Three Weeks in Haiku

I've been part of an e-mail group that's been exchanging haiku-like creations.  I haven't been great about collecting all of mine in one central place.  Let me do that here.

First, my standard disclaimer:  yes, I do understand that there's much, much more to haiku than the pattern of syllables across 3 lines.  Yes, I am aware that calling some of these haiku cheapens the form--thus my term, haiku-like creations.

I contributed my first one on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20:

High noon swearing in
Blessing and promise and prayer
Hinge of history

On Friday, Jan. 22, I sent this haiku:

Coffee on the porch
Late afternoon slant of light
Safe to stay awake

The next day, I summed up my week-end plans this way:

Bought a lot of eggs
Planned to make Christmas cookies
Making flan today

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, I got several different e-mails about seminary (one from my pastor, one from an Admissions rep at a seminary that has a track in theology and the arts); some of you may remember that seminary is a possibility that my brain keeps centering round. Hence, this haiku:

Seminary thoughts:
daydream or question or call?
Am I too far gone?

On Friday, Jan. 29, I wrote this one:

Full moon setting west
Glowing wafer, creamy clouds
Coffee scented dawn

On Feb. 1, I wrote a haiku for St. Brigid's Day:

Dawn, Saint Brigid's Day:
May our lakes of deep gloom turn
into nourishment.

And this one, for Groundhog's Day on Feb. 2:

We forecast futures
with shadows and small creatures.
All in our burrows.

Feb. 3 is the Feast Day of Anna, the Prophetess, who was in the Temple when Jesus was presented to Simeon.  I wrote this haiku:

Temple of old bones:
the work of a prophetess
ever more needed.

We had an exchange about words and hope and how to vanquish hate.  I wrote this e-mail:  "I was going to write a non-haiku e-mail that said 'life into words--I love this!'And then I realized I was close to 5 syllables--and then the rest came."  I included this haiku:

Breathe life into words,
words to worlds, offer new hope,
hate vanquished by love.

This past Monday, I wrote this haiku, when I reflected that a good chunk of the nation was enjoying a snow day, while I enjoyed rain on my day off, taken before my PTO disappears (not as dreary as it sounds):

Dreary rain, no snow
Bread baking to cheer the day
Tea kettle singing

Yesterday morning, I was answering questions about worship committees and bishops and looking at the website of a seminary when this haiku-like creation came to me.  It's both a different direction and similar:

Sacramental grace
sorcery, science, or love.
Daily miracles

How interesting--before I went combing through my old e-mails, I didn't realize how many of these I had created.  Wow.  Are they all good?  I doubt it.  Are they furthering my poetry publishing goals?  In that they get me thinking about language and imagery, yes.

And it's a fun way to stay in touch with friends--that's enough of a plus, even if there weren't other benefits.