The Never Ending Haiku Game

[Liason]

The rules are simple. Post a haiku using the traditional 5-7-5 syllabic layout. The last line of your haiku shall be the first line for the next poster's.

I'll go first,

Biological
Their processes continue
If only to die

[ehares]

If only to die
though reason elusory
Once more to the breach

[BuShinJu]

Once more to the Breach
Happiness on the outside
No more inner walls

[freeeekyyy]

I like wasting my day
It makes me feel good inside
I do not know why

[ehares]

I do not know why
You failed to mirror the line
Their last is your first

[reb]

their last is your first?
the women i poked; each time,
i was a virgin.

[ehares]

I was a virgin
Purity mine; none lost to
that damn flower thief

[freeeekyyy]

That damn flower thief
He lost his chance to be big
Why must he die now?

[ehares]

Why must he die now?
Our world left unfinished
A tale left untold

[rewhu]

A tale left untold
no babies in all those years?
A three hour tour

[Latro]

A three hour tour
of chasms dreary and dim
the night sleeps away

[Liason]

The night sleeps away
Farther and farther it goes
beyond the world's grasp

[reb]

beyond the world's grasp
lie many things-the dreams of
poor fools and great kings.

[Liason]

poor fools and great kings
men of fortune and men sold
lives that fate carries

[ehares]

lives that fate carries
but scrap and ore to the forge
once one; one again

[Liason]

once one; one again
another trend is yet set
of endless process

[ehares]

of endless process
await, by the gavel's fall,
injustice for all

[Liason]

Injustice for all
Might for only the true kings
Inconsistencies

[BuShinJu]

Inconsistancies
Absolutes traded for lies
Tell me the whole truth

[reb]

tell me the whole truth.
leave nothing out. i have time.
no, not that much time.

[WoodsWoman]

No, not that much time
Has passed since that fateful day
When my world ended.

[ehares]

When my world ended.
Toppled by a word's stroke
Catch me, I'm falling

[WoodsWoman]

Catch me I'm falling
Tears and memories flood in
Yet tomorrow calls.

[ehares]

Yet tomorrow calls
Though certainty and grace fail
answer with a roar

[WoodsWoman]

Answer with a roar
Then a silence will descend
Whisper sweet nothings.

[reb]

whisper sweet nothings,
they buoy the soul. airy drops
make dreams of light thought.

[WoodsWoman]

make dreams of light thought
tomorrow comes whispering
is it all for naught?

[reb]

is it all for naught?
the question begs no answer.
firstly, what is it?

[WoodsWoman]

firstly, what is it?
that bright dream of tomorrow
promising new life.

[BuShinJu]

promising new life
scientology rip off
aliens my a$$

[reb]

aliens my a$$
they shaved it. dorsally nude.
great embarrassment.

[Liason]

Great embarrassment
It was said to the mad crowd
Harboring sadly

[reb]

harboring sadly,
she furled her sails, adrift on
waves of tomorrow.

[OwenF]

waves of tomorrow
should have broken yesterday
back when I could surf

[BuShinJu]

Back when I could surf
Waves would crash on top of me
Blue crabs dart away

[OwenF]

blue crabs dart away
scuttering across the sand
like my fleeting dreams

[reb]

like my fleeting dreams
surfing left me like a bad
lover-hear the Ventures.

[OwenF]

lover, hear the ventures,
the feathers of arctic terns
whistling pole to pole

[WoodsWoman]

whistling pole to pole
the arctic winds stir my soul
I will become whole

[OwenF]

I will become whole
a stone wall vanquished by ice
remade in the spring

[BuShinJu]

Remade in the Spring
Winter's works are not over
The World keeps turning

[WoodsWoman]

the world keeps turning
whether I will it or not
hang on for the ride.

[OwenF]

Hang on for the ride,
child. Carousel horses aren’t
as safe as they look.

[Liason]

As safe as they look
But they never truly are
The world's existence

[OwenF]

the world’s existence
in a flood of red poppies
it drowns the whole hill

[reb]

it drowns the whole hill
the ants scurry for high ground.
one ant meditates.

[OwenF]

one ant meditates
along the chemical trail
to Chuang Tzu’s picnic

[reb]

to Chuang Tzu's picnic
the uncles, aunts, the cousins
all come with good food.

[BuShinJu]

All come with good food
hampers are packed to the brim
blankets spread on twigs

[idem]

Blankets spread on twigs
Is the only bed I have
My shield against dark

[WoodsWoman]

my shield against dark
doesn't stop my brains wanderings
in dim dark places

[rwm4768]

in dim dark places
I find myself far too much
and I want to hide

[WoodsWoman]

and I want to hide
not to face these challenges
tossed at me by life

[rwm4768]

tossed at me by life
the waves with their crests and troughs
wash me out to sea

[idem]

wash me out to sea
gather me in feather wings
and rock me till dawn

[rwm4768]

and rock me till dawn
till I sing your cherished song
and fall fast asleep

[Liason]

And fall fast asleep
The forest does in winter
Plants alike creatures

[OwenF]

Plants alike, creatures
alike. Old stones. The same things
in a buried world.

[WoodsWoman]

in a buried wold
memories haunt all places
tears and laughter mix

[BuShinJu]

Tears and laughter mix
Melange of experience
It is all the same

[reb]

it is all the same
apart from the parts that are
different each day.

[BuShinJu]

Different each day
Say, what do it do nephew?
Daily improvement

[WoodsWoman]

Daily improvement
Dreams of massive magnitude
Rarely come to pass

[reb]

Rarely come to pass
though small gems of life glint in
every corner.

[OwenF]

every corner
of Kepler’s divine ellipse:
a potential trap

[WoodsWoman]

a potential trap
this defeated-ness that comes
a-creeping around

know the enemy
resist and it shall flee from you
persistence pays off

[reb]

persistence pays off
the quality of legend,
the compass to path.

[WoodsWoman]

the compass to path
imperial compass rose
guide to the future

[OwenF]

guide to the future
with a plastic planchette, sold
by Parker Brothers

[reb]

by Parker Brothers
is a lake. deep, cold, windswept.
toss bad pens in it.

[BuShinJu]

Toss bad pens in it
Then receive bright gems from it
Equality laws

[OwenF]

equality laws
buttress the architecture
of the rippling pond

[WoodsWoman]

of the rippling pond
bring to mind interactions
all are connected

[OwenF]

all are connected
indubitably, the roads
run from aught to ought

[reb]

run from aught to ought
then back again. breathe. once more.
run from ought to aught.

[BuShinJu]

Run from ought to aught
Thinking that I thought a thought
Mind over matter

[WoodsWoman]

mind over matter
mental machinations mount
method to madness

[OwenF]

Method to madness:
"Will you walk out of the air,
my lord?" Yes, I will!

[reb]

my lord, yes i will
ignore these quotation marks
lest i not proceed.

[BuShinJu]

Lest I not proceed
The freer free to be me
I, you, me and we

[OwenF]

I you me and we
squat round the fire to tell the
tales that make us us

[WoodsWoman]

tales that make us us
the narratives of our lives
before and after

[OwenF]

before and after
the flood the spectrum shined true
promising riddles

[BuShinJu]

Promising riddles
Delivering paradox
Sphinx answers question

[OwenF]

sphinx answers question
eats her interlocutor
smokes a good cigar

[reb]

smokes a good cigar
sips sherry. bulldog knows mans'
love from sky will come.

[OwenF]

love from sky will come
or will not come, the grain bends
in the big bad wind

[BuShinJu]

In the big bad wind
The wolf fills up both his cheeks
Demolish straw house

[OwenF]

demolish straw house
and burn straw man down—wolves don’t
care much for logic

[WoodsWoman]

care much for logic?
the heart doesn't follow rules,
it is it's own guide.

[OwenF]

It is its own guide,
Beatrice and Dante.
Look, the mystic rose!

[reb]

look, the mystic rose!
a petal torn asunder,
beauty still intact.

[WoodsWoman]

beauty still intact
last years rose, shattered glory
single petals now

[OwenF]

single petals now
falling in the stream, kissing
their own reflections

[WoodsWoman]

their own reflections
tossed and swirled in life's eddies
identity lost

[OwenF]

identity lost
and found, worn items jumbled,
gathering this dust

[WoodsWoman]

gathering this dust
hidden layers of meaning
each one speaks of home

[BuShinJu]

Each one speaks of home
Bees dance clockwise and counter
Royal jelly beans

[mozi84]

Royal jelly beans
Dancing in the penny jar
My guess: three hundred

[OwenF]

my guess: three hundred
Spartans would be enough to
raise serious hell

[WoodsWoman]

raise serious hell
would be way too much effort
at this point in time

[mozi84]

At this point in time
I should go and get some sleep
But just one more drink

[BuShinJu]

But just one more drink
From the waters of forget
Perhaps tomorrow

[WoodsWoman]

Perhaps tomorrow
Actually will arrive
Believe in someday

[OwenF]

believe in someday
in actualization
of the sun’s promise

[mozi84]

of the sun's promise
staring at me won't blind you
let the rays shine bright

[BuShinJu]

Let the rays shine bright
On all dreams for tomorrow
Illumination

[reb]

illumination
prestidigitation and
determination

[WoodsWoman]

determination
can carry one just so far
but friends help also

[reb]

but friends help also
though sea goes to horizon;
the wind carries all.

[WoodsWoman]

the wind carries all
hearts and hopes and destruction
wherever it wills

[OwenF]

wherever it wills
the sword will fall, not sparing
kings, fools, or lawyers

[BuShinJu]

Kings, fools and lawyers
Death comes for each one of them
Each tastes life's sweetness

[OwenF]

each tastes life's sweetness,
stirring it in with care, for
the tea is bitter

[WoodsWoman]

the tea is bitter
that I swallowed yesterday
it doesn't set well

[kazzamunga]

it doesn't set well
when vain worries overwhelm
best to let them drift

[WoodsWoman]

best to let them drift?
hidden alligators swim
ready to consume

[kazzamunga]

ready to consume
fear itself waits in darkness
even fear fears itself.

[BuShinJu]

Even fear fears itself
Travel through stranger eons
Even Death may die

[OwenF]

even death may die,
its pride undone by strains of
thoughts that fail to fade

[AcerbusMare]

Thoughts that fail to fade
Create an abyss of night
Listen to the rocks

[kazzamunga]

Listen to the rocks
With their silent noise they pierce
Flesh, wood, arrogance

[WoodsWoman]

flesh, wood, arrogance
can suddenly invade space
that had once been safe

[hutbug]

that had once been safe
was now revealed as fire
and burnt the heart so near

[OwenF]

burnt the heart so near
it was carbon-hard, and yet
still quite rare inside

[WoodsWoman]

still quite rare inside
not entirely consumed
self salvageable

[Seriously]

un-salvageable
tatty little ragdoll girl
sadly torn in two

[mozi84]

sadly torn in two
when long-time friends are no more
which side should i choose?

[Rudy]

Which side should I choose
In this unending battle
Between my two halves.

[reb]

between my two halves
stands my true self-unbroken,
whirling tornado.

[Rudy]

Whirling tornado
Nature's unstoppable agent
Enacting vengeance

[OwenF]

enacting vengeance
against time and lost baubles
I kiss your wan face

[Rudy]

I kiss your wan face
Illness taking you from me
This may be the last

[OwenF]

this may be the last
of the light in the mead hall
out the window now



[Hat tip to the Venerable Bede.]

[Rudy]

Out the window now
The cat leaps to its freedom
Stolen gains in hand

[rewhu]

Stolen gains in hand
kids stream out of Hot Topic
five finger discount

[OwenF]

stolen gains in hand
I exit the bank and smile
now the getaway

---------- Post added 04-08-2010 at 12:27 PM ----------

Sorry. Axe mine! Next haiku should begin with "five finger discount."

[Rudy]

Five finger discount:
For moral degradation,
A cavalier name

[reb]

A cavalier name
-a facade-some cannot tell
horse from an oxen.

[OwenF]

horse from an oxen
farm still had plenty of oats,
so why the long face?

[reb]

so why the long face?
trying the short face somehow
obstructed my nose.

[hutbug]

Obstructed my nose
ah, cursed event
in the garden of roses

[Seriously]

in the garden of roses
a single sunflower blooms
lonely among friends

[Rudy]

Lonely among friends
Adrift without his presence
She staves off despair

[OwenF]

she staves off despair
with written music, thinking
pianissimo

[hutbug]

Pianissimo-generated melodies
wafted in the air
soaring and swooping

[WoodsWoman]

soaring and swooping
I feel my wings expanding
consuming the air

[OwenF]

consuming the air,
a firestorm, burning bright, yet
she sits in silence

[Rudy]

she sits in silence
internal cacophony
hidden from the world

[hutbug]

hidden from the world
the babbling brook did sing
but no one listened

[mozi84]

but no one listened
four minutes, thirty three ticks
music to my ears

[WoodsWoman]

but no one listened
when difficulties surfaced
so she wrote instead

---oops - synchropost, next person gets to choose.

[Rudy]

But no one listened,
The cries of the innocent,
Selfishly ignored.

Oops! Wrong page

Music to my ears
The sound of children laughing
Joy's propagation

[OwenF]

Joy's propagation
made her incredibly tired
so she wrote instead

[reb]

so she wrote instead
of talking. words, the sound...a
stupid distraction.

[WoodsWoman]

stupid distraction
a phone call at the wrong time
ends in confusion

[mozi84]

ends in confusion
long heartfelt conversation
started so sincere

[WoodsWoman]

started so sincere
and continued just the same
until death parted

[temi]

until death parted
those were the words he promised
and then he killed her

[mozi84]

and then he killed her
ever so softly that night
in bed with his song

[hutbug]

in bed with his song
stretching and squeezing lightly
the light fantastic

[WoodsWoman]

the light fantastic
of the dancing spring sunlight
tripping through the trees

[hutbug]

Tripping through the trees
moondust stippled pine needles
floating seeds adrift

[OwenF]

floating seeds adrift
on the jagged gray water
hopelessly happy

[Seriously]

hopelessly happy
gaily innocent moment
watch the bubble burst

[WoodsWoman]

watch the bubble burst
against the green blade of grass
providing water

[OwenF]

providing water
balancing an earthen jug
keeping my back straight

[Seriously]

keeping my back straight
pain shoots down aching muscle
heavenly massage

[hutbug]

heavenly massage
a thing unobtainable
except in one's dreams

[Distance]

Except in one's dreams
Fantasy shouldn't hold sway
Life's not so easy

[Seriously]

Life's not so easy
said the tortoise to the hare
Shell happens, my friend

[kazzamunga]

Shell happens, my friend
Just when you're looking for sand
Shard instead of grain

[WoodsWoman]

shard instead of grain
cutting unexpectedly
waterfall of pain

[temi]

waterfall of pain
intense roaring through my head
yet shimmers beauty

[OwenF]

yet shimmers beauty,
the old lean-to, come morning,
at first and at last

[mozi84]

at first and at last
the rain dries up in the hills
with life left barren

[kazzamunga]

with life left barren
withering landscapes hold fast:
anticipation.

[OwenF]

anticipation
of her pale footsteps: lucid,
intoxicated

[WoodsWoman]

intoxicated?
exhaustion erodes the day
only sleep will help

[Seriously]

only sleep will help
dull the harem scarem thoughts
make the voices stop

[SelfMadeBum]

My very first one
will it suck or find glory?
only time will tell

[WoodsWoman]

only time will tell
if survival will be mine
a tenacious tree

or will it become
as the petrified forest
there but not alive

[kazzamunga]

only sleep will help
feather-light fingers softly
brush away the day

oh bit behind the times!

[SelfMadeBum]

Oop. There I go not reading the rules again. :embarassed:

brush away the day
let it fall, like ashes, dead
and let live again

[kazzamunga]

there but not alive
the burning of the fire dies:
urban renewal

---------- Post added 04-13-2010 at 03:12 PM ----------

haha damn the time delay!

[SelfMadeBum]

damn the time delay
robber, thief, charlatan, whore
no more light for you

[kazzamunga]

no more light for you
than there is dark on the sun
infinite blackness

[SelfMadeBum]

infinite blackness
encloses, enfolds... close
drip drip drip drip drip

[hutbug]

drip drip drip drip drip
why didn't he fix it yet
impatience descends

[kazzamunga]

drip drip drip drip drip
insipid stream of nonsense
inane chit-chat...scat.

[OwenF]

inane chitchat . . . scat
stylings of Mel Torme . . . and
impatience descends

[kazzamunga]

impatience descends
calm facade of suppressed ire
now a tornado

[OwenF]

now a tornado
plus all these crazy meth heads
must leave trailer park

[temi]

must leave trailer park
mani, pedi, big hair night
wolf is on the prowl

[mozi84]

wolf is on the prowl
with gin and tonic in hand
cougars, be wary

[kazzamunga]

cougars, be wary
meth turns beast into beauty
rose-tinted goggles

[khadi]

rose-tinted goggles
scratch between hot asphalt and
heavy heeled boot

[kazzamunga]

heavy heeled boot
delicate tree branch wavers
topiary fail

[OwenF]

topiary fail,
said Charlie Chan, to conceal
killer behind bush

[kazzamunga]

killer behind Bush
Democrat assassin with
American Dream

[WoodsWoman]

American Dream
must it be pie in the sky?
or is this Eden?

[OwenF]

Or is this Eden,
Barbara? I would have sworn
that it was Hershey.

[hutbug]

Barbara was their
name, but showbiz was their game
magic in the air

[OwenF]

magic in the air
each time I inflate my lungs
to take it all in

[mozi84]

to take it all in
my weary soul wants no more
suffering, begone

[kazzamunga]

suffering, begone
crescendo of pain leads to
soft, gentle, nothing

[Nikita]

soft, gentle, nothing
the words spoken in the night
self-degredation

[kazzamunga]

self-degradation
beauty and simplicity
marred by the macabre

[Nikita]

marred by the macabre
her incestual exploits
are intensified

[kazzamunga]

'R' intensified
exotic roll of the tongue
rarifies riddle

[Nikita]

rarifies riddle
the kaleidoscopic mind
reality paused

[kazzamunga]

reality paused
in the wake of a daydream
her heart grows lighter

[OwenF]

her heart grows lighter
when she finds her lost ice skates
safe in the tree house

[Distance]

Safe in the treehouse
Sushi with champagne on ice
Served cold in the heat

[kazzamunga]

served cold in the heat,
dish warranted complaint from
hard-line connoisseur

[Distance]

Hard-line connoisseur
Believes heated sake trumps
Should try different things

[kazzamunga]

should try different things
as the actor said to the
bishop over tea

[OwenF]

Bishop over tea,
but tea over pawn. Must make
a sane sacrifice.

[Distance]

A sane sacrifice
Is a true oxymoron
There's no loss in gain.

[WoodsWoman]

there is loss in gain
opportunities are gone
leaf on fortunes wind

[OwenF]

leaf on fortune’s wind
describes a drunken helix
in the moon-mad gleam

[Nikita]

in the moon-mad gleam
she raises her arms skyward
eternal embrace

[mozi84]

eternal embrace
is something i have long sought
one-night stands grow old

[kazzamunga]

one-night stands grow old
smooth skin and curves give way
to shallow self-pity

[Nikita]

(that last line is 6 syllables)

shallow self-pity
the song of the forgotten
old lamentation

[Distance]

Old lamentation
Does time heal all wounds and tears?
Not everything.

[kazzamunga]

hehe yeah the to should have been in the line above

[Nikita]

Not everything but...
What does nothing presuppose -
A void, or the end?

[Distance]

A void, or the end?
Is too easy an answer
Life is a challenge.

[Nikita]

Life is a challenge.
Worthy only of the strong.
Put up or shut up.

[Distance]

Put up or shut up
Strong, abrupt and aggressive
Where is the laughter?

[Nikita]

Where is the laughter?
When you look inside your heart
What is there to find?

[Distance]

What is there to find?
Children playing and laughing
A rose with no thorns.

[Nikita]

A rose with no thorns
Lacks natural defenses
Prey for the wicked.

[Distance]

Prey for the wicked
Is a wonderful word play
Pray for the wicked.

[Nikita]

Pray for the wicked,
For their annihilation
Before the kingdom.

[Distance]

Before the kingdom
Peter guards the pearly gates
He's only one man...

[Nikita]

He's only one man...
And he's hardly a woman
She is victory.

[kazzamunga]

she is victory
personified, her conquests
swiftly forgotten

[Distance]

She is victory
Never lead by vorpal blades
She bids you goodnight. ;)

[Nikita]

She bids you goodnight,
But will return in the morn'
With a bodice torn.

[kazzamunga]

with a bodice torn
in a moment of passion
the lady cries rape

[Nikita]

The lady cries rape,
but was she such a lady?
Tales from the brothels...

[kazzamunga]

tales from the brothels
are inappropriate in
present company

[Nikita]

Present company
Excluded from the witch hunts
Fierce and low the growl

[kazzamunga]

fierce and low the growl
of the engine...getaway
car, primed for purpose

[Nikita]

Car, primed for purpose,
Body loaded in the trunk
The day's work is done.

[kazzamunga]

the day's work is done
murderer's mind trades death for
ponies and glitter

[Nikita]

Ponies and glitter
Heroin's new nom de plume
Kiddie crack abounds.

[kazzamunga]

kiddie crack abounds;
dreary tower blocks suppress
innate ambition