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Welcome to the 6th volume of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. I am thrilled that it has become so popular and even happier about the quality of the haiku we have been able to publish, and the true international nature of the journal, including a number of languages. We received about 1000 haiku for review this time (we are limiting submissions therefore to 2 haiku per person going forward). This issue contains a good number of fine nature haiku, and there are many haiku about loss and grief as well. As the world goes through wars, climate change and a pandemic, poets are responding to the current times with powerful haiku. Hope you will enjoy reading this Autumn/Winter issue. Bruce Ross, December 2022 pruning – reflected in the river the changes potatura – si specchiano nel fiume i cambiamenti Autumn leaves it sails in the fog the depression foglie d’autunno – naviga nella nebbia la depressione Vincenzo Adamo, Italy the hospital sleeps our last conversation lit by the moon het ziekenhuis slaapt ons laatste gesprek verlicht door de maan Annette Akkerman, The Netherlands crickets absent after the downpour – autumn chill turning heads the mountain chickadee’s teacher voice Cynthia Anderson, USA frostbite – my father’s excuses for giving me up Lithica Ann, USA full harvest moon a gust of wind polishes the chubby pumpkins lună plină – pala de vânt lustruiește dovlecii dolofani Cristina Valeria Apetrei, Romania autumn moon a mother’s quiet conversation with an empty crib buwang taglagas tahimik na pag-uusap ng isang ina at kunang walang laman autumn wind fanning the dying embers in her eyes hanging taglagas pagpaypay sa namamatay na baga sa kanyang mga mata Lorelyn De la Cruz Arevalo, Philippines blackbird’s song among the spruce one yellowing birch svarttrostsang blant grantrærne en gulnende bjørk Emma Alexander Arthur, Norway foreclosure the corn rows covered in snow misty moon a blanket of leaves on the baby quilt Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA hollow tree trunk attuning to the sound of emptiness Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan whichever way we leave the forest pine light shaping the shore rain light Joanna Ashwell, UK autumn breeze – the gentle sway of an empty swing Mona Bedi, India first frost – laying the baby’s blanket on the mums Deborah A. Bennett, USA old well all those wishes the bucket never reached vieux puits tous ces souhaits que le seau n’a jamais atteints Maxianne Berger, Canada the changing colors of the flower garden autumn clouds Shawn Blair, USA late-blooming roses bittersweet is their smell amid falling leaves spätblühende Rosen bittersüss ist ihr Duft zwischen fallenden Blättern Benjamin Bläsi, Switzerland leaves in the wind families still looking for those scattered by war frunze în vânt familiile încă îi caută pe cei împrăștiați de război early haze mom calls my daughter by my name ceață timpurie mama o cheamă pe fiica mea pe numele meu Mirela Brăilean, Romania All Saints’ Day . . . a patch of blue in the elm chirping leaves . . . how beautiful some are dying Ed Bremson, USA rotten park bench a crow teaches me winter morsche Parkbank eine Krähe erklärt mir den Winter bird of passage I surrender myself to the wind Zugvogel ich überlasse mich dem Wind thaw my father’s footprints vanish Tau die Spuren meines Vaters verschwinden Stefanie Bucifal, Germany winter solstice a crow rakes emptiness into a sand garden John Budan, USA ice in an empty nest moon sliver a walking stick clings to the front door screen autumn arrives Alanna C. Burke, USA first freeze a baby tarantula by the door Claire Vogel Camargo, USA an old pond – the little fish drinks full moon un vecchio stagno – il pesciolino beve la luna piena full moon – who knows what it presents on the other side la luna piena – chissà cosa presenta sull’ altro lato Dennys Cambarau, Italy autumn moon – the tea got cold a long time ago in my cup luna de toamnă – ceaiul s-a răcit demult în cana mea Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania the half lives of hermit crabs silent dawn Matthew Caretti, USA a city square first Christmas ball on the tree the Moonlight gradski trg prva kuglica na boru mjesečina Mihovila Čeperic-Biljan, Croatia a startled crow in the forest creek autumn voice 秋声に驚く森の烏かな windsongs rustling the dry leaves autumnal clear day 秋澄めり風にさらさら葉が揺れて among the trees hidden cicadas cry sounds of autumn 木に隠れ蝉の鳴きたる秋の声 Christina Chin, Malaysia acorns wide open rook beaks żołędzie szeroko otwarte gawronie dzioby Marta Chociłowska, Poland lonesome oak a squirrel snatches the last acorn samotny dąb wiewiórka porywa ostatni żołądź Sebastian Chrobak, Poland deep into autumn I rake through my memories before darkness falls Dana Clark-Millar, USA in the pumpkin patch grandma’s Easter floral hat crows pick the daisies Sharon D. Cohagan, Germany moon’s bright face I too have a dark side Sue Colpitts, Canada kettle whistles cranking up the volume our kitchen cricket Julie Constable, Australia under ripe apples a few shakes of the head 12-point elk Bill Cooper, USA v-formation the silence in my house returning autumn rain the moment the blossom becomes fruit Sue Courtney, New Zealand my face aglow with moonlight first snow Ronald K. Craig, USA mid-autumn rain the unfamiliar road home ulan sa gitna ng taglagas tinahak ang tahanan sa dimawaring landas Alvin B. Cruz, Philippines autumn embers burn a hole in my heart – enduring love Anne Louise Curran, New Zealand old injury beautiful mushrooms on the dead tree vieille blessure des champignons superbes sur l’arbre mort Marcellin Dallaire-Beaumont, Belgium old age grandma feels it in the stone lichen преклонна въсраст баба я чувства по лишея на камъка autumn crocus . . . feeling grateful for the spring in the winter есенни минзухари... благодарна съм за пролетта през зимата Maya Daneva, Canada/Bulgaria November rain. My mother is withering at the cancer clinic. Novembarska kiša. Moja majka vene na klinici za kancer. Zoran Doderovic, Serbia still contagious leaves blow again to someone else Carmela Dolce, USA harvest moon in the straw bowl the song of a cricket есенна луна в сламената купа песен на щурец days-long painting the color of her eyes first autumn rain с дни рисува цвета на очите й първи есенен дъжд almost autumn in the thrush beak a sunbeam почти есен в човката на дрозда слънчев лъч Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria two bugs in love on the last blooming rose – Indian summer vară indiană - doi gândaci îndrăgostiți pe ultima roză Carmen Duvalma, Romania a ray of sunlight on the pitched roof winter sky autumn twilight heavy dew mantles this overgrown lawn the rattle of brittle bamboo record cold Lynn Edge, USA first frost . . . last cherry tomatoes catching rays on the sill Anna Eklund-Cheong, France/USA moonlight a memory a moment David Kāwika Eyre, USA harvest moon over drought crops the sun still rises a crow carries his morning morsel no sunrise today Susan Farner, USA the passing of a favorite childhood player autumn breeze a flurry of crows in the redwood branches autumn wind Bruce H. Feingold, USA autumn dusk all that was left were footprints dapit-hapong taglagas ang tanging natira ay mga bakas ng paa winter fog all of the unwritten memories hamog sa taglamig lahat ng hindi naisulat na mga alaala Nestorio Felerino, Philippines spawning rout the careful angler casts elsewhere Jeffrey Ferrara, USA apple bruise telling mother i don’t believe fall colours the slow revealing of bird nests P.H. Fischer, Canada autumn sun wrinkles on my father’s face deepen jesienne słońce zmarszczki na twarzy ojca pogłębiają się leaving the hospital on the cheek of the newborn snowflake przed szpitalem na policzku noworodka płatek śniegu Małgorzata Formanowska, Poland swallow song in the waves drawing a deeper breath the wind’s path through autumn grass an unknown longing coming home to the pines . . . a scent of childhood Jenny Fraser, New Zealand windsong leaf by leaf stars come out where we talked Peter Free, New Zealand that time of year – the sycamore leaves teased into colour tillage the earth darkening with the rain Mike Gallagher, Ireland oh! to stay alive – the stars of Orion in the silence ah seguir vivo – las estrellas de Orión en el silencio a tree filled with oranges and birds – sunset un árbol lleno de naranjas y pájaros – atardecer Rafael Garcìa Bidò, Dominican Republic a garbage picker offers one of his treasures morning glory Marilyn Gehant, USA autumn chill – wasps recognize our home as a nest есенен хлад – оси припознават дома ни като гнездо Ivan Georgiev, Bulgaria All Souls’ Dan the scent of walnut leaves in the fireplace Giorno dei morti profumo di foglie di noce nel camino Eufemia Griffo, Italy frozen wave . . . snails curled tight in their shells Lorraine Haig, Australia reminder of impermanence autumn eclipse Charles Harmon, USA ancient pine a bend in the trunk the wind curls through slow flowing stream a bubble floats past within its own sky one horse town crows crack open songs of dust John Hawkhead, UK poulnabrone dolmen i leave my sadness on the stone your name on the gravestone a swallowtail catches my breath cold autumn morning nothing left to remind us there were butterflies Kerry J Heckman, USA cricket in the kitchen silent now Ruth Holzer, USA the rhythm of raindrops duelling pobblebonks Louise Hopewell, Australia leaf-fall the thinning of my family tree листопад оредяването на родословното ми дърво Vladislav Hristov, Bulgaria sickle moon tilts and swings across the fall sky Marilyn Humbert, USA a leaf falls on the open page poetry book o frunză cade pe pagina deschisă carte de poezii Mona Iordan, Romania a flock of geese each bird turned toward the setting sun Erica Ison, UK leaves in the wind – all those words that hold us together frunze în vânt – toate acele vorbe ce ne ţin împreună Dan C. Iulian, Romania autumn funeral – uncle’s violin strains in the rustling leaves 草の音に 叔父の提琴 秋の葬 kusa no ne ni oji no teikin aki no sō morning silence – autumn chill in napping cat’s breath 朝静か猫眠る息に秋寒 asa shizuka neko nemuru iki ni akisamu Keiko Izawa, Japan leaves turning in the autumn wind I lose my place Rick Jackofsky, USA unable to chirp the snow away winter birds Roberta Beach Jacobson, USA the kestrel barely quivers – autumn wind Christopher Jupp, UK Harvest moon – moving to the window my wheelchair 満月や窓辺に寄せる車椅子 Satoru Kanematsu, Japan leaves on the road to my childhood home dappled light John-Thomas Kelly, USA leaping salmon the shattered surface of the moon Taylor Jo Kelly, UK fallen leaf another memory mom fails to recall lá rụng một ký ức nữa của mẹ rơi vào quên lãng Ngô Bình Anh Khoa, Vietnam pilgrimage . . . the stillness between her steps Lori Kiefer, UK sickle moon a wheat stalk untouched by the harvesters Ravi Kiran, India leaves carried away on this autumn wind – funeral procession winter silence the snowshoe hare hops away kjmunro, Canada autumn leaves swept up in the moment late autumn rain the slow drip drip last chemo treatment frosty morning – a gray squirrel snug in the maple’s knothole dad’s white rose in full bloom the fall day we bury him Kim Klugh, USA surf hole in the mussel shell your absence Deborah P Kolodji, USA forgotten promise – in an autumn puddle the rising sun zapomniana obietnica - w jesiennej kałuży wschodzące słońce Marek Kozubek, Poland humble shrine ants are carrying away the pleas skromno svetišče četa mravelj odnaša sledi priprošenj Samo Kreutz, Slovenia in November light among the wild asters this honey bee out here awhile . . . with this Norway spruce and full moon Jill Lange, USA clanging rakes in the storage shed autumn’s return washing sunlight from the leaves autumn rain Barrie Levine, USA pausing on the trail amid sunlit asters meadowhawk Day of the Dead this butterfly too late to migrate Kristen Lindquist, USA early leaf fall . . . my wife holds me tighter even in sleep 早早落葉 ... 即使在睡眠中我的妻子 把我抱得更緊 Chen-ou Liu, Canada autumn leaf the nurse taps a vein on Mother’s arm woodpile I gather the night’s musings it’s the clothes that make the man scarecrow Gregory Longenecker, USA endless rain the garden gnome always smiles pioggia incessante lo gnomo da giardino sorride sempre winter dawn a chirping rises I wonder where alba d’inverno si alza un cinguettio chissà da dove Oscar Luparia, Italy a cloud takes the birdsong with it Heather Lurie, New Zealand my gingko sheds all her leaves at once ground turns to gold Mandy Macdonald, Scotland, UK night holiday market – a mistletoe twig left behind Elena Malec, USA the full moon absorbs my every shadow la luna piena assorbe ogni mia ombra Maria Malferrari, Italy cirrus sky . . . unsure strokes of goodbye falling leaf . . . how quietly you let go waning crescent . . . going back to where I once found you Vibha Malhotra, India the war is over I still walk noiselessly on the dry leaves wojna skończona wciąż chodzę bezszelestnie wśród suchych liści Urszula Marciniak, Poland for sale in the autumn wind – empty cobweb za prodaju na jesenskom vjetru prazna paučina Tomislav Maretić, Croatia autumn morning the tarnished mirror reminds me that I’m alive mattina d’autunno lo specchio appannato mi ricorda che sono vivo autumn awakening leaving my shadow under the bed risveglio autunnale lasciando la mia ombra sotto al letto Carmela Marino, Italy a stray cat prowling the fence line low winter sun ravens jostle above the upper branches late winter squall Jo McInerney, Australia Orion the space within fills me deep pines my shadow left behind paddling the milky way all the way to shore Tyler McIntosh, USA scent of jasmine by the glittering sea lunar silence luccichio di mare profumo di gelsomino nel silenzio lunare Rita R Melissano, USA/Italy The flood Drifting downstreet, little nothings . . . dreams . . . La inundación Flotando calle abajo, cositas . . . sueños Lìa Miersch, Argentina swirl of leaves in the wheelchair’s wake autumn rain late winter rain the radiance of rust on the widow’s gate Mark Miller, Australia autumn moon a slight chill around my shoulders mother’s scent Hla Yin Mon, Myanmar autumn rain the unexpected death of an old friend falling leaves I contemplate the road not taken Joanne Morcom, Canada rusted paperclip in my father’s notebook foggy Sunday graffetta arrugginita nel taccuino di mio padre nebbiosa Domenica Luciana Moretto, Italy wild chicory along the roadside circlets of sky Wilda Morris, MSA such hurrying . . . the russet and black of a woolly bear Laurie D. Morrissey, USA all day long the flicker hammers I’m here I’m here Nika, Canada starless night beyond the street light darkness deepens noč brez zvezd za ulično svetilko globlja tema Polona Oblak, Slovenia Dad’s grave, All Soul’s Eve lighting the last candle from his kitchen drawer Sean O’Connor, Ireland crying today for the third time: autumn grasses our thomas, USA Clair de Lune in the early dusk street harper Roland Packer, Canada orchard ladder leaning into the tree late afternoon light John Pappas, USA deep autumn another friend’s face on obituary page winter storm closing the book before I reach the end outside out gate a day before Diwali* a brand new hearse *Diwali is the biggest festival in India Vandana Parashar, India autumn forest – through holes in fog pockets a briefly glimpsed crow Alan Peat, UK A fallen tree spans the creek – squirrel crossing M. R. Pelletier, USA Failed harvest dust clouds wander these withered fields Gregory Piko, USA moonbeams – the silent spider weaves a sparkling web rayons de lune – l’arraignée silencieuse tisse un fil scintillant Nicole Pottier, France winter nearer a jackdaw whispers in the scarecrow’s ear gaeaf yn agos y jac-y-do yn sibrwd yng nglust y bwgan brain woodland moss . . . mute swans’ wingbeats head for the lough mwswm yr allt… sŵn yr elyrch dof yn hedfan am y llyn Thomas Powell, Wales/UK children’s parade – the autumn moon festival begins in sunshine festivity beneath the autumn moon white butterfly’s wings Patricia Prime, New Zealand mid-autumn chill – from the open door the cat sniffs the air Sally Quon, Canada pulled by stars geese on their path leaving winter behind Carol Raisfeld, USA mirrored in paint red and yellow leaves mirrored in the creek dried lavender in a bowl by the bed autumn dreams the soft whir of a passing bird autumn in the air Dian Duchin Reed, USA leonid shower we pause a while to count stars wild berries jam grandma stirs in a folksong Meera Rehm, UK Autumn breeze the maple surrenders its last leaves Carol Reynolds, Australia covered bridge time flowing beneath us Edward J. Rielly, USA micro cosmos . . . in every dewdrop the morning sun mikrokosmos i varje daggdroppe morgonsolen Daniela Rodi, Finland/Sweden reaching up the apple tree holds a bear Aron Rothstein, USA mourning moon fallen leaves settling on his For Sale sign Cynthia Rowe, Australia the crickets chirp me off the porch to the red moon cvrčci odzvrčali me s balkona na pun mjesec D.V. Rozic, Croatia autumn chill an ember-baked potato warms my hands Agnes Eva Savich, USA mirror lake a sapling’s first autumn killer frost a childless couple gathers in the orphaned pumpkins Julie Schwerin, USA westerly . . . the lingering scent of a peeled orange steaming tea . . . my eyes on the snowscape the blind busker on a sloping hill . . . winter dusk Manoj Sharma, Nepal autumn rain the full absence of the moon Richa Sharma, India The sun in mountains collected day by day apples ripen bright 山の日を溜めて色濃く林檎熟る Mackerel sky – I look up from my house recalling the journey 鰯雲家居に仰ぐ旅の空 Kyoko Shimizu, Japan wildflowers bloom in the unsown fields battle line диви цветя цъфтят в незасетите ниви фронтова линия Tsanka Shishkova, Bulgaria A deer pauses in the evening glow . . . hunter’s moon Keith A. Simmonds, France barn owl screech – first nibble off the moon Sandra Simpson, New Zealand autumn twilight . . . a peacock calls through a hundred eyes शरद गोधूलि.. एक मोर पुकारता है सौ आँखों से old turtle . . . I too wish to carry my home बूढ़े कछुए... मैं भी अपना घर ढ़ोना चाहती हूं back to earth by the gardener’s rake . . . autumn deepens पृथ्वी पर वापस माली की रेक से ... गहराती शरद ऋतु Neena Singh, India October heatwave nowhere red and yellow hues I still long for fall R J Sobel, USA autumn stars our children discover the constellations Stephenie Story, USA still learning to find my place . . . ghost fossil Debbie Strange, Canada what little wind . . . fall swirls around the dog and clings Kyle Sullivan, Taiwan winter gust I walk to the scent of the past angin musim dingin aku berjalan menuju aroma masa lalu wild thoughts . . . the warbler song in another chord pikiran liar . . . kicau seekor burung dalam nada lain Agus Maulana Sunjaya, Indonesia autumn winds – children pluck the faded hibiscus Aakanksha Tanwar, India autumn song . . . one last slow dance during leaf fall dappled light throughout the orchard almost ripe pears Angela Terry, USA rain song . . . the vibrato of tree frogs loosening catfish ending a dry spell the shoebill bows thunderheads . . . the oilbird in the bucket measures its fate R.C. Thomas, UK warm autumn breeze a seasoned couple’s comfort in silence crimson sunset . . . the susurration of sorrow through the aspens Corine Timmer, Portugal leaves fly everywhere a girl and her father laugh under the maple tree Vuelan hojas por todas partes una niña y su padre Ríen bajo el arce. Daniel Tommasi, Argentina longest night – the moon shines on a raven polishing its beak Xenia Tran, Scotland the weight of the full moon . . . chestnuts are rolling down from the hilltop woods težina punog mjeseca... kesteni se kotrljaju iz šume na brdu Silva Trstenjak, Croatia fallen leaves just a little less hope in the air first snow even the robin seems surprised blackbird in snow I search even deeper for meaning C.X. Turner, UK saying farewell the colors of autumn in full bloom Kevin Valentine, USA forgetting he already asked . . . autumn leaves Evan Vandermeer, USA stepping stones – somewhere in the mist a waterfall roars stapstenen ergens in de mist raast een Waterval Joanne van Helvoort, The Netherlands forest – the nests sprouting on the bare branches Šuma – na golim granama niču gnijezda Gordana Vlašić, Croatia autumn moon a stone whippet guards his grave silver mist settles through a mourning dove’s call autumn moon Marilyn Appl Walker, USA crumbling log – the pond’s reflection as still as my mind autumn again . . . a walk in the woods with a few old friends Michael Dylan Welch, USA a feather I cannot identify – fall migration Neal Whitman, USA turning pages of seven decades leaves brittle storm cloud how swift my shadow dwindles Scott Wiggerman, USA morning chill she lights a candle for company Tony Williams, Scotland, UK birds flown south left listening to myself the sound of October leaves struggling to let go Valorie Woerdehoff, USA hundred-year rain the waterfall’s roar enters my dream Susan Yavaniski, USA First Prize
fallen red cherry leaf – warmth of mother’s hand after her last breath 紅き桜葉おち臨終の母の手ぬくし akaki sakuraba ochi rinjū no haha no te nukushi Keiko Izawa, Japan This is a wonderfully poignant haiku, well deserving of this prize. Second Prize an empty corncrib cradling moonlight . . . the cold wind Susan Yavaniski, USA Beautifully poetic image and feeling. Third Prize forgotten in the scarecrow’s coat her baby picture John Pappas, USA A tenderly humorous and wistful haiku. Honorable Mentions (In Alphabetical Order) moon islet holding a glimpse of a dream Joanna Ashwell, UK the second opinion same as the first autumn sky Alvin B. Cruz, Philippines moon glow – the rustle of dried grasses in the midnight breeze elehna de sousa, Canada harvest moon in the straw bowl the song of a cricket есенна луна в сламената купа песен на щурец Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria half moon wondering who I am yet to be Baisali Chatterjee Dutt, India fall twilight all the things that will never return crepuscolo d'autunno tutte le cose che non torneranno mai più Eufemia Griffo, Italy this brown moth too struggling to live – fall dusk Ruth Holzer, USA Distant sky seen from the sick bed geese migrating 病床のはるけき空を雁渡る Satoru Kanematsu, Japan leaf-bearing wind stops to let me know . . . everything passes Srini, India nuclear war – a scarecrow not a scarecrow anymore nuklearni rat – strašilo više nije strašilo Aljoša Vuković, Croatia Haiku Moment Award
spring drizzle becoming fluent in the language of birds Valorie Woerdehoff, USA This is a unique and poetic haiku moment, making it a prize-winning haiku. Runners-Up (In Alphabetical Order) walking in snowfall the lost moments of my passing life John Budan, USA A great metaphor for how all of nature withers. after the rain it sails into the unknown ant on the leaf nakon kiše plovi u nepoznato mrav na listu Zvonko Jurcevic, Croatia A deep poem on the impermanence of life. resting leaf – the lightness of mother’s hand Laurie D. Morrissey, USA A finely expressed sensitive haiku. Honorable Mentions (In Alphabetical Order) drought . . . in the well of my house there is no moon siccità. . . nel pozzo di casa mia non c'è la luna Vincenzo Adamo, Italy peace agreement – out of the blue the plum trees full of flowers acord de pace – dintr-odată prunii se umplu de flori Cristina Valeria Apetrei, Romania distant thunder patting the last seed into the earth Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA meteor shower – the secrets I kept from you Mona Bedi, India lingering over the warm copper pan harvest moon Helen Buckingham, UK autumn again this stillness hanging Jenny Fraser, New Zealand even the smallest leaf connected Charles Harmon, USA in the after-rain every leaf in the garden and i breathing in Jill Lange, USA tamped into earth a fragile cutting homesickness pressata nella terra una fragile talea nostalgia di casa Luciana Moretto, Italy full moon I could walk across the lake on a strip of light Wilda Morris, USA luminescent sea all the little things we think we’ll remember Samantha Renda, South Africa Welcome to the fifth Spring-Summer issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. Some haiku in this issue reflect what the world has been recently going through: pandemic, grief and loss, war, climate change. There is ongoing strong evidence of massive climate change like melting polar ice and burning forests and grasslands. Yet, haiku poets have been able to write serious haiku on these subjects from around the world. The journal is in alphabetical order by author, yet the first and last haiku of this issue are closely connected, coincidentally. There are still a lot of pure nature haiku but the tone overall is more somber; there are some hopeful haiku as well. I congratulate the haiku poets for not giving up and still creating good poems in these times. Bruce Ross, June 2022 refugees from Kiev – the roses buried under the dust profughi da Kiev – sepolte le rose sotto la polvere Vincenzo Adamo, Italy thunder over creosote flats – flood of petrichor marsh trail the faint rustle of mule deer Cynthia Anderson, USA peace agreement – out of the blue the plum trees full of flowers acord de pace – dintr-odată prunii se umplu de flori renewing our vows under the blossoming cherry – spring dream vis de primăvară – reînnoindu-ne jurămintele sub cireşul înflorit Cristina-Valeria Apetrei, Romania distant thunder patting the last seed into the earth Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA glimpsing a golden throat the release of notes clover meadow watercolour rain deepening sending a postcard ravine light Joanna Ashwell, UK lilies of the valley and still the grey wrinkling ocean in her heart the day the air shifts at the end of summer – cool, damp and ripe Meg Arnot, UK dreams from an old journal . . . cherry blossoms Stewart C Baker, USA meteor shower – the secrets I kept from you childhood lake a stone thrown in the water breaks my reverie springtime I share the porch swing with a monarch butterfly Mona Bedi, India red hollyhocks tall shadows on a bullet-riddled wall roses trémières rouges des hautes ombres contre un mur criblé de balles this silence between us a firefly dances in the dark ce silence entre nous une luciole danse dans le noir and yet here’s evening with all its stars et pourtant voici le soir avec toutes ses étoiles Maxianne Berger, Canada the flowers it will never hold vase on my canvas Daya Bhat, India late raspberries no moon to walk the dog under Bisshie, Switzerland in every cell of my body well water an old master the pandemic landscape of another year sand – the ocean’s way of keeping us humble Marjorie Bruhmuller, Canada petrichor the neighbor’s cat refreshes her scent mark Stefanie Bucifal, Germany wildflowers make a surprise appearance desert shower raven shadow shades the darting lizard midsummer noon Alanna C. Burke, USA summer time I catch and release a horny toad Claire Vogel Camargo, USA slowly advances the night with the moon – owl on the branch pian piano avanza la notte con la luna – gufo sul ramo crescent moon – how many bodies buried without a cross luna crescente – quanti corpi sepolti senza una croce a goldfinch on the cherry basket – sound of wings un cardellino sul cesto di ciliegie – rumore d’ali Dennys Cambarau, Italy Sparrows hop The faded fence sign: No Tresspa Mayan Caplan, USA house for sale – a squirrel in the orchard inspects the place casă de vânzare – în livadă o veveriţă inspectează locul Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania curve of the wake half the sun not pulled under awakening how angel terns amass sunlight Matthew Caretti, USA/American Samoa spring afternoon in its shell a snail waits for gentle rain spring afternoon mother and daughter crowned with daisy chains Liam Carson, Ireland watched the sun move across the water – floating leaf Vernon Chain, USA under the spring moon spreading the scent – jasmine blossom Ram Chandran, India summer breeze painting the old pond I remember mother 夏の風池の絵を描き母偲ぶ tr. 中野千秋 Christina Chin, Malaysia blackbird’s song two old neighbors talking in sign language cântecul mierlei cei doi vecini bătrâni vorbesc prin semne Cezar Ciobîcă, Romania Earth Day – all around the virus cannon rumble Ziua Pământului – de jur împrejur virusul bubuit de tun Mihaela Cojocaru, Romania snowdrops the wobbly legs of a newborn lamb river fog the returning geese seen not heard Sue Colpitts, Canada resting oriole . . . the easy sway of the dawn martin gottlieb cohen, USA arranging a burial the tree full of cherry buds organizzando un funerale l’albero pieno di boccioli di ciliegio my father’s grave an anemone blooming in the shade la tomba di mio padre un anemone fiorisce nell’ombra on the highway with me and you the Spring sunset in autostrada con me e te il tramonto di primavera Maria Concetta Conti, Italy a billowing sail of parachute cloth refugees Bill Cooper, USA spring thaw a wealth of colour unleashed from stone country lane the cows up to their eyes in daisies Sue Courtney, New Zealand shadows on the bed I crawl into a full moon Ronald K. Craig, USA lost my way in eucalyptus forest – grasshopper night curfew – behind an abandoned house mango flowers Ashesh Das, India it’s all right the cherry trees bloom again it’ll be okay ça va les cerisiers refleurissent ça va aller first date the spring rolls thaw slowly premier rendez-vous les rouleaux de printemps dégèlent lentement Marie Derley, Belgium late summer tide – ripened blackberries with a tang of salt rain-soaked pampas grass, head bent low elehna de sousa, Canada late afternoon farm auction one horse left shifting winds the nest at the tip of the branch childhood home a monarch egg clings to milkweed Carmela Dolce, USA lifting fog swirl of a paintbrush in water Johnette Downing, USA cherry petals rain nobody’s noticing the ballerina’s dance дъжд от черешови листенца никой не забелязва танца на балерината Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria junkyard convertible its driver’s seat occupied by a tumbleweed John J. Dunphy, USA bread fragrance – all over the house grandma’s memory aroma pâinii – amintirea bunicii în toată casa Carmen Duvalma, Romania a hint of color in the forsythia last day of rehab Susan Farner, USA spring mayfly the certain suddenness of death gamu-gamong tagsibol ang tiyak na kabiglaan ng kamatayan Nestorio Felerino, Philippines smooth water a hatch of mayflies shakes the surface mackerel sky a boat sits over a school Jeffrey Ferrara, USA bellbirds a steady trickling of coolness Lorin Ford, Australia spring counting the loss wind through the chimes out of dark tears the sun lifting on seagull wings high country silence walking my thought Jenny Fraser, New Zealand city sunset the pace of traffic the pace of clouds Ben Gaa, USA dappled sunlight the stretch of the box turtle’s mottled neck Joshua Gage, USA agrofarm no milkweed for the butterflies housebreaking an errant honeybee finds our orchid William Scott Galasso, USA from the mist a heron has come – no longer seen desde la niebla ha venido una garza – ya no se ve the present day it’s full of birds – come to see el dìa de hoy està lleno de pàjaros – vengan a ver among the many birds that sing sings the chinchilin* entre las muchas aves que cantan canta el chincilìn *Quiscalus niger, little bird from the Caribbean islands Rafael Garcìa Bidò, Dominican Republic bonfire . . . no one is winning in this war lomača . . . nitko ne pobjeđuje u ovom ratu lost generation . . . an old man throws crusts to pigeons izgubljena generacija . . . starac baca kore golubovima fertility clinic – she pushes baby carriage full of cherry petals klinika za plodnost -- ona gura dječja kolica puna latica trešnje Goran Gatalica, Croatia Empty evening Trapped in amber Unknown insect Pusty wieczór Uwięziony w bursztynie Nieznany owad Suddenly sand Has stopped in between . . . The old hourglass Nagle piasek Zatrzymał się pomiędzy… Stara klepsydra Anna Goluba, Poland too many to count in one night lucky stars Charles Harmon, USA coast path home my old hound shivers out of a cloud John Hawkhead, UK a gentle breeze summer moonlight bends through the palms Gary Hittmeyer, USA first tulip you just couldn’t resist picking it waxing day moon – the bald eagle on her egg polishing off what the fox left – crow couple Ruth Holzer, USA forest bathing the question mark of a fern frond Louise Hopewell, Australia stormy weather the drains garlanded with blossom Erica Ison, UK glorious morn – in every dewdrop one sun răsărit de foc – în fiecare bob de rouă câte un soare Dan Iulian, Romania summer dusk shadows in the crow’s eyes hide and seek Lakshmi Iyer, India as the crow flies a butterfly meanders through a summer day in the wake of the flood a puddle of sunshine Rick Jackofsky, USA pine forest a sense of longing Roberta Beach Jacobson, USA No encore – a cicada starts again the same chirp アンコール無くまた同じ蝉の声 River breeze – coupling dragonflies in tandem 川風や交尾のとんぼ二連結 Satoru Kanematsu, Japan all those shadows were not shadows once childhood home rain wet petals once more the coolness of mother’s touch Arvinder Kaur, India nearing ninety day by day the leaves return Bill Kenney, USA childhood garden roses & irises bloom between the rocks searching the sky for patches of blue migrating cranes kjmunro, Canada among the thermals higher and higher . . . a runaway kite Kim Klugh, USA lakeside sand a gray buckeye suns itself Deborah P Kolodji, USA night swimming the young Moon slips out through her fingers noćno kupanje iz ruku joj izmiče mladi mjesec Nina Kovačić, Croatia (Trans. Đurđa Vukelić Rožić) sunrise beach tortoise trailing night behind Jeff Kressmann, USA end of the attack rescued from the ruins plush elephant konec napada rešen izpod ruševin plišasti slonček Samo Kreutz, Slovenia noonday sun . . . all these blackbirds in treetops singing on the beach this moonlight patch calls me to dance Jill Lange, USA sheath of ash peels off white birch healing from within Douglas J. Lanzo, USA library afternoon lost in the silence of myself a cucumber vine drags itself . . . August heat Barrie Levine, USA ice storm . . . we salvage maple boughs to bud inside shortest night a glimpse of schooling squid on the harbor cam Kristen Lindquist, USA drawing hearts on her breath-fogged window . . . evacuation train 繪製重疊的心 在她的霧氣朦朧的窗戶上 ... 疏散撤離列車 the scent of dappled sunlight redwood hike 斑駁陽光 的氣味 步行紅木森林 Chen-ou Liu, Canada I walk slowly . . . brooding of the blackbird in the garden bush . . . cammino piano . . . nel cespuglio in giardino cova del merlo abandoned mill – the buzz of insects by the stream mulino abbandonato – il ronzio degli insetti accanto al torrente lone ascent . . . the late summer wind stirs the silence arrampicata solitaria . . . il vento di fine estate mescola il silenzio Oscar Luparia, Italy white wisteria enough shade for two watching butterflies Anthony Lusardi, USA blooming sakura – swans on the pond carrying petals Elena Malec, USA cancer a wildflower sprouts from the rock cancro un fiore selvatico spunta dalla roccia Carmela Marino, Italy old-time waltz lily-of-the-valley in her hair lingering chill an obituary of one so much younger Marietta McGregor, Australia Cool and rainy, such a gray drowsiness . . . One more Monday Fresca y de lluvia, esta modorra gris . . . Un Lunes más Lía Miersch, Argentina filtered sunlight deep in the forest the lyrebird sings Mark Miller, Australia morning of her passing new buds on the dogwood listening for the falling close – song sparrow Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA late August the sunset in another window almost forgotten plum tomatoes covered by frost Mike Montreuil, Canada summer dusk voices in the wind rise and fall no stranger under the cherry tree wine tasting falling out of the poetry book pink petals Joanne Morcom, Canada weeding the onions down on my knees thunderclap sarchiando le cipolle piegata sui ginocchi rombo di tuono tamped into earth a fragile cutting homesickness pressata nella terra una fragile talea nostalgia di casa elm pruning . . . the first of no-coat day I wink at the greengrocer potatura dell’olmo primo di’ senza cappotto . . . strizzo l’occhio all’ortolano Luciana Moretto, Italy full moon I could walk across the lake on a strip of light Wilda Morris, USA dandelion breeze – the deadlines I let drift out of sight beach roses – the way she talks her way down the path Laurie D. Morrissey, USA a butterfly pauses to drink from the gutter departing summer Leanne Mumford, Australia cloud watching elephants and dragons come and go Nika, Canada fading light the hummingbird returns to drink its fill insomnia the trajectories of stars become familiar Helen Ogden, USA not able to hear the skylark’s song – this dead fox cloudy once again – where do bees, butterflies go on mornings like these? last day of the holidays – a juvenile stone chat trills a goodbye Maeve O’Sullivan, Ireland stars within my palm dandelions to the wind couldn’t save it all Scott Packer, Canada peace lily I move my shadow away from the butterfly Pravat Kumar Padhy, India first day without her mother’s empty kettle heavy in my hand Vandana Parashar, India mother’s death . . . a butterfly settles on my coffee cup majčina smrt . . . na šalicu s kavom spusti se leptir Dejan Pavlinović, Croatia death in the family . . . a dried rose Susan Bonk Plumridge, Canada in the space between a winter’s shadows hairy bittercress winter’s bite the stonechat’s tangle of bramble bushes Thomas Powell, Wales, UK swarm of Mayflies the Vietnam Vet turns 70 Anthony J. Pupello, USA old hut . . . in a nest of broken pot fledglings of sparrow Milan Rajkumar, India the squirrel’s mouth stuffed with magnolia bud spring bursting out creekful of rain the egret and I both spellbound fireworks the stars still the stars Dian Duchin Reed, USA plum blosssoms repeats of my childhood in dreams passing boat how a moment slips in memory Meera Rehm, UK luminescent sea all the little things we think we’ll remember Samantha Renda, South Africa a butcherbird pretending not to be a butcherbird Carol Reynolds, Australia moonlit night in the mango breeze the smell of future spring snow a child searches for Santa’s gifts Srinivas S, India dying river – the dog finds a new way to graveyard ఎండుతున్న నది-- స్మశానానికి క్రొత్త దారి కుక్క కనుగొంది an old snail at the speed of ferris wheel on the ferris wheel ఓ ముసలి నత్త రంగుల రాట్నపు వేగంతో రంగుల రాట్నం పై fertility center a bee in the garden flutters wings ప్రసూతి కేంద్రం తోటలో ఓ తుమ్మెద రెక్కలు ఆడిస్తుంది Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India ripe peaches how sweetly she calls out to her brother Minal Sarosh, India setting sun fishermen wade back trailed by their children Agnes Eva Savich, USA two days to see Paris a pair of cabbage whites holding hands down a pea gravel lane . . . little yellows Julie Schwerin, USA fireflies . . . eighteen years of her silence जुनकीरी . . . अठार वर्ष देखीको उनको मौनता floating in the swimming pool summer moon तैरिदैछ स्विमिङ्गपुलमा असारे जून ripe mango . . . I pray another day of sweetness पाकेको आँप . . . म प्रार्थना गर्छु अर्को मधुर दिन Manoj Sharma, Nepal Spring stars dimmed – Ukraine at war comes Into my mind 春の星うるむや胸にウクライナ The sound of footsteps fade away at a slope spring hazy night 靴音の消ゆる坂道朧かな Kyoko Shimizu, Japan on a goat path a boy with a baby goat faded photo по козя пътека момче с малко козленце избледняла снимка Tsanka Shishkova, Bulgaria dawn birdsong . . . a leafless branch springs to life भोर पंछी गान .. एक पत्ती-रहित शाखा जीवन से प्रवाहित spring breeze the old dog rolls on his back बसंती हवा वृद्ध कुत्ता लुढ़कता है अपनी पीठ पर Neena Singh, India first barbecue a local stray shows us kittens prvi roštilij ulična mačka pokazuje mačiće Tomislav Sjekloća, Montenegro first kiss – the forest fills with fireflies the magnolia she planted as a child last breath Stephenie Story, USA this path wider at the beginning . . . moonglade Debbie Strange, Canada monkeys swing tree to tree – scattered petals on the river Kyle Sullivan, Taiwan Easter egg hunt – the child picks up a banana slug sparrow song spring suddenly surrounds us Angela Terry, USA swirling clouds – mist in a granite cleft furls into the sea where a brook disappears under asphalt fiddlehead ferns Richard Tice, USA cold rain – in the swallow’s nest choir in four voices ploaie rece – în cuibul rândunicii cor pe patru voci no titmouse – the first drops of rain fall on the cracked ground nici un piţigoi – primii stropi de ploaie cad pe solul crăpat Maria Tirenescu, Romania their own nest between rooftops cherry blossom Xenia Tran, Scotland, UK misty morning – the awkward grace of dancing cranes first firefly a child lets himself go Kevin Valentine, USA oriole song – I will catch a foul ball for my old neighbor пісня іволги – для старого сусіда спіймаю фаул-бол Anna Viazmitinova, Ukraine paper doll sixty years later the same smile Mary Vlooswyk, Canada daybreak . . . the cornflowers and the stars change their places revărsat de zori . . . schimbându-şi locul albăstrele cu stele when magic is born . . . a blue dragonfly comes into your hair când se naşte magia . . . o libelulă albastră ţi se prinde-n păr Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania sultry morning the first ripe tomato pecked by a bird Marilyn Appl Walker, USA Secluded leaf In the rhythm of the wind Keeps me still Anthony Ward, UK not caring that the tree is dead resting ravens David Watts, USA cherry blossom rain – my child boosts herself to the lowest branch memorial service – the rain lets up on the stained-glass windows Michael Dylan Welch, USA driving through these hills the sun rises the sun sets again and again again Kelley J. White, USA swans sailing into the mist . . . mum and dad night clouds the truths that follow us home Tony Williams, Scotland, UK summer breeze a butterfly quivers on her fingertip purple clouds bursting with thunder lilacs in the rain Robert Witmer, Japan spring drizzle becoming fluent in the language of birds Valorie Woerdehoff, USA dusk moon a snowy egret bows before night one more soldier a rose in fresh bloom falls into shadow Jann Wright, USA Welcome to this Autumn/Winter issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. The philosopher Edmund Husserl, founder of phenomenology, focused on the phrase zu den Sachen selbst (to the things themselves). This is a perfect procedure for haiku. Nowadays, some haiku is trying to follow the trend of modern poetry, which betrays the true essence of haiku. Those who are writing in this style, to my mind, are making a misstep perhaps also based on modern phrasing in current poetry. In this issue, there are many excellent haiku that are focusing on the essence of haiku writing. For further information on this important issue, if you haven’t read my article The Essence of Haiku, it is available on the internet including the Haiku Foundation website. Also, I published in 2002 How to Haiku, A Writer’s Guide to Haiku and Related Forms, now out of print, but which is coming out as a new revised edition in April 2022, with Tuttle Publishing, titled Writing Haiku, A Guide to Composing Japanese Haiku Poetry. Bruce Ross, December 2021 drought . . .
in the well of my house there is no moon siccità. . . nel pozzo di casa mia non c'è la luna first snowflakes – the crying of the newborn of a premature birth primi fiocchi di neve - il pianto del neonato di un parto premature Vincenzo Adamo, Italy waning starlight great-horned owl calls in the dawn daybreak silent coyotes in single file Cynthia Anderson, USA a forest in the raven’s voice winter dusk ribbons of mist between the cornrows the body of a rabbit Jenny Ward Angyal, USA the long journey of a lost mitten autumn moon runaway . . . a raven’s whisper into the wind crisp breeze seagulls circle the waves of grain coloring inside the lines first snow Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA fading scent of the fallen pines . . . mom’s funeral day ماند پڑتی خوشبو ...گرے ہوئے پائنز کی ماں کے جنازے کا دن moor heather in full bloom autumn twilight خلنج کا پھول پُورے جوبن پر خزاں کی شام کا جھٹ پٹا Ode to Autumn I lend my voice to hedge-crickets خزاں کی غزل میں اپنی آواز ادھار دیتی ہوں باڑ کے جھینگروں کو Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan the last leaf a touch away in failing light the owl’s gaze deepening in barn light evening chills the wind chimes constant ripple Joanna Ashwell, UK winter stone the creek slows to a whisper Susan B. Auld, USA wavering skies a distant hill comes and goes weifelende luchten een verre heuvel komt en gaat Michael Baeyens, Belgium autumn rain under a rock I find myself R.D. Bailey, Jamaica skein by skein dusk returns the geese to the marsh John Barlow, UK street artist – autumn sunset is not for sale уличный художник не продается осенний закат Helen Barysheva, Russia autumn night more stars than leaves forest walk mountain stream I watch myself flow downhill Mona Bedi, India lull in the squall the earthly scent of a stone angel répit dans l’orage l’odeur terreuse d’un ange en pierre shuttered train station the weathered reds of different trees gare murée les rouges burinés d'arbres différents Maxianne Berger, Canada a snow goose narrows the gap autumn twilight Tom Bierovic, USA a mourner’s song circles the stones the colour of leaves Bisshie, Switzerland the sounds of autumn mother’s music box holds stardust Ed Bremson, USA fading wildflowers deep in the dewy meadow a new chrysalis welkende Wildblumen tief in der taufeuchten Wiese ein neuer Kokon Benjamin Bläsi, Switzerland the last warm day asking my students to define the sky Kristyn Blessing, USA lingering over the warm copper pan harvest moon Helen Buckingham, UK the pleading eyes of a hunter’s trophy filmed with frost walking in snowfall the lost moments of my passing life John Budan, USA dead tree shakes under raven’s weight winter solstice Alanna C. Burke, USA that imprinted design on your pupils – autumn moon quel disegno impresso sulle tue pupille - luna d'autunno fallen leaf – slowly settles down on the dew foglia caduta - lentamente si posa sulla rugiada Dennys Cambarau, Italy autumn sunset leaves and sky melting together tramonto d'autunno foglie e cielo si fondono silence . . . a choir of sparrows on light snow silenzio . . . un coro di passeri sulla neve leggera Mariangela Canzi, Italy chokeberry jam the tumbling keen of gulls a pothole just deep enough . . . the sleeping stray Matthew Caretti, USA planting bulbs I wake the sleeping toad Louise Carson, Canada bird-pecked grapes my hand reaching for the moon iskljucan grozd ruka posiže za mjesečinom viaduct under each arch moonlight vijadukt ispod svakog luka mjesečina Mihovila Čeperić-Biljan, Croatia just the sound of leaves crunching as i walk – solitude cannot stop the leaves from blowing away – Alzheimer’s Vernon Chain, USA fallen, but the scarecrow’s face still smiling Kanchan Chatterjee, India Shiki Day even the gourd wind chime ringing 瓢箪の風鈴鳴つて子規忌かな 千秋 a blind man stops to listen . . . crossing hawks 耳澄ます盲人のゐて鷹渡る 千秋 Christina Chin, Malaysia autumn garden grandma still smiles at grandpa’s letters ogród jesienią babcia wciąż uśmiecha się do listów dziadka Sebastian Chrobak, Poland enchanted by a blue star . . . balloon flower shorter days . . . this creaking in the eaves of my parents’ house Marion Clarke, Northern Ireland frost moon our fallen leaves curl up together for awhile resting on a toadstool red leaf Sue Colpitts, Canada bonfire no group photo this year still—a bonfire Vera Constantineau, Canada soya bean harvest . . . welcome to my garage little cricket Bryan D. Cook, Canada first frost a fantail fluffs up feather blankets stage 4 the tree becomes a skeleton Sue Courtney, New Zealand shimmering moon the warmth of kind words Ronald K. Craig, USA Ripe grapes. A flock of starlings sings in the vineyard. Zrelo grožđe. Jato čvoraka pjeva u vinogradu. Stjepan Crnić, Croatia autumn wind – goodbye written on a paper moon hangin sa taglagas - paalam isinulat sa papel na buwan an interlude between yes and maybe in the falling leaves intermedyo sa pagitan ng oo at marahil sa mga nalalaglag na dahoon Alvin B. Cruz, Philippines first red leaves on the Maple – autumn moon Anne Curran, New Zealand hand-shaking . . . the formal beginning of my bereavement ръкостискане... официалното начало на моя траур New Year’s day the same version of me as ever Нова година все още съм същата версия на себе си Maya Daneva, Canada/Bulgaria autumn storm . . . stripping color leaf by leaf autumn chill . . . at recess, children don new hats colors fade into winter’s chill . . . this life’s journey Risë Daniels, USA spider webs drape the garden tools – spring far off this autumn the old man’s gourds unharvested Frank Dax, South Korea cold morning . . . our dreams melt like snow mattino freddo . . . si sciogle come neve il nostro sogno autumn . . . the scent of the last rose autunno . . . il profumo dell’ultima rosa winter sky . . . the colours disappear under the snow cielo d’inverno . . . scompaiono i colori sotto la neve Rosa Maria Di Salvatore, Italy gust of wind the snowflake falls on another tongue coup de vent le flocon tombe sur une autre langue winter bleakness and if there were no more stars behind the clouds grisaille d’hiver – et s’il n’y avait plus d’étoiles derrière les nuages Marie Derley, Belgium frost on the ground – the crescendo of Canada geese autumn rain . . . from under a Big Leaf Maple a tree frog’s song rain-soaked pampas grass, head bent low elehna de sousa, Canada out-screeching the rake’s gentle scrape a cockatoo flyover Jan Dobb, Australia gusty winds sweep fallen leaves deeper into autumn Carmela Dolce, USA by the light of the moon starfish winter limbs only the pompoms of squirrel nests ancient cedar every limb heavy with time June Rose Dowis, USA cold temple floor my prayers abridged daylight savings something new to say to the neighbor Johnette Downing, USA dazzle in the snowbound window the eyes of a doe ярка светлина в заснежения прозорец очите на сърна Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria making his bed elderly man unrolls a blanket beneath an overpass John J. Dunphy, USA frosty morning echoing through woodland the bark of a muntjac Maureen Edden, UK crescent moon cuts the sky cricket chirps slowing autumn sky walnuts cling to bare branches Susan Farner, USA leafless tree dad and toddler fish a storm puddle rainbow trees mantle the waterfall her cold hand in mine Ignatius Fay, Canada the hermit thrush hops along the fence autumn drizzle midnight chill the distant barking of harbor seals Bruce H. Feingold, USA frozen river the ground is still breathing beneath it nagyelong ilog humihinga pa rin ang lupa sa ilalim nito Nestorio Felerino, Philippines woods’ health depends on squirrels’ forgetting autumn field now a meadow now a woods today the first morning i see my own breath Jeff Ferrara, USA alone the mooncake still cut in two still warm – the empty cup P.H. Fischer, Canada autumn twilight I brush before sleep mother’s hair jesienny zmierzch szczotkuję przed snem włosy mamy cemetery path my daugters’ pockets full of chestnuts cmentarna ścieżka kieszenie moich córek pełne kasztanów frosty morning your pillow still warm mroźny ranek twoja poduszka jeszcze ciepła croaking crows in the morning my father cracks walnuts krakanie wrony wczesnym rankiem mój ojciec łupie orzechy Małgorzata Formanowska, Poland autumn ends under the stillness leaves of gold autumn again this stillness hanging over the ache an autumn mist folds into the valley singing into the silence a blackbird lingers Jenny Fraser, New Zealand back porch a yellow leaf is resting on the wheelchair veranda žuti list leži na ljuljački Zhelyko Funda, Croatia all the secrets I’ve kept from my son – melting snow Joshua Gage, USA undressing leaf by leaf by leaf Mexican ash william scott galasso, USA Florida ducks Have returned. Autumn is leaving Han regresado Los patos de Florida. Se va el otoño. Under a moon that does not shine yet autumn afternoon. Bajo una luna que aùn no alumbra: tarde de otoño. Rafael Garcia Bidò, Dominican Republic expanded coal use . . . fading day after day the maple leaves raširena upotreba ugljena . . . blijedi iz dana u dan javorovo lišće sleepless night . . . following the river corridor pandemic moon besana noć . . . prateći riječni koridor pandemijski mjesec acres of mist obscuring the snowy tracks of an owl hektari magle zaklanjajući snježne tragove sove Goran Gatalica, Croatia plum sake . . . I fall in love with the autumn moon Garry Gay, USA a single monarch butterfly who speaks first phrases of a familiar tune the moon sets Marilyn Gehant, USA moon still up a city worker begins to replace missing street signs scattered leaves neighbors I never bothered with LeRoy Gorman, Canada Fall arrives. Where do the cicadas hide? Llega el otoño. ¿Dónde se esconden las cigarras? Oh silence! In the harsh winter not even the rooster. ¡ Oh silencio ! En el crudo invierno, ni el gallo. Eduardo Gûisiano, Argentina October dusk sunflower seeds falling in light rain even the smallest leaf connected Charles Harmon, USA Autumn It was my mother’s dry hands پاییز، دستانِ خشکیده ی مادرم بود Amir Hasanvandi, Iran spider season all the leaves turning red John Hawkhead, UK moonlight on red maple leaves the weight of dew 月光洒红叶，露珠更凝重 moonlit park a rabbit jumps with my thoughts 月光照公园，拙想随兔跃 David He, China breath clouds on a starry night aurora borealis Karin Hedetniemi, Canada labyrinth walk by October’s Hunter Moon every candle a soul Deborah Burke Henderson, USA morning snow smoke from the chimney of the old man’s place Chad Henry, USA fluffy sparrows in the naked plum shelter fuwa fuwa suzume hadaka no ume ni kakumau ふわふわスズメ 裸の梅 に 匿う Judith Hishikawa, USA stacking firewood a hard frost on the land Gary Hittmeyer, USA late winter – the lengthening ash of the incense stick who will get my jar of pennies – autumn rain Ruth Holzer, USA yellow-tinged leaves a white butterfly with everywhere to go steeple bells sunset draws hawks across the hills home again a white moth from the suitcase Frank Hooven, USA warm October settling into Point Pelee migrating monarchs Louisa Howerow, Canada full moon atop the bare branches at roost autumn day coots tumble to the lake winter tide all the shells piled and spilled Marilyn Humbert, Australia a grey day collecting the yellow of gingko leaves past midnight wind carries the autumn leaves north sudden nightfall the whole of winter to come Erica Ison, UK winter wilderness losing the way to oneself pustiu de iarnă – rătăcind drumul către sine virgin snow – the color of silence zăpada virgină – culoarea tăcerii Dan Iulian, Romania even after autumn another autumn stays Lakshmi Iyer, India saying nothing about everything empty shells Rick Jackofsky, USA even a leafless tree hosts birdsong color of emptiness March sky Roberta Beach Jacobson, USA Leaves changing color just one more day and I feel old Feuilles changent de couleur juste une autre journée se sentir vieux Liette Janelle, Canada after the rain it sails into the unknown ant on the leaf nakon kiše plovi u nepoznato mrav na listu Zvonko Jurcevic, Croatia once before going to bed winter wren a fresh take on the song of a wren winter’s end Elmedin Kadric, Sweden Elevated train a full moon for a while in the window 高架行く車窓にしばし望の月 Evening drizzle not enough to silence chirping crickets 虫の声鎮めぬほどに夕の雨 Satoru Kanematsu, Japan raven calls gliding over the treetops memories Rabenrufe über die Wipfel gleitend Erinnerungen chestnuts picking them up all my fears Kastanien Ich lese sie auf all meine Ängste Deborah Karl-Brandt, Germany the flight of cranes over letters to mom volunteer przelot żurawi nad listami do mamy wolontariuszka the cemetery in winter under white blanket nameless cmentarz zimą pod białym pledem bezimienni Wiesław Karliński, Poland old fence – a cat crosses the full moon broken tombstone – a squirrel buries its acorn Skylar Kay, Canada winter wind staying inside myself Bill Kenney, USA autumn moon grandma’s empty chair stares at the window خزاں کا چاند دادی کی خالی کرسی کھڑکی کو گھورتے ہوئے Mohammad Azim Khan, Pakistan snow turns to rain the sting gradually eases kj munro, Canada tangled kelp a crab scurries along the tide line evening on the lake your paddle rearranges the stars Deborah P Kolodji, USA visiting hours on a hospice window stool a dry leaf alights sati posjeta na prozor hospicija slijeće suhi list shed under snow – fathomless years of the kabuki actor koliba pod snijegom – nedokučive godine kabuki glumca Nina Kovačić, Croatia paths in the fog absorbed by autumn former dreams ścieżki we mgle wchłonięte przez jesień dawne marzenia Marek Kozubek, Poland the long trail to here Australopithecus footprints in stone Jeff Kressman, USA cloudburst . . . discarded tin can full again silovit naliv odvržena konzerva končno spet polna an old man a little shivering just his shadow živahen starček nekoliko tresoča njegova senca Samo Kreutz, Slovenia deep in September treelawn milkweed still waiting in the after-rain every leaf in the garden and i breathing in at the water bowl drinking our moon . . . possum Jill Lange, USA stubble field a light dusting of snow softens the scarecrow daylight savings – i set my alarm by the moon Michael Henry Lee, USA a moment ago brimming with promise bruised apples bare i sted så fulle av forventning nedfallsepler Hege Jakobsen Lepri, Canada/Norway pumpkin stand bringing the harvest moon home with me Barrie Levine, USA not hurting a soul blue winter sky Kristen Lindquist, USA more phases than I imagined autumn moon Darrell Lindsey, USA light of snow my newborn’s chest rises with every breath 雪光 每一次呼吸我的新生兒 胸部隆起 Chen-ou Liu, Canada autumn the unraveling of a clematis liquidamber autumn flows over the leaves Gregory Longenecker, USA mother’s Yahrzeit . . . autumn leaves exhaling tendrils of mist Amy Losak, USA oneness nothing but the silence and this moon unità null’altro che il silenzio e questa luna perfect circle the first raindrop into the pond perfect circle the first raindrop into the pond Oscar Luparia, Italy leaf skeleton touching someone’s silence scheletro di foglia toccando il silenzio di qualcun altro death bells her mother’s face now on her face campane a morto il volto di sua madre ora sul suo viso Carmela Marino, Italy autumn cool winds – from a dusty jar childhood marbles Richard L. Matta, USA autumn leaves snails stuck in shells each year—the old habit Germina Melius, Saint Lucia Thread and needles Mending little clothes and lonely days Hilo y agujas Remendando ropitas y soledades Lía Miersch, Argentina click of a cane across the street from my window . . . autumn moon Mark Miller, Australia evening guest in the squirrel’s hollow a moonbeam oaspete de seară în scorbura veveriței o rază de lună Vasile Moldovan, Romania her dog’s long lashes more gray now autumn dusk new year after a decade of not speaking they wish each other well Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA almost forgotten plum tomatoes covered by frost Mike Montreuil, Canada full wolf moon the silence broken by a baying dog chill in the air I wear his old sweater to rake leaves Joanne Morcom, Canada caper flower on the crumbling wall seeds’ dormancy un fiore di capero sul muro in rovina . . . la dormienza dei semi Luciana Moretto, Italy kicking through the crumpled smell of leaves autumn night resting leaf – the lightness of mother’s hand Laurie D. Morrisey, USA window creak the comfort of soft autumn rain autumn mountain the sharp sound of the stream Tim Murphy, Ireland/Spain put the rumors of tension to rest rainbow gokkusagi gergin söylentiler geri dursun Guliz Mutlu, Turkey red moon rising the distant yipping of coyotes Nika, Canada a sacred glow you leave behind . . . sentient coyote Veronika Zora Novak, Canada falling leaf – from long ago love’s pain David Oates, USA open window – eavesdropping on gathering fog autumn wind my leaves my neighbor’s Helen Ogden, USA autumn snow the cawing of a crow fades to white Victor Ortiz, USA in this spoonful the cloves I forgot to remove – Apple Charlotte Maeve O’Sullivan, Ireland taps . . . a row of sunflowers with bowed heads autumn nightfall Mahler’s Adagietto deepens Roland Packer, Canada growing dark pale moon brightens – the depth of silence Scott Packer, Canada my blind dog sniffs the air . . . ah, the cry of wild geese мой слепой пёс нюхает воздух . . . а, крик диких гусей Sasha A. Palmer, USA/Russia frigid days last autumn drained out from the leaves mrzli dani posljednja jesen iscijeđena iz lišća Dejan Pavlinović, Croatia autumn moon . . . the missing colour in my sewing box winter moon a nautilus shell rinsed by the tide winter dawn I stretch the clay from its sleep Dru Philippou, USA ebb tide in the setting sun Miyajima Greg Piko, Australia one knit one pearl . . . echoing the child a grey butcherbird Madhuri Pillai, Australia autumn rain – on the stem of a rose, a snail pioggia d’autunno – sullo stelo di una rosa, una lumaca autumn mist – a veil of sadness in her eyes nebbia d’autunno – un velo di tristeza nei suoi occhi Maria Teresa Piras, Italy the harvest moon . . . bright reflections on my mother’s face pun mjesec . . . odraz svjetlosti na licu majke Vlasta Pirker, Croatia (Translated by D.V. Rozic) limestone shoreline I smooth away the day’s edges what’s mine in mist a ghost moon Thomas Powell, Wales, UK winter garden pinning my luck on broccoli Sandi Pray, USA Night after night October sun shines on my pillow Notte dopo notte Il sole d’ottobre splende sul mio cuscino Uncertain steps The shadow of your rose between my hands I passi incerti L’ombra della tua rosa tra le mie mani Maria Cristina Pulvirenti, Italy nature’s gift the eternal beauty of snowflakes Carol Raisfeld, USA autumn sunset – the lost child’s crayons fill the sky Milan Rajkumar, India low fog over my prayer moonlight la nebbia bassa sopra la mia preghiera chiaro de luna let yourself go like an autumn leaf even windless lasciarse andare come foglia d’autunno anche senza vento winter sky among the wood of the fireplace sleeps a cricket cielo d’inverno fra la legna del camino dorme un grillo Nazarena Rampini, Italy river breeze the shiver of maidenhair ferns Ivan Randall, Australia shorter days but every ginkgo leaf golden Dian Duchin Reed, USA cutting firewood I study climate change Carol Reynolds, Australia autumn moon our neighbors calling porch to porch Nancy Richards, Canada ghosts and witches knocking at the kitchen door my mask meeting theirs pandemic autumn: missing the lower halves of friends’ faces reusing my weakening tea bag all-day blizzard Edward J. Rielly, USA autumn footsteps buried in the sand Richard Roberts, New Zealand flooded meadow here and there a splash of coho coming home a dream of longships gliding . . . elk in deep grass winter’s fog stealing up the valley stealing the firs Aron Rothstein, USA autumn blues a paper wasp crawls into my poetry book Cynthia Rowe, Australia by the window waiting for the visit of the harvest moon pored prozora čekam posjetu žetvenog mjeseca D. V. Rozic, Croatia cold dawn on the shore just the imprint of waves bearing witness to her chemotherapy autumn trees Srinivas S, India first frost the finch’s visible song Barbara Sabol, USA christmas eve the beggar at a temple shifts his stance క్రిస్మస్ పండుగ గుడి దగ్గరి ఓ భిక్షగాడు మకాం మార్చేశాడు first snow two banyan roots hold an empty swing మొదటి మంచు రెండు మఱ్ఱి ఊడల మధ్య ఓ ఖాళీ ఊయల Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India lost in the rhythm of the forest – autumn solitude Bona M. Santos, USA two parrots swinging on a cable time pauses . . . autumn breeze yellow pages of grandma’s recipe book Minal Sarosh, India narrow trail branches and leaves dapple me Agnes Eva Savich, USA harvest time birdsong fading into the day’s last light temps des moissons le chant des oiseaux s’évanouit dans les dernières lueurs du jour Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland rolling the river off the tips of each wing migration wind dressing for the wake – newly-turned trees Julie Schwerin, USA autumn dusk a bird’s nest brims with fallen leaves Teji Sethi, India foggy morning . . . I try to understand a crow’s conversation Manoj Sharma, Nepal forecast for tomorrow all day long leaf fall прогноз на завтра весь день листопад Dmitry Shestakovsky, Ukraine Woodpecker drumming ‘Symphony No.5’ out of the window 窓外に啄木鳥叩く第五シンフォニー The last persimmon soon disappeared from the bough – crow's voices 木守柿すぐに消ゆるや烏鳴く Kyoko Shimizu, Japan empty beach . . . footsteps of a man and a dog пуст плаж... стъпки на мъж и куче Tsanka Shishkova, Bulgaria full moon in the dry bouquet the white dandelion полнолуние в сухом букете белый одуванчик Alexander Shytkovskiy, Ukraine Zigzag traces suspended on the horizon . . . wild geese in flight Keith A. Simmonds, France autumn dusk . . . only my shadow walks with me fading light makes gourds glow harvest moon Neena Singh, India full moon the emptiness of the rest pun mjesec praznoća svega ostalog autumn wind in old man’s mailbox just a maple leaf jesenji vjetar u starčevom poštanskom sandučetu samo javorov list Tomislav Sjekloća, Montenegro roof top view so glad our cat called vue du toit si contente que le chat ait appelé Sandra St-Laurent, Canada puff of wind a butterfly wing takes flight late autumn two curled feathers in the old nest Barbara Strang, New Zealand night of stars the singing bowl of our campfire lifting fog the day breaks into something other Debbie Strange, Canada October, children quarreling to light up Diwali’s first lamp Mohit Kumar Tanwar, India uncrushed the moon gives taste to the new wine nestrivită luna dă gust noului vin Eduard Ţară, Romania full moon Bogong moths rattle the screen door Barbara A. Taylor, Australia stew season – flavoring dusk with the scent of thyme corn maze we purposely lose ourselves All Soul’s day the space between then and now shifts just a little Angela Terry, USA slow wake through a cloud filled sky blue moon a cold wind ruffles dove’s feathers the hospital eave Nicole Tilde, USA gentle sun – a burgundy leaf settles on mother’s grave soare blând – o frunză bordo se aşează pe mormântul mamei calm night – snow flakes slowly come down over yesterday’s noapte calmă – câţiva fulgi coboară rar peste cei de ieri Maria Tirenescu, Romania autumn gold – the glen lit up with double rainbows cinnamon tea – the warmth that fills an autumn evening moonless sky – the clouds clear for green aurora Xenia Tran, Scotland, UK night fishing i catch a limit of moonlight autumn migration a hummingbird lingers as if to say goodbye autumn wind the empty shell of a cicada Kevin Valentine, USA bonfire of leaves the smell of autumn deepens Rp Verlaine, USA unable to sleep outside my window aurora dance Mary Vlooswyk, Canada Hunter’s moon the weary pitcher gathers himself up Охотничья Луна собирается с духом усталый питчер Anna Viazmitinova, Ukraine golden lace dress – the chestnut tree shakes its last leaves rochia de dantelă galbenă – castanul își scutură ultimele frunze Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania in a stone angel’s cupped palms . . . autumn butterfly a sparkly frost over the cottonfield autumn moon Marilyn Appl Walker, USA a grey wind on the horizon aroma of winter ice David Watts, USA flaming sunrise high overhead a skein of geese heading south Sheila Weaver, Canada the smell of smoke in my daughter's hair . . . autumn leaves Michael Dylan Welch, USA snowed in on Christmas I’d be alone without you dark eyed juncos Kelley Jean White, USA random yellow of cottonwood leaves autumn tempo Scott Wiggerman, USA between ground and tree orb weaver news of refugees Elaine Wilburt, USA autumn chill a bee zigzags the lawn Tony Williams, Scotland, UK mother’s passing I bury myself in a pile of leaves odejście matki zagrzebuję się w stosie liści I wait for the light inside my head to go out deepening winter czekam aż światło w mojej głowie zgaśnie głęboka zima windborne leaves a child’s time running in small steps liście na wietrze czas dziecka biegnie małymi krokami Ernest Wit, Poland a leaf slowly turning past the pilgrim’s deep bow Robert Witmer, Japan the space between branches where wind was Hunter’s Moon where backwater meets river your touch Valorie Broadhurst Woerdehoff, USA moonlight drops with the persimmon autumn ends Jann Wright, USA autumn ocean our paddles dig deeply into the quiet J. Zimmerman, USA C First Prize
cold air stray kittens lap the full moon from a puddle không khí lạnh lẽo những con mèo hoang liếm vầng trăng tròn trong vũng nước Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Vietnam This haiku is perhaps the most unique haiku I have encountered and well deserves the first prize. Second Prize hospice garden . . . understanding the way leaves fall Meera Rehm, UK The second prize winner provides a profound understanding of approaching death. Third Prize crabs move slowly through the cattails autumn night Carol Raisfeld, USA This is a deeply poetic nature haiku. Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order) evening pond a leaf falls onto the moon Jonathan Aylett, UK autumn rain I long for what is not mine Mona Bedi, India light trapped in a leaf autumn equinox Owen Bullock, Australia the road to my father’s grave autumn crocuses пътят към гроба на татко есенни минзухари Vladislav Hristov, Bulgaria sweeping the darkness of a leaf strewn path harvest moon Ravi Kiran, India food bank closed an old man shuts the door on the harvest moon 食物銀行歇業 一位老人將豐收月 關在門外 Chen-ou Liu, Canada autumn deepens a clink of sadness in my wineglass Marietta McGregor, Australia fallen leaves we lay our warm skin on moonlight Ron C. Moss, Australia no reason to change one’s mind: autumn moon ourthomas, USA mourning moon we scatter mom’s ashes on the garden Nika, Canada scarlet maple an unknown infant’s grave outside the cemetery Agnes Eva Savich, USA flint corn – I’ll learn to live with the diagnosis Sandra Simpson, New Zealand hazelnut picking the child in a memory puts my hand to the moon Alan Summers, UK father’s ashes autumn wind scatters my thoughts Kevin Valentine, USA autumn moon i touch the stone laid for me Marilyn Appl Walker, USA October rain even the smallest potato feels precious Tony Williams, Scotland, UK harvest snails racing the moon Jann Wright, USA Haiku Moment Award
summer clouds the turtle pond surface full of dreams Agnes Eva Savich, USA A very subtle poetic metaphor. Runners-Up (in alphabetical order) for only seconds feeling eternity April sunrise Charles Harmon, USA A perfect haiku moment. winter light the permanence of longing Laurie D. Morrissey, USA Longing never ceases, beautifully expressed. all our hopes still within reach – daytime moon Scott Packer, Canada Light, despite the pandemic. A very deep haiku. Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order) summer stars folding a promise into the light Joanna Ashwell, UK deep into autumn . . . thinking about that moment when everything changed Ed Bremson, USA trails in the snow in each enough room for the moonlight stope u snijegu baš u svaku stane mjesečina Mihovila Čeperić-Biljan, Croatia arms outstretched baby gathers in the harvest moon Ronald K. Craig, USA mom’s urn my cosmos in suspense урната на мама моят космос приземен Maya Daneva, Canada/Bulgaria climate change against all odds I plant seedlings Helen Ogden, USA last year’s struggles just one breath rights the bug Kyle Sullivan, Taiwan fireflies . . . all the dreams I’ve ever had kunang-kunang semua mimpi yang pernah kumiliki Agus Maulana Sunjaya, Indonesia the Milky Way above fails to bring you closer – my long walk home Michael Dylan Welch, USA Welcome to this Spring/Summer issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. As I noted previously, climate change has caused natural disasters, food shortages, diminishing wild natural spaces, while 2020 also brought the COVID pandemic which has continued to affect our lives for the past year. There may be hope with the vaccinations and reopening of businesses worldwide, although we still see devastation in some areas especially in India. Haiku poets in this issue are both addressing the ongoing pandemic and human adaptation to the restrictions, but also a hopeful tone is emerging, perhaps with the advent of spring blossoms. Haiku remains most important in its connection to nature and the capture of a moment of insight. Hopefully more and more we will see joy replacing sorrow this year. Bruce Ross, June 2021 a child in the park the anxiety of the mother on the swing un bimbo al parco – l’ansia della madre sull’altalena spring sun migrants dry their clothes on the barbed wire sole primaverile – i migrant ascugano i vestiti sul filo spinato Vincenzo Adamo, Italy happy birthday on the plant he gave me a swallowtail Dennise Aiello, USA birches budding sneezing together the cat and I Meg Arnot, UK Milwaukee summer across the dry cement duck prints صيفُ ملواكي على الاسمنت الجاف أقدامُ البط الذي عبَر Inas Asfari, USA/Syria singing bowl a bluebird learns her grandma’s song hopscotch skipping home through a spring shower Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA summer stars folding a promise into the light Joanna Ashwell, UK august light in the field your pale hand showing me feverfew Michael Battisto, USA lone ridge a crow and i share a dawn hilltop road a view, far enough from demands Michael Baeyens, Belgium low tide a hatchling turtle stretches its neck Tom Bierovic, USA spoonbill in flight this longing to get away Meik Blöttenberger, USA wildflower garden one long shadow across the sundial curled ferns ready to open the hymnal Maxianne Berger, Canada a robin cocks his head to listen worm moon canna lily blossoms open to hummingbird beaks late summer Nancy Brady, USA icicles melting onto a tin roof a robin’s return John Budan, USA a crow lands in my perfect composition painting en plein air listening for what’s true bee chorus in the chocolate flowers Alanna C. Burke, USA bee on tulip in the rising sun . . . first love un’ ape sul tulipano al sorgere del sole . . . primo amore daffodils in bloom a girl in the sun reading his email giunchiglie in fiore una ragazza al sole legge la sua mail Mariangela Canzi, Italy leaving the road for a new path . . . wild irises lasciare la strada per un nuovo sentiero . . . iris selvatici Lucia Cardillo, Italy spring birdsong the shut-in finds a clip on her iPhone rivulet of blossoms the journey home Matthew Caretti, USA a robin hops I am three holding Mother’s hand slowing – toward that day the rose blooms Louise Carson, Canada backyard garden beyond the celery cats mating basmati rice soaking in an antique bowl . . . tranquility Anna Cates, USA warm spring day – watched clouds pass by instead of my life Vernon Chain, USA lilac blush under the window sill graduation day pemerah pipi bawah ambang tingkap pengijazahan 卒業日窓の外にはライラック Christina Chin, Malaysia bent daffodils an old man leans on his cane forgive my hurried steps lady slipper Sue Colpitts, Canada yard sale goods laid out to view a life lived on the patio coffee with birdsong and raccoon Vera Constantineau, Canada alone with gulls and the call of the wind summer drifter an eaglet on the edge first flight Susan Constable, Canada her death the contour lines of a calla lily la sua morte le linee di contorno di una calla letting go of everything spring wind lasciando andare ciò che vuole andare vento di primavera Maria Concetta Conti, Italy spring showers a Buddhist monk rescues worms springtime snow on daffodils Bryan Cook, Canada setting aside the rose-colored plates farm auction Bill Cooper, USA sailing through a field of stars fireflies in June Ronald K. Craig, USA new rattle the baby moves . . . his feet ah, those first times nouveau hochet le bébé bouge . . . les pieds ah, ces premières fois her soap bubbles travel up into the sky her coat soon too tight ses bulles de savon montent jusqu’au ciel son manteau bientôt trop étroit Marcellin Dallaire-Beaumont, Belgium sultry day . . . a catbird carries the conversation Risë E. Daniels, USA wind of May Day the lily of the valley does as it pleases premier mai dans le vent le muguet fait ce qu’il lui plait Marie Derley, Belgium summer harvest birds devour the figs without warning Carmela Dolce, USA on the armchair the shadows of clouds back and forth sulla poltrona le ombre delle nuvole vanno e vengano Anna Maria Domburg-Sancristoforo, The Netherlands/Italy another encore on the way to the cemetery plum petals rain още един бис по пътя за гробището дъжд от цветовете на сливата empty pipe in the old fisherman’s boat thunder moon празна лула в лодката на стария рибар пълнолуние Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria pink moon – my childhood drawing so accurate luna roz – desenul din copilărie chiar realist Ana Drobot, Romania Mizuki We eat the rice dumplings Waiting for night Miriam Dunn, Canada winding-down yard sale the Virgin and Buddha statues now a package deal John J. Dunphy, USA after rain – the last reverence of the irises după ploaie – ultima reverenţă a stânjeneilor summer night – in the lavender field cricket song noapte de vară – în câmpul de lavandă cântec de greier Carmen Duvalma, Romania moonlight will do… sunflower David Käwika Eyre, USA spring equinox finding the other half of the haiku Seren Fargo, USA Good Friday a cardinal calls from the bare sycamore Susan Farner, USA honeysuckle breeze . . . a barn swallow in mid air mountain ridge coywolf’s breath as it pauses Donna Fleischer, USA long lockdown . . . magpies in the schoolyard sing their song of joy lingering heat – a greengrocer cicada’s late serenade Lorin Ford, Australia a tiny feather at my feet i leave it for the wind Jenny Fraser, New Zealand in the puddle a tree resounds with light Alex Fyffe, USA oak woods a woodpecker arranges the night silence hrastova šuma... djetlić raspoređuje noćnu tišinu храстова шума... дјетлић распоређује ноћну тишину late spring . . . a spider weaves silence in the moonlight kasno proljeće... pauk pod mjesečinom plete tišinu касно прољеће... паук под мјесечином плете тишину Ivan Gaćina, Croatia another bourbon – awake with me, this moonlit slug Joshua Gage, USA early spring – mockingbird’s song in the cobwebs spring breeze – resonance of bees in the rosemary Jerome Gagnon, USA they make their nest deep inside the house – spring. Hacen su nido muy dentro de la casa. La primavera. quietly today that glow of flamboyants. Calladamente hoy ese resplandor de flamboyanes. Rafael Garcìa Bidò, Dominican Republic What a light In the blossom tree The moon Ava Gardiner, New Zealand falling in love . . . the way the peony takes a butterfly zaljubiti se... način na koji božur prima leptira Goran Gatalica, Croatia not a breeze an owl hoots at the full moon brise disparue – un hibou s’adresse à la pleine lune Line Gauthier, Canada Waiting room I name all the fishes In the aquarium Poczekalnia Nadaję imiona wszystkim rybkom W akwarium Lockdown Freely twinkling Of stars Lockdown Swobodne migotanie Gwiazd Anna Goluba, Poland nothing then a puffin to take the breath away evening blues blackbirds fall into line along the corncrib LeRoy Gorman, Canada new moon the boys count and recount lightning bugs sundown – this river flows slower than thirty years ago John S Green, USA red and white bobbins swinging from tree branches – the old fishing hole Steven H. Greene, USA for only seconds feeling eternity April sunrise midnight waves riding a pearl moon body surfer Charles Harmon, USA rising moon the lake ripples in and out David He, China first bouquet of sweet peas – her smile at the door top step on a shaky ladder – sun-warmed peaches Karin Hedetniemi, Canada early spring the drift of wood smoke guiding me home Good Friday sprouting in the basement spring bulbs spring break . . . a robin watches her young fall into flight Marilyn Henighan, Canada cherry petals float on the tide how far will they go? shio ni ukabu sakurabana ikada doko made desho 潮に浮かぶ 桜花筏 何処迄でしょー seagulls wander the mud flats low spring tide umi neko higata o urutsu higanshio 海猫 干潟を得るつ 彼岸潮 Judith Hishikawa, USA finding the right pitch pine wind Jeff Hoagland, USA spring equinox – tilting my head a little toward the light no one else here on this hilltop – geese flying north Ruth Holzer, USA dark faces of the sheep spring snow southbound along the train tracks butterflies Frank Hooven, USA mist rising from the river the call of a bull moose bergs clogging the shallows spring breakup homebound guided by rooftops nest after nest Louisa Howerow, Canada spring cleaning the echo of a church bell comes with the wind пролетно почистване ехо от църковна камбана донесено от вятъра pandemic year the higabana bloomed in spring пандемия хиганбаната цъфна през пролетта Vladislav Hristov, Bulgaria does love thy neighbor include the wolves, hummingbirds and eucalypti? Pat Hull, USA moon bridge – the pathway over rivers of stars moonlit night brumbies splashing through shallows Marilyn Humbert, Australia heavy with blossom the lilac branch closer to the ground bătută de flori creanga liliacului mai aproape de pământ Mona Iordan, Romania crescent moon dusk yet to sharpen the stars skimming the near-earth air three swallows beneath the tree a deepening of fallen petals Erica Ison, UK half-open eyed Buddha looks at me looking at him Lakshmi Iyer, India cricket frog – leaping from a lily pad . . . to the moon scattered clouds . . . a cormorant comes up for air flying fish in the company of clouds koinobori* *carp streamers Rick Jackofsky, USA A caterpillar in front of the mountain – So far to go Une chenille devant la montagne – Si loin pour s’y rendre Liette Janelle, Canada locust buds do not yet hide the sparrow Julie Allyn Johnson, USA The fountain turns quiet abruptly – a pigeon’s coo 噴水のはたと鎮まり鳩の声 Funsui no hatato shizumari hato no koe Repeatedly the fountain touches daytime moon 噴水のときおり触るる昼の月 Funsui no tokiori fururu hiru no tsuki Satoru Kanematsu, Japan haiku in chalk – the typos too will wash away Skylar Kay, Canada with mask the journey of a toad to water Mit Maske Die Reise einer Kröte zum Wasser Deborah Karl-Brandt, Germany a blustery day swaying back and forth the lark’s song David J Kelly, Ireland a pocket full of small change . . . spring rain Bill Kenney, USA April snow tiny daffodils turn from the window kjmunro, Canada acorn footpath woodpeckers tapping in the oak forest Deborah P Kolodji, USA sprouted wheatgrass white heron leaves the ground against the wind izniklo žito diže se bijela čaplja nasuprot vjetru Nina Kovačić, Croatia cathedral bell the pigeons return after services Jeff Kressmann, USA shop window today’s special offer a rainbow sčiščena okna med ponudbo v izložbi drobci mavrice Samo Kreutz, Slovenia sharing morning rain with robins twilight by the marsh spring peepers Jill Lange, USA In the forest a Huia* dreams of the moon *A Huia is an extinct NZ native bird Alfie Lash, age 7, New Zealand full moon within the raindrop falling from a leaf crickets chirping below the silence of the moon Luke Levi, USA Clouds, the soft white of dogwood petals – a mindful walk Rebecca Lilly, USA an oriole curls around apple buds high noon April sky . . . amid last year’s leaves a jay feather Kristen Lindquist, USA old age home once in a while the sound of footsteps 養老院 偶爾聽到 腳步聲 spike in cases the muezzin’s call more distant 更多的新病例 穆斯林宣禮員的召喚聲 更加遙遠 Chen-ou Liu, Canada making wishes on dandelions potter’s field Gregory Longenecker, USA crescent moon . . . on night sky I search for Venus Margaret Mahony, Australia flower seeds looking for god into myself semi di un fiore cercando un dio dentro me stessa Carmela Marino, Italy old beached hull still buoying up this flower moon Marietta McGregor, Australia End of summer Siesta* with humming cicadas and tereré* &nbs |