Crows Return

by Marshall Hryciuk, Claudia Coutu Radmore, Michael Dylan Welch, Hans Jongman, Margot Gallant, Karen Sohne, Merilyn Peruniak, LeRoy Gorman, Christine Nelson, Philomene Kocher, Melanie Noll, Terry Ann Carter, and DeVar Dahl


Published in Haiku Canada Review 4:1, February 2010, pages 35–38. Begun 10:45 p.m., 16 May 2008 at the Haiku Canada weekend in Ottawa, Ontario, and completed at 1:05 a.m. on 17 May 2008, led by Marshall Hryciuk. My “lightning” verse was incorrectly printed with “the startled mouse” instead of “the startled moose.”



two years away

crows

perched on the verandah Marshall


the first click

of marble on marble Claudia


the candle melted

into itself

my book unfinished Michael


on the burlap sack

faint smell of potatoes Hans


the cat

whiter still

by moonlight Margot


tree shadows

across the kitchen floor Karen


too much Mr. Clean

the dachshund

spinning his wheels Michael


i stop trying to change him Merilyn


rolling off the righteous

rain warming LeRoy


her bathing suit

rides up

and has sand in it Christine


watching him

watch someone else Philomene


only half-formed thoughts

not written

in time Melanie


mantel clock stopped

before the ball drops Karen


the eyes of a child

sparkle

in the Mayor’s amulet Hans


tin soldiers all in a row Terry Ann


flashlights slowing

smelt in the shallows Philomene


calla lilies

the young bride

changes her dress DeVar


this way and that

the still-wet foal Michael


ex cathedra

the pope says

we can believe in aliens Claudia


Alberta vote—

working dogs round up the sheep DeVar


the snowshoer’s tracks

disappear in the distance—

forgotten birthday Michael


the burnt-out bulbs

on the women’s shelter

windows fogged Terry Ann


who needs

the view? LeRoy


the smell of her

still in his beard Melanie


“i got ‘mammed’”

oh, some young bastard

at the parking lot Marshall


blackberries

black out Hans


counting the moons

in the puddles

my toddler Michael


cul-de-sac

sunlight a-twitter Hans


lightning

lightning

the startled moose Michael


killing frost DeVar


she swirls

her drink

as he talks Christine


a bus of seniors

arrives at the casino Karen


she repaints

her bedroom

robin’s egg blue Terry Ann


earth through worm

to earth Claudia


dead or sleeping?

the old retriever

with blossoms in his fur LeRoy


between the clouds

stars and a satellite Christine