dim clouds in warm night
distant crickets call sharply
a prayer for rain

geese eye the still pool
and enter with a clean cleave
tracing a lean wake

My child, you must sleep
Surrender the absurd day
Enter tomorrow

the fine sand ring rests
life portal for working ants
fragile strength endures

dawn's breath, gentle release
tree-bound doves coo their delight
the day's lungs fill, fresh

Mistery

A misty sunrise,
The truth will never be clear;
Just sit, in silence.

An untold story

Two leaves in the air;
Moving rhythmic, together
A story untold

the morning's dim heat
distant thin clouds shimmer high
new buds yawn to life

Dancing in the wind

Unexpected swirls
Brought by a soft gentle wind
Cause treetops to dance

Freedom

A simple raindrop
On the edge of breaking free
Gently falling down

Water

Drops so crystal clear
Make your reflection appear
Just invisible

still clouds overhead
in shade, rest -- in sun, warm life
duality endures

Cape Town [City Bowl] @ 6 November 2016

Fireworks

Explode in fire spheres
From crimson to real turquoise
Send joy in dull night

a crisp spring eve's rain
lingers in the grey day's haze
gentle wonderment

Rose

Like red rose petals
We fall from life's challenges
Then we grow again

Lighting up the sky
In flashes of gold, silver
Stunning lightning storms

revelation

vibrant cape sunrise
the day commences; yawning
music to my eyes

Free cake at break

Icing spread over
Goodness enfolded with bliss
Fluffy, pink cake (yum)

Firefly

You flutter your wings,
and your positivity
lights up the darkness

Peaceful wind outside 
You bring me calmness and joy
Stay a bit longer? 

A bird roams freely
with paper wings holding him
gently, but jaunty.

Bright, shining lanterns
Lighting and guiding the way
In endless black night

Trees bending, bowing
In cold unrelenting wind
As the seasons change 

Forbidden lovers

The moon and the stars;
Divided by gravity,
Forbidden lovers

morning's light bird song
the not-there breeze barely breathes
a new day stirs, poised

dappling shadows flit
birds wheel in flight's abandon
upturned eyes drink bliss

Life's lacerations

like the cold wind blows
your voice cuts through my vital core
an eternal slash

late winter's thin rain

still bee, wrapped in wet petals

close pollen, so far

photo by Hein Mönnig, 26 Sep. 2016

Assured survival

Your able presence

you see the winter approach

Assured survival

origami

folded paper sheet
the crane becomes, in pure white
still eternal flight

still trees and cool skies
distant vague birds sleep in flight
the earth breathes soft clouds

petrifying heat --
we hold on for our dear lives;
hiding in shadows.

Mysterious skies
Oh, how I look upon you
Silently, but loud

at dusk, the moon hangs
pendulum in thin veiled sky
still between heart beats

A soaking night rain
In the torrent, still ducks stand
Revelling in all

a clear and far sea
distant gull wings skim wave tops
flutters of change sound

Wisdom

A bird of wisdom,
Gasp, all this knowledge, frightening
The apple of life

Happiness awaits

Rivers of sadness
Flowing away, darkness fades
Clouds drifting, sunshine

Pain is only temporary

Roses of darkness,
the tide of fear moving fast;
Temporary pain

Hesitant

oh, sad little bird,
you are far too insecure,
with far too much hope.

The sun

Shimmering like gold
Shining against a sky blue
Shouting good morning

Kisses

Blood red on snow white
Kisses, scattered like roses
On canvas white snow

fog blankets still earth
high, unseen gulls wheel and cry
day's future shimmers

the moonlight, too bright
in the sun, a dark glare blinds
see clear in dawn's dusk

New season

Leaves falling on us
Revealing a new season
All smiles for a while

Fear

A pack of lions
Nothing can stand in their way
Why are we, afraid?

Fear

A pack of lions
Nothing can stand in their way
Why are we, afraid?

Alone

A mountain ahead
The road that follows, unclear
Alone, I will fail

Winter in the Cape

the mist, descending
thin shroud cloaking all that's fixed
distant seagulls cry

For you, for me, for us

We had a birthday two days ago, on the 11th of June. 

A year before, Reinhardt Voges, Kimberley Hing and I sat at Cocoa Oola in Kloof Street, plotting and planning a haiku society for Jan van Riebeeck. A crazy idea whose time had come, I thought. 

And so it came to pass. 

First, the genesis of a single haiku. Then two, then four, then eight -- well, you get the idea. We, the pupils and I, have written many haiku since then, covering many minute inspirations, from the mundane beauty of nature, to the exquisite pain of emotional hurt. Ah, life's rich fabric.

We're not stopping. At some point, down the line, I think of publishing the best of these haiku [i.e., all of them] in real, paper, book form. Give us another year or ten [as long as the internet lasts, Homer Simpson's cynicism notwithstanding...].

It's been a wonderful trip so far, boys and girls. And, journey-wise, we've hardly left Cape Town, on our way to Cairo!

See you all in the next installment of 17 syllables, and a merry Mazel Tov to us all! [Mossie, Riekert, Cameron -- you're up.]

-- Hein Mönnig [Staff: English Department, 11 June 2016]

ant on quiv'ring leaf
surveys its minute kingdom
unseen by high hawks

Circle

earth feeds beetle, to bird
bird for snake, feast for badger
badger's flesh sates soil

for T.

a warm winter's dawn
in the distance, hazy coolth
butterfly wings still

Fluttering

your eyelids flutter,
like wings on a butterfly,
and you see new hope.

the low mountain's cap
dark clouds hang, dusky covers
breathless life, thirsting

Drought

Trees, staring in awe
Liaison between the leaves
Waiting for the rain

unsatisfied

The light of the sun

Reflecting the world's beauty

Are you satisfied?

happy

Like a burning fire;

The happiness awakens

Bright future's ahead 

education, manipulation

A flower in bloom
Forced to be educated
Complaints are silenced

A Light.

and there was the light --
illuminating brilliance --
and distance vanished.

Tranquility above

serene and peaceful,
soft clouds passing by; viewing
disorder on earth

early winter's chill
long shadows cast bracing coolth
nearing sleep's soft mantle

the night's rain, fallen
dawn's cloudy skies, reflections
pure drops on green blades 

       Galaxies

I traced star by star,
Until the horizons met...
All led back to you

         Final notes 

    Dancing on the edge;
 Waiting for the final notes...
    Free my captured soul

Unconventional

what was required --
perhaps uniformity?
But a leaf will fall.

fresh sun on young leaves
canopy of golden green
veins of life, pulsing

Credit: kel-ee.tumblr.com

as winter draws near
and beautiful flowers die
your warmth keeps growing

Green leaves painted gold
Falling from the tops of trees
While autumn wind blows

Springs in the summer

Chiming and thrumming with life

Shining in sunlight

dim palms in dawn's mist
languid waves lap the morn awake
in tide, sea's heart beats

under the city's shadow

in the city haste

slow down and observe wonders -

skyscrapers and ants

a photograph

second captures time

a moment; infused colour

infinite image

is this not a haiku?

opium design

manufactured; electric

lost city stories

all towards the end

every day proceeds

birds take flight; directions change

feathers float away

No more green, just black
Cold fingers reaching for stars
Trees in bright moonlight

day's breeze lulls to sleep
petals droop in cool repose
the earth's slow night pulse

unfolding petals
blooming in rays of the sun
the power of growth

from low mist, seagulls
wispy tendrils birth wing'd grace
amorphous focus

distant pines cast shade
fields of cool cones lie scatt'red
memories of wood

Anxiety

how dearly you wish --
you wish for the clearest sky
of understanding

Delicate music
Like the beat of a wild drum
Nature's melody

on still water, leaves
a quiet dragonfly basks
small peace in stillness

night's soft soaking rain
earth's musk permeates the dawn air
blanket, cloudy skies

only a hug

brief seconds of touch
souls in the dark intertwine
a form of magic.

the storm will pass

rigid; uprooted
the supple, bending trees stay,
unbroken - anchored

aloft, geese head home
dusk signals day's placid end
a new dawn beckons

Beckoning

our bluebird chatters
his eyes glinting with shyness
but something beckons

Improbability occurrence

a new dawn awaits -
a troubled mind still waiting:
The Improbable.

all for nothing

grey heart in twilight
salt water drops to the floor
evaporated.

with fragile crackling
gusts breathe dry leaves down to rest
summer's memories

The harsh truth

Bright rainbow colours
The truth breaking through the lies
Fake friends; discovered

Goodbye agony

Winter passing by,
Time drifts away to the past
Memories are made

Can't forget

A light gust of wind,
Reveals the deepest secrets
Wounds are re-opened

Scared

Rainbows full of joy
After a terrible storm
Will darkness return?

Fixed

Sun, uplifting souls
The healing process ending
Soft, fragile hearts, fixed

The wolf

Like a howling wolf;
Seeking honesty and trust
Will he find answers

Happiness fading away

Blue skies turning dark
The light has been swept away
Pain is upon us

Growing up

Green grass growing fast,
Humans weeping, days passing
The future, unknown

Emotionless

Frozen emotions

Showing no pain or anger,

My best foot in front

a new sun's rise, fresh
a sleeping earth, blazed awake
youth in ancient cycle