nforgiving Muse: One Hundred and One Haiku
by R R Heck
Copyright 2016 R.R. Heck
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Table of Contents
[1] Sum of Summer
[2] Constructing
[3] Open
[4] Stalk
[5] Passed
[6] Sweat
[7] Long Gone
[8] Summer Storms
[9] Choke
[10] Silhouette
[11] Open Flame
[12] Sol
[13] Sketchy
[14] Sprig
[15] More
[16] Or
[17] Shades
[18] Shhh
[19] Unexpected
[20] Wake
[21] Chew
[22] Silver
[23] Crossing Boundaries
[24] Bigger on the Inside
[25] Sunday Drive
[26] Intruders
[27] Stir
[28] Petrichor
[29] Fractal
[30] Burn
[31] Rub
[32] Clean
[33] Powers
[34] Emotional Escape
[35] Growing Pangs
[36] Drawn
[37] Revoke
[38] Cough
[39] Tell
[40] Ajar
[41] Static
[42] Parts
[43] Filling
[44] Supernova
[45] Fall
[46] Shine
[47] Sea
[48] Safe
[49] Measure
[50] Dirt
[51] War Fair
[52] Backs of Closets
[53] Treatment
[54] Bleached
[55] Bars
[56] Donation
[57] Basic
[58] Pull
[59] Endings
[60] Alight
[61] Grief Rides Hard
[62] No Accounting for Taste
[63] Hunt or Gather
[64] Graphing Growth
[65] Nest
[66] Talisman
[67] Tis the Season
[68] Prognosis
[69] Climb
[70] Stricken
[71] Overgrown
[72] Row
[73] Closed
[74] Budding Adventurer
[75] Forked
[76] Favor
[77] Conscious
[78] Tombstone and Tablet
[79] Safe and Sound
[80] Liken
[81] Flower
[82] Volatile
[83] Float
[84] Knots
[85] Brush
[86] Wide
[87] Palette
[88] Encrypt
[89] Rise
[90] Rung
[91] Swell
[92] Shimmer
[93] Fall Hazard
[94] Sea Worthy
[95] Split Tongue
[96] Chapped
[97] Sound Barrier
[98] The Call
[99] Scale
[100] Exhale
[101] Chord
[1] Sum of Summer
cockroach corpses cook
sun sizzling sidewalks
and animate air
[2] Constructing
ha ha hammering
resounding sounding
twisting through my dreams
[3] Open
sprawling cloudless skies
this galaxy's gaping maw
velvety and wide
[4] Stalk
preying on the dead
unblinking eyes see no ghosts
crouching for a strike
[5] Passed
halls filled with stillness
seeing and seeking the source
pass through, cannot touch
[6] Sweat
downward facing dog
jerking spasm, retched jig
wracking against rib
[7] Long Gone
don't remember you
flashing lights drove me away
a fading memory
[8] Summer Storms
barking thunder booms
heaving winds nurse storm full clouds
rain sings like sirens
[9] Choke
everlasting leak
constricting anxiety
preyers for mercy
[10] Silhouette
an oblivion
reaching across the vast void
empty hands return
[11] Open Flame
shallow lung half full
sallow, yellow, waxy skin
burning at both ends
[12] Sol
belly full of fire
swallowing supple sun spots
burning outside in
[13] Sketchy
erase, draw, repeat
some lines can't be taken back
do not be careful
[14] Sprig
sweet, bruised, and soft spot
nerve endings whine injury
young wounds sigh relief
[15] More
all heavy and light
spring rain that mists hanging limbs
always leaving me
[16] Or
living in-between
high light flight or low note fight
black wings beat blue lungs
[17] Shades
season of salty
sultry shallows chase high cliffs
swallowing echoes
[18] Shhh
sugar eyes, split tongue
spilling secrets best unkept
spit wistful whispers
[19] Unexpected
groping empty air
swinging splayed and open palms gape
wild wind whistles through
[20] Wake
slumber somber eyes
witness not the waking world
pupils filled with light
[21] Chew
teeth must gnash, gash, and growl
lead bitten lips tuck inward
pull away and bark
[22] Silver
long exposure lines
impressing silver with light
capturing essence
[23] Crossing Boundaries
lines drawn in the sand
disappear with the next wind
were they ever real?
[24] Bigger on the Inside
hard back and bound from
cover to cover printed
bent, sewn, glued, and signed
[25] Sunday Drive
gravel, grovel, weep
driving long, tight, winding roads
cruising for chaos
[26] Intruders
spineless segmented
scurry low and unwanted
will you make it home?
[27] Stir
sea overlapping
at thirsty over shorn shores
dry sand drinks her up
[28] Petrichor
rain drips from her curls
like bowing petals bending
to midnight showers
[29] Fractal
fragile fang fractures
light, glass beast focus on us
cutting through the night
[30] Burn
catalyst ignites
burning hacksaw lungs ignite
silent lullabies
[31] Rub
mating rituals
ancient, renowned, long passed won
pitch is
quality
[32] Clean
hung out in the rain
washed, rinsed, wrung, flung on the line
exposed and pinned up
[33] Powers
punctual function
perfunctory equation
unreadable scrawl
[34] Emotional Escape
above checkered fields
roaring engines dispersing clouds
baggage on the run
[35] Growing Pangs
creaking buried roots
swimming beds of soil and worms
spreading earth aside
[36] Drawn
every hair in place
life drawn to each new line born
destroy empty space
[37] Revoke
belated displace
provoking bitterness and
buttoned up black eyes
[38] Cough
swallowing mouthfuls
of sickly sweet thick syrup
coating raw, red throats
[39] Tell
short tale and long pause
ragged phrases closely chase
fine and sharpened clause
[40] Ajar
deserting founder
pilfers from the mutineer
bottles that kiss back
[41] Static
devout defiance
unsettlement vollys all
scoured transmissions
[42] Parts
defunct conjunctions
urge superimposition
reaching deviance
[43] Filling
sour stout falls flat
false front teeth scrape
far past bitter lips
[44] Supernova
razor sharp eyes call
summon dying stars that burn
holes into the sky
[45] Fall
sighing between leaves
turning golden, red, and brown
fall fall falling down
[46] Shine
delight wears you well
polishing your eyes like suns
suns that never set
[47] Sea
against waters' edge
buoyant blade cuts through the sea
parting oceans wide
[48] Safe
bound to the harbor
hidden from turbulent waves
ropes promise safety
[49] Measure
volume of your gaze
fills this rigid container
occupy my space
[50] Dirt
poised with worn warnings
poison worms torn and shorn from
sour solid soil
[51] War Fair
flippant reviews urge
front lines forward
gravestone flattery
[52] Backs of Closets
nostalgia echoes
shifting shadows out of sight
with soft and blinding light
[53] Treatment
opaque and patient
waiting rooms call hoarsely
with blue hands and heads
[54] Bleached
choking on output
rung and hung soles out try dry
always leaves us stiff
[55] Bars
biting at the bars
adventure awaits no man
freedom in my sights
[56] Donation
hum whir hiss buzz drone
thieving artificial heart
pumping away life
[57] Basic
diluted solvent
charging negative neighbors
sharing electrons
[58] Pull
eyes overflowing
brimming moon beckoning tide
breaking against rocks
[59] Endings
couldn't write a word
aching limbs declare surrender
rotting reminders
[60] Alight
deflower the east
breaching snowy mountaintops
light up the sparse trees
[61] Grief Rides Hard
dusting your grave with
unspoken, whispered nothings
please crawl down my throat
[62] No Accounting for Taste
spent in abundance
burning through pockets and gloves
doors and hands open
[63] Hunt or Gather
foraging between
foreign, shadowed foliage
each sound magnified
[64] Graphing Growth
power divided
wear bases to their limits
hugging asymptotes
[65] Nest
safely tucked under
neatly folded feather wing
against icy winds
[66] Talisman
an item possessed
greatest nightmare, deepest fears
idol you caress
[67] Tis the Season
fervent consumer
in a push and pull parade
capitalistic
[68] Prognosis
for glory or doom
all worst case scenario
too soon to assume
[69] Climb
heavy handed mits
tugging at the ends of ropes
slick palms, burning grip
[70] Stricken
vertigo eyes spin
in turning heads and stomachs
purging legacies
[71] Overgrown
black wings forged of lead
folded in on my own head
scattering matter
[72] Row
suns set on those eyes
pulling boats on rough tidings
spirits row ashore
[73] Closed
there is no escape
broken doors, rusted windows
no where to knock
[74] Budding Adventurer
horizon clouds bloom
drifting nomads trace earth's curves
driven by dry winds
[75] Forked
cautionary tails
flicking like danger in the dust
striking at warm life
[76] Favor
fortune favors flight
gulping mouthful of thin air
limbs and lungs seize
[77] Conscious
bat sand filled lashes
each grain clings to unseen dreams
line a sea of eyes
[78] Tombstone and Tablet
firm hand grasps your throat
building a fire of fear
defile this temple
[79] Safe and Sound
this plastic prison
its click click click click click click
this loving lockdown
[80] Liken
cower under rocks
hair tangled in dancing dust
all snaggles and claws
[81] Flower
yellow fingers pluck
smearing, clearing the earth's back
stained and bruised and cut
[82] Volatile
dissolving into
a volatile solution
hiss, burn, and bubble
[83] Float
fixed and pinned upon
dusty ribbons that twist through
glowing glass deserts
[84] Knots
warm salt licks your face
each drop rolls lazily down
fallen from tensed jaw
[85] Brush
emptiness gnawing
at root and leafen bramble
dull teeth bite like ice
[86] Wide
wide eager eyes feast
upon lush vine wielding trunks
doused in filtered light
[87] Palette
sipping sour tongues
forked with dour intentions
bitter blade bites bac
k
[88] Encrypt
access origin
terminal resolution
secure connection
[89] Rise
toss, turn, rise and run
handfuls of rungs thrown over
miles and higher
[90] Rung
weeping in the halls
dragging along peeling bells
flecks of rust crying out
[91] Swell
dripping petals leak
little dribbles, spits, and spots
umbrellas raised high
[92] Shimmer
beads of sweat strung up
across determination
trickle down in streams
[93] Fall Hazard
seams torn in the toil
rip, run fumbling riot's cry
all elbows and knees
[94] Sea Worthy
run aground through mist
and brines, bribes, and barnacles
full sails, empty decks
[95] Split Tongue
head full of what ifs
curses pass from hand to mouth
lies caught in your hair
[96] Chapped
tongue crossed, fingers tied
twitch of lip, curling toes call
singing in your ear
[97] Sound Barrier
tugging at the strings
married well from peg to bridge
pulling sound from air
[98] The Call
watch you taste the air
jaws open, pointed skyward
galaxy filled mouth
[99] Scale
measuring your breath
this analog metronome
can't keep up with you
[100] Exhale
drawing me up in
between long winds and short breaths
against gravity
[101] Chord
strike, pluck good luck strings
sing through the night like song birds
gasp, sting, bending wing