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Saturday 31 December 2016

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

Monday 19 December 2016

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

Tuesday 6 December 2016

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

Monday 5 December 2016

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

Wednesday 16 November 2016

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

Tuesday 15 November 2016

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

Monday 7 November 2016

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

Sunday 6 November 2016

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


Cape Town [City Bowl] @ 6 November 2016

Saturday 5 November 2016

Fireworks


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

Friday 4 November 2016

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

Tuesday 1 November 2016

Rose

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

Monday 31 October 2016

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)

Saturday 29 October 2016

Firefly

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

Thursday 27 October 2016

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

Wednesday 26 October 2016

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

Monday 24 October 2016

Bright, shining lanterns
Lighting and guiding the way
In endless black night
Trees bending, bowing
In cold unrelenting wind
As the seasons change 

Thursday 20 October 2016

Friday 30 September 2016

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

Monday 26 September 2016

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

Friday 23 September 2016

Wednesday 21 September 2016

origami

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

Wednesday 7 September 2016

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

Thursday 18 August 2016

petrifying heat --
we hold on for our dear lives;
hiding in shadows.
Mysterious skies
Oh, how I look upon you
Silently, but loud

Tuesday 16 August 2016

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

Sunday 14 August 2016

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

Friday 5 August 2016

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

Wednesday 3 August 2016

Hesitant

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

Wednesday 27 July 2016

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

Thursday 14 July 2016

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


Sunday 26 June 2016

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

Wednesday 22 June 2016

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

Wednesday 15 June 2016

Winter in the Cape

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

Monday 13 June 2016

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]

Wednesday 8 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

Tuesday 7 June 2016

Fluttering

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

Tuesday 24 May 2016

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

Wednesday 18 May 2016

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

Thursday 28 April 2016

A Light.

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

Wednesday 27 April 2016

Tranquility above

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

Thursday 21 April 2016

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

Saturday 26 March 2016

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

Friday 18 March 2016

       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

Thursday 10 March 2016

Unconventional

what was required --
perhaps uniformity?
But a leaf will fall.
fresh sun on young leaves
canopy of golden green
veins of life, pulsing


Monday 7 March 2016



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

Friday 4 March 2016

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

Thursday 3 March 2016

under the city's shadow

in the city haste
slow down and observe wonders -
skyscrapers and ants

Wednesday 2 March 2016

a photograph

second captures time
a moment; infused colour
infinite image

is this not a haiku?

opium design
manufactured; electric
lost city stories

Monday 29 February 2016

all towards the end

every day proceeds
birds take flight; directions change
feathers float away

Thursday 25 February 2016

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

Wednesday 24 February 2016

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

Saturday 20 February 2016

unfolding petals
blooming in rays of the sun
the power of growth
from low mist, seagulls
wispy tendrils birth wing'd grace
amorphous focus

Thursday 18 February 2016

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

Wednesday 17 February 2016

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

Sunday 7 February 2016

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

Monday 25 January 2016

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

Sunday 17 January 2016

only a hug

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

Wednesday 13 January 2016

the storm will pass

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

Sunday 10 January 2016

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




Saturday 9 January 2016

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.

Tuesday 5 January 2016

all for nothing

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

Sunday 3 January 2016

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


Saturday 2 January 2016

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

Friday 1 January 2016

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