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Bashō famously said, “There is nothing you can see that is not a flower…” But reading these spring and summer haiku, he might also have said, “There is nothing you can see that is not a bird.” We didn’t fully realize until we had completed our selections that this issue teems with an international aviary: pied wagtail, dunlin, dove, geese, blackbird, nightingale, magpie, grackle, crow, black stilt, chaffinch, white ibis, heron, cockatoo, gerygone, loon, flicker, Cetti’s warbler, hummingbird, chickadee, wattlebird, gull, tern, parakeet, bank swallow, plover, towhee, western tanager, and a tree breaking into birdsong. As we roll once more through spring and summer, we haiku poets try to perceive the familiar markers of the season with new eyes. And what better markers than birds? In spring, we enjoy the restless energy of their migration; they sport bright plumage, they sing. The lushness of summer brings mated pairs, nests, fledglings. These winged creatures fly in and out of our lives and become the focal points of our haiku, lovely distractions in a crazy world. As I read through this issue, experiencing these haiku moments for myself one after another, I could feel my blood pressure dropping. Thank you, poets, for your offerings. If “hope is the thing with feathers,” then you have truly filled this issue with hope… no small thing. Kristen Lindquist Maine, June 2026 midnight wind every blossom blown from the willow Cynthia Anderson, USA neighborhood walk apple trees break out in song Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA summer afternoon – the bustard’s call stirs the heat گرمی کی سه پہر تلور کی آواز تپش کو ہلاتے ہوئے spring twilight – hydrangeas bloom in the conservatory بہار کا جھٹ پٹا گلِ ادریسی کھلتے ہیں پود گھرمیں Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan a deer leaps in the dawn meadow – buttercup glow holding on to spring fallen daffodils tucked in a vase Joanna Ashwell, UK twilight branches soft rain veils the magpie’s song low-hung cloud the promise of summer in ripening figs Gavin Austin, Australia looking west . . . in his eyes a sunset pogled na zapad . . . u njegovim očima zalazak sunca Katica Badovinac, Croatia honeysuckle vines a broken trellis . . . he gets her to move back in Royal Baysinger, Canada feathered sky – another wrinkle unfolds on father’s forehead Mona Bedi, India flitting marsh wren the twitch of cattails water strider rippling the lower of two moons Millicent Bee, USA spring peepers blackbirds perched in their own octave Brad Bennett, USA star-filled skies deep within the light years our fragility cieux étoilés au fond des années-lumière notre fragilité Maxianne Berger, Canada close of day the slow refolding of a lily's petals wild graces . . . tracking a sweet scent to its source Sally Biggar, USA some starlings they graze and I am contented Shawn Blair, USA herbal honey memory of a summer vacation in the countryside вкусът на билков мед спомен за лятна ваканция на село Stanka Boneva, Bulgaria the vulture's tail missing one feather April sky Dave Bonta, USA бугенвилия сложността на нашите отношения bougainvillea the complexity of our relationships Boryana Boteva, Bulgaria marram grass showing the way the wind went Paul Bregazzi, Ireland all the thorns none of the roses left nobody looking the old man’s hopscotch to a blue square Randy Brooks, USA one cherry blossom falling unseen the artist’s brush lies still une fleur de cerisier tombe inaperçue le pinceau de l’artiste en repos Diana Bruno, France junipers chatter just before dawn fledgling season record heat blue jay eggs still in the nest Alanna C. Burke, USA mountain summit everyday life far away Berggipfel der Alltag weit weg Pitt Büerken, Germany bells gently ring – the butterfly’s visit to a foxglove patch Paul Callus, Malta dawn stillness on the church path the robins’ choir alba silenziosa sul sentiero della chiesa il coro dei pettirossi Mariangela Canzi, Italy no breeze today – a white butterfly rests on the clothesline nici o adiere astăzi – un fluture alb se odihnește pe frânghia de rufe Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania rataplan a coming together into morning puddles Matthew Caretti, American Samoa summer dusk still too bright for stars Bob Carlton, USA lupine like dreams may wander Anna Cates, USA walking together a while a pied wagtail and me Tim Chamberlain, Japan bare neem tree – summer rain through its veins Ram Chandran, India gentle my thoughts leaping branch to branch a leaf a bird Eleanor Channell, USA new kitten on mother's lap blossom wind కొత్త పిల్లికూన తల్లి ఒడిలో పువ్వుల గాలి Manasa Reddy Chichili, India gesturing for flight yet going nowhere crane flowers Jackie Chou, USA crack of dawn . . . dandelion down speckling the wind se crapă de ziuă – puful păpădiilor pătează vântul dark porch . . . on mom's rocking chair a firefly beznă-n verandă . . . pe balansoarul mamei un licurici Cezar Ciobîcă, Romania curlew's call - twisting through the spiral a fling of dunlin Clodagh O Connor, Ireland wind through the flowers she calls me by a different name vento tra i fiori lei mi chiama con un altro nome Maria Concetta Conti, Italy a runner's shadow sweeps the sandbar chattering terns Bill Cooper, USA another flower on the wild radish white butterfly chameleon the changing colours at sunset Sue Courtney, New Zealand ylang ylang blossoms a child carries a child bulaklak ng ilang ilang isang bata pasan ng isang bata wishing coins two koi swim in circles barya ng kahilingan dalawang koi paikot-ikot Alvin B. Cruz, The Philippines butterflies child’s smile here child’s smile there пеперуди детска усмивка тук детска усмивка там Maya Daneva, Bulgaria/The Netherlands Deep in meditation no kigo, no sabi, no kireji no self — only the breathing. Shel Danielson, USA light rain the sway of seedlings becoming a full life . . . the secret of the mayfly Pat Davis, USA lone tree on the verge of budbreak in my memory Cherie Hunter Day, USA first beautiful days swapping Times New roman for Segoe UI premiers beaux jours passer de Times New roman à Segoe UI Marie Derley, Belgium wild geese their playground voices perfect for Saturday morning Edward Dewar, Canada an egg hatches the first note already heard Donna DiCello, USA End of the war. Magnolia flowers are so beautiful Крај рата. Цветови магнолије тако су лепи. Zoran Doderovic, Serbia cafe at sunset the last patron lingers with the stray Carmela Dolce, USA ripples radiate from an unseen source moon dreams Fred Donovan, USA no footsteps – knocking on my door spring wind nici urmă de pași – bătând la ușa mea vânt de primăvară Ana Drobot, Romania sunrise pregnant hiker embraces each flowering tree the tulips encircling the war memorial all red John J. Dunphy, USA juneberry tree - blossom shadows waving on the neighbor’s wall Tim Dwyer, Northern Ireland/USA spring affair the puffed-out breast of a mourning dove Lynn Edge, USA new home search pair of geese honk in the parking lot Susan Farner, USA the checkerspots chase through my nostalgia stream song Bruce H. Feingold, USA garden hose the snails rearrange themselves Joan Fingon, USA the soft blue of an empty shell blackbird wings Jenny Fraser, New Zealand night rain hearing songs in the wind chimes Dennis Frohlich, USA crows telling me about it or telling me off Bob Gaebler, USA a narrow path through a field of nettles . . . so many hopes una stradina nel campo di ortiche . . . quante speranze Barbara Anna Gaiardoni, Italy among the singing of the birds what has become of me entre el cantar de los pájaros què ha sido de mì it is no small thing to see the Milky Way – summer night no es poca cosa ver la Vìa Làctea – noche de estìo Rafael Garcìa Bidò, Dominican Republic heat wave dipping bare feet into a fountain val vrućine namačući bose noge u fontani Goran Gatalica, Croatia forgotten - blistered stem rusted vase Nicholas Gentile, USA hunger moon the gleam of brass shells in the seedbeds луна на глада блясъкът на гилзи в лехите open-air concert nightingale and flute in counterpoint концерт на открито славей и флейта в контрапункт Ivan Georgiev, Bulgaria/Germany late evening light picking out jewels in ripples of sand Mark Gilbert, UK grackles a young boy speaks to strangers Valerie Green, USA the barred owl’s call booms through the buds spring wind Andrew Grossman, USA just before the storm the grain fields throw crows again kurz vorm gewitter werfen die getreidefelder wieder mit krähen Alexander Groth, Germany planting seeds watering hope watching it grow Jennifer Gurney, USA spring light – this shared sky beyond the border fence ضوء الربيع-- هذه السماء المشتركة ما وراء السياج الحدودي in the rubble of my shattered home – scattered violet stars في الأنقاض من منزلي المحطم-- نجوم بنفسجية متناثرة Fatma Zohra Habis, Algeria a father gently guides his son’s hands dragon kite Johnnie Johnson Hafernik, USA fresh grass sharing our lunch with a magpie spring tide a tattered net drifting with the moon Lorraine Haig, Australia in the grass this ant with bird seed moving back home Joy Hallinan, USA arriving with five inches of snow – spring Lev Hart, Canada owl calls hanging in the grey hour of a fading dream John Hawkhead, UK oceanic trench sinking deeper into the blues Patricia Hawkhead, England, UK among the beach pebbles always seaglass Kathryn P. Haydon, USA fading moon . . . a cherry petal falls into the wok 黯淡之月… 樱花瓣 掉进了沙锅 cool breeze a boy walks by moonlight 凉风习习， 月光之下， 少年独行。 David He, China a hard rain angles over the meadow budding daffodils windstorm birchbark curls fly off with a crow Deborah Burke Henderson, USA gathering dusk a gamble of cottontails Jeff Hoagland, USA spring dusk in the abandoned nest one blue egg yellow seedlings the beech trees a half inch high Ruth Holzer, USA morning dew coaxing milk into the kitten Frank Hooven, USA black stilt pink legs wade towards extinction Louise Hopewell, Australia tree hollow echoes . . . budgie babies chirping Marilyn Humbert, Australia flowerbed magnolia petals come to rest Erica Ison, UK blossom chill* ー a young man reading with a cat on his lap 花冷えや 読書するひと 猫ひざに hanabie ya dokusho suru hito neko hizani * "blossom chill" is a spring kigo for a sudden return of cold weather during the cherry blossom season. day moon in a toddler's words . . . spring breeze 幼児ことばの昼の月 春風よ yōji kotoba no hiru no tsuki harukaze yo Keiko Izawa, Japan hiding behind the arborvitae a chain link fence Rick Jackofsky, USA his Purple Heart a ring of crocuses around this trunk Ellie Marie Johnson, USA summer walk the twilight colors embracing the park गर्मी की सैर सांझ के रंग उद्यान को आलिंगन करते हुए hide and seek moon the croak chorus in the garden pond आँख-मिचौली करता चाँद टर्र-टर्र का कोरस बगीचे के तालाब में Govind Joshi, India summer dusk – the cicada's electric wall of sound Christine Judd, Australia wandering words fall into place . . . short spell of rain भटकते शब्द अपनी जगह पा लेते हैं . . . बारिश की हल्की बौछार Monica Kakkar, India/USA The castle tower burnt down by air raid – scarlet peonies 空爆に失せし天守や緋の牡丹 In full bloom after scarlet peonies fallen pure white ones 緋牡丹の崩れ咲き満つ白牡丹 Satoru Kanematsu, Japan petals drop from the vase-bound blooms . . . funeral over Keitha Keyes, Australia spring wind – the robin hops to next door’s window lilac candles – this spring as well already gone Lori Kiefer, UK apple tree summer slips into autumn as I pick Noel King, Ireland line 2 subway a damp wisteria petal trembles on the glass 지하철 2호선 젖은 등꽃잎 하나 유리창 위에 떨다 Yoon Kim, South Korea woodland fog the familiar accent of a chaffinch all around the rusty lawnmower wildflowers Ravi Kiran, India hawthorn blossom . . . finding mother’s face in each petal moraine trail . . . the remnants of a mantra among the pines Nicholas Klacsanzky, USA feeling the pinch – an earthworm in the bill of a white ibis spring’s soft opening – the first fuzzy catkins on the pussy willow Kim Klugh, USA fervid wind willow branches sweep a dry river bed žarki vjetar vrbine grane metu riječni pijesak Nina Kovačić, Croatia frog in the path I crouch smiling Norbert Kovacs, USA the scent of tides in her bowl of shells second summer Barrie Levine, USA river’s dark current under the budding maple a lesser rain tawny reeds brush the rain aside spring yearning Kathryn Liebowitz, USA showing off to creekside ravens heron on one leg Laurinda Lind, USA colorful butterfly – in the silence of the meadow someone's soul шарени лептир – у тишини ливаде нечија душа Mile Lisica, Serbia breezy woodland sound-bathing among the bluebells 微風吹拂的林地 在藍鈴花叢中 聆聽自然的聲音 Chen-ou Liu, Canada new season the timeless clothes of the scarecrow nuova stagione il vestito senza tempo dello spaventapasseri Oscar Luparia, Italy breaking dawn the egg song of an old hen deepening dusk a shifting cloud of starlings Heather Lurie, New Zealand spotting venus – what i say to her sounds better in my mind Anthony Lusardi, USA on the shirt the trace of a kiss – water lilies sulla camicia il segno di un bacio – gigli d'acqua Antonio Mangiameli, Italy peaceful walk violets blooming next to a war shelter zwyczajny spacer przy wejściu do schronu zakwitły fiołki Urszula Marciniak, Poland Easter sun the half-opened wings of a butterfly sole di Pasqua le ali semiaperte di una farfalla city stars rain finds its voice in everything stelle di città la pioggia trova voce in ogni cosa Carmela Marino, Italy spring cacophony the still-right-there of the heron Matthew Markworth, USA gregorian chant meditating on the drone of bees Victoria Masotta-Scioli, USA cicada shell dad puts away his police uniform ljuska cvrčka tata sprema policijsko odijelo Martina Matijević, Croatia summer storm the clink of the pull chain keeping time Ralph Matthews, USA peppercorn ridge cockatoos wheeling through the rain bright trill a gerygone flits into shadow Jo McInerney, Australia the sun slowly sets barefoot on the sand il sole scende lento a piedi nudi sulla sabbia Rita Melissano, USA summer stars . . . taking time to think things over moon garden – flower to flower a tiny moth MJ Mello, USA Monday in June Red flowers peeping from a balcony Lunes de Junio Flores rojas asoman desde un balcón Lía Miersch, Argentina awake from their roosts – chirps allegro Paul Millan, USA hoarfrost at the church gate the white breath of the village pony Mark Miller, Australia continuing war finches are back early in our spruce Biswajit Mishra, Canada giving her grace the spider's lifeline intact gopher snake the length of summer Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA stretching out on wet sand the lighthouse tower blowing the cream candles of my chestnut Katie Montagna, Ireland after the downpour I splash through the wolf moon John Moran, Ireland tendrils of blue clematis gentle frailty viticci di clematis blu mite fragilità (a Haiku for Bruce Ross) lilac softness of April evening . . . all I recall la delicatezza lilla della sera d'Aprile . . . tutto cio' che ricordo Luciana Moretto, Italy holding up the old fence hedge bindweed Wilda Morris, USA afternoon sun – a loon disappears in the glisten Laurie D. Morrissey, USA conch sounds the ducks return home Soumya Mukherjee, USA daybreak dispels night shadows – an old photograph zori de ziuă estompând umbrele nopții – o fotografie veche Florian Munteanu, Romania the homeless man holds a single cherry offers it to God evsiz adam elinde tek bir kiraz tutar Tanrıya sunar onu Güliz Mutlu, Turkey too late I notice the flickers' patterned bobs courtship thwarted Nola Obee, Canada homeless man asleep on a bench reclining buddha just before sunrise a pearl in the river the waxing moon Nick O’Connor, Australia finding its way up the trellis the scent of lilac Helen Ogden, USA crowded bird hide – eavesdropping on a Cetti's warbler Ben Oliver, England, UK planting stories as we work kitchen garden Debbie Olson, USA white rain Easter egg lost in dandelions Rebecca Olson, USA early light the woods layered with birdsong Nancy Orr, USA balmy Sunday – more irises blooming here than last year Maeve O’Sullivan, Ireland foam on the sea – this world that breaks and mends me Scott Packer, Canada shimmering aspen a hummingbird joins the chorus Lorraine A Padden, USA putting the spring on hold March snow Vandana Parashar, India morning dew in the tall grass unexpected butterflies John Pappas, USA summer dusk the last glow of laughter Sarah Paris, USA gleaning Chickadees everywhere green leaves push up through brown M.R. Pelletier, USA old garden chair . . . from the birch above a wattlebird's discourse Madhuri Pillai, Australia red winged blackbirds always loud when they check in Andrew Pineo, USA peach blossoms – in the old document, my age fiori di pesco – nel vecchio documento la mia età Cinzia Pitingaro, Italy star jelly . . . the flooded bog moves with darker shadows Thomas Powell, Northern Ireland another horizon – on the blade of grass ladybugs in a row altro orizzonte – coccinelle in fila sul filo d’erba Maria Cristina Pulvirenti, Italy Pink Moon the lingering curve of a winter belly seaport jazz – the errant gull's sidewalk sway Tony Pupello, USA after rain crushed rose petals season the air Audrey Quinn, Denmark soft sun – a gulmohar petal stains a parakeet’s beak Vaishnavi Ramaswamy, India summer sky among the marigolds a toddler's hat summer drizzle on an old lamppost a still dove Bhawana Rathore, India my mother’s ragged quilt now ten thousand prayers floating behind white silk kites M. Ann Reed, USA a ripple within a ripple fetus kick Meera Rehm, UK / Nepal warm bleats of fat-tailed sheep dawnlight writing back to an old friend . . . afternoon wind Sam Renda, South Africa spring again all the cats in one open window even the deer come to see them first crocus Bryan Rickert, USA first day of spring birdsong lifting me into the trees spring’s arrival snow clinging to the pines’ shadows Edward J. Rielly, USA lake stillness . . . a blade of sun slices open the fog all alone a fish eyes me Susan Lee Roberts, USA another secret . . . a raindrop on the rose thorn poised to fall Ce Rosenow, USA no bird . . . just a branch bouncing Aron Rothstein, USA a toddler released from the crib . . . cumulonimbus Jagajit Salam, India cookie bowl grandma shows the spaces between stars summer rain a fly escapes from the spider web Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India moving mountains for my child stream stone path Kelly Sargent, USA construction zone bank swallows burrow in nesting pairs Bonnie Scherer, USA sparkling stars whatever happens to my dreams les étoiles scintillent quoi qu'il advienne de mes rêves Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland a drop of river at the end of my paddle turning home wellness check the elderberries a darker shade of red Jule Schwerin, USA sunlight in the uplands blanding’s turtle eggs billowing clouds geese ride the tide under the footbridge Paula Sears, USA morning mist a dragonfly leads the way Manoj Sharma, Nepal Each of us talking about our youth on a verdurous night それぞれに若き日語る新樹の夜 Living alone – white roses blooming high in her garden 一人住む庭に白ばら高く咲き Kyoko Shimizu, Japan shooting stars celestial performance over blooming sakura падащи звезди небесен спектакъл над цъфнали вишни Tsanka Shishkova, Bulgaria hibiscus bush a chameleon’s colors in the noon shade जवाकुसुम की झाड़ी-- एक गिरगिट के रंग दुपहरी छाया में heatwave-- the cart vendor fans ripe mangoes लू की लहर-- ठेले वाला पंखा झलता पके आम Neena Singh, India march sunset a tiny finger points to the sea gull Neha Singh Soni , India sakura sadness no time for a snail across a sundial Thomas Smith, USA blue sky a cloud-hare follows a cloud-tortoise Srini, India September coolness a bag of carrots sprouting in the fridge Joshua St.Claire, USA cat asleep pond-side – its paw trying to catch dream fish Sunday afternoon – the ticking antique clock divides the silence (Inspired by Bruce Ross) John Richard Stephens, Hawaii, USA oxbow lake the parts of us we leave behind Bob Stewart, USA moonless sky desert stars point the way spring rain the meadow transforms overnight Stephenie Story, USA Mom’s Day the neighbors’ lilacs in a yogurt tub Dylan Stover, USA gleaning wrens we donate your clothes to the shelter requiem tamarisk leaves let go of their salt Debbie Strange, Canada blackbird chatter from the marsh returning spring two chicks with the loon pair evening calm Sarah Strong, USA saguaro dawn beyond the horizon our shadows Ollie Surber, USA ebb tide the plover’s nest waiting لهر جي لهر پلور جو آکيرو انتظار ۾ Sheza T., Pakistan crabapple blossoms the pink part of me swells with light a towhee's call at the edge of spring . . . that slant light Angela Terry, USA a lump of clay on the potter’s wheel yet unformed ein klumpen lehm auf der töpferscheibe ungeformt Ulrike Titelbach, Austria spring the creek frees itself of itself Padma Thampatty, USA cherry blossom the way your voice travels with us (for Bruce Ross) Xenia Tran, Scotland that last patch of snow when did it go crocuses brushing it off without thinking the first fly of spring Barbara Ungar, USA all the gold I've always dreamed of . . . dandelion field tot aurul la care am visat mereu . . . câmp cu păpădii Flory Untanu, Romania summer stars the art of listening to frogs midnight rendezvous the moonbright blossoms of the magnolia Kevin Valentine, USA buried in flowers the gardener at peace Jaundré van Breda, South Africa late summer – a wasp clinging to the latch Sathya Venkatesh, India trying out notes on an out of tune piano . . . storm clouds încercând note la un pian dezacordat . . . nori de furtună Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania a yolk breaks on the sunny-side-ups spring snow Joseph P. Wechselberger, USA hazel catkin – in the prison choir a new tenor Haselkätzchen – im Gefängnischor ein neuer Tenor Lucas Weissenborn, Norway buried treasure the lone crepe myrtle tree in her summer garden Christine Wenk-Harrison, USA flickering light a boy's first firefly enters daylight Timothy Wheatly, USA breathing sand and dust desert rose Scott Wiggerman, USA summer solstice winter wheat stubble shadows the fields Elaine Wilburt, USA bitten by the moon night flies Tony Williams, Scotland UK summer sun around charred trunks yarrow blooms Byron Wilson, USA the calm after – waiting for the next storm Juliet Wilson, Scotland, UK between contractions taste of sleep Katherine E Winnick, UK setting sun peeking through the Douglas firs western tanager Amber Winter, USA wrinkles an old man in a summer suit smiles released for a day from the underworld morning glory Robert Witmer, Japan cold dusk an old cedar's conversation with the wind Valorie Broadhurst Woerdehoff, USA cub scout fishing tournament bobbers in the trees John Wojtowicz, USA calling the river by an ancient name roar of the falls Susan Yavaniski, USA seashore a thought ebbs brzeg morza myśl odpływa spring drizzle a beemaster lures a swarm wiosenna mżawka pszczelarz wabi rój Eugeniusz Zacharski, Poland old porch – in the spring sun the nest stirs stara weranda – w wiosennym słońcu drżenie gniazda Artur Zieliński, Poland Comments are closed.
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Editorial Staff:
Founder: Bruce Ross (d.2026) Editors: Astrid Andreescu Kristen Lindquist Art: Murray D. Ross (sumi-e) or Bruce Ross (Haiga) Archives
June 2026
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