Just Seventeen Syllables

80. Meditation

2011-05-20T17:14:00.000-07:00

Turn down the constant

cacophony of sound, light.

Breathe, in, out. Be still.

79. Worst Spring Ever

2010-05-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

May twenty fourth: snow.
Dark skies, wet grass, a warm bed.
Don't want to get up.

78. Written During the Storm on Thursday

2010-03-06T12:05:00.000-08:00

Rain crashes loudly
against glass. But snow taps its
silent percussion.

77. Like a Crocus

2010-03-05T06:53:00.001-08:00

Spring parts, then peaks out
from the wintery drapes, and
is crushed under snow.

76. Sick of Winter

2010-03-04T17:09:00.001-08:00

Fooled by the warm air,
I tried on my sandals, shorts.
My feet are freezing.

75. Just One Meeting Today

2010-03-03T18:23:00.001-08:00

Eight hour meeting
showing demos, strategy.
More action items.

74. Three Haikus About Ice Fishing

2010-02-05T18:19:00.000-08:00

Catch a cold, or fish?
Hard to tell when you're dangling
a hook through the ice.

No one understands
why a man sits on the ice
instead of his couch.

It better taste good
when the way to catch it is
fishing on the ice.

73. Now With Jesse in Paradise

2010-01-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

Detectives, PI's,
and cowboys I've spent hours with...
gone from my bookshelf.

Inspiration here.

72. Sad Day for Tacos

2010-01-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

Beans, cheese, tomatoes,
and something that tastes like meat.
All bow in sadness.

Inspiration here.

71. Birthday

2009-11-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

Spectacular is
what she wants for her birthday.
Happy to oblige.

70. Halloween

2009-10-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

Tried to get away

from the cold and trick or treats

Best Halloween yet.

69. Ariel's Grotto

2009-10-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

Lunch with a princess...

felt like a good idea, then,

we got the check. Ouch.

68. Disneyland

2009-10-29T12:35:00.000-07:00

Waiting in line to

experience the magic.

Earth's happiest place.

67. Lotoja

2009-09-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Short flats, mountain highs,

Much chaos in the feed zones.

Best day on a bike.

66. The Stoplight at 21st South

2009-09-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

Standing sentinel,
always red. "Halt! who goes there?"
Click. Foot down. "Just me."

65. Lemon-filled

2009-09-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

No one asks for it,
But there it is between plain
and sprinkles. Surprise!

64. Plain

2009-09-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

It sits unadorned,
surrounded by better sweets.
Best with chocolate milk.

63. The Donut with Sprinkles

2009-09-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

A donut for kids.
But when the others are gone,
it will do nicely.

62. The Chocolate Donut

2009-09-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

Raised, brown cake. Icing.
Lord of sugary baked goods.
First one eaten. Mmmm.

61. The Pink Donut

2009-09-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

A sweet surprise hides
in the bottom of the box,
strawberry frosting.

60. The Maple Bar

2009-09-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

In the donut box

a pernicious impostor.

Vile, disgusting roll.

59. Donuts

2009-09-01T15:02:00.000-07:00

Round deliciousness...
drizzled in chocolate, sprinkles,
or just plain. So good.

58. Wake Up Call

2009-08-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Cold air, canyon breeze,
Night refuses to let go.
Riding before work.

57. Swine Flu?

2009-08-11T15:50:00.000-07:00

Whiny, mopey, blah.
Lots of laying around sick.
Won't take medicine.

56. Singing as Loud as a Three-Year-Old Can!

2009-08-11T15:45:00.001-07:00

Blond hair, done in braids,
Dressing herself: mismatched pinks.
Making up a song.

55. Joey's Back Dive

2009-07-31T12:39:00.000-07:00

Whine, whine, whine, whine, whine,

Whine, whine, whine, whine, whine, whine, whine,

Whine, whine, whine, whine, splash.

54. Good Thing I Brought a Book

2009-07-30T14:41:00.001-07:00

Dad's day at swimming.

Where are the hot tennis moms?

A serious derth.

53. Back

2009-07-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

Sabbatical done,

Ready to compose again.

For a day, at least.

52. The Vision

2008-09-16T21:01:00.000-07:00

Joseph, Oliver...

Your sins are forgiven you.

Lift your heads, rejoice.

Inspiration.

51. The View From My Window III

2008-09-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

Green John Deere tractor
wrapped in a cloud of white dust
cutting alfalfa.

50. Palin

2008-09-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

Small town soldier's mom,
despite questions, the real thing.
A reason for hope.

49. Dust

2008-09-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Cupboards, walls, stuff, gone.
Nothing left but fine powder
on every surface.

48. Uh, You Were Saying?

2008-08-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

Just like a Frenchman...
big talk, but can't back it up.
US Men win gold.

47. Bliss

2008-08-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Just can't put it down--
Like candy for my fingers.
Coolest thing I own.

46. Rhymes with Phat (As In Cool)

2008-08-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

A birthday haiku
for the brother who wouldn't
write one for me. Cheers.

45. Sushi

2008-08-06T15:01:00.001-07:00

I crave this tasty
Japanese delicacy
eaten with chop sticks.

44. Ten Years Old

2008-07-31T19:38:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that
a whole decade would pass by
and feel like a month?

43. Pie

2008-07-31T19:37:00.000-07:00

Apple, Strawberry,
Rhubarb, Chocolate, Cherry...
Can't make a bad choice.

42. The View From My Window II

2008-07-30T08:45:00.001-07:00

Completely brown now,
the field, ready to be cut.
Haze sits on the lake.

41. Getting Older

2008-07-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

On turning forty.
Not much diff'rent from thirty.
The kids are older.

40. So Close...

2008-07-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Waiting in line, close
but no cigar, or iPhone.
A birthday ruined.

39. The Gift

2008-07-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

Birthday haiku book
written by friends, family
best present I got.

38. Batman

2008-07-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

Joker and Dark Knight,
diff'rent sides of the same coin.
Can good beat evil?

37. The Police

2008-07-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

Guitar, bass, and drums
playing music in perfect
synchronicity.

36. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Part II

2008-07-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

Are you kidding me?
Steven, what were you thinking,
green lighting this crap.

35. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-07-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

Old-looking Indy...
commies, aliens, and ants—
summer's worst movie.

34. Nearly There

2008-07-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

It's hard work—bike rides,
calories skipped, weights lifted—
losing twenty pounds.

33. The View from my Window

2008-07-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

Once green, turning brown.
Farmer's field, alfalfa grows.
Lake on horizon.

32. Get Smart

2008-07-07T08:25:00.001-07:00

Shoe phone. Double cross.
Eighty-six duels KAOS.
Last note never sounds.

31. Kung Fu Panda

2008-07-07T08:10:00.001-07:00

Po—Dragon Master
learns Kung-fu chasing dumplings.
Awesomeness—no charge.

30. Declaration

2008-07-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

Self evident truths,
Political bonds dissolved.
We "ought to be free".

29. The HP Way

2008-07-03T11:08:00.001-07:00

Dave and Bill, once friends,
then partners—lots of ideas.
First garage start-up.

Inspiration here.

28. Time

2008-07-01T17:55:00.000-07:00

Obligations--lots.

From morning until I sleep.

I need three more hours.

27. Working the Land

2008-06-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Dirty hands in gloves

pulling weeds, digging up roots.

Hoping for flowers.

26. Beautiful Saturday

2008-06-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Stuck inside, Econ,
Ops, dry lectures, no windows.
But I'm not painting.

25. Tim Russert

2008-06-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

He asked hard questions
of popes, politicians, more.
He was Meet the Press.

24. Bye-ku for Ron Paul

2008-06-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

The revolution:

over. No more Spray-painted

bed sheets on bridges.

23. Station wagon

2008-06-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Our Karen Ann, loved

for her vinyl seats, long drives.

Green. She wouldn't die.

22. Cravings

2008-06-12T08:20:00.001-07:00

Protein shake, fiber,

egg and cheese, salad, fruit, nuts.

Hungry for dinner.

21. Hike-a-Bike

2008-06-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

Damn, thorn in my tire.

Pushing, not riding, my bike.

Where'd I leave my pump?

20. iPhone

2008-06-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

3G, fast downloads,

finds the way with GPS,

object of desire.

19. Obama

2008-06-09T15:58:00.000-07:00

Fifty-seven states.

Or so Obama said (gaffe).

He'll need them to win.

18. McCain

2008-06-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

Missed Woodstock: tied up.

A little bit left and right.

Who will vote for him?

17. Bye-ku for Hillary

2008-06-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Once the favorite.

No more. We'll just have to wait

for a woman pres.

16. Contagion

2008-06-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

Back at work. Still sick.

Too much to do—long meetings.

Spreading the virus.

15. Diseased

2008-06-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

Runny nose, sneezes,

throat on fire, muscle aches, cough.

Time for a sick day.

14. Penance

2008-05-30T12:30:00.001-07:00

Lycra shorts, t-shirt,

push hard for ninety minutes,

dripping sweat—feels good.

13. Temptation

2008-05-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

An Apple iPhone

should be incentive enough.

But brownies win out.

12. Lost

2008-05-29T14:28:00.000-07:00

Jack and Kate, Others...

hoping for rescue, answers,

but not getting them.

11. The Goal

2008-05-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

Three months. Must improve.
Fix throughput, efficiency
Save the factory.

Inspiration here.

10. Cereal

2008-05-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

Oh those golden grahams.
Golden honey, just a touch,
with graham's golden wheat.

9. Brownies

2008-05-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Hot, gooey, chocolate,
Steaming, straight from the oven.
Dad licks the bowl. Mmmm.

8. Or a Sestina or Villanelle?

2008-05-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

One haiku each day?
So what? A daily sonnet
would impress me more.

7. Ains

2008-05-23T05:53:00.003-07:00

Cute, curly pigtails,
loves to draw, paper, walls, arms.
A smile to die for.

6. Lucy

2008-05-23T05:53:00.001-07:00

Blue eyed thumbsucker,
cereal eater—that's all!
Most beautiful girl.

5. Boo

2008-05-23T05:52:00.000-07:00

Fun, toothpick skinny,
red hair and temper to match.
Sees with artist's eyes.

4. Monk

2008-05-23T05:51:00.000-07:00

Whip-smart pianist.
Spends all his time in book land.
Handsome like his dad.

3. Thunder Storm

2008-05-21T20:33:00.000-07:00

Mist clings to granite
tipped in powder, brushed in green.
A breeze blows. Rain falls.

2. IronMan

2008-05-21T14:58:00.000-07:00

Gold suit, red highlights.
"Yeah, I can fly." Save Pepper.
Defeat the villain.

1. Napoleon Complex

2008-05-20T21:42:00.000-07:00

Just buy some hair gel,

and with a comb, slick it down.

Hair won't make you tall.