“A Few Haiku (34)”

On By Mike U.In Poetry

(c) 2022 by Michael L. Utley

(#199)

domestic abuse
my seven-year-old self
learns to hate

…..

(#200)

sunflower song
a dirge for those
who shall never bloom

…..

(#201)

tank tracks in mud
scrawl across sunflower fields
calligraphy of war

…..

(#202)

spent brass shell casings
golden glitter in the streets
currency of death

…..

(#203)

we watch and wait
while children cry and die
thoughts and prayers are not enough

…..

(#204)

judgment day
we have no excuse for
what we have done

30 thoughts on ““A Few Haiku (34)””

      1. You’re welcome… It’s just such a wonder, when someone can take just a few words and create such brilliant imagery from each one and create such depth of emotion.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you so much, Daphny. Drawing from personal experience is painful sometimes but it’s truth, and that’s what I must write about in my poetry, you know? I always appreciate your support and encouragement. It makes delving into these painful memories worth it. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thanks, Tervreen. It’s frustrating, as you said, and I know we’ll have a reckoning at some point for our inaction not only now, but throughout our history as a species. We can’t keep turning a blind eye to atrocities. When we do, it empowers those who commit them, and on it goes… Thanks for your constant support. I appreciate it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you, Kirsten. Yeah, #202 hits hits home for me as one of my family members nearly died as a result of a gunshot wound to the chest. So much death… The road to hell is paved with spent brass shell casings… Thanks for your always supportive words.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thanks, Mark. Yep, what a solemn tone all of these encompass. I live a very isolated life, but these things still extract a deep toll on me and I find myself needing to speak out now and then. I have a new set of haiku I’ll publish in a day or two that mostly revolves around nature and less intense subjects, but I’m glad I spoke out on these somber issues. Thanks for your support, good sir. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you, Jeff. Fraught times spawn solemn thoughts, I suppose. I’ve found that when I’m experiencing writer’s block, it’s usually because I need to write something serious but have misgivings about how it will be judged by others. In the end, I have to remember I’m writing for myself as a means of expression and therapy and I can’t let what others think prevent me from writing. The last thing I want is to be known as “that depressing guy,” you know? But it’s important for me to write, and this is what’s on my mind. I’m just grateful people seem to respond positively to it. It’s encouraging and keeps me motivated to keep trying. As always, I appreciate your kind words so much, Jeff. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you, Filipa. Lots of frustrations in the world right now, and many of us feel powerless to do anything to improve the situation. It helps me to distill these feelings down to haiku format for clarity. Maybe these haiku will resonate with someone somewhere. Thanks for your kind words. I appreciate it.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Many thanks, Lamittan. Yes, this collection is bleak and addresses some serious issues, but I believe that speaking out can build bridges and mend hearts and show others they’re not alone, that we’re all in this together. I’m glad these spoke to you, and I appreciate your constant support. 🙂

      Like

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s