Ground mist

Low lie these fields and white
with mist that drapes the air in veils of pearl.
Furled the sheets when there is
no breath of wind, and only
stealth in the creeping of the night.

Some mornings

the mist comes down,
rolls from the high land
where the sun peers, cool gold

through a spray of surf, pearl
ocean vapour, and behind,
the glorious blue stretches,

unmarked, unribbed and silent.

Haiku on light

light like water

drips from sky to ditch and stream

rises in dusk mist

Dark day

There’s probably a name for this padded out cinquain form.

Dark day

that starts in fog

weaves shadows at midday

where water puddles leaf-muddy

and ends in birdless cold

silent billows

of mist.

Haiku challenge: Creep & Race

For Ronovan’s weekly challenge.

Evening shadows creep

mist rises from the river

day’s race almost done.

Foggy foggy river

Foggy, foggy river,

Shivers, sending ripples racing,

Tracing the earth’s stretching,

Fetching the gulls in from the sea.

Trees, stark black, leaf fall flutter,

Shutters creak, damply swinging,

Flinging droplets wide, dripping,

Slipping in muddy patches,

Snatches of song floating past,

Last night’s paper lying, soggy,

Foggy, foggy river.

Walking through the drizzle

Walking through the drizzle

When cloud presses down

Tangling water and air,

When there’s

No earth to tread upon

Just scraps of mist

That trip and entwine,

Snake sinuous,

Slippery carcasses strewn on the quay,

I stumble, my head full of

Cold, dead fish

And the ghosts of gulls

That flit through the fog,

Silent as the river, sliding

Like cooling lead

To the unseen sea.

Winter gulls: Haiku sequence

The painting doesn’t really fit, but I like it anyway. You have to imagine the fog.

Gulls on white wings

wheel over the misty river

fishing for lost dreams.

*

Fog falls thick hiding

water and sky—only gulls

glide nonchalantly.

*

River mist rises

white grey pearls gulls string their wings

feathered river gems

*

Cloud winter-swollen

white-flecked with gulls snow drifting

still the robin sings.

*

Rain whips cold—gulls cry

grey cloud buffets swirling flocks

gale tests feathred strength.

*

Fallen branches strewn

raft islands on the river

gulls sail to the sea.

Haiku sequence for a misty morning

Ice crystals on glass
cold sketches fragile lacework
stars watch and admire

*

Silver light mist falls

lies on the river dense pall

gulls call frozen ghosts.

*

Wind veers to the north

damp mist quenches leaf fire

gulls drift silent-winged

Haiku: Distance

You hold out your hand

I reach but you are too far

faded with distance

*

In the far distance

tree ranks soften the skyline

I wish I was there

The grey distance blurs

pale cloud pearls into sea mist

waves roll rain-dimpled

*

Too distant the past

mists shroud what eyes cannot pierce

memory plays tricks