Sherry Sheehan Poems

Home‎ > ‎

WHY HAIKU

Some folks don’t like haiku.  I do.  I've archived a few in honor of my Aunt Mary Louise Schneeberger (1906-2005), who appeared regularly in the Carmel Pine Cone with haiku that then-Mayor Clint Eastwood took a shining to.  She reported that he told her once, "I pick up the paper only to see whether you're in it, Mary Louise."
 
The Bay Area News Group has been running a themed haiku challenge for months. BANG began with weekly haiku columns in 2008.  The challenge now occurs once a month or less often.  Go here for more info:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/haiku

 
The following of mine have made it into West County Times newsprint on the days shown unless otherwise noted.
 
Thanksgiving theme 11/16/09
Gangs of turkeys roam
country roads, pardoned by us,
their fellow creatures.
 
Halloween theme 10/5/09
runner-up, online:
"Orange you cute in
your Halloween costume" is
fall's knock-knock answer.
 
Labor Day theme, 9/7/09
After enjoying
Labor Day weekend playtime,
we grouch back to work.
 
"Heat's on summer verse," 8/3/09
When Bay breezes stop,
all that was cool this morning
is suddenly hot.
 
"School's out," May 2009 
For the May 2009 "school's out" theme I submitted the allowed two. Neither made the printed paper, but one showed up online:

Prevent hardening
of the categories by
learning from the young.
 
"IRS," 4/13/09
Taxes prove we were
alive -- receipts for getting
and spending, archived.
 
"St. Patrick's Day," 3/16/09
Better than gold at
rainbow's end was finding a
fun Irish husband.
 
"Dr. Seuss," 3/2/09
Seuss bet Cerf he could
tell a story, using just
fifty words. Seuss won.
 

“Ground Hog Day,” 2/2/09

Prognosticating

with shadows, Plato in his

cave or Groundhog Phil?

 

Ground Hog Day could be

a cookout for hamburger

or pig but isn't.

 

“Castaways,” 1/29/09

We're all castaways

on island earth, rotating

in oceans of space.

 

“New Year’s resolutions," 1/5/09

Resolving to start

dieting, I have just one

last very small snack.

 

“James Bond,” 11/5/08

Oh, to be a Bond

girl, but even young, I was

no Halle Berry.

 

"Bond, James Bond," he says.

Then "Shaken, not stirred," while I,

eyes on screen, am both.

 

“Joe,” 10/27/08

Joe and Marilyn

left our realm, escaping all

rude paparazzi.

 

Knock three times, whisper

low. Hernando must make sure

that you're in with Joe.

 

Little Women's Jo

is no Joe, so must march out

of this male haiku.

 

“Trick-or-treat,” 10/20/08

Out late, asking for

candy, you'd better be young

or you are mooching.

 

“TV characters,” 10/6/08

Flawed Don Draper, Mad

Men’s strong-jawed hunk, makes me yearn

for my shorthand pad.

 

Sixties typewriters

click like sharp heels on Mad Men

backs.  Ask Don Draper.

 

“Wailing on Wall Street,” 9/29/08

Financial angst like

ours needs more than seventeen

stalwart syllables.

 

“Rush-hour Traffic,” 9/23/08

Change fingers, mister,

since I’m changing lanes fast to

get out of your way.