Seeing Through Other Poet’s Eyes
It is
fascinating to be seeing the world through the eyes of
other poets. They cover so many subjects and points of
view. They take us where we have never gone and share a
moment with us that we would never have witnessed. That
moment might be one of surprise, mystery, humor, or
something best expressed by "aha". These insights open
our eyes, our imagination, expand our understanding, and
arouse our senses. Just as we all have different
preferences when eating vegetables, so our taste of
haiku will vary too. These are my picks after strolling
through this interesting array of vegetable haiku. I
will return later for other strolls and, no doubt, my
choices will vary some depending upon my disposition. I
also wonder how much these haiku tell us about their
authors. I am sure that your delights will vary as you
see through these poets’ eyes.
With this haiku all the sound and sights of a party come
to life.
ripe
tomatoes
chips and sauce
on the horizon
# 01. Karen O'Leary, US
Now, this
poet certainly has an imagination. It evokes two vivid
pictures.
carrots in the basket—
so many noses
for snowmen
# 02. Vania Stefanova, BG
I love the
sense of sound this one conjures up. Who could have
imagined that corn silk could talk?
secrets…
the whisper of corn silk
between my fingers
# 03. Cara Holman, US
I was
recently viewing a photo of a moonlit night with
mountains in the background and can appreciate the
hue/darkness pictured here.
eggplants
tonight, the same shade
as the mountains
# 06. Stevie Strang, US
water cress
garnishing the salad bowl
June darkness
# 188. John Daleiden, US
I have never
eaten pepperwort, but this experience is certainly real
for me.
sunday brunch
with the inlaws
the taste of pepperwort
# 07. Kirsten Cliff, NZ.
These are
great combinations and wonderful double pictures.
summer harvest:
the salad bowl
shames the rainbow!
# 11. Chitra Rajappa, IN
vegetable stew
in the brimming pot
a rainbow
# 192. John Daleiden, US
Is this a
memory of meal times?
three
sisters
compliment each other
corn, beans, squash
# 14. Munia Khan, BD
Other poets
too must have remembered growing up around the table.
bean
soup
with roast sausages
lunch for uncle
# 25. Tatjana Debeljacki, SR
nibbling at her veggies:
the five-year old checks
if she has grown any taller!
# 50. Chitra Rajappa, IN
If anyone
has grown their own garden, they cannot help but think
of intruders.
flowering peppers
in the garden—
slugs, slugs…
# 15. Evica Kralji c, CR
These remind
us of what it is like tending a garden.
open
house…
snails dine al fresco
in my lettuce patch
# 36. Cara Holman, US
in my fresh greens
a caterpillar feasting—
hot summer day
# 43. Sandra Martyres, IN
the cucumber
and its slug
on the hazel bush
# 44. Djurdja Vukelic-Rozic, CR
morning dew
potatoes' leaf glistens
with a potato beetle
# 96. Marija Pogorilic, CR
Our memories
might be more attuned to happier times.
hot
peppers—
jumping from the swing
on a dare
# 38. Cara Holman, US
cucumber sandwiches
with chilled lemonade
Summer treats
# 57. Sandra Martyres, IN
It wasn’t in
a garden, but I always took a careful look at the sun
dial in the yard next door.
forgotten leek
in the corner of the garden—
sun dial
# 19. Nada Jacmenica, CR*
Not all the
meanings of a poem are immediately evident, especially
when they are the result of the poet’s experiences and
memories.
hometown memories...
a bag of mixed veggies
defrosting
# 20. Chen-ou Liu, CA
celery crunch—
I always knew you threw
the dice
# 21. Stella Pierides, DE
I wonder if
this kiss came after eating a few ripe tomatoes. How red
their lips!
vegetable garden—
between peas and tomatoes
our first kiss
# 22. Andrzej Dembonczyk, PL
These
suggest the many uses of vegetables and herbs.
cucumber slices
puffy eyes need to forget
last night’s date from hell
# 26. Patricia Carragon, US
crushed ginger
in honey and hot water
Cure for sore throats
# 61. Sandra Martyres, IN
an assortment
of coloured peppers
table decorations
# 75. Sandra Martyres, IN
so
tempting to keep
as wall hanging—
garlic braid
# 133. Alegria Imperial, CA
carrots and parsley
embrace in the pot
this soup heals souls
# 76. Evica Kralji
vegetable carving
a fine art
in Thailand
# 79. Sandra Martyres, IN
stray girl—
hair from corn silk
for her rags puppet
# 102. Cezar Ciobica, RO
I did my
share of shelling peas but not remembering the details I
was a bit slow catching on to the full import of this
one. Only two peas in the pod. Its always helps to
reread and ponder. Vegetables don’t grow in a day and
need constant attending.
two
peas in a pod
shelled on the same day
identical twins
# 28. Stella Armour, UK
I simply
like these scenes painted with words.
harvest moon
slowly the earth
releases its bounty
# 34. Cara Holman, US
Coloured lips—
eating the boiled beetroot
a girl's pleasure
# 39. Sandra Martyres, IN
These next
two are also seasonal.
pulling up
the last few carrots
chimney smoke
# 40. Kirsten Cliff, NZ
a
lantern winks…
the other pumpkins
no eyes yet
# 41. Vania Stefanova, BG
afternoon siesta
the cool shade under
a lettuce leaf
# 32. Cara Holman, US
planting
potatoes
watching his shadow
rub its back
# 155. André Surridge, NZ
I was
surprised by this one because I add cauliflower florets
uneaten from a previous meal to my vegetable soup.
appetite teaser—
cauliflower florets
in his soup bowl
# 45. Sandra Martyres, IN
One always
needs to be ready for a surprise or shock never knowing
what will be encountered in a garden.
dusk–
under the pumpkin's leaves
a harsh croaking
# 46. Djurdja Vukelic-Rozic, CR
in my garden
among the vegetables—
with stick, just in case
# 55. Vera Primorac, CR
I remember
my first encounter with okra. A sticky mess. I was from
the north and visiting in the south facing some southern
food for the first time.
a
stylish name
for sticky okra
ladies' fingers
# 47. Sandra Martyres, IN
Here are
imaginative descriptions of a garden sight.
elbows of pumpkin
recline on
the wood fence
# 51. Dubrako Korbus, CR
Cabbages
little silver fountains
under the moon
# 70. Munia Khan, BD
on the kale's
green leaf – a white bow
of a butterfly
# 58. Dubrako Korbus, CR
taro leaf
a caterpillar
spills the dewdrop
# 159. André Surridge, NZ
I too
recalled those Saturday morning cartoons of Popeye.
health’s riches
hidden in spinach
trusting Popeye…
# 72. Evica Kraljic, CR
Popeye cartoons—
my son reminds me
to eat spinach
# 187. Cezar Ciobica, RO
These senryu/haiku,
especially Munia’s, stopped me cold as I tried to
unravel all their meaning. There are several ways to
read Munia’s poem and "lettuce alone" sounds like "let
us alone".
lettuce alone
without dressing
Honeymoon Salad
# 64. Munia Khan, BD
a
rotting egg plant
purple dreams
shatter
# 71. Sandra Martyres, IN
No mistaking how to read
these.
rotten tomato
how I feel
about you
# 164. Patricia Carragon, US
red chillies—
her heart still burns
with anger
# 165. Priyanka Bhowmick, IN
After a
winter without fresh vegetables, this would certainly be
a spring delight.
to my
green salad
a welcome addition
spring onions
# 65. Sandra Martyres, IN
Unfortunately our encounters with vegetables are
sometimes a pleasure but not always, At least not for
some.
broccoli
sprinkled with spicy sauce:
spoonfuls of joy
# 90. Keith A. Simmonds
beets—
and he wonders how he got
kidney stones
# 100. Stella Pierides, DE
e-coli menace...
bean sprouts coming
out of Germany
# 112. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
red
carrots
in my Sunday soup...
taste of sunshine
# 118. Keith A. Simmonds, TT
Year of the rabbit—
the vendors raise
the carrots' price
# 130. Cezar Ciobica, RO
a cry for mercy
with her school lunch
a vegetable man
# 132. Karin Anderson, AU
coriander soup
the smell of
summer rain
# 163. Priyanka Bhowmick, IN
chilly spices
mixed in chicken curry
my grandfather's choice
# 169. Priyanka Bhowmick, IN
A bit of
humor....
pumpkin—
the car park attendant scoffs
at my car
# 106. Stella Pierides, DE
veggie platters
her voluptuous rump
is showing less meat
# 170. Patricia Carragon, US
