They would come at night,
Many people disapeared
-learn to sleep with fear.
Parents and children
Lay side by side on boardwalk
-where they drank Kool-aid.
She sits on the porch,
Waiting for her ride to prom
-he goes with her friend.
Christmas by fireside,
Hessians toast the holiday
-Washinton attacks!
Praying in garden:
Not my will, but yours be done!
-Judas come with kiss.
He surfaced to eat,
Gulls flocked down, they threw harpoons
-running him through side.
We watched the t.v.
Knowing our candidate won!
-next day:total shock.
Murphy's Haiku #36
A nice sunny day
Then, as I'm leaving, it rains!
-forgot umbrella.
Copyright 2008
One Single Impression: Defenses Down
..for the humane and thought provoking images..many thanks..
ReplyDeleteYou capture moments of true defenselessness when compassion is most necessary--and you have done it in quite a range. Thanks, Edward.
ReplyDeleteThese are heavy with emotions. I do hope the election one is not prophetic.
ReplyDeleteyour poems remind us that there are times when defenses are necessary.
ReplyDeleteAnother great collection. The second invoked chilling images of Jonestown.
ReplyDeleteSome sad cases here. I guess we had better not forget them.
ReplyDeleteI love your Murphy's Haiku.
There is a lot of tension in some of these. Solid job of creating tone.
ReplyDeleteAnthony,
I didn't think Jonestown. Maybe it was the boardwalk reference. But given the collection, interesting connection.
The many faces of being exposed, defenseless. Do you know the music of Richard Shindell? The first haiku reminded me of some of his song, like Abuelita and You Stay Here.
ReplyDeleteVery nice, Edward. Suicide? Perhaps the jilted prom girl? She was heartbroken, I know.
ReplyDeleteOr was it 'praying in the garden' and 'surfaced to eat' because each of those willingly took the risks?
..
Wow, you covered a lot of subjects here and you've captured the propmt well. I get the reference to Jim Jones and Jamestown. The harpoonng of the whale makes me sad. All of these are good. I can't pick a favorite.
ReplyDeleteGreat range... My favorite - I'm in full political mode right now - is the next to the last. So true.
ReplyDeleteEven with defenses up, it doesn't always save us. Great work!!
ReplyDeletelearn to sleep with fear indeed. sad.
ReplyDeleteI must remember these when I complain of minor mishaps and bumps in the road. The Jonestown one sticks in me in particular.
ReplyDeleteAll of these give the truth of the story, summarizing the truth in three short lines reflects so much disappointment, despair, surprise... done so well!
ReplyDeleteinteresting series
ReplyDelete