The One Year Daily Haiku Project

October 1998

Cold, dark and early
our breath fog shivers away,
water's sharp glitter.

[Calgary, Oct 1st]
Tear-stained golden leaves
whipped up by the wind's bluster,
torn by tire and foot.

[Calgary, Oct 2nd]
Entranced listeners,
entwined themes from song and dance,
entombed Bach's bequest.

[Calgary, Oct 3rd]
Explosives flicker,
buildings tumble, dust rises;
memories remain.

[Calgary, Oct 4th]
Driving wheels shimmy
worse each day, no one knows why;
big repairs ahead.

[Calgary, Oct 5th]
Lights, streets, cars, people
emerge from night's deep darkness;
momentum gathers.

[Calgary, Oct 6th]
Golden yellow trees
blue-green hill, black mountain peaks
sky of soft shirred rose.

[Calgary, Oct 7th]
Hidden images
in a careful stack of plates;
craft or potter's art?

[Calgary, Oct 8th]
Royal icing art
takes us from crypt to cafe;
automatism?

[Calgary, Oct 9th]
Sleuthing web pages,
seeking hidden links and clues,
leaving no trail - ehhh?

[Calgary, Oct 10th]
Massed choirs and organ
Christian hymns of thankful praise
fidgety children.

[Calgary, Oct 11th]
A quiet work day
tidying and catching up;
resting, preparing.

[Calgary, Oct 12th]
With dentist-numbed mouth
at a funeral I sing,
among the white heads.

[Calgary, Oct 13th]
Leaves of bright yellow
gathered on lawn, lane or street
rustle in the wind.

[Calgary, Oct 14th]
Dirty brown freight cars
trundle slowly to the east
while we wait and smoke.

[Calgary, Oct 15th]
Last minute worries,
trying to forget nothing;
the flight leaves at five.

[Calgary, Oct 16th]
Now I relax as
a guest in my sister's house;
her children are hers.

[Waterloo, Oct 17th]
Landscape I recall,
woven in autumn colours;
another leaf falls.

[Kingston, Oct 18th]
The band rehearses,
I sit in at the drum set;
can't keep from playing.

[Toronto, Oct 19th]
Large shiny white plate,
strict hexagonal salad,
coiffure of lettuce.

[Toronto, Oct 20th]
Slow-moving traffic,
lights red, green and red again;
flight time approaches.

[Toronto, Oct 21st]
Lights in the blackness
mark distant streets and houses,
nearby offices.

[Calgary, Oct 22nd]
Typing frantically;
papered desk and cluttered screen;
too many projects.

[Calgary, Oct 23rd]
Red tiger culture;
wine, food and fine art:
the quick and the dead.

[Calgary, Oct 24th]
Crinkled leaves rustle
warm sun and a gentle breeze
rake and wheelbarrow.

[Calgary, Oct 25th]
Rosy evening sky
flanked by tall dark sentinels;
a small jet speeds west.

[Calgary, Oct 26th]
Wry skulls and vampires
from the grocer's pumpkin bin
will soon grace our door.

[Calgary, Oct 27th]
Lying, mouth agape,
my jaw vibrates to the drill;
scent of powdered tooth.

[Calgary, Oct 28th]
Orange streetlights glare,
curbside car coated in frost
slowly chugs to life.

[Calgary, Oct 29th]
Black death, white maiden
she limp, clasped to his bosom
her beloved grieves.

[Calgary, Oct 30th]
Two Halloween priests
sombre monk and brisk cleric
trade artist's cards.

[Calgary, Oct 31st]