Tuesday, July 31, 2007

change of shift
children serenading me
as I waken





Upper, right panel reads:
still old water
elephant ears
cradle raindrops.








Monday, July 30, 2007

power lines


power lines beneath summer clouds children play

words & photo © gerald england, 2007

prompted by the "feathered friends" theme at one deep breath

another photograph of this sculpture can be seen at Ackworth born, gone West
summer rain...
may december romance
severed too quickly
moving back and forth
to stay in the shade
in this hot day
unable to ignore
the motion of time
staring -
black eyes
sunflower's center
my blind neighbour
fingers each new bloom
...and smiles

Sunday, July 29, 2007

startled awake
it's only thunder
blessing moon*



*one name for the August full moon


the graphite
in an overcast summer sky-
iTunes from my desktop
wedding plans-
two of my future in-laws
help me keep sane
extra innings —
the dog groans
in its sleep

Friday, July 27, 2007

teen boy bike riding –
no shoes, no hands, no helmet –
big grin
after SFH*
trenching new garden bed
to find center



after the rain
sanity washes through
the plant floor



*shift from heck
small white starred weeds
beneath the tall flowers
my aching back

Thursday, July 26, 2007

windless night —
a cloud of gnats
all around me
rough shift at plant
stopping for some fresh flowers
on the way home
cats cradle
braiding her long fine hair
in humid weather


* * * *

pounding from downstairs
the handsome handyman
likes to sweat
across the leaves
a two-headed shadow -
squirrel raids the orchard

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

morning jaunt
finding another city park
during taxi duty

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

fallen petal -
brightens
a dull duck

Monday, July 23, 2007

summer sick day
looking out at the garden
wishing I could eat
silence shattered -
a snail underfoot
in the long grass

Sunday, July 22, 2007

cool summer night —
I leave another voicemail
for my daughter

fireflies

river's fireflies
battery operated
bicycle lights
the day brightens
a sunflower peeps out
from behind a hollyhock
another downpour
the smell of barbecue
reminds me it's summer

Friday, July 20, 2007

SHOPPING TRIP

glory vines strangle the gate morning after

* * * *

a bright blue bottle
in the elm's shadows
rest stop

* * * *

trail of pink bubble gum patches almost home

Thursday, July 19, 2007

mountain walk-
the jocondologue's
enigmatic sunglasses
tall thistles -
through their leaves
rags of blue sky

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

vacation planning..
finding the right someone
to tend my garden
one year on -
no tan lines on my
ring finger

Apologies for being distracted from Summer Haiku. Especially if I missed anyone's request to join. Please le t me know of anything I missed while I was away!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

afternoon sun


afternoon sun
wet feet follow
the tide line


photo: steve glossin
words:
mandy smith
sudden summer storm
the couch cover starts to come
with me to the window
morning task
garden bed hand dug from clay
//////////////

/////////////////

///////////////////
sudden outbreak-
I welcome the cold rain
without a raincoat

.
against the white clouds -
a swallow
anchoring my thoughts


(after Ian Hamilton Findlay:concrete poet)

Monday, July 16, 2007

we pick
sun warmed berries
the cool lake
relief...

sticky summer day
first sip of cool lemonade
my whole body goes "ah......"

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Friday, July 13, 2007

after the rain
new weeds sprout in flower pots

Thursday, July 12, 2007

summer afternoon
dad teaching son to mow lawn

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

thistle's purple bonnet -
bee's weight
tips it jauntily

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

after power goes out
dust dances in the sunbeams
through the plant skylights

writer-in-residence in sunny Cheap Street

While I was a writer-in-residence at the Frome Festival (U.K.) a member of staff, Jen Pickup, even wrote two haiku with me in!


Resident writer
sitting in the window shade
scribbling lines.



Noise from the stream street
Drifting in past the poet
Into the shop cool.



For more information and links: click onto Area 17

,
on city chimneys
gulls sitting -
their songs of the sea

Monday, July 9, 2007

summer torrent



summer torrent
pigeon at the bird feeder
undeterred

words & photo © gerald england, 2007

prompted by the "feathered friends" theme at one deep breath
out from a sky
of black and white clouds -
crows and gulls
'jazz on a summer's day' -
a basket full of flowers
full of bees

Sunday, July 8, 2007

the child halts
in the shade of the old elm
dripping ice pop

Friday, July 6, 2007

shift from hell
arrested by jasmine fragrance
wafting into the plant

Thursday, July 5, 2007

pending fireworks color cloud bottoms
soggy holiday
enjoying the fireworks
from my couch

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

hugging the hot stone -
a lone rose
dying of thirst

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

garden run
red dwarf crepe myrtle
and peach day lillies


storm warning-
inbetween poetry & coffee
that Hovis ad


Web link: six poets go to Dorset

Monday, July 2, 2007

day dawns
darkness disperses -
leaving the crows behind
summer morning -
to see such joy
wriggling through a horse