Gold Leaf

by Marshall Hryciuk, Michael Dylan Welch, Melanie Noll, Karen Sohne, LeRoy Gorman, Hans Jongman, Pearl Pirie, Christine Nelson, Philomene Kocher, Rich Schnell, Claudia Coutu Radmore, Terry Ann Carter, Merilyn Peruniak, and David Armitage


Published in Haiku Canada Review 4:1, February 2010, pages 39–42. Begun 10:30 p.m., 17 May 2008 at the Haiku Canada weekend in Ottawa, Ontario, and completed at 1:15 a.m. on 18 May 2008 [Haiku Canada Review mistakenly says 20 May 2008], led by Marshall Hryciuk.



branches in gold leaf

first time from here

the eastern horizon Marshall


the old buffalo jump

reddened with sumac Michael


grandfather’s pipe

resting on my bookshelf

scent of tobacco Melanie


film of pollen

all over the cars Karen


in a camera

pictures of high water

never developed LeRoy


her basket full

gift of mooncakes Hans


soft rattle

purple vetch

anklets Pearl


the deer starts

at the falling pinecone Christine


top down

with “Hotel California” blaring

we miss our turn Philomene


three for morning tea

the steeping of permissions Rich


it ends

when he finds out

she’s ten years older Claudia


each on a short leash

they meet in the dog park Pearl


outside the Home Depot

a blur of pinwheels—

Canada Day Terry Ann


roots on the rockface

cloudburst Hans


gently

down the stream

my paddle Michael


a row of radishes

before the rest DeVar


cherry blossoms—

the small birthmark

just over her lip Terry Ann


nestlings’ mouths

open to the sky LeRoy


50,000 dead

in the Chinese earthquake

we talk of sake Michael


makes no change

the parking permit machine LeRoy


days short as a glance

the phone line

may be down Pearl


blue shadows

in the snowdrifts Merilyn


late for work

a sundog

haloes the steeple Michael


holding hands

the father and son Merilyn


evening prayers—

something crawls

over the tent DeVar


the Navaho hataal

tells about the right rainbow Rich


we enter the dark forest

where grasping creatures

hide in shadow David


no trick

just treats Merilyn


moon over the field

we sing

until the fire dies Christine


teaching my daughter

itsy bitsy spider Karen


husband to the cardiologist

“will she still be able

to mow the lawn?” Claudia


unnamed lover

everyone has figured out Pearl


“but dear

we don’t smoke

any more” LeRoy


blazing treasure trail

with tongue Pearl


cool canal—

forgotten Birkenstocks

covered with petals Michael


now mosquitos

is this the end? LeRoy