Onyx Obelisk Haiku

" Onyx Obelisk Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Onyx obelisk
penetrating white sky lines
arabesques in black

II

Inscribed milky white
overhanging ebony
sparkling lettering

III

Elaborate fonts
boldly stroking episodes
intimate imprints...

Spotted Skunk Haiku

" Spotted Skunk Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Eastern spotted skunk
Algonquian Indian name
polecat, woods pussy

II

Short legs, broad rear end
bottoms of feet are hairless
heels touching the ground

III

Long claws on forefeet
prowling beneath spreading trees
adapted digging

IV

Self-defense weapon
musk sprayed from their anal glands
white on black pelages

V

Alarmed stamping feet
snarling and chattering teeth
contracting scent ducts

VI

Stiff legged, kept at bay
vile-smelling, nauseating
prominent white blaze

VII

Tends to just one den
placid and somewhat sluggish
nocturnal nature

VIII

Discharging its musk
sulphur-alcohol compound
running down the back

IX

Shows up frequently
walking deliberately
clumsy galloping

X

Acute sense of touch
feed heavily on insects
dig out bumblebees

XI

Catching and eating
yellowjacket colonies
pine needles, leaf duff

XII

Dens beneath buildings
under overhanging banks
streams of pungent musk

Diving Ducks Haiku

" Diving Ducks Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Chunky diving ducks
staying further out from shore
strongly lobed hind toes

II

Widely spaced apart
smaller bodies of water
speed up for take off...

Mourning Dove, Rock Dove

" Mourning Dove, Rock Dove "

by Suzán Jiván

Prolific breeders
flashing when flying
swerving and diving
hints of purplish pink
whistling, winging
plaintive, "cooo, coo, coo"
multiple broods...

Bulrush Haiku

" Bulrush Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

A huge breeding range
been first domesticated
in all of the strains

II

In crotches of trees
while laying one egg per day
iridescent drake

III

Double-note whistle
puddle duck and dabbling duck
seeds of bulrushes...

Downy Haiku

" Downy Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Launching pumping wings
courtship, nesting, rivalry
wing-beating flurry

II

Excavating trees
sharp, stout bill, chisel-like tip
wood chips littering

III

Climbing, hammering
exploratory tapping
wood-borer's channel...

Doe-Dropping Haiku

" Doe-Dropping Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Strictly plant eating
consuming lilies, lichens
wild mushrooms, fruiting

II

Days of gestation
does dropping twins or triplets
fawn born fully furred

III

Sunlit foliage
nursing immediately
walking in hours

IV

In sight and by scent
instinctively stripping, leaves
peaking rut, buck rub...

Harem Haiku

" Harem Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Exclusive harems
browsing foliage and herbs
hearing female herds

II

Upright stilettos
grazing green, rainy season
rising over eyes...

Nightspot Haiku

" Nightspot Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Sit down and order
where shoes listen and coins kill
leaves time to relax

II

Daytime stop of mine
down the block in a nightspot
what I really want

III

Describing the past
not as easy to answer
antithesis still

IV

Like a small village
belonging to at least two
comfortable roosts...

Underlying Haiku

" Underlying Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Underlying growth
totally reconnected
in rock-star costumes

II

Quasi-classical
becoming somewhat lame
stubbornly himself

III

Fiancé tribute
off-the-beat delivery
lied-like tunefulness

IV

Intimate facets
doo-wop-tinged leverages
supposed to turn pop

V

Would count for little
pressed tenderly to the cheek
lying back to back

VI

Something else happens
shifting pelvis, rippling spine
perception, response...

Mojo Haiku

" Mojo Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

A spooky goth girl
revisiting the creepy
more romantic lives

II

White as caulk and long
plucked from a soap opera
willingly home-free

III

Continued respect
academic projection
got her mojo back...

Thistle Haiku

" Thistle Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Thoughts of the thistle
conspicuous spiny wings
since antiquity

II

Like tenacity
derisively prickly leafed
spine-tipped, stiffly ridged...

Sandpiper Haiku

" Sandpiper Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Sandpiper haiku
averaging higher-pitched
streaked sides and bellies

II

Nesting on muskeg
capable of wintering
clipped and at one pitch...

Weedle-eedle Haiku

" Weedle-eedle Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Crested jay with black
noisy species, harsh screaming
blue throats streaked with white

II

Undulating flight
nesting in loose colonies
high-pitched piercing, "mew"...

Gull Haiku

" Gull Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Peaked at rear of crown
calling out a full, "kyow"
white head standing out

II

Red orbital ring
substantial overlappings
Black-legged Kittiwakes...

White Chevron Haiku

" White Chevron Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván


I

White chevron on chest
well-defined evening sighting
active day and night

II

Rounded hindquarters
revitalized dry regions
striking black and white...

Flycatcher Haiku

" Flycatcher Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Black capped blackish mask
buzzy chatter red crown patch
loud clear, "quick-three-beers"

II

Plaintive, "pee-o-wee"
extensive western species
beating wings, eye ring...

Arctic Haiku

" Arctic Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Retaining white wings
willowy arctic thickets
rich rufous plumage

II

Raucous habitat
low growl, climactic cackle
black line drawn to eye...

Discus Haiku

" Discus Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

Throwing the discus
launched bouncing up from the ground
wearing a garland

Connoting pleasure
good impressions pleasant scents
quintessential crests

Flowers on her head
the cypress the symbol of death
palm cedar olive

Coming Ascension
redeeming humanity
distinctively winged

Appearing to weep
chastity and purity
legendary peace...

Under Primaries

" Under Primaries "

by Suzán Jiván

Flight
feathers
black
and white
under
primaries
bare-gray
waterways
riverbanks
downward
facing
breaking eggs
harbingers
of reign wading...

Tiny Island Haiku

" Tiny Island Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

A tiny island
right now covered by high clouds
devout waiting out...

Large-Headed, Rather Bold

" Large-Headed, Rather Bold "

by Suzán Jiván

Large-headed
rather bold
whitish throat
coverts
pale yellow
mostly vocal
whitish below
vigorous, " chi-wip "
liquid, " whilp "
loud, " wit "
dark tip
brown tinged
slick, " chicky-lick "
soft, " pwit " ...

Double Back Black

" Double Back Black "

by Suzán Jiván

Double back black
striped white in flight
largely silent nest site
heavily spotted
underparts
deeply dark
well beyond
ruddy rock
outcrop...