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