Haiku By Fred Masarani

2008-07-13T17:42:00.001-07:00

#maze

renovations---
the maze at
Lincoln Center Plaza

#horse

Central Park hot day---
driver of a carriage
talks to his horse

#tree

a peach bearing tree drops one
over my head---
Summer

#noon

Summer high noon---
the barmaid watches
a cowboy movie

#sunset

Summer sunset---
white with envy
a half moon

#gym

July at the gym---
It's too
cold

#squeaks

Summer playground---
is it Puppy who squeaks
or little girl?

#blue

blue sky---
a good friend died
yesterday

#rice

the price of rice went up
I order sashimi---
saki on the side

#dancer

July early morning sky---
a geisha dancer
still in make up

#fish

at Starbucks---
the smell of fish
July

#power

last month power bill---
I turn off
the air conditioner

#sunset

July sunset---
land too hot
a duck walks on water

#bells

five pm
church bells ring---
Frère Jacques

2008-07-06T18:49:00.001-07:00

#smell

crowded Tex-Mex restaurant---
smell of sulfur dioxide
July

#carbon

Tour de France---
no carbon
footprint

#moon

crescent moon---
a July firework
fizzles out

#beach

clothing optional beach---
no one
smiles

#next

July Fourth fireworks---
I stand next to
an Iraqi refugee

#red

suddenly note the red
of Old Glory---
July Fourth

#tight

she wears tight blue jeans
and hijab---
July Fourth

#haze

Summer haze---
my neighbor wears
his turban

#Park

Madison Square Park July---
Blue Grass band plays
little girl dances

#sale

price of food is up---
a grocer has sale
on leftovers containers

#wind

Summer wind---
I turn off
the fan

#theater

hot day---
I take a nap
in a movie theater

#sardines

Summer crowded subway---
the smell
of sardines

#sunrise

sunrise---
heavy dust on my copy
of Paradise Lost

2008-06-29T17:03:00.000-07:00

#showers

Sunday Summer showers---
she carries umbrella
but does not use it

#blue

blue sky---
a polar bear has fun
Summer

#drive

a man at the beach yells---
I need oil to drive home
late June sunset

#sunrise

June beach sunrise---
a man forgot
his swimsuit

#stamps

the price of food is up---
people on food stamps
need more stamps

#rerun

Summer---
fell asleep watching
a Yankees' rerun

#start

Summer deepens---
I start reading
Homer

#lox

overcast June morning---
lox and cream cheese
but no bagel

#sunrise

a peacock shows off
to a peacock---
California sunrise

#blue

blue sky---
foam from an ocean wave
at my feet

#boat

bright Summer day
East River boat ride---
the sparkle in her eyes

#share

Summer early morning---
a fat sparrow wants me
to share my bagel

#funny

George Carlin died---
that's really
funny

#clown

Summer fog---
a street clown
skips the make up

2008-06-22T17:40:00.001-07:00

#coach

June street park---
his black nanny is
his soccer coach

#school

Starbucks---
Summer school students
sloth

#poison

tomatoes may
contain poison---
the price is still the same

#sunset

Equinox Summer sunset---
a kid's kite's
bye bye

#yellow

June cloudy skies---
the bride wears
yellow

#dawn

dawn---
an old friend calls
full moon

#pitcher

mixed softball game---
the pitcher
keeps bitching

#sunrise

sunrise---
a black woman in purple dress
glares at me

#tax

economy bad---
ninety-nine cent store
charges sales tax

#blue

blue sky---
the cotton in a field
is high

#Park

Madison Square Park
Summer---
dogs living well

#tight

Summer afternoon bedroom---
the Venetian blinds
are shut tight

#haze

Summer haze---
the barmaid puts
her legs on the bar

#sunrise

sunrise---
but a vampire still
has not had enough

2008-06-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

#swing

June playground---
little girl squeaks
the swing squeaks back

#pasta

Summer downpour---
she orders her pasta
al dente

#wish

Summer showers---
I wish
I had soap

#nice

the smell of fried onions
as a car passes---
nice climate change

#where

Fathers' day---
but where
are they

#sunrise

June sunrise walk---
the dog
sweats

#loud

June clear night---
outside a bodega
the Salsa is loud

#moon

hot June---
lonesome singing on the roof
a half moon

#fish

slow Summer afternoon---
the barmaid listens
to my big fish stories

#blue

June blue sky---
I go to buy
sunscreen for her

#yellow

June white lightning---
the lilacs
yellow

#few

fourth day of heat wave---
the fun part is
people wear fewer clothes

#beer

Summer lightning----
the barmaid has a special
on white beer

#cigar

heat wave---
the air too bad to breath
I go to a cigar bar

2008-06-08T16:39:00.001-07:00

#showers

Sunday heat wave---
in afternoon showers
a drunk pisses

#cat

heat wave---
the cat has
a bad dream

#Brown

Big Brown bested---
a hedge fund
takes a write down

#haze

morning haze---
an exhibitionist keeps
the curtains closed

#toes

fresh Summer strawberries---
she keeps pointing
her toes

#run

too humid
morning run---
I cheat

#cream

hot June---
the banana cream pie
smells bad

#warmth

June overcast skies---
Mariachis band
warmth in the park

#more

June rain stopped---
a drunk waters some more
the lilacs

#brick

June rainy day---
the brick layers
play scrabble

#legs

June---
not all legs
are created equal

#hours

the recession---
bankers still got
bankers hours

#sunset

watching people
who watch the East River---
June sunset

#blue

blue sky---
but the coffee
is too light

2008-06-01T16:17:00.001-07:00

#wind

Summer wind---
she
sighs

#front

June First---
I move my shorts
to the front of closet

#rain

Saturday night---
because of rain
a bookworm stays home

#worm

The French Open starts---
a red worm
rises

#fly

windows closed---
I feel I'm captive
of the fly

#blue

blue sky---
I keep forgetting
which day of the week it is

#watch

May---
with binoculars I watch
graffiti artists at work

#sunrise

sunrise---
I ate the melon
day crescent

#sunset

the lilacs
glitter---
May sunset

#times

hard times---
the cab driver
used to be a banker

#drips

back to work---
vanilla ice cream drips
on my necktie

#Park

Madison Square Park hot day---
couple necking
pigeons fight

2008-05-26T08:32:00.001-07:00

#Mars

our spacecraft landed on Mars---
when will the Martians
send real one to us

#leave

Memorial Day---
waiting for George Bush
to leave office

#tide

low tide---
she's on seaweed
diet

#sunrise

sunrise---
a fisherman
whistles

#eat

Saturday night---
after long wait in line
we have to eat with chopsticks

#fight

having a fight---
she tells me
stop acting like Sarkozy*

* http://tinyurl.com/3up89d

#blue

blue sky---
walking bare foot
the beeches open

#salad

almost Summer---
she cleans her closet
I order a Thai salad

#moon

full moon at dawn---
a swaying drunk
looks up and smiles

#tough

tough bar---
she just returned
from Iraq

#runs

sudden Spring showers---
her mascara
runs

#know

lower East Side bar---
he pretends
to know soccer

#blue

blue sky---
a new tar roof
glows

#turtle

heavy rain---
a turtle is having
a drink

#sunrise

sunrise---
the cat
comes home

#sunset

the wind lifts her skirt
she blushes---
Spring sunset

#Big

Big Brown---
a horse that can win back
our being in the black

2008-05-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

#play

Mets play Yankees---
who wins
does matter

#fat

outside McDonald's---
a fat boy asks me
for a quarter

#fly

hot Spring sun follows/
drenching day---/
a fly flies

#blue

blue sky---
but she does not
smile

#know

at the gym---
she wants to know
who I think I am

#soap

more Spring showers---
a man hands out
free soap samples

#wears

beautiful Spring day---
the barmaid wears
a kimono

#dawn

dawn---
creeping dark clouds
erase it

#skirt

Fifth Avenue---
a man wears a skirt
many women wear pants

#blue

blue sky---
an ocean liner
departs

#lizard

finally a warm May day---
I stare back
at a lizard

#pet

morning after the storm---
I pet
the lilacs

#dance

one more dance---
she holds me
tight

#truck

wind swept cold rain---
truck makes stops
to deliver bottled water

2008-05-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

#mothers

Mother's Day---
restaurants crowded
but who are mothers

#pond

on a pond
one of her chicks lags behind---
Mother's Day

#blue

blue sky---
the chatterbox
is silent

#night

Spring Saturday night---
a young man whistles
"Yankee Doodle"*

* http://tinyurl.com/skd9q

#storm

Spring rain storm---
the roof of the shower
leaks

#where's

Friday night at the gym---
she asks me
where's the bathroom

#juice

she swings her bare leg
as I talk to her---
juice bar

#sunset

hearing the call for prayer
as I pass a mosque---
Spring sunset

#ducks

Hudson River Park---/
ducks feed/
I order fish

#tee

trees dressed to a tee
girls undressed to a leaf---
Spring heats up

#tattoos

Spring warms up---
tattoos
not just on the arms

#sunset

May sunset---
I forgot to send
my old lady flowers

#cool

cool lounge---/
she sings in French/
with Spanish accent

#blue

blue sky---
I can't stand
the smell of ouzo

#playground

May playground---
girls on the swings laugh
at boys on the slide

2008-05-04T16:27:00.001-07:00

#fugu

poison-free fugu*/
safe to eat its liver/
but don't eat its liver

* http://tinyurl.com/6nepqz

#pants

next to police precinct---
she waters her garden
and my pants

#drops

chilly May morning---
dew drops on the door
of the outhouse*

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outhouse

#night

Saturday night---
she said it's hot here
no more words spoken

#fog

morning fog---
I take off
my eyeglasses

#pool

Friday night---
a church organist
plays pool

#tears

early morning---
the lilacs survived
last night tears

#fifth

Starbucks---
she stands in fifth*
to wait for her drink

*Ballet position of the feet

#moon

dawn---
under crescent moon
a black bird sings

#balls

Spring waxes---
little girl plays soccer
with tennis balls

#blue

blue sky---
the white tulips
perk

#wind

six-fifteen---
playing softball
against the cold wind

#roof

waiting for
dark clouds to clear---
seagulls on a roof pace

#espresso

heavy Spring rain---
a friend spiced
my espresso

#cat

stormy Spring---
the cat hides
under my chair

2008-04-27T16:00:00.001-07:00

#night

overcast Sunday---
the lilacs
remind me of last night

#red

Spring drizzle---
her frizzy red hair
gets wet

#rice

check out---
the clerk wants to know
how many bags of rice I got

#empty

overcast Spring day---
an empty plastic bag rolls
my shoe untied

#Park

Madison Square Park---
no sub prime anything
here

#fly

April ends---
the sun shines
on a dead fly

#blue

blue sky---
the parrot
is very quiet

#moon

needs another night cap
for the dawn---
waxing moon

#out

Union Square---
Spring
but no one speaks out

#blue

blue sky---
my neighbor tells
another big fish story

#dull

dull April afternoon---
one of my exes
calls

#primary

primary Tuesday---
it's about time
the fat lady sings

#beer

April
hot sun and cold wind---
I drink another beer

#dust

morning fog---
she wipes the dust
off her portrait

2008-04-20T16:27:00.000-07:00

#play

mass at Yankee Stadium---
his Holiness decides
to play hardball

#rice

the price of rice
goes up---
I start hording sake

#paint

hot April day---
Cherry petals scatter
her new toenail paint

#Park

Madison Square Park Spring day---
dog and his mistress
walk shaking their tails

#moon

her blond hair shines
over her business suit---
full moon at dusk

#dawn

dawn---
out for a walk
my shadow scares me

#cat

hot Spring day---
the cat thinks
this is a jungle

#ring

the subway surfaces---
a symphony
of ring tones

#cap

April warms---
I chat with a woman
who wears a Sox cap

#blue

blue sky---
I step on white
Cherry tree petals

#give

give to Caesar what---
the Pope visits
on Tax Day

#sale

Tax Day---
the sun shines
on a house for sale

#sunset

I stopped to view
a Cherry tree---
April sunset

#blue

blue sky---
her windows are all
fogged up

2008-04-13T15:32:00.001-07:00

#dancer

Greek bar---
I use sign language
to chat up the belly dancer

#blue

blue sky---
a grey horse pisses
on new grass

#trees

Cherry trees blossom---
construction workers
nonstop whistling

#bus

new driver---
my bus arrives
on time

#rest

foggy day---
the rest of this
is at present not available

#dawn

dawn---
the birds sing
the cat pretends sleep

#warm

warm Spring day---
the woman in the token booth
smiles at me

#Torch

new Olympic sport---
hide and seek
the Torch

#kitten

evening rush---
a kitten sticks out
of a crowded duffel bag

#sniffing

Starbucks---
green plastic stirrers
too narrow for sniffing

#what?

April cold wind
and hot sun---
Chinese what?

#voyeur

dawn---
a voyeur
needs more time

#cleaning

Spring cleaning---
I misplaced the Drano
in the frig

#blossom

Cherry trees blossom---
she asks have I seen
her new tattoo

2008-04-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

#shorts

Spring sun warms---
she jogs on Third Avenue
wearing shorts

#Park

Madison Square Park---
people sit in Spring sun
wearing their Winter coats

#stairs

nice Spring day---
I help a neighbor
go up stairs

#sheep

economy is bad---
my barber switches
to sheep*

* http://tinyurl.com/4sox26

#church

early morning---
the sound of rock 'n roll band
from a church

#keys

Starbucks---
with so many keys on her ring
she may have your heart's

#tie

heavy rain---
I bend down to tie
her shoe laces

#cigars

waiting for my Cuban cigars
to arrive by Fed Ex---
Bill smokes

#pants

an old pair of pants
fit too loose---
Spring morning walk

#store

sunny Spring day---
at the corner store
firemen buy charcoal

#dawn

dawn---
a pile of black trash bags
wait for pick up

#wet

April showers---
who cares
about getting wet

#truth

April's Fool---
she tells
the truth

#barks

a cat runs
the parrot barks---
a dull March ends

#line

March drizzle---
a long line to buy
baseball tickets

2008-03-30T17:52:00.001-07:00

#sunset

sunset---
a woman wearing
the burka passes by

#preacher

Sunday morning---
the preacher doesn't
talk elections

#class

upper class gym---
there's* more
women than men

* http://tinyurl.com/32s8pt

#blue

blue sky---
nothing left
of last night macaroons

#sunset

the sound of laughter
on the beach---
Spring sunset

#chill

late March chill---
her naked legs
suddenly part

#who

overcast skies---
who needs
all that progeny

#chats

morning rush---
man on my left
chats with woman on my right

#mushroom

late March warmth---
cloud shaped like
a mushroom head

#crowd

morning rush pale faces---
no Spring break
for this crowd

#shop

pluming and heating shop---
a bombshell passes
sunny March

#dawn

dawn---
the blandness
of an egg whites omelet

#tracks

seagull crosses to wrong
side of tracks---
an elections year

#lights

early morning---
the witch's lights
are still on

2008-03-23T15:15:00.001-07:00

#Parade

Easter Parade---
the only time you see
fruits on Fifth Avenue

#blue

blue sky---
the sprinklers are not working
late March

#sour

candy store---/
I buy sour jelly beans/
Spring cold wind

#games

empty subway---
I think of last year Mets games
Spring

#blue

blue sky---
a nun looks down
Good Friday morning

#moon

full moon---
the barmaid kisses me
on the cheek

#day

Spring first day---
she wears
no bra

#wind

strong March wind---
my neighbor
coughs louder

#hear

in order to form
a more perfect union---
let's hear* one another

* http://tinyurl.com/yojote

#home

March showers---
I stay
home

#sunset

sunset---
not enough money
to buy a pizza slice

#sings

morning stillness---
a garbage truck
sings

#green

people wear green
for St. Pat Day---
naked trees

#blue

blue sky---
daisies
blossom

2008-03-16T15:59:00.001-07:00

#sunset

sunset---clouds move in
I watch
a Grace Kelly movie

#Madness

March Madness*---
I keep watching
the golf channel

* http://tinyurl.com/3a2hmh

#St.

St. Patrick's Day---
the man at the door
cards me

#buds

lilac buds behind
iron bars fence---
it starts to rain

#Spring

Spring nears---
street gang threaten another
in a cheap diner

#Cab

overcast day---
an old Checker Cab*
passes by

* http://tinyurl.com/yo7mna

#hands

early Spring narrow street
lined with bare trees---
we hold hands

#moon

the barmaid is out
of lemon wedges---
a half moon

#blind

it's time the blind*
lead the seeing---
Elliot Spitzer resigns

* http://tinyurl.com/33nc2c

#moon

the barmaid smiles
at my joke---
waxing crescent

#blue

blue sky---
a white poodle
sleeps at my feet

#9

watch out for
all that spit flying around---
Client 9 uncovered*

* http://tinyurl.com/2fprc6

#moon

my second time---
barmaid remembers my drink
crescent moon

#run

brisk March---
PE class runs the tracks
as I wait my bus

#moon

the barmaid raises
her eyebrow as I enter---
crescent moon

2008-03-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

#figure

today's crossword too hard---
I try figure
who's she calling

#jeans

grey patches of clouds---
I try to fit in my old
hippie jeans

#checkers

no one wants to play checkers---
I watch
a Charlie Chaplin movie

#quiet

morning fog---
my difficult neighbor
is very quiet

#time

a meter maid asks me
what time is it---
day light saving time starts

#blue

blue sky---
the kitchen sink
is clogged again

#enough

Starbucks---
work coffee breaks long enough
to ask for her phone number

#Decision

Dred Scott Decision Day*----
but this year
he is running for president

*On March 6, 1857, in its Dred

Scott decision, the Supreme Court

held that Scott, a slave, could not

sue for his freedom in a federal

court.

#white

morning strands
of white clouds---
she redyes her hair

#turtle

March coldness---
the playground grand turtle
raises its head

#shirt

March showers---
she swooshes my shirt
with her clinking clunker

#sunset

fog at sunset---
I ask for a second
Martini olive

#dawn

dawn---
I broke the bottle
of the orange juice

#warm

warm March evening rush---
the smell of dirty hair
and stale perfume

#stop

bus stop---she smokes
with one hand and shakes
at him the other's finger

2008-03-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

#cap

March bright day---
I adjust
my Yankees cap

#hand

morning stillness---
my neighbor's hand
waves hello

#boy

boy pushes a load
of water melons---
February is over

#blue

Maya* blue sky---
I sacrifice
a dozen Blue Points

* http://tinyurl.com/yukkvy

#pauses

morning drizzle---
my window is scribbled
with pauses

#girls

sunny--- teen girls pass me
and giggle
almost Spring

#train

waiting for my train---
shadows of birds
travel the rails

#green

end of February---
too green strawberries
on sale

#blue

blue sky---
I ask her
that we hold hands

#stare

miniskirt--- her walk
makes it hard not to stare
almost Spring

#sunset

fog at sunset---
I view
a film noir

#exam

at Starbucks---
he grades
her exam

#Park

Madison Square Park---
couple dance tango
then pass the hat

#coat

park---
man in trench coat pretends
pissing in snow

#feather

February---
after snow stopped
a white feather falls

2008-02-24T16:03:00.001-08:00

#burns

bright day---
yesterday's snow
burns

#blue

blue sky---
I go to buy
lactose free milk

#salmon

diner---
a redhead asks me
how's the salmon

#squirrel

snow melted
from the fire escape---
squirrel walks down

#blizzard

February blizzard---
I tell kids playing in snow
merry Christmas

#dawn

snow
at dawn---
no more milk

#windy

windy day---
the mailman
arrives early

#Saturn

holding the binoculars
in her hands---she has
more rings than Saturn

#tree

strong wind gusts---
I hug
a tree

#blue

blue sky---
some one whistles
in the bathroom

#sunset

February sunset---
I made
the salsa

#moon

she shows me
her new tattoo---
full moon sets

#dolphin

the rain stops
sun comes out---
a dolphin jumps

#dawn

rainy dawn---
I feed
the gold fish

2008-02-17T14:14:00.001-08:00

#knocks

he knocks on my door---
wants to know
if Matilde lives here

#cat

Sunday morning stillness---
the cat
naps

#blue

blue sky---
I skip
Karate class

#dog

dog walking time in Chelsea---
I can smell
the loneliness

#terror

one more campus shooting---
isn't this
also terror?

#Park

Madison Square Park---
she's alone at the fountain
a half moon

#bud

Cherry trees
on her block bud---
Valentine's Day

#blue

blue sky---
senior citizen couple out
for Valentine's Day

#love

Valentine's Day---
when love is never free
but there's always a sale

#smiles

all the snow gone
this morning---
with last night barmaid smiles

#bar

caught in a snow storm---
I walk into
the nearest bar

#snow

the snow starts---
my neighbor quits
his computer game

#wins

Lincoln's Birthday---
whoever wins* today
prejudice loses

* 2008 Democratic Party

presidential primaries

#moon

afterwards
her smile widens---
crescent moon sets

#blue

blue sky---
so what if it's so cold
the pond froze

#moon

crescent moon
over skyline---
bridge traffic slows

2008-02-10T14:59:00.001-08:00

#snow

strong wind driven
snow flurries---
it feels like facial

#leaves

February---
I watch an iguana eat
cactus leaves on tv

#pizza

Saturday night---
getting very hungry
waiting for a pizza

#dawn

dawn---
she's upset 'cause
I woke her up

#sunset

alone on a pier
he plays the trombone---
Winter sunset

#sand

a construction site
on a Winter day---
got sand in my shoes

#dancing

dancing a little---
I kill
a cockroach

#grey

grey sky---
the seagulls take
the day off

#year

for the new year*---
a temple nun
washes Buddha

* http://tinyurl.com/2ehdch

#lines

waiting for the train---
parallel lines meet
at infinity

#cat

warm February night---
the cat wants
to go out

#rat

sun behind clouds---
a rat runs
across the parking lot

#Giants

ticker tape parade
for the Giants*---
they're friendlier when off field

* The New York Giants won
Super Bowl XLII

#Tuesday

Fat Tuesday---
hope your candidate*
will have enough meat

* Fat Tuesday this year is
also Super Tuesday

#times

hard times---
a pimp
takes a write-down

#parrot

my neighbor's parrot
louder than usual---
tomorrow is Mardi Gras

2008-02-03T15:59:00.001-08:00

#night

Super Bowl night---
I rush home
not to miss any commercials

#ice

morning ice on the roofs---
she closes
her chiffon curtains

#bridge

walking across
the Brooklyn bridge---
it's our cathedral

#dawn

dawn---
looking at last month
heating oil bill

#clicks

rainy night---
the clicks of high heels
behind me

#sunset

sunset---
the water in the gutter
freezes

#blue

blue sky---
an old man
forgot to shave

#snow

my snow boots still
in the back of closet---
January ends

#wind

strong wind pushes me---
how many watts
can it produce?

#phone

morning stillness---
I turn off
my cell phone

#plants

passing a funeral home---
their plants need
some water

#words

his last state of union speech---
he said the words
climate change

#beauty

outside beauty salon---
a bull dog pisses
on no parking sign

#dawn

cold dawn---
a migrant worker
cycles to work

2008-01-27T17:39:00.000-08:00

#rose

a diner late January---
I touch a rose
to see if it's real

#salad

boring January---
I go get
a seaweed salad

#sunset

Winter sunset---
she leaves me
alone

#books

cold morning---
I exercise by
clearing my desk of books

#lost

all it took was that
his opponent wear black---
Federer lost*

*at the Australian Open

#moon

blue sky---
except for
a setting day moon

#tree

doing yoga---
the cat thinks
I'm a real tree

#heart

morning oatmeal---
the no pleasure
of preventing heart attacks

#blue

blue sky---
a child asks
where are the stars

#moon

dawn---
my night light won't go off
full moon

#men

women's basketball---
why aren't
the cheerleaders men?

#blue

blue sky---
the gluttony
of a smoke column

#dream

Martin Luther King Day---
I have a dream there'll be
no more hunger

#witch

bitter cold morning---
a witch has
her curtains open