A Hundred Haiku

A river crimson;

Upon reeds, dragonflies perch;

As slate train rushes.

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Finger touches rouge;

Encased in a small white shell;

Mirror reflects red.

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A fallen bottle;

Lilies gathered mud and dirt;

Dead girl’s gift… side-street.

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The mansion blood-red;

Roses scarlet at twilight;

Bricks whisper, gloom spreads.

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Brown meadows at noon;

Dark forests at the field’s rim;

Sun’s haze ripples not.

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Yellow orchids, birds;

Blooming, flying on red vase;

Blue irises propped.

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Wet umbrellas thrown;

Like fountains of orange, pink;

In the air, spinning.

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Fishing in the spring;

Splashing, she lands a big haul;

Laughing till tears pool.

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Orbs of dew on leaves;

A misty, wintry morning;

Fog settles on ground.

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The frothing ocean;

Beach silvery at midnight;

Gulls wail at first light.

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Golden foliage;

Bronze cottages near cornfield;

Ferns brush against grass.

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A rainbow appears;

Sky beams…. glittering sapphire;

An inverted smile.

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Tiny snowflakes swim;

Views of apartments erased;

Frost on balcony.

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Luminous, mauve clouds;

Canvas… Magenta heavens;

Crows return to nest.

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Petals on water;

A coating so pale and white;

Blues in disorder.

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Yard leading to rill;

Bridge speckled with lavender;

Chatting as they pass.

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Drapery of moors;

Village nestling in between;

Far from everglades.

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Water rises, falls;

Mill churning beside the barn;

Path over canal.

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Birds migrate in hordes;

Flying south gradually;

A swarm of feathers.

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The hibiscus blooms;

Butterflies enticed by red;

Violet wings flap.

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Galaxies above;

Fireflies connect the bright dots;

Shapes green, white appear.

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Sloping embankment;

Gossamer flowing waters;

Boots crunch leafy blades.

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City lights aflame;

Skyline peppered red, yellow;

Dark purple dimness.

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Rain shielding the face;

Turning into sleet and hail;

Running indoors swift.

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Mottled fish leap up;

Meandering… Clear lagoon;

White and vermillion.

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Waves lash against cliffs;

Thunder claps, lightning bouts rage;

Shower relentless.

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Fine day, spring winds blow;

Trilling birds welcome season;

New months arrive, gay.

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Tides surge in the night;

Roaring waves are heard in dreams;

Sands wet when sun peeks.

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Shadows on the moon;

Other face cannot be seen;

Is it sorrowful?

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Rolling green apple;

Surrounded by fronds, prickling;

Autumnal fortune.

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Waters part, ship sails;

The island rears its brown head;

Cries of sea-birds loud.

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The lake very still;

Surface like pristine mirror;

Mountain range reversed.

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Bellflower buds closed;

Hyacinths of purple and blue;

Monsoon hydrangea.

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Pale light hides, clouds grey;

Rain in winters…. Quite the chill;

Permeates in bones.

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A gnarled trunk, boughs twist;

Ochre leaves on amber path;

Red blossoms soft…. Sway.

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Yellow, blue canopy;

Boats of hues, a long black oar;

Pink cloth upon floors.

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Red stone eroded;

Golden rays strike shrine below;

Fiery lower city.

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A mustard pasture;

Train lines amidst yellow;

Steam rose… regular.

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Sparks of honeyed poles;

Through arch of black, temple seen;

Regal structures old.

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Silver domes afar;

Orange vaults, worn brown with age;

Valley, lake beneath.

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Low, stony plateau;

Emerald hills all around;

Vast shamrock expanse.

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Ravens in thick mist;

Houses of worship in lakes;

Sepia hillocks.

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Blooming magenta;

Limes of phosphorescent green;

Carmine, yellow stretch.

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Obsidian grey;

Lightens to slate and silver;

Cloud transit to red.

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Red, green, purple, pink;

Trinkets hung above the door;

An old man wanders.

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Splotches of amber;

Reflected… River of gold;

Boat’s outline shimmers.

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Fortress… Olden days;

Moat dotted with boulders large;

Greyish parapets.

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A feathery quill;

Violet and greenish blue;

Base of vermillion.

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A crimson curtain;

Shadows of women, green shades;

Window to village.

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A finger of moss;

Forestry between inlets;

Grey mountains circling.

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Stern, disciplined range;

Brown topped with incoming rays;

Grim, wise…. rooted deep.

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Small curve of blue foam;

Smooth face of mountain edge lit;

Jagged, rocky bank.

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A dying castle;

Steps carved along the green tilts;

Olive clouds engulf.

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Rippling blues amidst;

Palm trees unfold… glorious;

Quiet, tranquil drift.

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Six floors, rounded roof;

All colours in the palette;

Intricate sculptures.

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Red gate, pink sunset;

Portal of separation;

Path to the unknown.

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White veiled peaks peering;

Village of stunted dwellings;

Clouds trample on shrubs.

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Ceiling surreal;

Helix towards the azure;

Stairs geometric.

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Palace of topaz;

Complicated swirls on walls;

Pillars dipped in white.

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A green window sill;

Sides left, right… monotonous;

Ridged front-screen coloured.

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A bell of brass hung;

Yellow, orange orbs of haze;

Candelabra wicks.

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Trident in a shrine;

Sacred vermillion reddened;

The maternal tint.

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Green iris widened;

Tears of purity trickle;

Hilly waterfall.

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Solar sphere throbbing;

Dark skyline immersed, boats ebb;

Resplendent cascade.

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A jutting abode;

Pale lion statues embossed;

Citadels observed.

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Fortified and white;

Tower winks at the sunlight;

Flag aloft, horse neighs.

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Descending red leaves;

Gentle waterfall beyond;

Terrace twined golden.

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Silver vessel filled;

Music of stream like a harp;

White trunks under moon.

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A haughty hawk darts;

Swiftly it winds, feathers shed;

Flaxen brown locus.

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Wheels, peacocks, tombs, shapes;

Indigo upon ochre;

A fort amidst sand.

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Bedrooms red and green;

Partition of artistry;

Labyrinthine flair.

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A tiny leaf sprouts;

Tiara raised above soil;

World seen in wonder.

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Swathe of reddish earth;

Animatedly, they talk;

As plants overlap.

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Weak afternoon’s sun;

Bold lines of dull gold on floors;

Eventide awaits.

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In rubble, ‘tis lodged;

A paper plane folded well;

Lone sprig of daisies.

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An azure townlet;

Aquamarine eminence;

The cloudless heavens.

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Point of convergence;

Cantaloupe, teal waters meet;

Confluence of lochs.

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Narrow alleyways;

Fading light, clay houses dark;

Poverty-stricken.

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Tinges of rainbow;

Scraps of clothing hung from cords;

Snowy horizons.

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Glacial and blinding

firmament… Serpentine ice;

Velvety white rime.

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Lanterns in the street;

Frosty roads alight… snaking;

Cerulean slopes.

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Swan’s gliding motions;

Pure notes of the pearly lake;

Long necks elegant.

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Newspaper and tea;

Thin curtains laced, sparrows perch;

Water-glass refracts.

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A red moon, smoky;

Back-lanes lit in midnight murk;

Scarlet eyes purge rats.

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Bouquet stashed in boats;

Stream intimate with the sky;

Garland of clouds, rays.

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Dripping carnations;

A girl in the yellow field;

Petals on puddles.

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Roses drift beside…

Moon rippling… Laps of dark waves;

Untouchable charm.

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Path along hayfield;

Three children cast shadows weak;

Summers ebbs and flows.

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A breezy meadow;

Leaves, flowers caught in the wind;

After storms and squalls.

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Asleep deity;

White runs wild on fern-hued green;

Tawny doors opened.

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A bunch of tulips;

At the edge of the pasture;

Brown thorns, yellow rose.

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Frosty Ferris wheel;

Drops of snow like golden pearls;

Pools of light, street-lamps.

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Swing roped with flowers;

Long hair past her waist… pretty;

He pulls, pushes, smiles.

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Bluebells, marigold;

Swallow-tailed butterfly roams;

Land of roses red.

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Cottage with blinds dropped;

Footprints marked deep in the snow;

Red-hot cinders blaze.

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Parallel lines white;

Disappear into the clouds;

Banquet in the air.

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The white king fallen;

Black counterpart still standing;

Death upon chessboard.

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Beautifully dead;

Lilies white surrounding him;

Boatman oars to cliff.

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Mansion’s burnt ruins;

Rain pelts the wooden remains;

Downpour… Blue eyes dead.

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Gust of wind, hat blown;

Creating an arc, it leaps;

Caught by another.

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