Haiku Society of America, Haiku North America, the American Haiku Archives, National Haiku Writing Month, Haiku Northwest, and the Tanka Society of America, directing haiku retreats, publishing books and journals, and running poetry readings. Michael hopes that others, too, will catch the haiku habit. What a wonderful world! |