branches in mourning
surrender to the autumn?
scattering of leaves
surrender to the autumn?
scattering of leaves
Loss & Grief Haiku Poems
Haiku confronting absence, farewell, mourning, heartbreak, and remembrance.
237 published haiku
chaste upon her lips
morose whisper of winter
loss consumed her bones
morose whisper of winter
loss consumed her bones
war separates us
abandoned homes lie empty
lost to each other
abandoned homes lie empty
lost to each other
old porous porch, where
moldy newspapers mark months
teapot cries inside
moldy newspapers mark months
teapot cries inside
a white weeping birch
its mustard leaves blowing free
into blue above
its mustard leaves blowing free
into blue above
Dead. Each bubble cries
tears of gold. Drunken first kiss,
your pull-tabs. New wife.
tears of gold. Drunken first kiss,
your pull-tabs. New wife.
this insomnia-
dancing shadow in the night
darkened eyes of grief
dancing shadow in the night
darkened eyes of grief
A warm south wind. Snow
disappears into puddles.
Goodbye White Christmas.
disappears into puddles.
Goodbye White Christmas.
Oaks hold their dead leaves --
Little, brittle wishes -- but
Seeds hold more than hope.
Little, brittle wishes -- but
Seeds hold more than hope.
Harsh the cold wind blows
Yet tears burn strongly with heat
sad is this season
Yet tears burn strongly with heat
sad is this season
Bric-a-brac brooding
on lost time ? strain as hard as
the snow falls gentle.
on lost time ? strain as hard as
the snow falls gentle.
Knees bent at sunrise
Longevity lost to fate
Headstones cast shadows
Longevity lost to fate
Headstones cast shadows
Desolation in
the wood. The winter moon shows
only death tonight.
the wood. The winter moon shows
only death tonight.
long lost relative
sister seal swims on her side
heartbeat of the sea
sister seal swims on her side
heartbeat of the sea
Crying a Monsoon ~
Would still not bring my Parched Earth ~
Back to fruitful Bloom
Would still not bring my Parched Earth ~
Back to fruitful Bloom
leaves abandon trees
empty branches wave farewell--
you moved out today
empty branches wave farewell--
you moved out today
Lost a special friend
through holy matrimony
Time to find anew.
through holy matrimony
Time to find anew.
all the leaves dropped dead
bare branches, hard arteries
squirrels' nests, bulging clots
bare branches, hard arteries
squirrels' nests, bulging clots
Imprints in cold grass:
shadows of idle bodies
once lost in the sun
shadows of idle bodies
once lost in the sun
when you fall asleep
watching your ceiling tear, split,
look for my spotlight
watching your ceiling tear, split,
look for my spotlight
tick and tack of sleet
upon breadth of dying blades -
duck paddles through reeds
upon breadth of dying blades -
duck paddles through reeds
Perusing fine words
Used pages like winter skies
Then, her lost blonde strand
Used pages like winter skies
Then, her lost blonde strand
Impaired cries for help
Innocence preys on the weak
Wandering lost soul
Innocence preys on the weak
Wandering lost soul
A tear; one dark stream
Discovers flimsy patchwork
Beautifully wrapped
Discovers flimsy patchwork
Beautifully wrapped
I walk down this hill
to my grandmother's grave... no
pallbearer today
to my grandmother's grave... no
pallbearer today
tears from yesterday
the bouquet of lilies rest
beside your headstone
the bouquet of lilies rest
beside your headstone
stony soil of yore
unearthed by merciful hand
restores essence lost
unearthed by merciful hand
restores essence lost
stones tumbling as tears
temple marred by modern strife
on ground once sacred
temple marred by modern strife
on ground once sacred
Black skies cry to me
I hear cold rain trickle down
wet night harmony
I hear cold rain trickle down
wet night harmony
Hollow victory
Got to the top of my field
Lost my family
Got to the top of my field
Lost my family
Bugs scurry across
sidewalks, changing direction
my absent footsteps
sidewalks, changing direction
my absent footsteps
Listen to the sigh
Of wind among the treetops
What has it just lost
Of wind among the treetops
What has it just lost
Desert darkness falls
wrapped up in my sleeping bag
lost among the stars
wrapped up in my sleeping bag
lost among the stars
delicate, pale plume
weeping branches bow to earth
winter's eulogy
weeping branches bow to earth
winter's eulogy
flakes of rust falling
like lost sunsets locked away
by the night's dark hasp
like lost sunsets locked away
by the night's dark hasp
leaf on the water
lost peripatetic limb
retains a green life
lost peripatetic limb
retains a green life