all-night laundromat
my pyjamas toss and turn
in the dryer

Published by

Dave Bonta

Dave Bonta (davebonta.com) is the author of Failed State: Haibun (Via Negativa Books, 2021) and Ice Mountain: An Elegy (Phoenicia Publishing, 2017). His haiku, senryu and haibun have appeared hither and yon, including in Frogpond, The Heron's Nest, Wales Haiku Journal, Contemporary Haibun Online, Haibun Today, and Modern Haiku.

11 thoughts on “”

  1. .

    all-night laundromat
    my pyjamas toss and turn
    in the dryer

    —DAVE BONTA

    Love it! :-)

    Ah, I remember the days when I had to use one of those, usually at night, sometimes for the next morning's clothing.

    It gives me good and bad memories of having to spend time in one, although I don't think I ever wore pyjamas as a young adult.

    So feels crazy that we never met up in Chippenham, when I was only five minutes away. But at least I have your haiku. :-)

    Off the cuff (no pun intended)

    nite hours…
    a laundromat eats
    my words

    Alan Summers

  2. Thanks for the comments and haiku. I'm not entirely sure why I went with the British spelling of "pyjamas" and yet chose the American word "laundromat" (instead of laundrette), but I did think about it, and it just came down to those were the words I preferred in each case. Give me time and I'll probably be saying "washing" rather than "laundry", too!

    1. Ah, is it British spelling, seemed unusual to me. It's an Indian word as in Pajama (trousers not top as well) which I've worn regularly when I attended conferences and events in India every year for a long time.

      From WIKIPEDIA:
      The word pyjama was borrowed c. 1800 from the Hindustani p?y-j?ma (??????‎ ??????), itself borrowed from Persian p?y-j?meh ???????‎ lit. 'leg-garment'.[5][6] The original pyj?m? are loose, lightweight trousers fitted with drawstring waistbands worn by many Indian Muslims, as well as many Sikhs and Hindus, and later adopted by Europeans during British East India Company rule in India.

      Ah, laundrette, I thought there was another spelling, but couldn't remember it. I think there are still these places unlike internet cafes. :-)

      English borrows words from all languages which makes it a mongrel creation, but a useful one. ;-)

      Alan

  3. Mom and Gramma, use to call'em P-JAYS.
    __ Spelling, and time, matters little, as that quickened snooze remains the same. Smiles!

    ankles crossed
    this book drops to my chest
    pages wrinkle

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