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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* *siesta: early, warmest afternoon hours *Tereré: cool, refreshing drink made of yerba mate (ilex paraguayensis) Fin del verano La siesta con cigarras y tereré Lía Miersch, Argentina over the marsh the shadow of a white crane sliding lightly peste mlaştină umbra unui cocor alb alunecând uşor flying at night – a flock of wild geese above the airport zbor de noapte – stol de gâşte sălbatice peste aeroport Vasile Moldovan, Romania dry lightning every summer this game of chance Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA late Spring seeing through the forest one last time fin du printemps un dernier regard à travers la forêt Mike Montreuil, Canada (French translation: Maxianne Berger) hospice garden the forget-me-nots in full bloom sunning herself in my fairy garden neighbor’s cat windy day the cherry blossoms fill sidewalk cracks Joanne Morcom, Canada clumps of clover the symbolic leaf . . . end of pandemic ciuffi di trifoglio la foglia simbolica . . . fine della pandemia Luciana Moretto, Italy rainbow – wondering if the robin sees it Wilda Morris, USA spring trail ride my pony makes some of the decisions summer blooms – the lovely Latin of their names Laurie D. Morrissey, USA visiting civil war trenches summer grass Tim Murphy, Spain/Ireland rainbow I remember again gökkuşağı hatırlıyorum yine Guliz Mutlu, Turkey summer garden, my cat playing with the moon Tom Nalder, New Zealand years from the ashram I pick my way over the rocky beach Peter Newton, USA spring thaw . . . sparrows stuff their nest with sweater yarn Nika, Canada spring morning the gifts of stillness wrapped in song climate change against all odds I plant seedlings morning meadow yet another layer of birdsong Helen Ogden, USA have you blossomed since my last time on this path – star clematis bush? Maeve O’Sullivan, Ireland shining lake – a distant loon calls my other name trailer park – all of the haiku quiet our thomas, USA all our hopes still within reach – daytime moon apple blossoms open one by one the road unknown Scott Packer, Canada moving clouds even now standing so still that tree afar oblaci se kreću i dalje stoji tako mirno ono daleko stablo Dejan Pavlinović, Croatia light breeze – the wave of poppies reddens the sky brezza leggera – l’onda dei papaveri arrossa il cielo dew – the color of dawn in a rose rugiada – il colore dell’ alba in una rosa Maria Teresa Piras, Italy a new dream the sun among the cherry trees suddenly un nuovo sogno il sole tra i ciliegi all’ improvviso the last words of our meeting leaves in the wind le ultime parole del nostro incontro foglie al vento Cinzia Pitingaro, Italy way home – gently hold the puppy miner’s hands дорога домой – бережно держат щенка руки шахтёра Philmore Place, Belarus missing color on painter’s palette – spring green couleur manquante sur la palette du peintre – vert printemps Nicole Pottier, France early summer ducks in pairs, webbed feet opening and closing soaking up late summer sunshine a ceramic frog Patricia Prime, New Zealand almost summer through an open door the scent of earth morning dew fresh paw prints follow the sparrow’s song Carol Raisfeld, USA the moment that indigo turns to black first star two children in raincoats and boots a puddle blowhole at the edge of the sea the silence between Dian Duchin Reed, USA Koels call on cue Spring first night of Summer the deafening drum of cicadas golden wattle in full bloom winter blues end Carol Reynolds, Australia planting flowers . . . on the kitchen table my dark mask discussing graffiti on the sides of train cars spring sunshine 4th of July the darkening sky of the pandemic Edward J. Rielly, USA summer sun setting in my lap Joan Marie Roberts, Canada bright lilacs . . . bird seed on the sill of an open window home from the meadow my son draws us as blue horses wildfire – the horse given water from a cowboy hat Chad Lee Robinson, USA radio says rain – yet the sun is trailing me in every room before its tracks dry the red salamander slides into the water Sydell Rosenberg, USA piercing the fog black eyes of a barred owl turn my way no backstory among the willows a lone elk cow Aron Rothstein, USA backwater twilight a skipping pebble ripples the colours too far for the contagion to catch haze-masked moon summer breeze . . . the fragrant rain of neem flowers Srinivas S, India reading the tao te ching – a breeze through the window turns the next page Dan Salontai, USA Buddha’s birthday a cow licks all over the newborn calf morning tea a little sparrow drops into our talk Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India a hillside shifts shape spring rain Bona M. Santos, USA sometimes a stick is a snake river trail summer clouds the turtle pond’s surface full of dreams Agnes Eva Savich, USA call for prayer . . . the dandelion seeds drifting panggilan azan . . . biji-biji bunga jombang* berderai-derai *tanaman jombang (Taraxacum officinale) I wash my face moonlight sinking between the wet pebbles kubasuh muka cahaya bulan karam diantara kerikil basah spring rain . . . in an umbrella I shelter from thought shower hujan turun . . . di bawah payung aku berlindung dari guyuran pikiran Ken Sawitri, Indonesia a flycatcher chasing moon-bleached wings summer’s end Julie Schwerin, USA handmade doily wily spider works his way out Ron Scully, USA idle summer day in Buddha’s lap a cat dreams Richa Sharma, India places to go a row of weeping cherries slows me down Adelaide Shaw, USA the crow stretching out her wings morning meditation Ted Sherman, UK Under cherry blossoms walking side by side at the same pace 寄り添へば同じ歩幅に花の下 Yorisoe ba onaji hohaba ni hana no shita Fallen peony petals still spread the scent over the ground 散りてなほ地に香をひろぐ牡丹かな tirite nao chi ni ka o hirogu botan kana Kyoko Shimizu, Japan waving grass of the meadow kite in my bag разлюляна тревата на ливадата хвърчило в чантата ми fragrance of the white sand lilies alone by the sea аромат на бели пясъчни лилии сама край морето Tsanka Shishkova, Bulgaria Calm sea, the greenery of a rock among the foam. Mar en calma, el verdor de una roca entre la espuma. At dawn . . . the first shower of spring. Al amanecer . . . el primer chubasco de primavera. Leticia Sicilia, Spain prognosis – spring colours in the pillbox Neena Singh, India raindrop – a glimpse of what’s to come kap kiše – nagovještaj onoga što dolazi moonlight the hedgehog ignores no trespassing sign mjesečina jež ne mari za znak zabranjen prolaz Tomislav Sjekloća, Montenegro pollen clouds the meadow threaded with butterflies Debbie Strange, Canada The face of spring – the ruined wall full of ivy Chipul primăverii – zidul ruinat plin de iederă Vigils of Easter . . . two doves on the spire listen to the liturgy Deniile . . . doi porumbei pe turlă ascultă liturghia Constantin Stroe, Romania drifting on the spring breeze . . . children’s laughter terbawa bersama semilir angin musim semi . . . tawa anak-anak fireflies . . . all the dreams I’ve ever had kunang-kunang semua mimpi yang pernah kumiliki Agus Maulana Sunjaya, Indonesia windowsill . . . tulips in a pot waiting for spring перваз на прозорец… лалета в саксии чакат пролетта Diana Teneva, Bulgaria in fragments across the melting pond the spring moon Angela Terry, USA white clouds in the sky – ready to bloom the old cherry nori albi pe cer – gata să înflorească cireşul bătrân granny on the porch several cries in the cherry with ripe fruits bunica în verandă – strigăte în cireşul cu fructe coapte clear night – girls making wreaths of yellow bedstraw noapte senină – fete împletind cununi din sânziene Maria Tirenescu, Romania grandpa’s lazybed his potatoes still grow in the corner spring snow lighting a fire to write about the old days cherry blossom an old pen fills with ink Xenia Tran, Scotland leap of a trout spring rain resurrects the river swamp thistle rival hummingbirds battle for nectar bait bucket reaching into the moon for a minnow Kevin Valentine, USA spring cold snap even the moon is snowbound Mary Vlooswyk, Canada lavender in bloom – my garden filling with sky lavanda în floare – grădina mea se umple de cer Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania spring rain the scent of the forest touching the clouds icicles on the cross melting into my husband’s grave Althea Rowe Watson, USA love done – the skipped stone disappears into fog the Milky Way above fails to bring you closer – my long walk home Michael Dylan Welch, USA crabapple branches blown bare again in March wind Feral bee hive The whole earth humming beneath our feet Allyson Whipple, USA spring sunflecks all those moments of insight Kath Abela Wilson, USA along a lake on a long slow day a lonely swan wzdłuż jeziora w długi wolny dzień samotny łabędź venturing into the impossible oriole’s voice odważ się na niemożliwe głos wilgi the sun forces forsythias to bloom a cold snap słońce zmusza forsycje do kwitnienia ukłucie zimna Ernest Wit, Poland spring rain the capricious pattering a toddler’s first steps Robert Witmer, Japan burying mother in a pandemic the space between Valorie Woerdehoff, USA Welcome to this Fall/Winter issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. Very recently, people around the world have noticed climate change as manifested in the destruction of natural spaces on Earth and produced by human activity and population growth. According to the well-known British naturalist David Attenborough, wild natural spaces are diminishing. There is an increase in hurricanes and wildfires around the globe, and resulting destruction of human living space. This year has also brought a pandemic of COVID virus and resulting undermining of many important social activities as some of the haiku poets in this current issue have addressed. Also in this current issue, there are many excellent haiku addressing mortality and impermanence, a number of them with philosophic undertones. A recent documentary on the well-known beautiful Australian coral reefs by an oceanographer wondered about the recent dying of some of these coral reefs. What he discovered was that the reefs depended upon the soundscapes that were near them. He therefore recorded that soundscape in its various sections and played them near the dying coral reefs. The result was that these reefs revived and looked as beautiful as they were before. As for flowers, which are cherished by humans for their beauty, in Japan from the beginning of haiku, dictionaries were formulated to record the seasonal growth of the natural world. The haiku itself was formulated upon the poets’ appreciation and sense of such particular beauty. Bruce Ross, December 2020 autumn trees – the village market on its off day àwọn igi ẹ̀rùn – ọjà abúlé náà ní ọjọ́ kòfo Oluwasegun Oluseyi Adesina, Nigeria wind again . . . alchechengi lantern on my doorstep ancora vento . . . lanterna di alchechengi sulla mia soglia Elisa Allo, Switzerland kaleidoscope the clink of autumn colors settling in place an’ya, USA lockdown the face of the moon still shining carantină chipul lunii încă sclipind Cristina Apetrei, Romania twilight tracks from the homeless shelter hunger moon western wind rearranging the pattern fallen leaves Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA unraked leaves – life on the verge of annihilation غیر مجتمع پتے - زندگی فنا ہونے کے قریب Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan deep winter the intimacy of stars there in this silence with leaves Joanna Ashwell, UK autumn eve swans glide into the moon Susan B. Auld, USA windstorm . . . a soutane hanging on a minaret ìjì ńlá . . . sùtánà sokọ́ sóri asóró autumn wind . . . an olive tree falls by half atẹ́gùn ọyẹ́ . . . igi ólífì ṣubú dá méjì rustling leaves – the intermittent sound of father’s newspaper rírún ewé – dídún ní lemọ́lemọ́ ìwe ́ìròyìn bàbá Taofeek Ayeyemi (Aswagaawi), Nigeria Foggy autumn day a piece of colorful dress hanging on barbed wire Jesen u magli na bodljikavoj žici šarena krpa Katica Badovinac, Croatia cancer erasing the color of his skin autumn’s end R.D. Bailey, Jamaica autumn loneliness . . . the old scarecrow a good listener Saumya Bansal, India rain dropping all pretense Aaron Barry, Canada I want to learn the thoughts of fireflies in the September dusk Michael Battisto, USA Lauds through the abbey windows black-capped chickadees trimming beans I count my blessings Maxianne Berger, Canada dark grass on the spider’s web frost hardens dunkles Gras auf dem Spinnennetz härtet Frost aus Bisshie, Switzerland gnarly tree the apples are small and crooked yet so, so sweet knorriger Baum die Äpfel sind klein und krumm doch so, so süss Benjamin Blaesi, Switzerland frozen bog the only sound on the mountain E.L Blizzard, USA harvest time – singing in the sun a local herb seller Meik Blöttenberger, USA deep into autumn . . . thinking about that moment when everything changed Ed Bremson, USA snow field a scarecrow salutes the wind Alanna C. Burke, USA sudden thunder . . . jumping here and there pomegranate grains tuono improvviso . . . schizzano di qua e di là chicchi di melograno quiet chattering of yellowed leaves . . . empty benches chiacchiericcio di foglie ingiallite . . . panchine vuote Lucia Cardillo, Italy knowing how clouds move along mountains this place called home cicadas become september rain Matthew Caretti, USA a dream I want to remember morning’s chai tea the heavens . . . a wild pony . . . nodding Anna Cates, USA trails in the snow in each enough room for the moonlight stope u snijegu baš u svaku stane mjesečina Mihovila Čeperić-Biljan, Croatia on this night i truly travel alone – snow falling dreary sky – one of us needs to cheer up – winter clouds Vernon Chain, USA from next room the muted sound of bangles . . . hazy moon Kanchan Chatterjee, India mountain cabin the sound of winter approaching Hemapriya Chellappan, India farewell gift on the old maple tree first red leaf pożegnalny dar pierwszy czerwony liść na starym klonie Autumn drizzle twitches of the horse’s ears shake off the droplets jesienna mżawka drganie końskich uszu strząsa kropelki Marta Chociłowska, Poland a bright spark wanders in her eyes harvest moon jasna iskra wędruje w jej oczach jesienna pełnia Sebastian Chrobak, Poland where the mulberry’s fruit have been . . . autumn martin gottlieb cohen, USA away, wild geese we’ve stayed too long in autumn autumn moon the grasshopper left by the harvester autumn sunset holding its fading red corn poppies Sue Colpitts, Canada barefoot waiting for a spider to leave the stepping stone a horse trailer with one board missing red leaves Bill Cooper, USA Full moon rising . . . Down to the last page the book keeps its secret Aufgehender Vollmond . . . Bis zur letzten Seite wahrt das Buch sein Geheimnis Beate Conrad, Germany autumn equinox just enough breeze to turn a page Canada geese the way they divide an autumn sky Susan Constable, Canada full moon all that’s left ash and urn Vera Constantineau, Canada me and the silence the last leaf is about to fall io e il silenzio l’ultima foglia sta per cadere a certainty of finding nothing sudden storm la certezza di non trovare nulla temporale improvviso Maria Concetta Conti, Italy arms outstretched baby gathers in the harvest moon I awoke and knew the snow was falling a lightness of heart Ronald K. Craig, USA white moon – my restless desire to explore beyond Anne Louise Curran, New Zealand mom’s urn my cosmos in suspense урната на мама моят космос приземен Maya Daneva, Canada/Bulgaria autumn lockdown a family gathering of mushrooms Tracy Davidson, UK forest ferns brushed by moonlight . . . the drizzle of autumn rain descent into darkness . . . the last bigleaf maple falls to the ground elehna de sousa, Canada first logs in the hearth the sound of cicadas premières bûches dans l’âtre le son des cigales watching Malevich’s white square silently regarder le carré de Malevich en silence chocolate money at thirty bucks I stop – night of quarantine euros en chocolat à trente balles j’arrête – soir de quarantaine Marie Derley, Belgium late winter . . . a light rain wets the roses fine inverno . . . una pioggia sottile bagna le rose Rosa Maria Di Salvatore, Italy far peak a tad of snow glints on, glints off impossible to count all the falling yellow leaves six parrots in the elm Jan Dobb, Australia in a wolf’s eyes trapped in the cage – the autumn moon U očima vuka zarobljen u kavezu – jesenji mesec Zoran Doderović, Serbia rustling leaves my joints grow a little stiffer Carmela Dolce, USA end of summer in the old caravan remain only the stars края на лятото в старата каравана остават само звездите Radostina A. Dragostinova, Bulgaria warm colours in the old photo – autumn culori calde în fotografia veche – toamna autumn moon – my first ink painting luna de toamnă – prima mea pictură în cerneală Ana Drobot, Romania meditation garden Buddha’s statue rings from a fallen acorn John J. Dunphy, USA loneliness – through the closed window an autumn message singurătate – prin fereastra închisă mesaj de toamnă melancholy – under golden leaves crickets’ song melancolie – sub frunzele de aur cântec de greieri Carmen Duvalma, Romania moonlight hallelujah hallelujah David Käwika Eyre, USA their argument more like music juncos Seren Fargo, USA a crow calls through the mist autumn chill Susan Farmer, USA autumn mourning inside my hands words left unsaid Marisa Fazio, Australia the buck and I share the same moon autumn path Bruce H. Feingold, USA arbor moon the last grape on the vine scattered farms connected by a crow Jeffrey Ferrara, USA wind sweeping leaves from the pavement leftover cough wiatr zmiata liście z chodnika pozostał kaszel Agnieszka Filipek, Ireland/Poland full moon I am here and you are there together pełnia księżyca ja tu a ty tam razem full moon did my daughters turn off the bedside lamps? pełnia księżyca czy moje córki zgasiły nocne lampki? in deep silence . . . over my grandmother’s grave autumn butterfly głęboka cisza nad grobem mojej babci jesienny motyl cold morning in the newspaper my professor’s obituary chłód w porannej gazecie nekrolog mojego profesora Małgorzata Formanowska, Poland wind chimes – hanging patiently indoors B.A. France, USA her gold rimmed fan – autumn light falls through a blackbird’s wing Sunday winter noon I slip into grace Jenny Fraser, New Zealand setting sun i brush the leaves off her headstone Jay Friedenberg, USA November just a mistletoe left on a birch tree studeni na brezi ostala tek imela Željko Funda, Croatia ice moon i become the silence of the pond moonrise the white tops of toadstools Ben Gaa, USA crickets . . . leaf by leaf, the evening shadows Joshua Gage, USA sheltering in place on a bed of pine needles – sleeping kitten Jerome Gagnon, USA winter beach this young man’s dreams gone with the wind William Scott Galasso, USA fuchsia petals hanging on for first frost that time of year – the sycamore leaves teased into colour Mike Gallagher, Ireland autumn night – where the street ends oh fireflies noche de otoño – donde acaba la calle oh cucubanos fall rain – in the pine forest the old house lluvia de otoño – en el bosque de pinos la casa vieja an acorn is what I found – winter field una bellota es lo que he encontrado – campo invernal Rafael García Bidó, Dominican Republic His name Still engraved so deeply . . . Dandelion in the wind Jego imię Wciąż wyryte tak głęboko... Dmuchawiec na wietrze Anna Goluba, Poland she takes another anxiety pill to sleep frost moon John S Green, USA rescuer’s hand in the autumn sky earthquake rubble güz semasında kurtarıcının eli deprem enkazı Engin Gülez, Turkey autumn sunshine walking through the maple leaves Dorna Hainds, USA autumn breeze turning through the leaves the last butterfly autumn sunset so difficult to write about happiness late autumn frost spider webs string together a necklace of stars John Hawkhead, UK corn moon a cobbled path to the harvest Diane Allen Hemingway, USA momentary snow feathers on the skylight isshun yuki no hane tenmado ni 一瞬 雪の羽 天窓に aluminum pie pans still scare the crows empty cornfield arumi paipan mada carasu o odokasu kara no tomorokoshibatake アルミ パイパン まだ 烏 を 脅かす 空 の ともろこし畑 Judith Hishikawa, USA becoming the wind starlings Jeff Hoagland, USA autumn sky a green leaf cradled on the streambed Frank Hooven, USA still dawn a kayaker’s paddle swirls fog outside my window a spider weaves gold winter sun Louise Hopewell, Australia beyond my window Sirius tracks down the moon covid isolation crowded mall shoppers eyes smiling behind masks fallen leaves crackle on the track covid restrictions ease water runnels over mossy stones the silence Marilyn Humbert, Australia autumn moon testing the thickness of cloud cover above a swathe of low-lying mist the morning star Erica Ison, UK stormy sea – into the old lighthouse only the full moon mare-n furtună – în vechiul far mai urcă doar luna plină Dan Iulian, Romania autumn diary the weight of her old age in her loneliness Lakshmi Iyer, India drifting by the autumn moon a red canoe sprouting from leafless branches blackbirds Rick Jackofsky, USA keeping up with the stars skipping stones Elmedin Kadric, Sweden Sharing a night the light switched off with crickets 灯を消してちちろと夜を共にせり hi wo keshite chichiro to yoru o tomoni seri Evening rain not enough to quell insects’ voices 虫の声鎮めぬほどの雨の夕 mushi no koe shizumenu hodo no ame no yu Satoru Kanematsu, Japan fresh cement – the fallen leaf falling forever autumn wind – did you get stronger since last year? Skylar Kay, Canada dead end where the woods begin beads of rain on a leafless branch my morning prayer Bill Kenney, USA hot day in autumn one turkey vulture soaring above another forest morning spots on a fawn not yet faded regarding the bird through its shadow autumn ramble Craig Kittner, USA harvest moon twisting half a peach from its stone ice crystals the swaying of pine trees in low winter sun winter hike – the smell of woodsmoke at trail’s end kjmunro, Canada As the days grow short And the rush of man persists The yellow leaf falls Dani prolaze Ljudska žurba nastavlja Žuti list je pao Valentino Klarić, Croatia city lights from separate hilltops you and I storm front the way your voice quivers when you care winter grave a handful of frozen carnations Deborah P Kolodji, USA autumn moonlight – a homeless man falls asleep on his own shadow jesienny blask księżyca – bezdomny zasypia na własnym cieniu Marek Kozubek, Poland deepening sky each falling leaf adding blue winter bus stop the breaths of strangers one cloud autumn dusk just enough light to see geese cross the sky Jeff Kressman, USA huge house not high enough to stop a leaf in the wind listič med letom niti ogromna zgradba ga ne zaustavi snowy path I pause to inhale the tranquility zasnežena pot nebrzdano vdihujem spokojnost sveta Samo Kreutz, Slovenia autumn caressed by the sun the last rose jesen suncem pomilovana zadnja ruža Gordana Kurtović, Croatia acorn caps – she counts her collection into the honey jar grandfather’s armchair facing the backyard . . . winter nesting Barrie Levine, USA January thaw . . . a mallard sails free of an eddy Kristen Lindquist, USA window display the blush of autumn sunset on her masked face 櫥窗陳列 在她戴面罩的臉上 秋天的夕陽紅 a tow truck pulling another first snowfall 一輛拖車 費力拖著另一輛 首次降雪 Chen-ou Liu, Canada will I still be here when next spring comes reddening leaves Amy Losack, USA under the roof the swallows nest filled – a family of sparrows spodi krova gnezdo laste spunila – obitel vrapcov pod krovom lastino gnijezdo popunila – obitelj vrabaca Vladimir Ludvig, Croatia late rise . . . the moon above the prison wall Ajaya Mahala, India still remembering childhood homecoming grandma’s chestnuts crackling ainda me lembro regresso a casa da infância as castanhas da avó a crepitar Mónica Margaride, Portugal how much the earth still to be trampled on? autumn clouds quanta la terra ancora da calpestare? nubi d'autunno Carmela Marino, Italy Midnight On my horse’s back The autumn moon Amy Marshall, New Zealand acorn caps for cups her first tea Scott Mason, USA The mice, Circumspect in their searching, A perfect moonlight Trelise McEwan, New Zealand unusually late outside with the neighbors as a comet blazes Robin Mayhall, USA Fireworks An old war veteran hugs his dog Fuegos de artificio Un viejo veterano de guerra abraza a su perro Lía Miersch, Argentina scarlet firethorn . . . the fluted notes of the hermit thrush street market all the colours of autumn in the pumpkin-seller’s stall Mark Miller, Australia late autumn – a golden leaf on the wedding ring toamnă târzie – o frunză aurie pe verighetă Mihai Moldoveanu – Mirco, Romania October light everywhere ghost pumpkins colorless nights no longer hearing the insects cry Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA harvest fair corn dollies for sale arms beckoning Joanne Morcom, Canada turning up the collar of my quilted jacket . . . low hangs the moon alzo il bavero della giacca imbottita pende bassa la luna Luciana Moretto, Italy winter light the permanence of longing last year’s fruit weighted by snow winter robins Laurie D. Morrissey, USA autumn migration a whale fluke enters the rising moon Ron Moss, Australia the sound of the treadle from Nonna’s sewing machine autumn rain Angela Naccarato, Canada hunter’s moon on the widow’s porch a stray tom Nika, Canada autumn hill – a monk tears another page in his diary Òkè ìgbà ìwọ́wé – Àlùfáà jà awẹ́ míràn nínú ìwé-iranti Tolulope Ogedengbe, Nigeria emptiness can be divided winter plovers our thomas, USA frozen creek a memory lingers on the kissing bridge Roland Packer, Canada dirt road drive drenched in silence – autumn moon midnight frost upon the prairie grass the endless starlight magpies pick the last red tree fruit – harvest moon Scott Packer, Canada clear cut a woodpecker forages sideways Lorraine A. Padden, USA my soft footfalls on the library floor Mid-October Melissa Patterson, USA grave visiting a dash separates the same dates posjet groblju crtica razdvaja iste datume Sanela Pliško, Croatia behind the mountain the moon slowly disappears – monk deep in prayer derrière la montagne la lune s’évanouit lentement – moine en prière Nicole Pottier, France equinox sun . . . an orb-weaver reaches its centre haul y gyhydnos… y corryn yn cyrraedd canol y we clifftop path my breath a breeze from here to there Thomas Powell, Wales my need to meditate autumn moon evening silence the autumn moon closer than ever Patricia Prime, New Zealand across the field pieces of scarecrow spin in the wind autumn chill the fly dressed in spider silk Carol Raisfeld, USA growing day by day your absence . . . scent of drying leaves Milan Rajkumar, India brown dragonfly on a dried grass stem autumn begins Dian Duchin Reed, USA raking leaves my neighbor and I wave keeping our distance winter whiteout not seeing where we’re going where we have been silence before the snowstorm deepening Edward J. Rielly, USA autumn is passing – all is said in a letter that does not arrive jesen odmiče – u pismu što ne stiže sve je rečeno Dragan Ristić, Serbia tender moon a threadbare butterfly in baby’s cradle Cynthia Rowe, Australia COVID coexistence – to wash and disinfect full harvest moon suživot s koronavirusom - oprati i dezinficirati puni jesenji mjesec Đurđa Vukelić Rožić, Croatia a great log in the river rolls over . . . autumn moon Timothy Russell, USA autumn full moon a child wonders why it doesn’t fall rustle of leaves . . . no point remembering the old songs Srinivas S, India crow’s footprints the wind slowly shifts the sand in the fall the weight of a raindrop Srinivasa Rao Sambangi, India mid-day sun winter mountains unravel slowly Bona M. Santos, USA day moon deep in the milkweed monarch eggs Agnes Eva Savich, USA definite darkness . . . the porch light’s swaying to uncertain direction gelap pekat ... lampu beranda berayun arah tak tentu Ken Sawitri, Indonesia falling leaf . . . for the briefest moment it soars Greg Schwartz, USA row of hayrounds the one that lifts into the night sky covering her perennials against the frost All Saint’s Day Julie Schwerin, USA blessings in mother’s smile – Dashain festival* *national Nepalese autumn festival celebrated by receiving blessings from elders winter dusk . . . the fading sound of temple bells Manoj Sharma, Nepal west to east this autumn moon an enso Lakshmi Sheth, Dubai A full moon lighting every house on the zenith どの家も照らす満月天心に dono ie mo terasu mangetsu tenshin ni Fallen ginkgo nuts – a male ginkgo tree stands at a short distance 銀杏落つ少し離れて雄株立つ ichyo otsu sukosi hanarete okabu tatsu Kyoko Shimizu, Japan footbridge covered with autumn leaves water lily pond пешеходен мост покрито с есенни листа езеро с лилии sunny afternoon on a bench facing the sun autumn leaves слънчев слеобед на пейка обърната към слънцето есенни листа snowstorm in the apple tree chanting bells снежна буря на ябълковото дърво звънтят камбанки Tsanka Shishkova, Bulgaria last night’s rain, the first light of day on the drops. Lluvia de anoche, la primera luz del día sobre las gotas. Leticia Sicilia, Spain autumn noon the light and shadow of birdsong autumn dusk a cricket’s love trill in fading light Neena Singh, India twilit garden – the gauzy wings of a mosquito bare branches . . . a spider launches itself into the storm roadside weed – its seedheads point to the stars Barbara Strang, New Zealand ashfall the missing river of heaven the emptiness of a mermaid’s purse . . . rusted hull Debbie Strange, Canada last year’s struggles . . . just one breath rights the bug Kyle Sullivan, Taiwan breaking dawn two pairs of sandals on the mosque steps menjelang fajar dua pasang sendal di tangga masjid mother’s last words fallen snow on maple leaves ucapan terakhir ibu butiran salju di atas daun maple Agus Maulana Sunjaya, Indonesia autumn moon shaky gossamer traps from twig to twig Barbara A. Taylor, Australia early fall – the sunlit centers of purple asters October wind – leaf shadows on the wall of the empty house autumn leaves without a whisper of wind song Angela Terry, USA turning into and out of ice winter pond Jennifer Thiermann, USA year’s end – the temple bell in a slow fade bristlecone pine – shapes of wind frozen in layered snow Richard Tice, USA what’s the use of the rush . . . city moon untuk apa tergesa . . . bulan di atas kota Elisa Theriana, Indonesia a curving beach one crab’s raised pincers pierce autumn fog Carrie Ann Thunell, USA first frost – popping pumpkin seeds in mother’s frypan eerste vorst – ploffende pompoenpitten in moeders bakpan Corine Timmer, Portugal/The Netherlands stormy rain – the lullaby by Mozart on the radio ropot de ploaie – cântec de leagăn de Mozart la radio Snowstorm in the village – grandma spins the wool murmuring a song Furtună de zăpadă în sat – bunica toarce lână murmurând un cântec Maria Tirenescu, Romania all souls’ night my great-grandparents play in the snow Xenia Tran, Scotland autumnal stars the unexpected pleasure of a nightingale harvesting light one memory at a time autumn moon Kevin Valentine, USA sleepless night the stream rocks a pebble back and forth slapeloze nacht de stroom wiegt een steentje heen en weer Joanne van Helvoort, The Netherlands missing you in ways I never thought I would blue moon Christine L. Villa, USA evening walk a young deer rustles between stray thoughts changing seasons a blue heron on a rock going nowhere Mary Vlooswyk, Canada pumpkin cupcakes . . . in grandma’s recipe book a stain still full of flavor brioșe cu dovleac . . . o pată încă aromată în rețetarul bunicii Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania sun through icicles the spirit of my brother in a blue jay’s call scent of pine the fire’s long shadows spinning the dreidel Althea Rowe Watson, USA mist rises weight of moonlight on the wetlands deep autumn David Watts, USA autumn mountains touching the limitless blue sky Elaine Wilburt, USA a leaf falls past an open window first day of school clouds of breath a winter sun burns away the eulogy late winter an icicle drips on an empty mailbox Robert Witmer, Japan tree limb encased in ice what I keep to myself Valorie Broadhurst Woerdehoff, USA peace earth embraces a leaf memorial an acorn found with her jewelry another autumn the moon moves its way through the dark zen garden the storm wears away some stone Jann Wright, USA moon at the bottom of the swift and gurgling stream shines as a coin månen längst ner av den snabba och gurglande strömmen lyser som ett mynt Konstantin Yakimchuk, Sweden a golden leaf . . . reminds me of his hazel eyes ورقةٌ ذهبيّةٌ . . . تُذكِّرُني بعينيهِ العسليتينِ une feuille dorée . . . me fait penser à ses yeux noisette Hassane Zemmouri, Algeria scooping water moonlight drips off her fingers John Zheng, USA First Prize:
dried sunflower the beauty of a brief life Meik Blöttenberger, USA This is a subtle meditation on beauty and impermanence. Second Prize: an ancient path in a sky without time departing geese Carol Raisfeld, USA A deep meditation on the natural world. Third Prize: a lone boat amid a river of stars crescent moon con thuyền lẻ loi giữa dòng tinh tú vầng trăng khuyết Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Vietnam A deep experience of mystery and stillness. Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order): wild asters nodding in the wind all we hold dear Maxianne Berger, Canada moonlit lake renewing my faith in infinity Helen Buckingham, UK autumn stillness as if I were part of the void Jenny Fraser, New Zealand eighty autumns . . . her fingers remembering the first quinces osamdeset jeseni... njeni prsti se prisjećaju prvih dunja Goran Gatalica, Croatia miscarriage . . . how long this autumn of my womb Arvinder Kaur, India autumn loneliness a windfall of red maples on her kimono Mohammad Azim Khan, Pakistan skipping stone the autumn pond restoring the clouds în urma pietrei iazul de toamnă reface norii Eduard Ţară, Romania Haiku Moment Award
seeking mother’s hidden light star magnolia Martha Magenta, UK A very subtly expressed feeling of longing of the poet for her mother. Runners-Up (in alphabetical order): cows settle deeper in their shadows autumn moon Marilyn Ashbaugh, USA A perfectly expressed moment in autumn. all we’ve forgotten . . . the honeysuckle in winter Mark E. Brager, USA A simply stated insight into winter. Early dawn - into my dream breaks a cawing crow 明易や烏の声に夢破れ Akeyasuya karasu no koe ni yume yabure Satoru Kanematsu, Japan A modern turn on classic Japanese crow haiku. Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order): beaver moon - what is left behind in this windswept field سنگ آبی مہتاب اس باد زدہ میدان میں کیا باقی بچا ہے Hifsa Ashraf, Pakistan autumn deepens . . . meerkats in the pile of yellowed leaves ẹ̀rún múlẹ̀ . . . àwọn ẹmọ́ àfè nínu ẹ̀rẹ́ẹ́lẹ̀ ewé Taofeek Ayeyemi (Aswagaawy), Nigeria frozen waterfalls on a roadside cliff - the silence between us Susan Constable, Canada climate change on the merchant’s stall no pumpkin smiles accords sur le climat sur l’étal les potirons n’ont pas le sourire Marie Derley, Belgium autumn wind bristled the spines of a hedgehog Jesenji vetar nakostrešio bodlje ježa Zoran Doderović, Croatia wind storm - Norfolk pines hold up the Milky Way Lorin Ford, Australia crabapples in moonlight . . . first frost 海棠月色映初霜 David He, People’s Republic of China dandelion tea - the more bitter taste of this spring ceai de păpădie - gustul mai amar al acestei primăveri Mirela Brăilean, Romania life in a puddle chasing a cloud Jeff Ferrara, USA Coronavirus. Quarantine. Tell it to the nightingale Coronavirus. Cuarentena. Digànselo al ruiseñor. Rafael García Bidó, Dominican Republic Welcome to the spring/summer 2020 issue of Autumn Moon Haiku Journal. This issue and our world are dominated by the coronavirus pandemic which has led directly to many deaths. Yet this journal and the mode of presenting haiku poets’ responses to this situation is a means of overcoming the so-called lockdown, despite the quarantine’s required masks and social distancing rules. The significance of haiku to resolve or lighten this condition is in its opening of a deep feeling of the poet with a heightened moment with other people and with nature and the universe as a whole, including the central spring season word in Japan, sakura (cherry blossoms). In many cultures the spring equinox is also recognized and celebrated. Haiku poetry also highlights a heightened emotion of various kinds by a given observation within that emotion. The focuses of this issue’s haiku more or less resemble haiku conceived under less troubling times and, in fact, might help overcome some of the current time’s troubling conditions. The haiku in this issue do this by focusing on myriad moments of experience that they may have under more untroubled times: cherry blossoms, the spring equinox, the moon, the sun, clouds, rainbows, wildflowers, farm animals, forests, rain, lightening, ocean, wild vegetables, moss on a stone, stars, sunshine, wild birds, pet birds, newborn bird chicks, sunshine, frogs, empty train stations, footprints, grass, insect sounds, friends and family, and whatever comes to a poet’s mind in a focused or entranced mind, or both. The so-called haiku moment has a magical elevating quality. Here is a good description of it by the New Zealand short story writer Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) from one of her stories: “Wind moving through the grass so that the grass quivers. This moves me with an emotion I don’t even understand.” Even in uncertain times the haiku moment can awaken you in a positive way and remove the overpowering struggle with, for example, the pandemic, at least for a moment. Comparing the haiku in earlier issues of this journal, this issue shows a less deep connection of the kind referred to by Mansfield. Nonetheless, it is wonderful what the poets came up with despite the pandemic. All in all, an impressive group of world haiku rising above the troubling time.
Bruce Ross, June 2020 a lark – crosses the river the echo of its song una allodola - attraversa il fiume l’eco del canto all equal the cherry blossoms along the journey tutti uguali i fiori di ciliegio lungo il viaggio Vincenzo Adamo, Italy the surprise passing another key worker in morning light chaffinch call a brief burst of sunshine Joanna Ashwell, UK August night the depth of a bullfrog’s song Susan Auld, USA spring equinox - weaverbirds carrying grasses to the tree ọ̀gìnìtì - àwọn ẹyẹ ẹ̀gà ń gbé koríko lọ sórí igi first rain . . . the village kids hold out their palms òjò àkọ́kọ́ . . . àwọn ọmọ oko tẹ́wọ́ síwájú hot noon . . . the shadow of a waterbird shades a baby crab ọ̀sán pọ́n ganrí . . . òjìjí ẹyẹ ọ̀sìn ràgàbo ọmọ akàn Taofeek Ayeyemi, Nigeria lockdown the silence releases a blue heron lockdown de stilte laat een blauwe reiger vrij Michael Baeyens, Belgium moon shadows through lace curtains her perfume flasks street festival a little girl tap dancing her dolly Maxianne Berger, Canada sweltering noon the swing sways empty Bisshie, Switzerland full nest - all the loved ones in my heart cuib plin toţi cei dragi în inima mea dandelion tea - the more bitter taste of this spring ceai de păpădie - gustul mai amar al acestei primăveri Mirela Brăilean, Romania trees blooming - at the window the city disappears little by little copaci care înfloresc - la fereastră oraşul dispare puţin câte puţin Daniela Lăcrămioara Capotă, Romania mockingbird the vicissitudes of summer rain passion fruit smell of the sea in the rain Matthew Caretti, USA savoring the quietness I feel - forest bathing Vernon Chain, USA naïve painting - the colors of the woods come from the rainbow pictură naivă - culorile pădurii vin din curcubeu Vasile Cojocaru, Romania driftwood a cormorant floats through the mist a ridge of sand the length of our house ants ants ants a wall of wild roses starlit night Susan Constable, Canada alighting on a branch what does the cuckoo know of today? Risё Daniels, USA spring horizon a newborn foal finds its balance summer haze the greenish-purple color of figs Carmela Dolce, USA dandelion in breeze an orphan girl reaching out to her new mom and dad прецъфтяло глухарче сираче протяга ръчички към новите мама и татко setting sun in dad’s coin collection summer solstice заник в колекцията от монети на татко лятно слънцестоене Radostina Dragostinova, Bulgaria before I had a name wildflowers finding my way past midnight . . . spring stars Rebecca Drouilhet, USA supermarket shopper removes her mask to sniff a melon sacrament of penance penitent whispers her sins through a mask John J. Dunphy, USA cherry blossoms - tightly embracing our shadows flori de cireş - strâns îmbrăţişate umbrele noastre Carmen Duvalma, Romania the moon is still the shade is hushed maluhia ka mahina kahi malu e malu ai David Eyre, USA (Hawai’i) the ebb and flow of prairie grasses - flight of a goldfinch just enough light remaining vee of geese Seren Fargo, USA life in a puddle chasing a cloud Jeff Ferrara, USA a tipsy man lifts his hat and bows - cherry blossoms raven fledglings - the many ways black birds look at me Lorin Ford, Australia silence inside me only the spring raindrops keep falling cisza we mnie słychać tylko krople wiosennego deszczu Małgorzata Formanowska, Poland Coronavirus. Quarantine. Tell it to the nightingale Coronavirus. Cuarentena. Digànselo al ruiseñor. Cigüiriyines que pìan desde el alba. La primavera. Cigüiriyines* they chirp since dawn - Spring. *diminutive name for cigua, national bird of the Dominican Republic Rafael García Bidó, Dominican Republic summer lightning - our cat leaps from the bookshelf ljetna munja - naša mačka skače s police za knjige Goran Gatalica, Croatia cherry blossoms now on my bedroom calendar hana akari shinshitsu no kabe carendaru 花明かり 寝室 の 壁 カレンダー はなあかり しんしつ の かべ カレンダー young mourning dove selects her breakfast mud flats wakai mohato kanojo no chōshoku o erabu higata 若い 喪鳩 彼女 の 朝食 を 撰ぶ 干潟 わかい もはと かのじょ の ちょそく を えらぶ ひがた Judith Hishikawa, USA summer dusk frogsong overtakes birdsong dark-eyed juncos roil up roadside dust a glowing dawn Gary Hittmeyer, USA cottage ceiling - sunlight carries the stream’s ripples Frank Hooven, USA vernal equinox - a cascade of sparkles fall from the big dipper starless nights - time of Covid-19 self-isolation afternoon nap sunshine colours her cheeks Marilyn Humbert, Australia deserted train station no one to hear the grass growing between rails gară pustie cine să audă iarba crescând printre şine Mona Iordan, Romania Spring blossom it’s come and gone without a sound Erica Ison, UK In isolation - only the flowering cherry knocks on my window În izolare - doar cireşul înflorit îmi bate în geam Coronavirus - but the cherry blossoms are just as beautiful Coronavirus - dar florile de cireş la fel de frumoase Forgotten easel - through the open window the song of blackbird Şevalet uitat - prin fereastra deschisă cântecul mierlei Letiţia Lucia Iubu, Romania on the road to Genbaku Dome cherry blossoms Rick Jackofsky, USA Early dawn - into my dream breaks a cawing crow 明易や烏の声に夢破れ Akeyasuya karasu no koe ni yume yabure Midday nap - awaken safely back on this planet 昼寝覚め無事に戻りてこの星に hirunezame bujini modorite konohoshi ni Satoru Kanematsu, Japan darker after every puddle - child’s footprints Skylar Kay, Canada deserted playground one swing still swinging kjmunro, Canada counting days in lavender growth this time alone another day of not knowing clouds Deborah P Kolodji, USA sunlit stained glass - a pheasant crosses the rusty railways vitraž na suncu - fazan prelazi preko hrđavih tračnica Nina Kovačić, Croatia head of tide a kingfisher patrols upriver and back summer rain strange cries of a peacock from the old pine Kristen Lindquist, USA shelter in place - a faraway look on the face of a street boy 在家避難 一名街頭小孩臉上 遠望的神情 Chen-ou Liu, Canada seeking mother’s hidden light star magnolia Martha Magenta, UK early spring new lavender among old Margaret Mahony, Australia ocean a taste of salt in the rain vid havet smaken av salt i regnet dawn a chick still in its egg gryning en kyckling stilla i sitt ägg Anna Maris, Sweden with the stream’s song a new unfurling of fiddleheads clouded moon the river fades back to black Marietta McGregor, Australia on the stone tender moss is growing no longer lonely Crece el musguito . . . Ya no siente la piedra tantas ausencias Lía Miersch, Argentina spring again in my old heart a new love primăvară iar în inima mea bătrână o nouă iubire among blossoming trees a dry one with a chirping nest printre copacii înfloriţi unul uscat cu un cuib ciripind Victoria Milescu, Romania soft summer grass naming our own constellations Ben Moeller-Gaa, USA campfire - the gaps among the stars filled with smoke foc de tabără - golurile dintre stele umplute cu fum Vasile Moldovan, Romania every night of Lent my sister’s voice through the dark my mother smiles talking about her first crush super pink moon Beverly Acuff Momoi, USA old aspen new shoots rise from forgotten roots Mike Montreuil, Canada new moon thinner than hair . . . I miss my father la luna nuova più fina di un capello . . . mi manca mio padre hanging the canary-bird in parlor window shut-in he and me appendo fuori il canarino in gabbia reclusi io e lui Luciana Moretto, Italy March rain arranging maple twigs in the bud vase Laurie D. Morrissey, USA depression lifting . . . from the top of the pinyon warbler song Marie Louise Munro, USA sudden downpour the caged parakeets sing louder call to prayer night cicadas in the garden Tim Murphy (Spain/Ireland) venus in the west tea picker batıda tan yildizi cayci kiz leap year some children born old artik yil bazi çocuklar yasli dogar sunflower says the child picking it bir cocuk aycicegi der koparirlar Guliz Mutlu, Turkey nearly spring hobo and moon travel ‘til dawn soft rain one by one petals fall Nika, Canada gathering seashells - her tiny footprints in mine Wendy Notarnicola, USA Easter Sunday a remote spring in the forest putting down my earbuds . . . a blackbird singing Victor Ortiz, USA cloudy Friday - the magpie carefully places a twig in its nest Maeve O’Sullivan, Ireland chalk figures six feet apart spring water lilies closing in the clouds Roland Packer, Canada cloud gazing dancing bumblebees lull me to sleep Scott Packer, Canada a clear morning from a night of mist hedgerow’s wildflowers bore clir o niwl y nos blodau gwyllt y clawdd dandelions opening to the day a night’s hidden path dant y llew yn agor gyda’r dydd llwybr cudd y nos Thomas Powell, Wales after a hot day the summer moon cools the air summer moon the new neighbours raise their voices Patricia Prime, New Zealand summer’s end leaving sandcastles for the moon Carol Raisfeld, USA Rajasthani dancer the silver sound of her jangling anklets Ivan Randall, Australia spring bursts of Hardenbergia along the roadside Carol Reynolds, Australia summer concert the silence after the last note Edward J. Rielly, USA Easter celebration together from a distance Bona M. Santos, USA eucalyptus forests the hushed whispers of the children Minal Sarosh, India campsite whispering between fire and river Agnes Eva Savich, USA shutdown the sunny side of the street deserted tout est fermé le côté ensoleillé de la rue désert Olivier Schopfer, Switzerland Bending deep the Pope praying alone at Piazza San Pietro 深々と祈る法王サンピエトロ広場 Fukabuka to inoru hōou sanpietoro hiroba Self-restraint of going out a first butterfly came to the doorway 外出の自粛の戸口初蝶来 Gaishutu no jishuku no toguchi hatsuchō ku Kyoko Shimizu, Japan dawn meditation the valley surrenders its mist Debbie Strange, Canada Canicular summer - a hoarse skylark searches for water Vară toridă - ciocârlia răguşită caută apă Constantin Stroe, Romania wind chimes . . . one sparrow after another in the bird bath Angela Terry, USA Breeze at dawn - a flowering branch hides the nest Adiere-n zori o creangă înflorită ascunde cuibul closing the book - my mother is watching the rainbow închizând cartea - mama priveşte curcubeul Maria Tirenescu, Romania bamboo grove the dance between light and shadow magnolia blossom a mockingbird weaves moonlight into song the flicker of fireflies falling star Kevin Valentine, USA morning prayer a slow breeze brings in the scent of distant rain Rashmi VeSa, India vernal equinox - buying from the market a green scarf echinocţiu vernal - îmi cumpăr de la târg o eşarfă verde Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania lockdown families pond fishing six feet apart in lockdown layers of pine pollen yellow the porch Marilyn Appl Walker, USA social distancing what a moon has always meant the squirrel’s leap to a tender branch first day of spring Julie Warther, USA a blind kitten in the baker’s hand - first spring morning Michael Dylan Welch, USA April sunshine mother buried underground liked sunbathing kwietniowe słońce mama pogrzebana w ziemi lubiła się opalać this is where I come to be rye fields in June oto miejsce gdzie się staję żytnie pola w czerwcu Ernest Wit, Poland spring sunshine a girl with green eyes smiles back a ripe plum in a child’s fingers sunset lockdown the honeysuckle climbs the garden wall Robert Witmer, Japan your fingers find mine rising blush of sunset Valorie Woerdehoff, USA |
Editorial Staff:
Founder (emeritus): Bruce Ross Editors: Astrid Andreescu Kristen Lindquist Art: Murray D. Ross Archives
May 2025
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