bluetits
squabble with sparrows
garden feeders

the willow
leafy fingers on yellow twigs
raindrop prisms

rain
on the windowpane
the cat's tail, wagging

V
luminary night-
after caroling I practice
my runway walk

(WHA- 95-th haiga contest)

Happy Holidays!

drinks can
rolling along the tarmac
plastic bags fly

sunlight
gilds the tips of house roofs
unclaimed apples

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE NOW

My second book of poems, Haiku and Tanka Harvest, has just been published. Copy and paste the URL below for its location or visit my haikuharvest blog.

https://www.createspace.com/3737478

howling wind
picks up puddled rain
huddled dogs

willow branches
whipped by howling winds
my straggly hair

post box
festively red
my cheeks

first winter day -
touching up a haiku
of last summer

***

premier jour d'hiver -
retouchant un haïku
de l'été dernier

pale sun swims through clouds
promise of snow
highways threaded with silvered chrome

willow leaves
shiver in the north wind
an old man's collie

Bleary orange sun 

pries back dawn's gummy eyelid 

Winter morning fog

last year's russets
on the tree in the garden
two blackbirds

raindrops
hang from a cherry branch
river seeds

sunshine
behind gloom-laden clouds
homeward starlings

may it be
a flock flying south--no,
'tis a snow crew
****
..(C)2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
****

those squeals of laughter
each bed bounce higher
April in december

I used to believe
that our lives would unfold
like rose petals

the sinking sun
pulls down the sky
revealing darkness

The sound of waves

Nothing changed after two months as I step my feet back in the sand of Nanganesa beach. They are there where they were; the cliff, the trees and fishing boats. The sky, too. Don't they move just a little somewhere?

Nothing changed. But this nothingness.

over

the sound
of waves—

the sound
of wave

pavement
slick with frozen rain
bloodied hands

overnight frost
turns the street white
morning rain

dog ventures out
the catflap rattles
biting wind

frigid morning
my breath beats me
to the car

fishes in the pond
sluggish in the cold wind
my scarf wrapped tightly

lacework of mist
rolls down through dark pines
my breath rippling morning's first tea

bluetit  -
enormous
amongst the icicles

a bright patch
in a storm cloud, indigo sky
seagulls

cold ground
an open grave
in the cemetery

the dog
splashing in puddles
backlit clouds

Ha!
more weaving through ice patches
--need not wish for winter
****
..(C)2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
****

frosted windows
the coppiced willow
remains green

crackling morning
new grass shoots
surrounded by hoar frost

a crow calls
outside the bathroom window
misty rain

two full moons
rising - double glazed from an
upper window

the wind drops
skeletal trees become clam
rain drips

evening commute
full moon hides
within the tree branches

grey clouds
reflected in pavement puddles
sullen children

horizontal trees
in the gale force winds
huddled schoolchildren

willow still has leaves
despite the biting wind
fuchsia drops

crow shadows
reflected in wet roofs
sullen clouds

shards of winter
tentatively fall
eaten by rain

headscarfed old lady
bent against the wind
willow still clutches her leaves

sodden leaves
resist the chilling wind
sullen crows

chill wind
the street deserted
rolling cola can

good advice

the cutback thistles

bloom again

two crows cackle
outside the window
a scared cat

just the beak
from a wren in the wood pile-
my godmother's quilt

winter morning
two butterflies
warm the garden

The Heron’s Nest,Vol.XIII,No.2,June 2011

one hour on loan
until spring
winter time is here

missing icicle

the loss easy to bear

for the hope of spring

nuclear winter

of discontent

my stick snaps

in today's email-
good friend ends his autumn
and finally rests

more daylight
less sleep --
half moon in the balance

I hear an owl
ice running down the roof
like mice

* * *

kuulen pöllön
jäät juoksevat katolta
kuin hiiret

packing for a move-
broken Christmas trinkets
fill a trash can

small hills of grit

along the pathway

men are sweeping

dust we are
to dust we shall return
Lenten's lesson

winter goes away
crows enlightens about it
on the trees

spring wind
twisted together snowflakes
direct to the summer

The spring sun
Sparrows rejoice
On dung of horses

first sun of March -
in an email coming from South
almond trees in blossom

**

premier soleil de mars -
dans un mail venu du Sud
les amandiers en fleur

fear of attachment
I watch my wife cross the road
behind cold windows
.

sodium light
wounded by cold air
in the alley
between the estate agent
and the betting shop

icy winter day
refusing his brown hand
she slips again

World Haiku Review
January 2011

Haiku..meager

meager icing
on a cake, the snow,
once more
--------------
--------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
---------------------

it hurts
to think about the break up
i'm feeding the koi

menyakitkan
berfikir tentang perpisahan
aku memberi makan koi

morning commute
mounds of dirty snow
on the shaded lawn

playground--
like a fairytale hero
snowmen

frolicking
through snowflakes
first spring wind

a vee of geese
sunlight flashing on wings
sparrow chorus

clouds link together
ignoring the stiff wind
seagulls swooping

first snow
voices of unseen children
fill this old body

shadow cross of
winter moonrise
a pain that doesn't heal

icy fingers drip
winter whites grant a spark of spring
elation comes forth

pale winter reins still
trees moan swaying in the wind
soon spring shall rise again

gladly
i brew my coffee
early in the day

I open the door
fragrance of morning's snow
in silence

shows on the heaven
the moon bleak smiled
dancing of shadows

morning sun
occluded by nimbus clouds
next door's dog, barking

downpour - sharing
the awning of the florist's shop
with primroses

***

averse - partageant
le store du fleuriste
avec des primevères

rain beats down
on a sodium yellow street
midnight tyre hiss

morning rains
hidden in fog
memories no longer recalled
nor missed

misted over river
the Humber Bridge
linking to Heaven
.

under grey skies
a murmuration of starlings
yellow aconites

duck roast--
splashes from the pond
reach my dining room

bebek panggang--
suara percikan dari kolam
sampai ke meja makan

dusk...
cold air hardens
the rocks

senja...
dingin mengeraskan
batubatu

warm camellia
sensation from the last encounter
stains my napkin

teh hijau hangat
getar dari pertemuan terakhir
membekas di serbet

snow banks
gritty and blackened --
the last guest that lingers on forever

white sky
mottled with Payne's grey, indigo
birds fly to shelter

this cold night
without you
dreaming of bells
the parkour attempts
Quasimodo's Notre Dame

.
Parkours: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour 

damp mist
clings to bare tree limbs
a sparrow, nestbuilding

Haiku..last snowflake

it may be
the last snowflake...
thank you, winter
------------
---------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
---------------------

uninvited guest
the wind blows a pine cone
along the corridor

tamu tak diundang
dia menyepak bunga pinus
sepanjang selasar

mist-laden air
from a roof top aerial
a rook calls

outside my window
the few snowflakes dance
in the cold morning

copper bottom moon
I lose a poker game
on the train

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robinfrickr/2284372496/

snowdrops droop
becoming ragged and dog-eared
misty morning

in the birch's
bright branches a crow's nest:
dark slum

hushed night
a little girl dreams that
she has seven sisters


(http://www.naic.edu/~gibson/pleiades/)

NaHaiWriMo#2o

mist replaces snow
dripping from fresh leaves
wet pawprints on the carpet

snow falls
muffling sound
silent garden

full hunger moon
crushing
wild onions

Haiku..the promise

mounds of snow
are once more fading...
what was the promise
----------
---------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..mostly channeled; spirit Ram
--------------------

Cheshire Moon
the cat from Persia
speaks to me
 .

A Winter moon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet_moon

full snow moon
I am drowned by
the tide in me

dirty moon
last night
I trusted you

NaHaiWriMo #18 

getting drunk
with the winter moon
cadmium blues

. 

spring-like morning -
the hedge
sings for all its worth

sparrows
feed from fat balls
the cat in the window

pruning wild plums
the thorns tame
me

blue tits struggle
to extract sunflower seeds
coal tits eat from shrubs

mud flecks
I want to dive in and out
of your freckles 
.

fingers of sunlight
pierce the night-heavy clouds
mist lingers

Strawberry Hill
the mud off the vampire's
cloak

n.b. in honour of the very first gothic novel.

dark clouds lace fingers
to block away the sun
spears of purple crocus

Valentine's Day -
a pink bud
on the quince tree


***

Saint Valentin -
un bouton rose au cœur
du cognassier

the ground is restored
remnants of snow droppings
flow softly toward spring

Valentine Day
my wife is far too busy
with murder in mind

n.b. It's her job. ;-)

dull day
my wife's something bright
from the wedding

Pre-Valentine's Day

valentine's day -
a first daffodil
opens its heart

winter cherry
exposes shy flowers
honeysuckle's new shoots

Tanka..ha!

ha! another winter
will salivate and puke
all the way back
to the dormant dimension
of you had your turn, now wait
----------
--------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Harmony;
reaching into the poet's heart
---------------------

rain drizzles
washing away high spirits
the dog cries to come in

on his eyes and mine

although we are far apart

the same glint of moon


PS: 'moon' is the wrong kigo for the season! I am posting here -winter, only because I wrote it now; critique/advise/editing,  welcome

opening the window

this utterly still night--

to let in the moon

.

snowmelt river
a burger boy remembers
he was born of fish
.

snowdrops
white against the dark earth
clouds zip their edges

midnight conversation
they're not always death
I say about lilies

n.b.

Plants in the Liliales grow from Bulbs, or Corms, both of which will store food over the winter or during the dry season.

  

.

rain cascades
down windows and guttering
mud on the duvet

hissing car tyres
on the rain slick road
washing machine hums

cutting through brambles

the invisible ropes

wrapped tight round my arms

pint mug of tea
all my childhood
in bookcovers

. 

flat morning light
filtered through heavy grey cloud
dogs return damp

lightning
lingering
on the snowdrops

winter sun
burns away frost
yellow crocus

crows call
from next-door's sycamore
blue tits scatter

Against the dark sky
the white of a gull's wings
coke tin rolls past

Tanka..my dustpan

another snowstorm
my dustpan comes in handy
one hundred scoops
in my little balcony
and you'd think it's spring
-----------
-------------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
..reaching into the poet's mind
----------------------

last day at the plant
hate and love side by side
walking out the door

guilty pleasures–
a cold wind
through the kitchen

Part of NaHaiWriMo on Facebook! ;-)

flickering
among the snowdrops:
the coot's tail

winter honeysuckle -
a light pause
at twilight

***

chèvrefeuille d'hiver -
un léger temps d'arrêt
dans le crépuscule

winds drop
leaving the clouds to creep back
mud spattered paths

Crows returning
in the mist of new year
carrying daisies

empty school yard
from above the cross guard's post
Orion surveys it

trees bent sideways
by the tails of tornadoes
clouds ripped away

midnight chores
the whirr of the shredder
drowns out the wind's howls

ceaseless mountain wind
rubs the windowpane
i sigh..
slightly move my chair
to keep up with the moon


angin gunung
terus saja mengusap jendela
aku mendesah...
sedikit menggeser kursi
kembali terpaku pada bulan

seagulls congregate
on the school yard after break
pigeons at the chippy

flash of white fur

against a dark, winter house

surprise cat

evening drive
moon puddles
in the runoff

late morning coffee
...glimpsing an opossum
on her way home

evergreens shiver
in a crisp, cold breeze
sparrows eating fat balls

so wide is the sky
as those cranes fly home
quietly
i catch minnows
for a lonesome dinner


oh luasnya langit
saat burung bangau pulang
tetap diam
aku menangkap ikan-ikan kecil
untuk makan malam sendirian

morning commute
icy moonlight crackling
on the blacktop

two crows
preen each other:
dressing for spring

feeling the age
crawling under my skin
what's in the afterlife
i wish for a guitar
and younger Dylan

aku merasa
makin tua saja
di kehidupan setelah mati
mudah-mudahan ada gitar
dan Dylan muda

standing at the summit
light-headed above cloud
falling in love

Waning moon
in the vastness of the night
--so much loneliness

© Beatrice van de Vis2011 -Publ. Blithe Spirit (Journal of the British Haiku Society) vol. 21 No 2, June 2011

bitter night cold
turns to morning rain
muddy dog prints

in the apricot air
snow seems lighter to carry
for a day

* * *

aprikoosinsävyssä
lumi on kevyempää
päivän verran

the grass sparkles
under a layer of frost
morning sunshine

. 
light rain–
a blackbird’s sub-song
shares the evening



During the winter, Blackbirds can often be heard quietly "singing to themselves" within undergrowth, this is called sub-song.  Blackbirds quietly practise these songs in the run up to the courting season.

.

sandy beach
striated by wind and frost
seagulls cry

When the ice pools melt,
dark quagmires of mud and silt
suck at careless feet.

holy transitions—
wayside puddle congealing
then thawing again

Nephiliads
cavorting in blue
magpies scatter

icy moon -
a white shape escapes
from a chimney

***

lune glacée -
une forme blanche s'échappe
d'une cheminée

dark, ancient forest

endless, snow covered branches

as I drive to work

after the snow
trees bent nearly double
but not broken

dawn already...
the old Moon is still
courting Venus

snow day
helping neighbor with her car
while shoveling mine out

a calm forest
single snow-crusted pine
swaying silently

* * *

hiljainen metsä
yksi luminen mänty
huojuu ääneti

dry leaves crackle
in their brown winter drifts
patches of blue

drifts of white
lace the windows --
pearled edge of lunacy

solar light come on
in the night-time garden
next door's dog, barking

the salt stains
in the elevator show
where to stand

perfect rime can stay
unphotographed —
hands capture warmth

the yip yip of a fox
in the midnight velvet street
two cats, shouting

clouds rise
like bubbles in the blue
roadworker grumbles

winter winds
red from the nandina's berries
spills over the leaves

stratus clouds
claw in from the horizon
a cat slinks past the fence

a bitter wind
drives away the sparrows
dogs argue at the fence

morning commute
the moon and I take turns
leading the way

the moon
in a puddle
- nearly full


***

la lune
dans une flaque
- presque pleine

clouds form
a cold blanket above
dogwood stems rattle

thunder snow
the school's whiteboard
matches the sky
.

snow falls
through the tall pines
wanting to stay

* * *

sataa lunta
hiljaa honkien alle
jäisin tähän

glacier of tail-lights
flowing imperceptibly
envy the bikers

rose-gold
gilds the altostratus
gulls on streetlight

In full Moon
frozen branches
strange tales from faraway

rather tired
of my baking
both the blue jay and I

a dog's bark
echoes from brick walls
freezing air

monring commute
tailpipe fog lurches forward
with the green light

the lady next door
dressed to the nines to walk her dog
frosty pavement

bleary solar orb
 still gummy with last night's mists
barely sees the day

cyan sky
bleached white by the sunrise
cat on the windowsill

playing with the dog
in the fresh snow
two kangaroos

* * *

koiran kanssa
uudessa lumessa
kaksi kengurua

a chill breeze, damp
cat at the open window
freezes the whole house

the last drop
from the icicle
the sun inside it

a bitter wind
bends the trees almost double
sparrows huddle

Three Kings Festival
the battery goes flat
on the 4x4
.

melting snow -
pieces of bread scattered
on the lawn

***

neige fondante -
des morceaux de pain épars
sur la pelouse

chocolate cake
uneaten on the bird table
wet leaves

mirrors in the garden
only reflect grey clouds
a thrush looks for snails

summer's blue
now, a shoulder's scab
a wintry haze
-------------
-------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
----------------

wrapped in white quiescence
stillness adheres to the world
my breath alone moves

snowing
through the blizzard
particles of me

.

soft clouds whisper
across a powder-blue sky
blue tits return

raindrops
hang from bare cherry branches
ribbons for good fortune

icicles align
with tree trunks - flawless
winter asana

I hear it
through the whispering pines-
winter's song

(First posted on my blog, Softspoken)

bitter winds
dry the night's puddles
abandoned nest

blackbird
makes a nest in the hedge
sparrows scatter

he asks Santa
for a ticket to Mars
and a suitcase

Not a haiku but a renga verse

fluttering shadow
on the snow-covered driveway
American flag

sweet, creamy goodness
of a proper tea
poured in the morning darkness

edges of sunshine
creep around skulking clouds
two magpies

Full moon
Behind the old tree ...
Fantastic sight !

Through the window
The wise old white owl
And shadows of darkness

With the blizzard
Fills the winter evening
Melancholy

old letters
whisper thin --
sunlight through a veil of snow

Snow

it’s white out there
falling flakes
angels still beating duvet

crunchy snow -
a truck of frozen food stops
at the neighbor's house


***

neige craquante -
un camion de surgelés
s'arrête chez les voisins

a brightness of clouds
next-door's snowman
becomes a rabbit

bare branches,
outside my window,
say you're not an omen
----------------
----------------
..Copyright 2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
-------------------------

another snowfall
monochromes the fields
magpies flicker

the birdtable
has been left unvisited
the bare trees empty

morning rain
patters against the window
ticking clocks

sky shift　　　　　　　　　　　空の変化
a Chinese lantern　　　　　　　  中国のランタン
hits the moon　　　　　　　　　月を打つ

original haiku by Alan Summers

Japanese translation Hidenori Hiruta

. 

Penitential soup
Full of vegetables and beans
Post Christmas diet

the sun brightens clouds
but the eclipse remains obscured
sparrows chatter

snowed in again
I watch the streetlamps glow
and dream of Narnia

Blithe Spirit vol. 20 no. 4 December 2010  

A goodbye to snow, although I enjoyed every second. ;-) 

across the road
white goods are delivered
black clouds scuttle

icy path -
moon and stars try
to distract me


***

allée verglacée -
la lune et les étoiles
cherchent à me distraire

this holiday
I feed my soul
with snow and Europe

my eyes do not blink
my lungs don't exhale

every bit of me
hungry and greedy
fills up with memories

a scrap of orange balloon
on the roof of the shed
hollowed-out apples

raindrops fall
beneath the viburnum
next door dog, squatting

To a fresh breeze
I open my window
New year's first caller