Haiku*

Copyright© 1996 by Dale E. Malone

 

Tiny reindeer hooves,
Beat a tattoo on my roof,
The tinkle of bells!

Haiku for The Edge,
Fits all the way to the left,
Oregonian!

Christmas stockings hang,
Flaccid, in the darkened room.
Outside ... the snow drifts

Wigglin' like jelly
Santa's girth it does expand
Milk and cookies ... gone!

Portland's streets aglow!
Desirous of season's snow,
Street Department's woe!

In the East, a Star!
Amid the flocks, a manger!
Jesus the Savior!

Children dream above
Jingle bell sounds ... rustling
Chrysanthemums red.

Twinkling ornaments,
Draped, aromatic boughs,
Gifts holiday-wrapped.

Red-nosed is Rudolph!
Santa seems passing jolly!
Tippling suspected?

Magi were there, three
Bethlehem's teeming hordes
Tribute, proffered.

Enigmatical,
Fuzzy, red and it wiggles,
Tickle me Elmo!

Elaine sits up north
Anxious for the Sainted Nick
Gem, or lump of coal?


*[These were written at the behest of my sister Elaine, for the “The Edge,” {a section of the newspaper that occupies the left edge of the page} Haiku contest in the Portland, Oregonian. Remember the rules for Haiku {an ancient and loved Japanese poetry style}, 5, 7, 5 {the syllable pattern, on three lines} and evoke, or allude to, or announce a season, and if you are brilliant {which you will note that I avoided} rhyme the first and last lines. It was actually fun to create this form of poetry. I really enjoyed it, but one of them had me up at 4:00 am this morning to capture it on paper before I lost it in the Land of Nod.]


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Written by Dale E. Malone, Do you have any Haiku?
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Last modified: April 26, 2009