days when we were green
summed up our wildest dreams:
just wanting to be

Comments

• March 11, 2010, EllenS writes: but lately I've been
  grey as a cloud, no thunder,
  just life without hue
• March 12, 2010, howard writes: sorry to hear that, Ellen (if your haiku is autobiographical). my past couple weeks haven't been that sunny either.
  
  i was prompted to scribble this one after attending my aunt's funeral last week. seeing all my cousins and so many other people i hadn't seen in years (decades, in some cases) reminded me of a time long past. i just remember the anxiety i had to be older, and now, it seems like i should have relished my youth a bit more ;)

I was going to punctuate this one, but then it would be finished — and finished pieces are just too easy to interpret.

always revising
what it means to be living
life in edit mode

*

today I felt the need,
the need to move away;
this place is much too close
and reeks of yesterday.

you say I should prefer
to outlast, to endure
– not clamor to escape
the demons at the door;

but it’s not the same as running –
there’s a diff’rence between flight
and the things you have to do
to get back to the light.

Comments

• September 8, 2009, apreziosi writes: There's a difference between running from something and running to something.
• September 8, 2009, Al Denton writes: I like it. There's definitely a difference between running away and trying to get back to the light. Good work.
• September 8, 2009, howard writes: and after I posted this, it occurred to me that there isn't necessarily any dishonor in running from something either.
• September 9, 2009, howard writes: thanks -- while I wrote this geared to the idea of running to being better than running from, it has occurred to me that running away can sometimes be a worthy effort unto itself. which makes me think i should try writing something about that too

(context here)

the seat of power
rarely concedes advantage
despite promises

Comments

• April 9, 2009, PJ writes: Same as the old boss?
  
  Not really, but I get your disappointment. I share it, especially on the wiretapping and torture issues.
• April 9, 2009, howard writes: I'll admit I supported the President's election, and I still have hopes for getting back on track with the change thing. But the mention of "state secrets" to justify dismissal of a lawsuit against the telecoms (as if a telecom exec could rightfully be in possession of a state secret?) sounds a little too much like looking backwards -- something I thought the President has already spoken against.
  
  I'm hoping, but it won't preclude me offering criticism as well.
• April 11, 2009, speener writes: You know what the Obama's Presidency is like? It's like when you buy a house, you get it inspected, you think you know all the problems and then you go to start your first project, and find that the plumbing system is screwed. Seems to happen to me with every project we undertake - replace the sliding glass door: "the support was all rotted - need to replace that too", etc.
  
  Change is taking a backseat unfortunately. I just hope that it moves up front soon. (Healthcare is a good place to start).
• April 11, 2009, howard writes: Great analogy. I hope it moves to the front soon, too.
• April 11, 2009, speener writes: BTW - love the new photo haikus.
• April 11, 2009, howard writes: Thank you.

Today’s haiku, “getting by,” is written on my favorite cotton letter-writing paper from Crane & Co (as you may be able to tell if you see the watermark in the lower left corner of the image). Yesterday’s was on a page from a Moleskine cahier. I don’t know which I prefer for this venue, but I’d love to hear an opinion or two on the matter.

I’m torn on whether or not to make this photo thing a permanent practice, so any readers looking to wield a bit of undue influence over me, this is your chance. Also, in case you don’t like the photo, or you can’t make out my chicken scratch, the word-processed version is below.

as we’re escaping,
ghosts of the past sleep lightly,
so mind the floor boards

Comments

• April 2, 2009, PJ writes: I like the haiku, and I really like the idea of seeing the handwritten versions of them. I don't know if you should worry about writing them all on one type of paper, or even with one type of pen. It might be better to change it up a little, maybe even form the haikus on the refrigerator with those magnetice letters, or any other variations on media?
• April 2, 2009, Frank writes: Howard, I second what PJ says, I think it's cool to show your process. Sometimes you write in a notebook, sometimes on gorgeous paper with a watermark, sometimes on the back of a napkin or scratched into the margins of a newspaper. I do like (and so does Google) that you print the haiku, too. This is exciting...again, I like the art of your handwriting. It's elegant and clear and the opposite of chicken scratch.
• April 2, 2009, howard writes: Thanks to you both. I can see now that there might be a little fun in showing some variety as far as media goes.
  
  To your assessment of my handwriting, Frank, the scrawl shown here may be the result of a tiny bit of self-consciousness -- it can get a whole lot sloppier if I really let loose ;)
• April 2, 2009, Anthony writes: I'm thirding it (can you third something?)
  
  The handwritten version lends a personality to it that the Internet (in all its God-given glory) cannot.
  
  If I can read it, it's not chicken scratch.
• April 3, 2009, howard writes: You can most definitely third something (at least in this case). Thanks for chiming in, Anthony.
• April 6, 2009, cdevroe writes: I'm with PJ. Doesn't matter what you write it on, in fact variety may make it interesting. I love it!