amber light
wrapped flowers
on the verge

—Helen Buckingham

First published: "Haiku Scotland" #15, Summer 2007 (awarded Star Poem).

About the author: Born in London, 1960. Now lives in Bristol in the south-west of England. Her haiku have appeared in Acorn, Frogpond, Mainichi Daily News, Mayfly, Modern Haiku, Roadrunner, Snapshots and The Heron's Nest among others, and last year featured in A New Resonance 5: Emerging Voices in English-Language Haiku (Red Moon Press). Her work has been placed in a number of competitions including, most recently: The Basho Festival Award and The Snapshot Press Calendar Competition.

hb007e6063 at blueyonder.co.uk

11 responses
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published 8 May 2008
in

 

Responses to the haiku for 8 May 2008 by Helen Buckingham

  1.  
    Alan Summers
    2008-05-08 03:28:30
     

    This reminds me also of the one in Whiteladies Road which has had wrapped flowers for perhaps two years now?

    Nice to see you on Tinywords again! ;-)

  2.  
    magyar (magyar0109 at aol dot com)
    2008-05-08 07:02:13
     

    Helen... one can immagine these "wrapped flowers" as -buds- waiting to unwrap into a new day's light.
    Well done!
    _m

  3.  
    Bill Kenney
    2008-05-08 07:11:30
     

    It took my American ear a couple of beats to hear "verge" properly, but it was more than worth the effort.

  4.  
    Melissa Spurr
    2008-05-08 12:40:17
     

    "Verge" seems the key word here. I feel a lot of eager anticipation in this; a lovely moment, lovelier still for its promise of more beauty yet to come. Wonderful. Thank you for this, Helen.

  5.  
    Kujtim Agalliu
    2008-05-08 13:52:47
     

    Hi, Helen
    it is beautifully.

    river's tide
    a hungry dog
    catching the moon among waves...

  6.  
    Soa Governance
    2008-05-08 14:33:57
     

    Thank you Helen. I have such a deep passion for deep poetry. You made my day!! You're absolutely beautiful with your words.

  7.  
    Dirk van Nouhuys
    2008-05-08 17:41:40
     

    This seems very rich. One reason is that another reading hovers in the back ground for me: “Amber light wrapped flowers on the verge.” That paints a simultaneous, enriching scene.

  8.  
    b. m. richardson (orgbob at webtv dot net)
    2008-05-08 20:03:35
     

    side of the road-
    seasonal white flowering weeds
    immersed in red clay

  9.  
    Helen Buckingham
    2008-05-09 13:00:24
     

    Many thanks, everyone, for your responses. Great to see several of you taking away something positive from what, to my mind, is essentially a dark poem. Haiku is traditionally deemed to be a collaboration between author and reader - and as such all perspectives are invaluable.

  10.  
    laryalee
    2008-05-10 20:36:33
     

    Helen, I found this lovely, yet slightly puzzling. I came back to see if I'd caught your intent.
    I hadn't -- I was seeing "on the verge" of opening, etc. So I checked the British use of "verge" in my dictionary, and now I understand the comments by Alan and Bob.
    A roadside memorial...aha!
    And a sigh...
    Lary

  11.  
    b.m.r.
    2009-10-24 16:20:08
     

    halloween
    stars fall to earth--
    yellow pumpkin smile

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