her hair
loose in the spring breeze
a weeping willow

dream catcher

hangs in pine sunrise

the stillness

morning sun -
at the other end of the garden
chairs in semicircle


***

soleil du matin -
à l'autre bout du jardin
les chaises en demi-cercle

garden of red roses
dark, forbidden
climbing trellis and gable

heron
hunched
in a net of shadows

house of white roses
heavy headed
tossed on the breeze

outside the pub
young sparrows
disturbing the peace

light rain of June -
a kamikaze snail
on the cycle track


***

pluie fine de juin -
un escargot kamikaze
sur la piste cyclable

after work stress relief
dirt under my fingernails
trash can filled with weeds

To Mandy Smith

To Mandy Smith,
an admirable creator and person,
and a great friend of the Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy (SARM)

Text: Andrei Dorian Gheorghe (cultural counsellor of SARM)
Photo: Valentin Grigore (President of SARM)

Posted by Gerald England on behalf of and at the request of Andrei Dorian Gheorghe.

afternoon delight-
purple globe thistle sprouted
in pink dianthus

spring rain
whispering
a soft tattoo

from her tiny house
constant pleading -
busy blue tit

orange haze of dawn
the sun and the moon
swap preeminence

endless rain -
the sudden scent
of roses

picnic table-
six women catch up on houses
husbands and kids

wet night -
ticking
of the leaves

first sunny day -
the pinkish
of her cleavage

***

premier soleil -
le rosé
de son décolleté

night blind fingers
mistakenly pinch off
wisteria buds

weekend plans-
out of town to see old friends
and roadside plant stands

The Shadow

The Shadow

each night there is a shadow in my room
almost visible like someone under water
light cuts through and bends at odd angles
swirling colors spin wildly in the darkness
I feel no fear of this moving spirit
only intense longing for what once was
vivid blues wrap me in sweet dreams and whispers
I know this spirit, I know him so well
his blue eyes watch over me every night
while am safe and cared for till we meet again


tears have no power
beneath billowing clouds
---soft blue skies

this morning
bursts with sunlight and bird song
such responsibility

wilting afternoon
walking through a sheet of heat
from the car to the plant

dusk-
a firefly escorts me
to put out the trash

the crack
of his first homerun
pigeons clapping

Late May
a lonely nightingale calls
withered bluebells

blue sky
on a light breeze
summer's perfume

cherry blossom ripe
soft wind caresses bud
miracle of life

creation is mystical
vast value of life
compressed in a seed

World Haiku Review,Vol.7,Issue 2,August,2009

languid first light
both moon and sun
nestle in the cloud beds

living waters
pond ripples
across time

Overhead clouds
as the temperature plummets
oriental poppy

wheelchair bound
the veteran feeds
a one-legged bird

World Haiku Review
Vol. 7, Issue 1, March 2009

The sun in the morning
On a network of a spider-
Lace of light

raspberry canes
whipped by the stiff breeze
oriental poppies

calendar pages--
between the dates
time escapes

.

night butterfly
what colour are you
in the daylight

stratus clouds
the moonlight behind it
my time on my own
.

conifer muskiness
the drumming of rain
on a plastic roof

Quiet morning
The pair of swans floats
So it is graceful

Rainbow -
It is conversation
Rain and the sun

drenched hair
musing her impression
first rain

.

sudden shower
the group of cows startled more
by a flock of jackdaws

falling in love
all over again with my wife
the cries of swifts



.

along the shore
a different wave of reflection
moon-lit night

*** *** ***

calendar pages—
between the dates
time escapes

*** *** ***

crow sails
on the rhino’s back
a new journey

courtesy car -
a blue pencil eye-liner
in the glove compartment


***

voiture de prêt -
un crayon à paupières bleu
dans le vide-poches

overnight rain
underscores the Greenery
Fuchsia pendulums open

Thence

thence a tulip sad
transformed into a cloud
and watered the thirsty
** **

..circa 2010
..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Harmony
--------------------------------

thunderstorm
enjoying nature's power
while counting off seconds

i plant an onion
and wish
may it sprout soon
a day after
my fathers demise

raspberry flowers
like tiny white stars
lavender greens

breezy hammock night
a rosy cloud blooms
petal by petal

so sudden this sky
a tease of bright ribbons
subdued into blue

is it the sky's
unceasing motion
that brings its peace?

midday
my shadow catches up with me
as I walk down the street

cumulus clouds
a clattering of jackdaws
rearrange them

sticky front door

a chyak-chyak of jackdaws

peck at rooftiles

in an ad-break

a late bird call

pierces the night

the ivy sprouts

brown faces –

grub-hunting

sparrows

full hare moon
the clouds cluster around her
distant howling

Game of rain by drops
In solar patches of light-
May downpour

cherry trees -
swallows fly through
falling petals

vegetable garden
squash blossoms, tiny peppers
lettuce opening

a snapping breeze
bends the willows double
shy comfrey flowers

Bees exult,
Again flowers blossom
Yellow acacias

spring time
a rainbow forms
in the sprinkler
he waters the lawn
from his wheelchair

Modern English Tanka
Vol. II, No. 3, Spring 2008

spring recital -
a father's necktie too long
on his son

.

sick train-
the night heron shifting silt
near the swan's goslings
.

afternoon delight
men seated at red light
follow a swaying skirt

.

bright breeze
a white mallard rides shotgun
for the other ducks
.

a plumeria
at the graveyard
a robin keeps singing

.
river kingfisher
a grey wagtail defends
its right over fish
.

morning drizzle
new pond in the frontyard
fishless

season shift
a birdnest on the roadside
stalking the monsoon

cherry blossoms -
withered
to memories

cloud cover --
oppressive heat melts away
raspberry flowers

Ripens invisibly
The latent charm of a flower
Feelings transformation

after night silence
morning meets
by chirp of birds

The night sky
Light will be spilled in silence
The remote stars

lekking

hormone-crazed turkeys 
in the middle of the road 
strut in the best light

pastorale

Flocks of snow-white clouds 
 grazing in their blue pasture
 die and leave no trace

just after the rain
cutting back wysteria
me, the drenched fool

life takes an absence
amidst roaring cries--
a different silence

young girls
watching the bow of the sun
from the top of a hill

rainy day movie:
we talk of the book, missing
what they left out

washed linens
ruffled by a breeze --
snowdrifts a distant memory

I pick up
my aunt's paperweight
wispy clouds

dead amongst
the ruins of his home:
snail

trees in silhouette
salmon-pink vapour trails
as the sun sinks

casting
six-foot shadows:
father's apple seeds

.

goodbye to spring
a day spent watching dogs
walk their owners
.

Early morning,
Silence of bogs awakes
From shouts of frogs

Morning

Morning wind
Branches bends to water
Willow ashore

morning heat
staying in bed with a book
and birdsong

sun
taking my picture -
monochrome on the stream

hedge parsley
flowers with a sickly sweet scent
wild garlic counters

moonlight -
two chairs in the shadow
of the beach umbrella

***

clair de lune -
deux chaises dans l'ombre
du parasol

rainy days
mud escapes
between toes

sun on the meadow
an indignant sparrow
scolds the cat

SAREE

Clings to the body
her wet red saree
waving wrinkles

Darkness of the woods
Heightened by patches of sun
And unseen bird chirps.

morning break-
watching a baby deer prance
under the bridge

I look out
more leaves wave hello
it's my friend, the tree
** **

..circa 2010..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris

----------------------------------

Overcast, grey
not a breath of wind
to stroke my hair

afternoon drive
the scent of honeysuckle
follows me uphill

ants--
around sugar grains
mammoth meeting

*** *** ***

sudden wind
falling leaves gather
in one corner

Forsythia trimmed
now the sparrows
sit elsewhere

soggy day 2
designing sunny garden bed
to pass the time

Patiently weaving
she keeps house in my absence--

a lone spider

a dog barks
as the sun clears the trees
blackbirds forage

spring meditation-
next to the old thoughts, some
curious new sprouts

soggy day-
wishing it rained energy
instead of the blahs

dreary morning
my knees announcing the rain
before it arrives

sun streaming
through moth-eaten curtains
a wood pigeon coos

aquilegia
nod their alien heads
dandelion clocks

Another Realm

an ointment, these words,
to soothe the leprechauns;
to promise more height
** **

..circa 2004
..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
------------------------------

.
Harinezumi-san
the stars shift around
with us

hedgehog

harinezumi

ハリネズミ

.

surrounded
and embraced with love
by family and friends
what more can I ask
for my birthday

afterschool playground
gentle breeze
swings the swing

the rain stops
another begonia bud
immersed in the sun

at the bus stop -
counting the swifts every time
they fly past

Haiku Chronicles

Haiku Chronicles


frogs--
colours jump
across the pond

drizzle -
lilac's clusters
grow heavy


***

pluie fine -
les grappes du lilas
s'alourdissent

surfing the net
to replace a favorite plant

cold enough
to make bare arms tingle
a sparrow's cheeping

a tune arrives
and the marvel to ensue
baffles even leaves
** **

..circa 2005
..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
--------------------------

window screen--
sun scripts
dance of the trees

in tune with the whoosh

of the espresso machine--

my migraine

the drum of rain -
snails
marching out

taking off my tie
a small walk around the garden
in the smell of lilacs

***

ôtant ma cravate
un petit tour de jardin
dans l'odeur des lilas

sun sparkles on wet leaves
ants are dragging food to a nest
from the compost bin

now
is always the best time
to weed

perseverating green
wandering wysteria
when did your petals fall?

so clear the stars
after the rain has ceased
I inhale the night

first light
passion flower leaves curling
againt the chill

a chipmunk and I
having breakfasts
one window apart

On the red garage
Leaf shadows dance and shiver
Until the sunshine fades.

morning chills
a colony of snails
on a flower tub

Fingers grope
taste of whisky
moist lips

afternoon showers
leaves swoosh by in the falls
children jump in puddles

hazy street light
bushy tail flicks then gone
under a bush

aquilegia blooms
from a crack in the paving
paper-thin petals

.

sitting cat
under the Big Dipper
under the streetlamp


.

escaped sunlight
on the woodland paths
primrose and anemone

.

both startled
by the speed limit sign
the blue tit and me
.

blackbird's beak
dripping
spring rain

a lilac tree
in bloom across the street
sweetly scented wallflowers

Small puddle -
Not enough basin
For all the sparrows.

Warm rays of sun
As tears of old winter
Thawing icicle!

first warm day
sleet on the skylight
spring thaw

they're throwing coins
into the fountain once more
the true harbinger
** **

..circa 2010
..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Harmony
---------------------------------------

my daughter
invites me to lunch
this Mother's day
just for a tender moment
she's her late mother

In my book,
Rustle of bamboo leaves
but originally published in World Haiku Review
Vol. 5, Issue 1, Spring/Summer 2005

green light
the mallard refuses
to yield

.
no more peacocks
the girls bring home the haiku
instead of them

Alan Summers
Swindon Festival of Literature (9th May 2010)
in response to the last time I visited Lower Shaw Farm, Swindon U.K.


the morning star
through the caravan skylight
a peacock’s scream

Alan Summers
*  'The New Haiku' Snapshot Press, 2002,  ISBN 1-903543-03-7
*  First Australian Anthology (October) 1999 http://users.mullum.com.au/jbird/as?.html
*  Tinywords  April 2001
*  Blithe Spirit  (British Haiku Society journal) June 1998
(written Lower Shaw Farm, Swindon 1998 - Brian Tasker workshop)
.

bluebells haze
under the oaks
blackcaps sing

small clouds
scud across the blue expanse
a pair of magpies

After the long winter
Flowers whispering
Seems music

Cherish the silence
In spring flowers bloom
The sun is smiling

two dads
and two baby strollers
Mother’s Day

Sketchbook, Vol. 4, Issue 2
March/April 2009

End of May
People collect from trees
Sap of birch

.
flowering hawthorn
a short romantic walk
under the starlight
.

.

light rain
sharing a Spring evening
with blackbird song

.

blue earth below
green sky above
the bluebell woods

Photo Bluebells in Micheldever Wood by Anguskirk

cherry blossoms -
the window wide open
to the morning sun

***

fleurs de cerisier -
la baie vitrée large ouverte
au soleil de l'aube

a lone starling shouts
'chak chak chak' at the window
grass, wet with rain

mayday - mayday

Oh I might be mistaken
but, an autumn day just went by
May’s delight

May morning -
Ants trample a path
Through the forest

On green lawn
Flickering pansies
Next to dandelions

Window are opened
In a room smells in the spring
From cherries flowers aroma

.

night sky-watch
a motor-cyclist tells me
he's passed the test
.

tilting the balance of light
earth swivels --

summer awaits

chirping happily

they hop from branch to branch

tourists  --in Starbucks

early hour darkness
birds sing their wake up call
covers over my head

awake at dawn
a lone blackbird sings
misting rain

My thoughts on
Wings a flying swallow
Toward new life...

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/

Honeysuckle scent
Under a summer breeze
Fragrance

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/

straining toward rest
the garden's ordered chaos
washes over me

sunday
my birth Buddha--
lucky red

old pond
raindrops wrinkle
my face

japanese maple

young leaves made shy

by late frost

back bent to the weeds

on the shed roof

a watching gull

The night is gone.
Time to think and write.
The sunrise songs

Southern wind
A sticky leaves of birches
Smell of spring

In the sky is carried
Seagulls shrill shout-
Heart have compressed

A strong gust of wind
Air snakes fly away
High into sky

between Oak and Ash
bluebells - florescent
in the shadows

go ahead unfurl
on virgin rose petals float
whiffing crowds ignore
** **

..circa 2010
..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..partially channeled; spirit Ram
--------------------------

rain patters
washing the dust from leaves
petals fall

at the nursery
next to the gardenias
long deep breaths

beautiful day
"self.... go back inside to work"
......"just five more minutes"

Sunlight diffused by
a dozen shades of green
early poppies

Signs of spring

Signs of spring
Swallows build new nest
Under the eaves

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/

In my garden

Different scents..
Memories and feelings.
In my garden

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/

First spring rain

First spring rain
The sun, warmth and beauty,
At the end of the rainbow

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/

a nightingale calls
through the twilight reaches
of the bluebell woods

a goldfinch
on the telephone wire
tendrils of creeper

on the priory lawns
hail stones and daisies

Disturbs the calm
The wind plays sad tunes
Like an old piano

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/
_____________________________________________

Flower of a camomile
No matter how hard I blow
Dragonfly flies away

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/_
_________________________________________

early morning sun
the sound of flying bumblebee
disturbs the calm

http://gen-springhaiku.blogspot.com/
_____________________________________________

afternoond break
rain slicked leaved
dance in the wind

_____________________________________________

river of clouds above --

light as passing memories

.

Bank Holiday
my account is overdrawn
the stretched out clouds
.

Muggy Monday
exiting the office
catching my breath

magnolia blossoms
bare limbs in the breeze
goosebumps

_____________________________________________

on the lawn
investigator boy meets a fellow
investigator worm

birdsong
tumbling from the tree
cherry blossom

raspberry canes
whip the air in the wind
honestly and forget-me-nots

Humming a bumble-bee
Every morning is like on
Sound of violoncello
____________________________________________

Warm spring -
Song between two starlings
Likely about love
____________________________________________

Welcoming spring
The boy runs across a pool
Mother is not pleased_
____________________________________________

Spring wind
Chase from place to place
Last year's leaves
_____________________________________________

nighttime cool
primrose bloom
collecting petals
my pillow breaths sweet

the wind- trapped
in a battle with the big maple,
the rain- still missing

spring rain falling
through derelict windows
nourishing blooms of rust

clouds scud across
white against the grey
cherry petals fall

Together with wind
The first drops of a rain
Symphony of spring
_____________________________________________

Evening in garden
Virgin melody of a violin
Violates silence
_____________________________________________

Green grass in April
Birds begin to sing in trees
Children playing
_____________________________________________

eyelids closed
in the evening sun -
a wings beating

***

paupières closes
au soleil du soir -
un battement d'ailes

war memorial
in the park they mow down
dandelions

blue skies return
dandelions scattered
like tiny suns

morning sun
alder catkins shiver
in the breeze.
_____________________________________________

Sunny day
Catkins on branches of birches
Various colour

_____________________________________________

Beginning May
In a rays of warm days
Snow disappears
_____________________________________________

this slant of light
awakens the grass
I feel new green



the ripe moon hangs low
pulling down the sky

bonsai in training-
outstretched branches offer
lacy purple blooms

already
dandelion seeds
adrift on the breeze
____________________________________________

HEAT

small shoots pop up
fade soon in scorching sun:
life force humming

spots of blue
between steel-grey clouds
sparrows in the buddleia

Time by the stream-
After winter frosts
Smell of spring

_____________________________________________

Snow in April
pretends it doesn't know
it's spring.

_____________________________________________

Spring thaw.
Looks from a dirt
first grass.
___________________________________________

The Seeds

they plant
the seeds of beauty
to water this wealth
** **

..circa 2010..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram; reaching into the poet's mind
--------------------------------------------------

plant ginko
walking the perimeter
enjoying the breeze

sunrise commute
atop tranformer pole
full moon

diffused light
the warm yellow of summer
dandelions

Flowers of daffodil
In our spring garden---
Smile in life
_____________________________________________

After the long winter
Flowers whispering
To seem music
______________________________________

In forest

May morning -
Ants trample a path
Through the forest

___________________________________________

Going home

After a haiku hike
in Fish Canyon Falls last Saturday

Spring rain

shadowing my steps
cold spring rain
covers my footprints

spring fever
getting my shift done early
to go play in dirt

white cherry tree
an old woman carries
her tortoise

two plumbers working
many sounds but
not a single word

.

over the nettles
where I know I just can't go
Orange-tip butterfly

Orange-tip butterfly:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/wildlifegarden/atoz/o/orangetipbutterfly.aspx


Alan Summers
http://area17.blogspot.com
http://www.bathjapanesefestival.com
. 

_____________________________________________
on the cherry tree
flowers give way to leaves
youth fades

_____________________________________________
pink blossoms
morning prayer in the cold
spring blessings

opening the front door
a full moon greets me

swan
wrapped in sleep -
drifting moon

raspberry canes
nodding in the light breeze
rain clouds threaten

Spring

A round moon
Bird cherry blossom
Tulip buds
_____________________________________________

The end of April

the end of April
snow covers the earth again
incessant birdsong --
___________________________________________

The first flowers

the first flowers
greet arrival of spring
blue forget-me-nots
____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Seductive birds sing
in the frozen landscape
spring's siren song.

dark, sweet life
nestled among the Easter grass
newborn calves

midday break-
a gentle breeze whips by
filled with magnolia

fallen petals
in the gutter -
broken promises

a sparrow peers
from a gap in the brickwork
peacock butterfly flits

Spring

Welcoming spring
The boy runs across a pool
Mother is not pleased

Warm spring

Warm spring -
Song between two starlings
Likely about love

Spring chill

Spring chill
Early to pack winter coats
May be snow again

weekend garden finds-
black grass, orange daisies
and asian cukes

from the rain -
a spring bud topping for
the winter green

scattered showers
leave raindrops on new leaves
rainbows

Spring

By spring brook
The child floated the boat
His wet boots

Cold night

Very cold night
The cat folded tail
round its front feet

April

Green grass in April
Birds begin to sing in trees
Children playing

haiku trail
leading to nowhere
but here

For the complete story please check
my blog HERE

blackbirdsong -
opening the window
to listen.
_____________________________________________

To Sleep With The Flowers

bruised, torn and lost
I am weary of this life
my eyes clouded with tears

I will lie down to sleep
under the new spring warmed earth
to rest, mixing with flowers and time

a light drizzle
clattering into the guttering
a starling's nest

Past nights cold
changes to morning dew
April wonders

sparrows chirp
from a gap in the eaves
tussocks of moss

closed shutters -
last night and this morning
the same bird song

***

volets clos -
hier soir et ce matin
le même chant d'oiseau

afternoon gardening
first rose of the season
ready to bloom

St George's Day
birch catkins dangle
against a pale sky

vapour trails
criss-crossing the blue
cemetery magpies

close your eyes
every scented garden is yours
'tis Spring now, you willed it
** **

..circa 2010
..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
-------------------------------

morning commute
suprised with a small clear pacth patch
in the fog expanse

a fox slinks past
the cherries in the garden
speckled with blossom

filled vegetable beds
the promise of summer salads
and some to share

spring cleanup
last letter of my sister
before her death

For my sister Ate Nena,
who passed away last year

carrion beetles
inside the deer skull
- spring cleaning

and come the sunrise
the freshly fallen petals
had vanished

two sparrows
at the bird feeder
last year's honesty

beneath the canopy
of a thickening wood
innocence wanders

blue skies return
only propeller aeroplanes
sully the blue

a week later
garden nurseries filled
with plants and people

flocks of winged seeds
are abandoning their trees,
dry rain pats the ground

drizzling rain
paints the spring greens brighter
puddles of aubretia

once more,
spring slippers abound
as if on cue
** **

..circa 2010
.Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
--------------------------

daily walks resume...
his lean more pronounced
after the long winter

Music of wind
flowers whispering
arrival of spring.

blue tits squabble
over a piece of fruit cake
blue forget-me-nots

Trees in queue
holding colourful paints
greet new guest spring.

Ducks

follow the leader -

swimming in the bayou -

three ducks

_____________________________________________

top of the cherry tree -
two turtledoves shove
the first flowers


***

sommet du cerisier -
deux tourterelles bousculent
les premières fleurs

sunlight
filtered through willow leaves
Honesty blooms

going nowhere

_____________________________________________

a spongy path
under a silent sky
going nowhere

gerald england

midday break
deciding to enjoy the day
by leaving early

In the stillness

of noon, the sound

of a blade of grass

whippoorwill sing
wake her deep sleep
spring has come

dandelions bloom
Gnome is ready to set out
on his motorbike

breeze through the garden
flowers lean
...whisperings

a small tortoiseshell
on a dandelion -
skylarksong
_____________________________________________

no sign of the sun --
the flaming drumsticks of tulips
dot the front garden

Early Embrace

velvety surrender
the comforting embrace
of sunrays
on early springsters
** **

..circa 2003
..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
--------------------

Forbidden love

the entwined ivy
and blooming rose
reach for the sun
the entanglements
of forbidden love

Sketchbook, Vol. 4, No. 6,
November/December 2009

afternoon delight
all the new plants in their beds
the joy of dirty nails

crisp packet tumbleweeds
fresh-leaved raspberry canes
whipped by the wind

the sparrows flit
the winter-dried thyme
for their nests
-

early ride
fog spilling
over the hilltop

God spoke to Moses
from a burning bush -
flowering Magnolia

Lonely sunrise--
birds flying away in search
for worms in ash

grey and breezy
pigeons on the bird table
chase off sparrows

prepping garden bed
folding earthworms
back into the soil

cherry blossom -
puffs of breath
on the morning air

slanting sunshine
catching all the fresh greens
hatching snails

weekend ginko-
chatting with plants at nursery
to see who gets bought

crumpled leaves
on the hawthorn bush
a shotgun sounds

_

young forest
straight strong trees
two tall kids on the track

a distinct chill
on bare, unadorned limbs
blackthorns bloom

.

small hours of Spring
just the petrol station lights
for some company
.

a lone sparrow cheeps
under a still and leaden sky
potted anemones

back from the beach -
a grain of sand crunches
between my teeth


***

retour de la plage -
un grain de sable crisse
entre mes dents

widower’s first date
her aggressiveness
unsettles his driving
oh how he wishes
he’s ten years younger

Modern English Tanka
Vol. 3, No. 3, Spring 2009

old spice
grandpa's scent
on Easter

Tanka

_____________________________________________

the gentle wind muses
songs of spring to the far-off fields
angel of beauty
visits the land of rainbow
and birds clap flapping their wings

a flush of new leaves
turns willows into limes
yellow gorse

midday stroll
dogwood blossoms
caught in the lawn

slender white light --

magnolia greets the morning

flowering cherries
spread delicate fragrance
blue hyacinths

afternoon chores
making new garden beds
planning pepper patch

Autumn leaves hurry by
give-away
first spring wind

cherry in bloom
the poet sits in darkness
on a wet bench

a dog walker pauses
to admire the forsythia
silent sunshine

.

dark daffodil leaves
a stroll to the train station
to embrace my wife

.

late afternoon
waves of heat radiating
on the blacktop

The excitement

of things trembling on the brink

--of new life

overnight
lawns change from drab to spring green
next door's cat, howling.

spring rain
even Death Valley
is alive with flowers

Haiku Harvest, Vol. 6, No. 1
Spring/Summer 2006

blue lupines’ pale breath
shadows moving over stone—
frail anthems of spring

working in the plant
the scent of magnolias
beckons me outside

a stiff breeze
through the open window
sparrows cheep

fourth watch drive
half moon perched atop
flowering dogwood

Easter morning-
humming my favorites
up the parkway


Easter evening-
eel and edamame dinner
and a musical

bank holiday rain
on rooftop chimney pots
a pigeon coos

Mexicali earthquake

the pool's water rocks
and rolls then overflows
at earthquake's call

We were starting to eat our Easter early dinner in my daughter's house when the rumblings started. Looking at the swimming pool outside, we watched with a bit of apprehension, the water of the swimming pool coming upwards towards the house. Nothing serious happened, however, as we rode the rolling wave for the longest time, which we all felt. We learned later that it was in a magnitude of 7.2 in Mexico near San Diego.

new leaves
on the buddleias
hellebores droop

grey light and old rain
from a hole in the eaves
a sparrow's chirp

Easter Sunday

Easter

What ripened fruit hung
from those dead branches
torn down and planted,
seeded deep into the earth?

What crop will it bring?

after days and days
and days of rain the old men
walk their dogs

clouds congregate,
holding hands over England
grim pansies frown

between the bird calls
within the stillness
I wonder

even the magnolia's
mounds of fleshy blooms
must fall

Kabuki actor
the heavy wax bloom
of the plum

.

Poisson d'Avril
it's raining all cats and dogs
at the wrong station

.

wake up sweet one, wake up
you have been dreaming
this long long winter
rub your sleepy eyes my dear
wake, for the gentle winds
of spring have come

fourth watch
full moon pulsates
through a veil of clouds

prismatic arcs
after the wind and rain
cat-flap rattles

rays of sun

cutting through

ground fog

oak trees shake
but there's no breeze
- shriek of brown-eared bulbuls




look out the school window:
jaywalking umbrellas




morning holds its breath
- magnolia buds




. . . Seoul, ROK
_____________________________________________

Greeting Spring
running barefoot through the forest
imagine

three sparrows
flit from hedge to bird table
council grass cutter

_____________________________________________

rains pummel the earth
incessant birdsong --

winter's silence breaking apart

first cherry blossom -
shy streaks
of red

the recycling box
is full of April showers
the cat stays indoors

the end of March

embarrassed naked branches

attempt retraction

inspection done
plant breathes a collective sigh
then high fives

early morning
fog drips from a fuzzy moon
pools under the street lights

thin drizzle -
jackdaws gather twigs
and chatter
_____________________________________________

under a bush
green phalli rise -
tulip buds

a round moon
rises early this evening--
pale creeper

the beauty of blooming Bradford pears

without the odor of blooming Bradford pears-

thank you unusually cold spring

reaching for a vest -
cherry blossom
sprinkled with snow

Great tits and Blue tits
flock to seed dispensers
white azalea blooms

scandal in Rome
a couple of cardinals
pacing our patio

a single blossom falls
and with it
the whole world

red tulips
against glossy Viburnum leaves
sunlight glinting

upon a grey fence
amidst a leafless lilac
the cardinal blooms

Gennem visne blade
spirrer foråret
endeligt

-

Through withered leaves
spring sprouts
at last

_____________________________________________

Smile brings
on beloved face
spring’s colourful play.



Youthful flowers
swing on gentle wind
welcoming spring

dandelion sun
flowers in a sunny spot
Hyacinth grave-scent

over the fence
of the playground
swings come and go


***

par-dessus la palissade
du terrain de jeux
un va-et-vient de balançoires

immature cherry
sparse in its blossoms
just like you

through tiny movements
I feed a deepened hunger -
sowing lettuce seeds

and my face gladdens
rising arch of yellow
daffodil smile

Saturday alarm clock -

hungry baby birds

peeping

_____________________________________________

spring light on pine needles --

your laughter lingering in the air

spring, earth softens
as the sun grows near
warming barren beds
wake those sleepy seeds
on the 29th a new moon will rise
as we make our way back into soft spring
breezes, the growing time

blustery night
rain slams into the windows
the first red tulips

Response

treelike,
his wherewithal bears fruit
blue seas respond
the calm of ages past surfaces,
oblivious of disavowal
** **

..circa 2010..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
------------------------

It’s in the air
green socks on clothesline
spring

late in the cool of night
when primrose bloom
I collect some pedals
for under my pillow
and make a wish
in the moonlight
never to be alone

tv aerial

a light wind interferes with

a collared dove

semi-detached -

two magpies

facing the rain

on the roof
a pigeon is cooing
wet tyres hiss

AIB* morning
enjoying the daffodils
as I walk in the plant



* yearly three day audit of the plant I work in

inverted worlds
cover the windows
raindrops fall

lightning flashes
on the far horizon
a navy mom
smoothes the wrinkles
of her son’s picture

In The Pebbled Shore:
The Tanka Society of America’s
2009 Anthology, 2010.

depressing morning
but for a jug of joy:
daffodils

sun burns off the frost
in the unheated greenhouse
my seedlings die

lone among greens
a bright yellow daffodil
hitchhikes school buses

afternoon drive
buds bursting out on the trees
magnolias unfurled

helicopter buzzing --
in the sodden grassland,
daisies

"Let those
who have not sinned
cast the first stone to her."
Left alone, He enjoins her,
"Sin no more!"

catkins on the willow
A blue tit is startled
by the curtain

first cardinal
trying out the chair
without snow

spring equinox

spring equinox discarded fag ends among the flowers

gerald england
_____________________________________________

jacket opened
to the first sun of March -
"times are changing"


***

veste large ouverte
au premier soleil de mars -
"times are changing"

hissing tyres
peppercorns of rain
on the dog's fur

half awake
a rumbling reminder
that California
still remains
earthquake haven


A very delayed reaction ....

Bedazzlement

color me harp
winglike embrace let surface
is it a quiver next
to grow its fraction
spring's equanimity bedazzles
** **

..circa 2010..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Harmony
-------------------------------------------

_____________________________________________

gardens and decks
caught in the evening light --

kingdoms within kingdoms

first rain:
little magpie
shakes its head


sunset: for a few minutes
the slush and the mud turn gold

a dead frog
broken on the road
wind in my ears

sparrows fly in threes
from hedge to sunlit tree
a belt of jasmine

busy sparrow -
a long thread of grass
to weave around her

a swathe of snowdrops
naturalised on a lawn
compost worms wiggle

Greeting New Year*
he worships nine goddesses
and fasting too




*Now is the time of 'Navratri', marking the Beginning of
Spring as well as the Hindu New year

open window
cats fall over each other
getting to the sill

already warm
children pass in just their shirts
swathes of crocuses

The visual evidence
decreasing snow
I believe

Blinded and hypnotized
this early morning sun
I believe in spring

____________________________________________

fog hugs the coast
sight lines slip away

echoes return

cool night rain -
surprising scent of licorice
upon my warm face

the spring wind swished

the stern dress of the camellia-

made her blush

sleepy in class
the boy blames it on
daylight savings time

spring -
a green shadow spreading
across the trees

mid-March...
the increased desire
for corned beef

From the roof top
beautiful birdsong emerge
Blackbird

A dressing gown
fetching the morning paper
silence Blackbird

Stop and listen
song from heart
Blackbird

Expression
hope and new start
Blackbird

sunshine
streaming through half-closed curtains
trees rocked by wind

orphanage window
plastic flowers bloom
in the snow

The Mainichi (Japan) Daily News
March 11, 2010

_____________________________________________


builder's promise kept,

work's done-- amongst the rubble,

crocuses and snowdrops

.

talcum powder sky
lets the sun shine through
blue tits eating peanuts

It’s in the air
this indefinable something
spring

_____________________________________________

freeway -
a flight of migratory birds
high in the sky


***

voie express -
un vol de migrateurs
haut dans le ciel

Rubbing
the rabbit's hind foot--
St Patrick's Day

College basketball tournaments

L. A. traffic jam
he peeks at the sports page
March madness

Haiku Harvest, Vol. 6, No. 1
Spring/Summer 2006

spring hunger-
and my crocuses
are roses
_____________________________________________

young blades
stitch through old snows --

cruel spring

dream catcher rain
allows the earthworms to be
sea horses for a day

Happiness
in a ray of hope--
the new sun

overnight rain
brings the misery of mud
loose hair is wind streamed

A New Approach

even the pebbles
seem to have borne a new approach
a newfound glint
each bud, each footstep
on trail, too, lends significance
** **

..circa 2010..Copyright 2010 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Harmony

---------------------------------------

snow on distant hills -
alder catkins shiver
in the breeze.
_____________________________________________

Captured branches
ice shine in the sun
on the brink of spring


On the brink of spring
by the sun the ice shine
captured branches

On the brink of spring
ice captured branches
sunlit tree

_____________________________________________

spring funeral -
carefully into the earth
carefully covered

the garden
still covered in brown leaves
a dog at the window

pale crocuses
Gnome holds up his carp
with pleasure

sparrows sit
touching heads -
spring inches in

Under the feet
smell of crushed dried leaves
spring calling

a barking dog
echoes in a silent street
a coal tit darts away

flood my empty eyes
with a deluge of light -
spring fever

sly march the piper
dances in the woods and fields
his music wakes all

early morning gull -
a creaking door
opens into spring

shadows become
stencils of night frost
Forsythia blushes

Returning home
with wearied masks
Holi faces



(Holi is an Indian kigo, marking arrival of spring)

Dusty leaves
break days of silence:
spring's first rain

sudden rain
her umbrella widens
to take her lover in

World Haiku Review
Vol. 8, Issue 1, Jan. 2010

crocus buds

catch raindrops

and hold them close

vacant possession -

a great tit investigates

the nest box

.
bright breeze
the kettle warms up
a cloudless day
.

yellow crocuses
a lady in a green jumper
scrapes her windshield

Desperately writing
spring must come now
or else!

morning sun
streams through the window
paws chilled by frost

my daughter
rehearses a new song
march!

oh, so early
the March sun
--and the birds!

rain fall, bitter and chill
a chrysalis hanging
from a raspberry cane

dogs barking in darkness
the moon through open curtains
keeps her from sleep

sparrows in sunshine
a blue tit on the buddleia
teases out old seeds