Haiku Variations

Haiku Variations by Michael R. Burch This is a poem composed of haiku-like stanzas: Variations on the Seasons I by Michael R. Burch Lift up your head dandelion, hear spring roar! How will you tidy your hair this near summer? Leave to each still night your lightest affliction, dandruff. Soon you will free yourself: one shake of your white mane. Now there are worlds into which you appear and disappear seemingly at will but invariably blown— wildly, then still. Gasp at the bright chill glower of winter. Icicles splinter; sleep still an hour, till, resurrected in power, you lift up your head, dandelion. Hear spring roar! Variations on Fall Farewells like falling leaves, so many sad goodbyes. ?Michael R. Burch Falling leaves brittle hearts whisper farewells ?Michael R. Burch Autumn leaves soft farewells falling ... falling ... falling ... ?Michael R. Burch Autumn leaves Fall’s farewells Whispered goodbyes ?Michael R. Burch Variations on the Seasons II by Michael R. Burch Mother earth prepares her nurseries: spring greening The trees become modest, coy behind fans * Wobbly fawns have become the fleetest athletes: summer * Dry leaves scuttle like crabs: autumn * The sky shivers: snowfall Each translucent flake lighter than eiderdown the entire town entombed but not in gloom, bedazzled. Variations on Night Night— ice and darkness conspire against human warmth ?Michael R. Burch Night and the Stars conspire against me: Immensity ?Michael R. Burch in the ice-cold cathedral prayer candles ablaze flicker warmthlessly ?michael r. burch Variations on the Arts by Michael R. Burch Paint peeling: the novel's novelty wears off ... The autumn marigold's former glory: allegory. Human arias? The nightingale frowns, perplexed. Tone deaf! Where do cynics finally retire? Satire. All the world’s a stage unless it’s a cage. To write an epigram, cram. If you lack wit, scram. Haiku should never rhyme: it’s a crime! Video dumped the boob tube for YouTube. Anyone can rap: just write rhythmic crap! Variations on Lingerie by Michael R. Burch Were you just a delusion? The black negligee you left now merest illusion. The clothesline quivers, ripe with unmentionables. The clothesline quivers: wind, or ghosts? Variations on Love and Wisdom by Michael R. Burch Wise old owls stare myopically at the moon, hooting as the hart escapes. Myopic moon-hooting owls hoot as the hart escapes The myopic owl, moon-intent, scowls; my rabbit heart thunders ... Peace, wise fowl! Tanka All the wild energies of electric youth captured in the monochromes of an ancient photobooth like zigzagging lightning. ?Michael R. Burch The plums were sweet, icy and delicious. To eat them all was perhaps malicious. But I vastly prefer your kisses! ?Michael R. Burch A child waving ... The train groans slowly away ... Loneliness ... Somewhere in the distance gusts scatter the stray unharvested hay ... ?Michael R. Burch How vaguely I knew you though I held you close ... your heart’s muffled thunder, your breath the wind— rising and dying. ?Michael R. Burch Keywords/Tags: haiku, tanka, seasons, spring, summer, autumn, fall, winter, snow, night, sleep, day, falling, goodbyes, farewell, farewells, darkness, stars