Trees Like People

I spent a short yet delightful session with our local third graders for a discussion about "Life with Trees." I was invited to speak about how to plant pine seedlings that they each received for a science project. We started off with "how do trees help us to live?" Along with the usual answers of cleaning the air, creating oxygen etc. came the response that we use them to make ping pong balls - to which I professionally replied "really? I didn't know that!" We also discussed the many ways trees are like people. My favorite comment was from a little girl very much like my younger self many, many years ago who said that "trees have feelings." Of course they do - they just don't show it! A truly enjoyable and refreshing respite despite their unending questions - for me to go back to third grade for lessons about trees from the students.

the question
in her eyes
already knowing

luminous moon
the lichen too
breathe in the light

Quake

a day blowing wind the earth shivers a wave

two male cardinals
duke it out for real estate
thinly melting snow

weed
without a label
wildflower

The Word

In honor of Merrill Gonzales' poem on childhood: the day/the cry/became a word - I am finishing this first NaHaiWriMo cycle with a haiku that I hope pays tribute to her poem and describes my own feelings/truth at this time. Merrill's poem is by far my favorite in a group of truly memorable haiku. It is brilliant on many many levels.I usually do not state my intentions when I write a haiku - that is for the reader to discover, however I will say that it brings me to the stage past childhood:

the day
the word
becomes a cry

Thanks to Merrill and all the othe haiku poets writing and sharing during NaHaiWriMo.

winter stars
I no longer know who's who
on the red carpet