Ten Haiku Poems by John Pappas

 

Ten Haiku

under the lift

the mechanic’s aria

first buds

deep winter

the golden sunflowers

of your tattoo

climbing ferris wheel the lean of lovers

summer’s end

the glissando of

sudden rain

spring thaw

each riverstone

has a say

winter gale

the upturned eyes

of a stone saint

 

a can of sweet corn

at the end of the dock

summer begins

september rain

drug store roses on

a bus stop bench

outside

the makeshift tent

a child’s umbrella

new moon

the rumble of the

warning track

John Pappas is a poet and teacher whose work has appeared in many poetry journals and anthologies. His haiku have garnered a 2023 Trailblazer award, a silver medal in the 2023 Ito En New Haiku Grand Prix, and Best in the United States in the 2023 Vancouver Invitational. His longer poetry has twice been selected for the Mayor of Boston's Poetry Contest (2016 and 2020). As drummer and lyricist of the punk rock band Heather Hates You, he has recorded two albums and toured extensively. John lives in Boston, MA with his wife and two daughters, and has taught literature and general semantics in the Boston area for over 25 years.