Ten Haiku Poems by John Pappas

 

Ten Haiku Poems by John Pappas

mud season

the static

between stations

parking lot prayers a pigeon’s iridescence

 

summer the dog stretching cumulus clouds

indian pipe

on your side of the river

the moon’s glow

 

summer morning

the story continued 

from page one

 

seventeen ways

of looking at you

spring clouds

dining hall crush

the dinner plate

warm in his hand

fireflies 

again I refresh

my inbox

study date

the librarian’s

cough

dappled light

the book’s rise and fall

on her stomach

John Pappas is a poet and teacher whose work has appeared in many poetry journals and anthologies. His haiku have garnered a Touchstone Award from The Haiku Foundation, first place in the 2026 Golden Triangle Contest, three New Science Awards in the 2025 Heliosparrow Haiku Frontier Awards, a 2023 Trailblazer award, Best in the United States in the 2023 Vancouver Invitational, a silver medal in the 2023 Ito En New Haiku Grand Prix, a Sakura Award in the 2024 Vancouver Invitational, and honorable mention in the 2024 Heliosparrow Haiku Frontier Awards,  among others. His first chapbook dimes of light was published in 2024 by Yavanika Press, and his new full-length collection still and all is out now from Cuttlefish Books. Pappas’s work is featured in the recently published haiku anthologies off the main road: six contemporary haiku poets (Alba Publishing, 2024) and New Resonance 14 (Red Moon Press, 2025).  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.