Friday, September 26, 2008

5 Tanka Trials (2)





















Parallel Lives
Whither will we go
I have traveled the low road
And you took the high
Ne'er shall we meet again
Lives in parallel chosen

Rebuked
You chided me then
When I asked for your sweetness
Slapping my hands
And I, tremulous in fear
Withdrew in the raging rain

Night Sounds
I whiled through the sounds
Frog's grunts, cicada's buzz saw
But not finding yours
Only the memory heard
A soothing wind borne whisper

Through Wild Flowers
Come let us gambol
Tramping through wild flowers
Skipping on fences
Scraping your knees on sharp thorns
And I'll kiss away the sore

Moping
The morning found me
Moping beneath the duvet
Denied a good night
Left clinging on unsteady vines
Sent home without a sweet kiss

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

5 Tanka Trials






















Eloquence of Love
I hesitated
To say my true feelings
Soon after our tryst
The memory of your eyes
Told me to be eloquent

Stay
Can you stay longer?
At least until the rain stops
My bed is still warm
With your smoldering kiss
And your scorching embrace

Memories of You
My memory talks
In loud words and images
Of your poise and endless grace
A picture of elegance
A heavenly hymn of praise

The Eucalyptus
The eucalyptus
Rained its shimmering jade leaves
Below its bowers
Where you and I slept the night
Soft ground, a blanket of green

The Dawn
The dawn we failed to see
Neath blankets huddling in the cold
But no big regrets
We’ll wait for it tomorrow
And maybe miss it again

Monday, September 22, 2008

Haiku for Duffers








Pitch
With a graceful swing
My pitching wedge struck the ball
Fell short of the hole

Fore
Fore! called the golfer
Atop the seventh tee mound
Splash! replied the lake

“Take”
It was just two feet
But my buddy didn’t say “take”
Ooh, the ball lipped out

Butterfly
A butterfly looks nice
But not on the driver’s mound
Use your “mulligan”

Long Putt
Long putt’s a challenge
Two to three breaks from the hole
Glory to God it’s in!

At the Tee
Tee mound dilemma
Wind, club and stance decisions
Then swing hard and firm

Golf Widow
Anna, the golf widow
Cold husband always away
Sold “irons” in bazaar

Rara Avis
Birdies have no plumes
Bogey is not an ogre
Albatross, not cursed

Eagle
An eagle soars high
So is the spirit of one
Who makes it happen

Happiness
Duffer’s blessed round
Short par threes, also, even grass
And smart caddy tips

Fairways
Fairways are real cool
Despite the noonday sun
After acing one

Putting Green
Greens are perplexing
Slow, fast, break left or right
Blasted hole so small

Sands
Sands are relaxing
On a balmy seashore spot
It stinks in the links

Missed Birdie
What could be worse than
Triple bogey on par three
A missed short birdie

Golfers’ Tongue
Golf helps your language
With each errant stroke you mouth
Expletives galore

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Haiku 115 to 130














115. Butterflies hover
In my flower filled garden
Making joyful hours

116. Frogs splashing about
Midst golden kois in a pond
Rest on lotus leaves

l117. I saw your tears drop
From soft and limpid eyes
The day has ended

118. Hurried and harried
After a busy workday
Rewarded by hugs

119. I felt your soft touch
A motherly kiss on my tired eyes
Your scent filled the room

120. Dip your head in ice
Don’t let emotions prevail
...seven, eight, nine, ten!

121. Venerable tree
You keep secrets well hidden
Let down your branches

122. Waterdogs romp downstream
Cooling heads and heels at noon
Mindless of the heat

123. Yellow ripe mangoes
Hanging tantalizingly
Nipped by a passing bird

124. Sun tanned boys through stalks
Startled rice birds taking wing
Wavy heat shimmer

125. A pebble skims
Rippling the pond’s green surface
Bullfrogs leap aside

126. Raindrops caught in leaves
Give life and shine to a tree
A breeze shakes them off

127. The torturous trek
Through mountain rills and falls
End up in a splash

128. Leafy veil parted
A serene beauty unfolds
Behold a calm lake

129. Geese swim in a queue
After a hard fortnight flight
Respite from the cold

130. Today it’s romp and play
Hunting skills honed keenly
Sharp fangs bag their prey







Friday, September 19, 2008

Political Haiku









Circus
Staunch anti-Glorias
Manny and Ping now grapple
Circus is in town

Politics is fun
Politics is fun
No holds barred spectator sports
No losers but us

Cretins
Miriam shouts Cretins!
At the solons on the floor
Fermenting madness

Hero or Heel
Jinggoy acts the role
Of dad sans moustache in pose
Reel hero, real heel

Tear Jerk
Tear jerk Lozada
Cries innocence and kidnap
Sitcom? Soap? On 2

Joke Only
Jocjoc Bolante
Agri magic, not with rice
Joke, joke lang!

Lucid Loren
Loren in ad glut
Of glutathione challenge
Lucid back out move

Noli
Noli, like a lamb
With fleece not as white as now
But he’s sure to go

Ping
Ping surveyed the lay
Manny, Loren and Noli
Knock one at a time

Frenzy
Senate in a frenzy
With expectations galore
Prexy polls is near

Pollsters
Pollsters drool knowing
Hopefuls eager to rate high
Cost is no question

Polls

Political polls
Spawn hope for the solons
They grasp at straws

Chiz
Chiz in a quandary
Polls encourage, others dissuade
High and dry or wade?

Nene
Pimentel accuses
Speaks in raspy gibberish
In between snores

Statesman
Is there a statesman
In senate or congress?
Silence in the halls

Statesmen
Recto, Tanada
Is there anyone like them?
Listen, loud silence

Storm Signals
Hot air factory
Blow ill wind and puffery
Batten down hatches

Flash Gordon
Is Gordon running ?
He may be quick as a flash
Not in prexy dash

Lovely Loren
Last chance Loren
Belo may not be as skilled
The next time around

Extra Mile
Manny went ahead
And pushed for the extra mile
Ping caught him speeding

Through Her Teeth
President Gloria
Said my post will not extend
Through a bunny toothed grin

At The Races
At President’s derby
Manny, Loren, Noli, Ping
Run with gates still closed

Politics Is Business
Politics is business
Invest millions for post at stake
Rob millions to gain

Bayani
Poor BF chided
Postered “Bayani” all over
His dreams now over

Obama
Obama you’ll lose
White Americans are racist
A black and white fact

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Laughing Haiku









The Mouse
Tim’rous little mouse
Slips through the bedroom at three
Rolling pin hits true

Thongs
Tempt me not to see
Cross your legs in front of me
Your thongs hide little

Fresh
Kiss the lady hard
Grab her with much gusto
Slap, such sweet sorrow

Mother In Law
The mother in law
Laid down the domestic rules
Price for daughter laid

Pick Nits
Pick critics brains here
In overused critique’s page
It is nitpicking time

The Poet
The words do not rhyme
The meter an iamb off
Yet he dares to write

Disarming Love
Futile affections
When Venus de Milo loves
In absurd embrace

Who Caught Who
Run after me
Beckon the flirty lady
Until I catch you


Verbosity
Poets look for a word
To describe his lady fair
Wrote epic instead

Failed Player
The world is a stage
Said Will, the bald poet
You forgot your lines

Spider Man
Peeping Tom Spidey
Swings across sills and ledges
Sightseeing lecher

Lady Godiva
Bare assed Godiva
Rode the streets of Coventry
Wish I was a horse

Through Her Teeth
President Gloria
Said my post will not extend
Through a bunny toothy grin

At the Races
At President’s derby
Manny, Loren, Noli, Ping
Run with gates still closed

Politics Is Business
Politics is business
Invest millions for post at stake
Rob millions to gain

Language Abuse
The King’s English died
With poetic license abuse
Hidden as free verse

Present States
Drunk! said the lady
Ugly! Retorted Winston
Ever, while I sober

Statistics
Numbers seem so true
When quoted by politicians
Citing what favors

Friday, September 12, 2008

Haiku 1 to 25










1. Woodland nymphs gather
Elves frolic round misty boughs
Magical moments weave

2. Fly away sparrow
This meal is not meant for you
Listen! Birdseed spills

3. Such innocent eyes
Glaring from fiery red heads
Harsh beaks gnash fiercely

4. Creeping fearsome ghost
Lurking within the tall grass
Gruesome ambuscade

5. A real cool cat
With Cheshire smile smugly beamed
Climb down from your perch

6. Past the reeds she goes
Daffodils bowed in her wake
Rippling a placid lake

7. Gossamer snares
Delicate but treacherous
Fatal quiver felt
(6/30/08)

8. Butterfly afloat
With cathedral wings afire
Petals flutter by

9. Tweet goes the Pipit
Buzzing each shrub and flower
Withered blossoms fall

10. A blade of cogon
Is bent by a maya bird
A slingshot buzzes

11 .Oh elegant grace
Still the waters of the lake
Majesty passes

12. Blossoms overhead
Stand guard on regal swans
Let not ripples make

13. A gilded sky cast
Trees in silhouette yonder
Night softly signs on

14. Nothing here but death
Desolation and despair
Cracked lips plead for rain


15. Reach out in prayer
Cry out for a bit of rain
Dry throats utter thanks


16. Dare disturb the calm
Skim that pebble on the pond
Fish cower beneath

17. Looks peaceful today
Yet malevolent clouds hover
Zip up your jacket

18. Ominous warnings
Of impending wet and cold
Warm hands allay fears

19. Lord, divide your sky
Give me my share of colors
But the rainbow frowns

20. The mountain wind blew
Whispered wisdom, uttered truths
Here is where I’ll camp

21. Lonely sentinel
Saguaro has a sworn duty
Rest your arms awhile

22. Blinding, shimmering
Whiteness of the blustery snow
Come share your warmth

23. Your warmth eases cold
Like a setting sun’s radiance
A peaceful night comes

24. Never thought our love
Would create ugly ducklings
Push them off the falls

25. Raindrops and teardrops
Sear my cheeks and my heart
Oh, gloomy adieus

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Haiku 26 to 50











26. Midst shouts and slams
My beloved despot rages
The clock ticks and tocks

27. A cold heart's hollow
Echoes laments of past loves
I miss your cold gaze

28. Soft light pierces through
The morning’s window pane
Your yawn woke me up

29. Colored prints of you
Arrayed on doilied cover
Sonic boom explodes

30. I saw her today,
Aloof but with a coy smile
Now my cellphone rings

31. Dustin and David,
Mischievous kids both ten
Oops! A Ming vase breaks

32. Funereal fragrance wafts,
Midst earnest sobs and clasped hands
Snuffed candle falls

33. Old eyes squint in wait,
Faint sounds make feeble ears stand
Welcome youthful yells

34. As she walked past me
Stolen gaze I saw her make
Sunday I’ll be back

35. There you are li’l girl
Swathed in a field of yellow
Bees told me you’re here

36. Speak up old tree
She was here with him last night
Don't just shake your leaves

37. Embrace me hotly
Leave the cold and wet behind
Hang your love to dry

38. Ill wind blowing wild
Smashing and slashing at will
Crack! a tree trunk breaks

39. Nature's ire unleashed
Bullying all in its path
Crashing waters roar

40. The roar and fury
Of crashing, rumbling waters
Silenced by a sob

41. Sun sets on Jasmine
Scented twilight stirs my soul
Where has my love gone?

42. High atop a hill
The world looks bright and cheerful
Worms creep up to see

43. Amidst the rubble
Wasted ruins of the storm
New life emerges

44. Nature’s vanity
Musing its own reflection
Upon a clear tarn

45. Sunbeams light her path
Suddenly morning has come
Emerged from a dream

46. Shrilling buzz like drills
Cicada’s plaint close the day
Light sinks with the sun

47. Suntanned revelers
Frolic in raucous delight
Jesus impaled sweats

48. Memories are streams Of glorious times, sad failures Flowing out from time

49. Icons tumbling spin,
Flashing light and ringing bells
Sadly I drove home

50. Struggling to hold on Wiry roots cling tight to life Please don’t axe that tree

Thursday, September 04, 2008

The Fallen Gods










I saw you
I told the breeze as he swooped
And lifted a lady’s skirt
With no one seeing us
But dust and a few scattering leaves
And with a hiss
He said hush…hush

So, Zephyr back off!
You gods have lost your right
To bedevil us mortals
Prometheus had lost his fire
Achilles had athlete’s feet
Hercules went limp…ahay!
Bacchus just another sot
And Zeus’ thunder went pfft!

Now you have Gabriela to reckon with
Wielding harassment laws so stiff
And battered wives have a united front
The Human Rights commissioner’s
Gavel struck hard at the abuse
These Olympians were once amused
The then dreaded divine elite
Meek as vestal virgins in the hearth