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Rainforest Anthology

from three miles away
the unmistakable sounds~
of howlers chorus  

a slithering snake. 
crushing prey without mercy~
green anaconda  

small eyed black caiman
twenty foot alligator  ~
watching and waiting 

waiting in the trees  
unsuspecting deer walks by~
a jaguar strikes  

through overlapping branches
laser beams of sunlight pierce ~
the dense canopy   

worlds largest rodent
like a giant guinea pig~
capybara dives  

painful insect sting
as painful as a gunshot~
the bullet ants bite  

rainforest rivers  
home to pods of pink mammals~
fresh water dolphins  

jesus christ lizards 
walking across the water~
miracles happen  

hanging upside down 
eating green vegetation~
slow moving sloths  

native indians  
rub poison on arrow tips~
from the green dart frog

a very short tail  
long shaggy coat and red face~
bald vakari swings 

face of a lion 
now an endangered species~
lion tamarin 

pygmy tribes food source
monkeys, pigs and antelope~
hunting to survive



Written 6th October 2018

Copyright © Tom Cunningham | Year Posted 2018

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Valsa George Date: 12/29/2024 3:23:00 AM What vivid scenes inside a forest... where the survival of the fittest is the rule. you have drawn umpteen sketches of animals and creatures living in water and in jungles. "jesus christ lizards walking across the water~" How I love to visualize this scene. Beautiful series of haikus. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 12/29/2024 4:04:00 AM Thank you very much Valsa I'm happy you enjoyed them. Another place on my bucket list the Amazon rainforest. Tom

Paula Goldsmith Date: 2/18/2020 12:49:00 PM Congratulations on your win. What a poem, what a story. Loved it. Enjoy your win and day............ Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 2/18/2020 2:06:00 PM Thank you very much Paula, I'm happy you enjoyed it, I hope you too have a lovely day. Tom

Sam Kauffman Date: 2/17/2020 12:42:00 PM Hi Tom, Congratulations on your winning poem! I have loved your other "anthology" of haiku and this one follows in its footsteps. Wonderful description of a treasure of our plant! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 2/17/2020 5:05:00 PM Thank you Sam, the rainforest fascinates me and would love to see it for real, shame about all the fires there a while back. Tom

Silent One Date: 10/14/2018 2:00:00 PM This is done so well, a great journey you took the reader on... Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/14/2018 11:11:00 PM Thank you S.O. Yes, its an incredible place for sure. Teeming with species' not yet discovered. Tom.

Nette Onclaud Date: 10/13/2018 4:40:00 PM jetlag?... have a fine sunday, tom... huggs Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/14/2018 2:12:00 AM Thanks Nette, no jet lag from Turkey, had it coming back from Florida, took days to get over it. Hope you have a good weekend too. Tom.

Eileen Manassian Date: 10/12/2018 12:06:00 PM What an adventure you have taken me on. I loved those images...well, some got me scared. I surely don't like stinging insects. The one about the lizards walking on water, and the way you phrased it, brought a smile.. Great write. You have great talent. :) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/12/2018 12:50:00 PM Thank you very much Eileen, happy you enjoyed it. Such an interesting place but is full of danger too. Tom.

Kim Rodrigues Date: 10/11/2018 3:16:00 PM Great walk through the rainforest...beautiful and dangerous! I’ve seen sloths and the Jesus Christ lizards, Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/11/2018 3:49:00 PM Thanks Kim. a place I'd love to visit but only with an experienced guide, indeed beautiful but as you say dangerous. Tom.

Besma Riabi Dziri Date: 10/11/2018 2:03:00 PM Enjoyed the thrilling journey in the rainforest! A profusion of natural beauty and wild species.. impressively crafted by a master of poetry! Thank you so much for sharing Tom.. My deepest regards. Be blessed always. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/11/2018 2:50:00 PM Thank you so much Besma, I appreciate your lovely comments. Nature is indeed a wonderful inspiration for artists and poets alike. Tom.

Nette Onclaud Date: 10/11/2018 7:07:00 AM back home?.. soupie you later, tom.. huggs Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/11/2018 2:47:00 PM Haha yes, wish I'd stayed longer , its cold and rainy here now. Tom

Charles Messina Date: 10/10/2018 10:02:00 PM A great string of haiku Tom, I see you enjoy those nature shows as much as I do. Great writes..I've seen a special with the poison darts...the world is so much different as we know it, a whole different world out there my friend... Stay well good friend...Charlie Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/11/2018 1:18:00 AM Thank you Charlie, those wildlife program's are so interesting. The rainforest is something else, a fascinating place for sure. Tom

Winged Warrior Date: 10/10/2018 9:12:00 AM A lively string of Haikus, only you can render, Tom...ready for a win if for a contest...love & light...^WW^ Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/10/2018 10:47:00 AM Thanks W.W. Glad you enjoyed them , not for a contest though. Tom.

James Marshall Goff Date: 10/9/2018 9:50:00 PM Lovely anthology, Tom...my favorite...the Vakari 'ku...read aloud (as poems should) is delightful! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/9/2018 10:14:00 PM Thank you very much James, I'm happy you liked them. Regards. Tom

Paul Callus Date: 10/9/2018 2:11:00 PM You bring the rain forest to life, Tom...our senses are captivated....even the sixth one!! I am tempted...to visit or keep my distance!:) // paul Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/9/2018 4:40:00 PM Thank you Paul, a fascinating place without a doubt but danger lurks everywhere, the ground, the rivers and in the trees. Might be best to keep away. Tom

Carolyn Devonshire Date: 10/8/2018 4:17:00 PM Wow, so many remarkable images are created in your haiku series, Tom! I feel like I just took a trip through a rain forest. (That 20-foot gator would be quite frightening.) Excellent work, my friend! Love, Carolyn (I posted a new contest. Hope you'll check it out. No hurry.) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/9/2018 3:08:00 AM Thank you Carolyn, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I'll certainly have a go. Tom

Anne-Lise Andresen Date: 10/8/2018 12:50:00 PM - A wonderful safari - This gave me many beautiful scenery, beautifully written Tom :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/8/2018 1:06:00 PM Thank you very much Sunshine, happy you liked it. Tom.

Gershon Wolf Date: 10/8/2018 12:23:00 PM You have rained forth a fabulous collection of memorable images. Well done, my friend. ~ Gershon Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/8/2018 1:04:00 PM Thank you very much Gershon, it is an amazing place and so many new discoveries' being made all the time. Tom.

M. L. Kiser Date: 10/8/2018 10:33:00 AM Wonderful Haiku about the rain forest; too many species of plant and animal here face extinction and what about the plants that heal? How many lives may be lost once the rain forests are gone? Some that are anti-dotes for those insect stings...It is a fascinating place. Well done. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/8/2018 10:39:00 AM Thank you M.L., yes, a facinating place indeed, so sad that many species' will become extinct in part due to mankinds greed. Tom.

Janice Canerdy Date: 10/8/2018 8:34:00 AM AMAZING, Tom! Janice Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/8/2018 10:37:00 AM Thank you Janice. Tom.

Andrea Dietrich Date: 10/7/2018 6:10:00 PM This is like the haiku jungle book, Tom. Great descriptions of these creatures. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/7/2018 11:17:00 PM Thank you Andrea, glad you liked it. Tom.

Nette Onclaud Date: 10/7/2018 11:47:00 AM you covered a big jungle of a 'ku, tom... i am impressed!...huggs Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/7/2018 3:59:00 PM Thank you Nette, a fascinating place without a doubt, there is so much wildlife and exotic plants I don't think I could ever cover the whole story. Tom.

Eve Roper Date: 10/6/2018 6:51:00 PM this is a wonderful information, but also scary food chain ... Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/6/2018 11:28:00 PM Thanks Eve, thankfully we're not part of it but can be if we enter the forest. Tom.

Harry Horsman Date: 10/6/2018 3:10:00 PM wonderful and scary Tom, the imagination is superb. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/6/2018 11:26:00 PM Thank you very much Harry, already mankind starting to clear parts of the forest for building and farming, a big mistake . Tom.

Heidi Sands Date: 10/6/2018 8:19:00 AM This is amazing Tom. Well written! :) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/6/2018 9:24:00 AM Thank you very much Heidi, happy you liked it. Tom.

Vijay Pandit Date: 10/6/2018 7:05:00 AM This is awesome..amazed by your talents Tom..you chained together imagery of rain forest in so many haiku poems..Like Demetrios says..a haiku treasure. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/6/2018 7:17:00 AM Thank you Vijay, its a place that has always fascinated me. Tom.

Caren Krutsinger Date: 10/6/2018 6:18:00 AM You have made the rain forest amazingly appealing to me through this terrific poem, my friend. Wow! I do so want to go now! Waiting to see what gets me first. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 10/6/2018 7:12:00 AM Watch out ! , It's teeming with millions of different species that they're discovering all the time. But how long will it stay intact until mankind starts to destroy it Tom.

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