#NaHaiWriMo — suitcase

We packed everything 
Planned for any kind of weather 
We never left our bed

*

I had to let you go 
I collected all your letters
There were so many 
Considered burning them
It took longer than expected

#NaHaiWriMo — drawing

The line is magic
Scratches the world into existence
Momentarily

*

I knew you would come 
If I waited long enough
I knew you would stay
If I remained patient
If you knew you were safe

#NaHaiWriMo — tapestry/ lost

We weave in and out
Of each other’s lives too quickly 
The shuttle wears down 

*

Thickly lined walls 
Hold more than weather at bay
Covered with stories 
Muffling our voices in daytime
Silencing our cries in the night

***

I sit in the center 
Only breathing
I sit in the center 

*

The room is empty now
Everything is quieter
How quickly things change
I miss your heavy footsteps
I miss your rituals

#NaHaiWriMo — old/ vinyl

History never sleeps 
It keeps changing its clothes
Hides in the creases

*

Everything aches now
Knees, ankles, fingers, hands
My eyesight worsens
I move ever more slowly 
I begin to miss my youth

***

All that music
Played late at night in secret
Hidden in my heart

*

Keep the records dusted
Organized however you wish 
The needles sharp
Replay all your favourites 
Sing as loud as you can 

#NaHaiWriMo — dove

Under the bridges
They coo and flutter and strut
Erupt into flight

*

From the heavens 
Water, or fire, or a dove. 
Did you hear something?

#NaHaiWriMo — tape-roll

In the evening 
Silence holds us together
Alone in our thoughts

*

That moment you captured
I wish you hadn’t been there
For numerous reasons 

#NaHaiWriMo - polaroid

The memories fade 
I wish I could remember 
The images fade 

*

It’s a good thing
No digital cameras
No Polaroids  

#NaHaiWriMo — jelly

I’m constantly full 
Now I’m soft in the middle 
And always so tired

*

We apply pressure
There’s always something between us
Squeezing out the edges

#NaHaiWriMo — freeze

We brace ourselves
Facing into the wind 
The skin exposed

*

Let me hold you close 
Let me hold you close and still 
Let me hold you still

#NaHaiWriMo — romance/ tiger

Skin against skin
And again skin against skin and 
Skin against and again 

*

Somewhere beyond words
We lose ourselves in the promise
We lose ourselves 

***

To what purpose 
Tiger tiger burning bright
We look in the shadows

*

Every day passing 
Leaves some evidence 
You remain hidden

#NaHaiWriMo — online/ heavy

We wear all the faces 
We remember everything
And forget ourselves 

*

Minutes at a time
We mine our distractions 
Digging into the past

***

It’s a metaphor
The weight we carry within us
How much longer

*

We keep fighting it
Like the earth’s gravitational pull
We just keep spinning

#NaHaiWriMo — stuck

Keep walking forward
I was told all things come to an end 
My feet heavy

*

There is still time
Keep asking the questions 
We can only hope

#NaHaiWriMo — horizon/ dots

We ready ourselves 
For the heavy lifting 
Looking for home

*

Your hands are full 
All this empty grasping 
Under open skies

***

The edges of vision
Secrets and accusations 
Damage already done

*

Here is a window 
The flickering screen
Another fever dream

*

Find the target
Determine how much pain to bear
Make a decision 

#NaHaiWriMo — cartoon

The difference between 
Then and now is a broken promise 
We trace the edges

*

After all this waiting 

We prepare for our unveiling
We work patiently 

#NaHaiWriMo — neighbourhood

How long has it been?
Draw me nearer to thee
Let me look at your face

*

We keep walking
The sun sets on empty streets
We hold our breath 

#NaHaiWriMo — metal

You always forget
There is so much more to do
Straighten your spine

*

After the bones snapped
We discovered anew our strength 
Forged new connections

#NaHaiWriMo — chaos

The ground shifts
In the midst of everything 
Where is the anchor?

*

Everywhere the whispers
Tickle their way into us
Our itching ears

#NaHaiWriMo — dice

We takes our chances
Every time we speak 
Planting seeds

*

Here we are waiting 
One decision leads to another
We choose or choices are made

#NaHaiWriMo — school

Let us walk together 
As we compare all our stories 
Talking quietly 

*

I thought I was alone
In silence I reached for words
Gathered them to me 

#NaHaiWriMo — shell

The pressure inside
Pushes against the edges
We keep waiting

*

We were once so full 
Night after night so many words 
We were once so full

#NaHaiWriMo — trees

Branches dance
Shake in the wind 
Everything breaks 

*

How high and how wide 
Must we all grow to bear fruit
Or provide shelter 

*

What do you see? 

The people look like trees. 
Let us try again. 

#NaHaiWriMo 2025

February is National Haiku Writing Month, during which participants attempt to write at least one haiku every day (February being the shortest month).

I'll be participating again this year, though I may not always write a traditional haiku, allowing myself a little leeway to try some micropoems, or to ignore the supposed 5-7-5 rule/ format.

Recently, I've been reading about other waka forms that incorporate haikuic structures: katauta (5-7-7), sedoka (5-7-7-5-7-7), tanka (5-7-5-7-7), bussokusekika (5-7-5-7-7-7), choka (5-7-5-7-5-7-5-7-7), and haibun (a prose/poem with a haiku ending). Mayhaps some will even join me for a renga (a collaborative haiku sequence with alternating stanzas of 5-7-7 and 7-7)?

Once again, I'll be using the februllage prompts as a starting point.

Feel free to join me, or at least follow along!