At the beginning of the year, I committed to writing haiku on a regular basis. It was cold and dark, and I was desperately seeking inspiration (which, apparently, can not be found in the personals section of The Stranger). Often, when I’m depleted of creativity, I search for words or images that stand out for me, and words and poetry can feel like food for my soul. So, I embarked on a renewed practice of haiku.

After just a few days of evoking images through haiku, haiku became a way for me to see the world- envisioning nature in a cadence of five, seven, and five. I found that I more often than not had to set foot outside before finding my haiku voice, and that when I did, I was muttering to myself and taking my hands out of my pockets to count syllables on my fingers (this must be done on bare hands- mittens ruin the experience). Through my daily haiku practice, as I worked the parts of my brain specially reserved for math and poetic inspiration, my heart felt like it opened up a little. The small act of filtering out nonsense and attempting to capture a moment in seventeen syllables was (and is) an incredible experience. And, some might say, this practice can lead to enlightenment (there’s always hope).

So, with the Spring Equinox just a few days away, I thought I would share my winter in haiku (to be read in reverse from present day to New Year’s Day). Some sweetness, irreverence, and nonsense to fill a page. My initial hope was to have enough lines to form a haiku mala, but I decided this was enough. Because it certainly isn’t the end of my haiku love affair. Just another practice that I continue to keep in my toolbox of goodness.

 Shiny drops of rain

Balanced upon blades of grass

How do you do that?

 

Dreamt of pilgrimage

Ancient forests, distant lands

And woke up inspired

 

Little pink blossoms

Under stormy winter sky

Beautiful and strong

 

Another cold day

Anything is possible

With warm gloves and love

 

Drops of winter rain

Forming puddles in the street

How I long for spring

 

Tiny hints of chive

Peeking out from wintered pot

Delicate yet strong

 

Dark clouds hide the moon

Shifting patterns in the sky

Where is the bird song?

 

 Sea glass colored sky

Exchanging the moon for sun

So begins the day

 

How the sun still shines

The world moves on and birds sing

Your presence is missed

 

Glistening water

Under sprawl of snowcapped range

My sweetheart and me

 

Beautiful sunshine

Glistening frost covered earth

Drink it up and smile

 

Beautiful morning

Sound of breath mixed with birdsong

My bicycle bliss

 

Brisk winter morning

Sound of tires in crunching leaves

Love song for my bike

 

Chilly winter rain

Slowly melting hints of snow

Cookie for breakfast

 

Early morning chill

Made bearable by music

Shake my hips and smile

 

Fresh snow upon ice

Upon snow upon more ice

Grateful for warm socks

 

City sounds muffled

By snowfall and wooly hat

Early morning joy

 

Multicolored clouds

Laughing at the snow nonsense

Everything changes

 

Search for snowy owl

In naked winter treetops

Found: my happiness

 

This feels like winter

Icy streets and garden snow

Memories of home

 

Early morning snow

Falling softly to the earth

The sky in prayer

 

The voice in my head

Seems to think she knows so much

And maybe she does

 

The smell of her neck

Moments after I arise

My heart knows of love

 

Another sunrise

As unique as this moment

The beauty of change

 

Frozen bird feeder

Attracts little chickadee

This promise of spring

 

The frost covered leaves

Capture the light of the moon

This, too, is yoga

 

Full moon peeping out

From cover of morning clouds

The courage to shine

 

The city is lights

Reflecting in the dark sky

Why am I awake?

 

Early morning stroll

Listening to winter birds

Sweet old dog and me

 

Early morning stretch

Before the rush of the day

Old dog under feet

 

Under a dark sky

The world seems a quiet place

Kettle screams inside

 

Multicolored sky

Blazing on a New Year’s morn

Reminder of peace