Swaying

by Marshall Hryciuk, Merilyn Peruniak, Jessica Tremblay, Michael Dylan Welch, David Ash, Helen Baker, DeVar Dahl, Lin Geary, Vicki McCullough, Karen Sohne, and Winona Baker

Published in Haiku Canada Review 3:2, October 2009, pages 39–42. Begun 10:15 p.m., 16 May 2009 at the Haiku Canada weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia, and completed at 1:30 a.m. on 17 May 2009, led by Marshall Hryciuk [Haiku Canada Review incorrectly lists 18–19 May].

Douglas firs

slow in their sway

over the campus garden Marshall

in the meltwater

all the little suns Merilyn

she tries on

a polka-dot dress—

strapless Jessica

we run out of M&Ms

before prairie Michael

cranberry harvest—

the professor looks out

a thousand tired eyes David

moon shell

light through the curtains Helen

Halloween night

a case of tomatoes

dropped on the loading dock Michael

a firetruck

with way too many firemen Jessica

empty desks

the smell of kids

still in the air DeVar

walking the beach

her bikini strings me along David

in the glass bottle

a shipwreck

and a mermaid Jessica

first visit to Copenhagen

all the gorgeous blondes Merilyn

back row of the balcony

the two of us

and his mother Lin

the number she gave me

runs in the wash Michael

houseboats rise

with the river—

snapping asparagus stalks Vicki

prom night

limos circle the neighbourhood Karen

yellow roses in her corsage

drinking gin

in the parking lot Vicki

the broken spring

dashes my hopes Michael

the money wasn’t important to mention Jessica

Oh to be on YouTube

now that Taser’s here Lin

New Year’s Eve

karaoke machine

hell on earth Helen

removing stuffing

when my water breaks Winona

the in-laws bring

their Gamelan version

of “Auld Lang Syne” Lin

her spam blocker

allows his email DeVar

talking her into

another morning

late for work Karen

shortest day of the year

even the sake seems chilled David

the snow fence moved

to keep the drift

off the driveway Michael

draining the garden hose

my freezing fingers Merilyn

the last bee on the sweet potato David

old fishing village—

a spider’s web gathers

the moon Michael

25th anniversary

patching the wedding quilt David

filament broken in the light bulb Merilyn

he cheers just as loudly

for the instant reply

empty beer cans DeVar

tray of seedlings

sprinkled with slug bait Karen

lawn tennis

hunting for the ball

in pink heather Vicki

between skyscrapers

Venus rising Michael