Tom Cunningham Poet Haiku

Notes About The Poem

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

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Valsa George December 29, 2024 at 3:23 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. Tom Cunningham December 29, 2024 at 4:04 AM Thank you very much Valsa I'm happy you enjoyed them. Another place on my bucket list the Amazon rainforest. Tom

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

Sam Kauffman February 17, 2020 at 12:42 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! Tom Cunningham February 17, 2020 at 5:05 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 October 14, 2018 at 2:00 PM This is done so well, a great journey you took the reader on... Tom Cunningham October 14, 2018 at 11:11 PM Thank you S.O. Yes, its an incredible place for sure. Teeming with species' not yet discovered. Tom.

Nette Onclaud October 13, 2018 at 4:40 PM jetlag?... have a fine sunday, tom... huggs Tom Cunningham October 14, 2018 at 2:12 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 October 12, 2018 at 12:06 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. :) Tom Cunningham October 12, 2018 at 12:50 PM Thank you very much Eileen, happy you enjoyed it. Such an interesting place but is full of danger too. Tom.

Kim Rodrigues October 11, 2018 at 3:16 PM Great walk through the rainforest...beautiful and dangerous! I’ve seen sloths and the Jesus Christ lizards, Tom Cunningham October 11, 2018 at 3:49 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 October 11, 2018 at 2:03 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. Tom Cunningham October 11, 2018 at 2:50 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 October 11, 2018 at 7:07 AM back home?.. soupie you later, tom.. huggs Tom Cunningham October 11, 2018 at 2:47 PM Haha yes, wish I'd stayed longer , its cold and rainy here now. Tom

Charles Messina October 10, 2018 at 10:02 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 Tom Cunningham October 11, 2018 at 1:18 AM Thank you Charlie, those wildlife program's are so interesting. The rainforest is something else, a fascinating place for sure. Tom

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

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

Paul Callus October 9, 2018 at 2:11 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 Tom Cunningham October 9, 2018 at 4:40 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 October 8, 2018 at 4:17 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.) Tom Cunningham October 9, 2018 at 3:08 AM Thank you Carolyn, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I'll certainly have a go. Tom

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

Gershon Wolf October 8, 2018 at 12:23 PM You have rained forth a fabulous collection of memorable images. Well done, my friend. ~ Gershon Tom Cunningham October 8, 2018 at 1:04 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 October 8, 2018 at 10:33 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. Tom Cunningham October 8, 2018 at 10:39 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 October 8, 2018 at 8:34 AM AMAZING, Tom! Janice Tom Cunningham October 8, 2018 at 10:37 AM Thank you Janice. Tom.

Andrea Dietrich October 7, 2018 at 6:10 PM This is like the haiku jungle book, Tom. Great descriptions of these creatures. Tom Cunningham October 7, 2018 at 11:17 PM Thank you Andrea, glad you liked it. Tom.

Nette Onclaud October 7, 2018 at 11:47 AM you covered a big jungle of a 'ku, tom... i am impressed!...huggs Tom Cunningham October 7, 2018 at 3:59 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 October 6, 2018 at 6:51 PM this is a wonderful information, but also scary food chain ... Tom Cunningham October 6, 2018 at 11:28 PM Thanks Eve, thankfully we're not part of it but can be if we enter the forest. Tom.

Harry Horsman October 6, 2018 at 3:10 PM wonderful and scary Tom, the imagination is superb. Tom Cunningham October 6, 2018 at 11:26 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 October 6, 2018 at 8:19 AM This is amazing Tom. Well written! :) Tom Cunningham October 6, 2018 at 9:24 AM Thank you very much Heidi, happy you liked it. Tom.

Vijay Pandit October 6, 2018 at 7:05 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. Tom Cunningham October 6, 2018 at 7:17 AM Thank you Vijay, its a place that has always fascinated me. Tom.

Caren Krutsinger October 6, 2018 at 6:18 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. Tom Cunningham October 6, 2018 at 7:12 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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