Like many people, I enjoy the short and accessible feel of writing haiku. There’s nothing quite like creating a word image drenched and dripping with meaning in so few words. They’re also a great way to pare down a complex idea when you’re stuck in your storytelling, allowing you to identify the essential information and to isolate it so you can move forwards more easily.
Haiku are like polaroids:
- everyone can do it
- they’re bite-sized
- they’re all about the present moment
- they make you observant and intentional
And what better subject for children’s haiku than an animal, pet or stuffy of which to take a word snapshot?
Here are two favourites of mine, both from picture books written in haiku.
Won-Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw
Your tummy, soft as
warm dough. I knead and knead, then
bake it with a nap.
Kiyoshi’s Walk by Mark Karlins
His boy moved away.
Lying by the empty house,
a lonely bear waits.
My inspiration has come dressed in silky gold, snuggled warmly on my lap. She’s a Golden Retriever called Themba who doesn’t retrieve much, and forgets all obedience training when she encounters humans, dogs, wildlife, water, socks and anything edible. We love her anyway.
I kiss the quilted pincushion of my dog's warm and whiskery cheek.
© Lou Piccolo, 2023
Patricia, of the bear-filled kitchen, is hosting Poetry Friday this week over at Reverie.
*swoon* those “warm whiskery cheeks” get you every time. 🙂
Your haiku, your photo, your Themba are everything good in this world.
(Our Smidgey forgets every bit of obedience training she’s ever had all. of. the. time. And we love her anyway. )
Ha! Although I’m not happy that Smidgey is somewhat forgetful like Themba, I am happy to know that it’s not just me. She’ll be two at the end of July and someone just told me that Golden Retrievers are only really mature at three…sigh. And there I was thinking that she’d be thinking before acting in just a few months. These sweet things are all that’s good with the world, aren’t they?
pincushion! Wonderful! And yes, how endearing all our pets’ faults are. 🙂
Only because we love them, mind!
Oooh Lou! So perfectly captured – the heart’s desire to snuggle face to muzzle with a warm whiskery cheek! Our Berner is a kindred spirit of Themba – we think she can only hold so much seriousness in her small brain, so she empties it regularly in favor of joy and woodchips.
I love that she empties her brain in favour of joy and woodchips! That made me belly laugh. Kindred spirits they are.
Love the idea of Polaroid, Lou, and the love for our pets. My neighbor has a new puppy & I want it for my own! Love “bake it with a nap”!
New puppies are so great, aren’t they? But just play with this one and leave the challenging stuff to your neighbour!
Awwww….that whiskery cheek. Makes me miss my dog. I need a dog with a life span that matches mine.
Yes, I understand, Linda. It’s so difficult to say good bye to these sweet creatures, isn’t it?
“quilted pincushion” — PERFECT word choice!!!
Spiky and soft like a quilted pincushion.
I’m in love with that picture – Themba looks so deliriously happy. “quilted pincushion” is a a perfect description.
Themba would approve of you being in love with her sweet face! In deed, she expects nothing less.
A quilted pincushion seems apt for describing your pup’s whiskery cheek. I’m reminded of my friend who has a golden retriever who is 19. He is the embodiment of sweetness.
19! That is a whopping privilege. I hope mine will live that long!
Combined with the photo, this poem makes me want to hug your dog, Lou!
Do! She would approve…
Lou, Poetry Polaroids is a great name for image poem haikus. I like the close-up photograph of your adorable dog, especially the whiskers. adding the words quilted pincushion and whiskery add interesting images to the haiku.
She does do close-ups rather well…
“quilted pincushion” — love that!
Themba sounds perfectly imperfect. What a sweetheart.
She is definitely imperfect, but in the best way!