the dog
gnaws
the bone
the crib
yawns open
as the
grave
the rattle
is silent
Category: Haiku
-
kick him
hard he’s
down stomp
on his grasp
ing fingers
my daughter
is five
Implication and association. This haiku immediately revolts. Grasping fingers and a five year old daughter plus the opening action all lead us to the unthinkable. What has this man done? Why such an extreme action? Our minds immediately conjure up tales of abuse and impropriety. Perhaps not the subject matter for ‘refined’ poetry. This ain’t that.
-
grey rain
falls
as grease
puddling
thick on
the road
skin melts
in the wet
This is one of a number of ‘blood letters’ i have written as part of my continuing process. 17 syllables outlaw poet Todd Moore styled haiku stories. I’ve a number to come.
-
red smear
by the road
an empty
boot
stands alone
the woods
bear
new fruit
So outlaw poetry owes a huge debt to Bukowski and Todd Moore. The guys that made every word count, spitting bullets. I’ve always loved Buk and when I found out about Moore, I was like WTF. This is it. In 2004, Moore and poet/musician Tony Moffeit dubbed it Outlaw – a way of life, revolutionary, innovative, dangerous poetry. A follow your own path BURNING independent self discovery trip all about endless creativity and ‘living inside the poem’. Both Buk and TM taught me that poetry is dangerous.
What I’m found here is using the Haiku 17 syllable structure to frame these ‘blood letters’ – inspired by the seminal true crime series from 1975. I found a new old copy online for research and ‘riting.
-
A tin of baby teeth
Found under the sink at home
Aren’t my own kids teeth
-
corona nineteen blues
states killing themselves now
how many will die free?
every day in every way there will be consequences
-
Blue flowers on road
Five finger blossom of sick
Our lives disposable
Haikus are another form of writing I find immeasurably enjoyable. So much work must go into the 5/7/5 syllabic structure. It really is the perfect distillation of the poetic form.
I’m constantly seeing disposable gloves strewn about parking lots, shopping carts, roadways. Such callous disregard for the common health and welfare of all is shocking to me. Such selfishness.
Outlaw Poetry 