My child's final wish
Grantable, toddler's wanting
My wish not allowed
Grantable, toddler's wanting
My wish not allowed
Family Haiku Poems
Haiku about parents, children, grandparents, home life, and inherited bonds.
136 published haiku
Spun silk and satin
My grandmother's wedding dress
Buried in cedar
My grandmother's wedding dress
Buried in cedar
grandmother's journal
inscribed names nourished with tears
white lotus rising
inscribed names nourished with tears
white lotus rising
Willow branches dance
Warm breeze across the water
Mother calls me home
Warm breeze across the water
Mother calls me home
Between flooded stones
lies fresh earth & a small flag;
warmth for my mother.
lies fresh earth & a small flag;
warmth for my mother.
Laughter fills the air
As children run through tall grass
Small hands graze the blades
As children run through tall grass
Small hands graze the blades
Son climbing boulder
Taller than your little self
Leap into a cloud
Taller than your little self
Leap into a cloud
dawn meditation
laughing at my arrogance
little brother loon
laughing at my arrogance
little brother loon
my thick winter socks
when good is doubly good
woven by grandma
when good is doubly good
woven by grandma
Two tall cedar trees,
a footpath in two inches.
Family picnic.
a footpath in two inches.
Family picnic.
a walk in the wood...
doe with fawn in blackberries...
Madonna and child
doe with fawn in blackberries...
Madonna and child
Quiet afternoon
Swings are still; slides are empty
Children back to school
Swings are still; slides are empty
Children back to school
the wren, heaven-bound --
it has again evaded
the children's pebbles
it has again evaded
the children's pebbles
Rough water, summer
Spring. The splashing of children.
Tanning old women.
Spring. The splashing of children.
Tanning old women.
Heavy clouds spit rain
strong winds creating havoc
mother nature's rant
strong winds creating havoc
mother nature's rant
the clouds move one way
and the leaves in another
family picnic
and the leaves in another
family picnic
when I close my eyes
in the rocking chairs creaking
my grandmother's voice
in the rocking chairs creaking
my grandmother's voice
Seashore turtle clutch
Tight knit family unit
Hatchling swims away
Tight knit family unit
Hatchling swims away
bleached clean like the bones
passed down between the branches
seen with mother's eyes
passed down between the branches
seen with mother's eyes
Wife's whip leaving marks
his eyes fixated upon
his mother's picture.
his eyes fixated upon
his mother's picture.
Scent of mown fescue,
crescendo of cicadas,
my childhood wakens.
crescendo of cicadas,
my childhood wakens.
This, my childhood home,
smaller than I remember,
and more important
smaller than I remember,
and more important
I've become my dad
which is to say a spirit
destined for silence
which is to say a spirit
destined for silence
Youth-endowing snow
All earthly wrinkles smoothing
Turning adult child
All earthly wrinkles smoothing
Turning adult child
Silence on the beach.
Children winter underground.
Castles of bright coal.
Children winter underground.
Castles of bright coal.
perfect black berries
red hollyhocks and cherries
summer sun's children
red hollyhocks and cherries
summer sun's children
red bird minds nearby
stark against the crisp snow drifts
my late dad's spirit
stark against the crisp snow drifts
my late dad's spirit
Wooden garden swing.
Children grown-up, fly the nest;
Birds reclaim their perch.
Children grown-up, fly the nest;
Birds reclaim their perch.
Freezing rain and snow
Silken black lace of winter
Children ice skating.
Silken black lace of winter
Children ice skating.
At vigil, a bird,
young, stands over his fallen
mother. Summer weeps.
young, stands over his fallen
mother. Summer weeps.
Diving pelicans
strike sea. Glistening, playful
ripples tag a child.
strike sea. Glistening, playful
ripples tag a child.
the mad caprices
of adolescent daughters
pink hydrangea blooms
of adolescent daughters
pink hydrangea blooms
she is poetry
a woman nursing her child
singing so softly
a woman nursing her child
singing so softly
warm rain on snowdrops
i explain to the children
where the snowmen go
i explain to the children
where the snowmen go
first snow of winter:
I lace up my father's boots
and my mother cries
I lace up my father's boots
and my mother cries
falling leaves in spring
bare twig quivering and bent
girl child runs laughing
bare twig quivering and bent
girl child runs laughing