Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry comprised of three phrases.
Traditional haiku uses 17 syllables (5:7:5) but contemporary haiku in English often ignores this rule. A haiku is typically about nature, the earth and the natural world and are designed to be thought-provoking. These original haiku poems are by Anthony Rutledge and are mostly written in the contemporary free style format.
There are over 2,000 Haiku on this site in ten different themes: Australian, Beach, Garden Sundial, In the Mirror,Kimono,Motherhood,Ships and Oceans,Spring,Windjammers and Miscellaneous.
passing minutes
cleaning debris
from the sundial
so many minutes
on the sundial covered
red leaves
a brown leaf
on the sundial
covers midday
lightning flash
the garden sundial
begins to answer
late afternoon
the magpie songs fade
the garden sundial too
a lightning flash
the sundial
in answer
flat tyres
a girl's red bike
rests on the sundial
climbing rose
darkens the face
of the sundial
start of day
the sundial
orange in the light
Indian summer
timed out
on the sundial
garden sundial
dew growing aphis
on the buds of May
Midday winds- -
the sand dunes sifted
to the sea.
End of holidays...
the beach waves unchanged
around my feet.
Garden sundial
the full moon
faintly timed.
Garden sundial
between horizons
the coloured hours.
Sundial garden
a cracking egg
surrounds the chick.
Garden sundial
a moment taken
by the shadow of a bird.
Garden sundial
in full moon
the turn to autumn silent.
Garden sundial
to the far cry
of gypsy geese.
Garden sundial
a dragonfly lands
ahead of time.
Sundial garden
the strawberries ripen
in their perfect time.
Sundial
the garden Buddha's
eternal smile.
Sundial garden
midday shines deep
in the tulip cup.
The garden wedding
moves around
the sundial.
Sundial
mosquitoes whining
over the gardener's neck.
By the sundial
the children's pet grave
... another lesson.
Garden sundial
slowly rocking the mantis
prays for some shade.
Sundial garden
just genes sprouting
the tomatoes out.
Sundial garden
the dropped fig
spilling its seeds.
Garden sundial
the autumn clouds
fickle with time.
Bassinet
by the garden sundial
the baby suckling toes.
Garden sundial
a passing snow-ball
from the school boy.
Cliff face
the hawk heaves out to
the surface of air.
Sundial garden
father's peach tree
growing in his ashes.
Past the sundial
into the lemon tree
winter's loud wind.
Garden sundial
a highway of spider silk
to the orange tree.
Sundial garden
furniture where the party sat
shines with rain.
Sundial garden
where the cat strikes
the dove silent.
Sundial garden
re-writing school sonnets
under these autumn leaves.
Brushing the sundial
the Christmas tree
axed for fire-wood.
Passing cloud
the garden sundial
ticking as it cools.
Garden sundial
a mouse looks up from
the passage of the moon.
Garden sundial
mother's house
sold without it.
Cool heavens ...
Orion moves into
the affairs of men.
Apple orchard
the caterpillars crawl out to
the tapping of rain.
Garden sundial
a magpie on the canary's cage
suddenly flies off.
Far from home
the jury racked over
the profits of crime.
Sundial garden
the silence of lemons
decaying on the lawn.
Beside the sundial
my arm under Laurel
cramped with sleep.
Garden sundial
a breeze just as gentle
opens the monarch's wings.
The spider's dash to the fly
then losing it--
sundial garden.
Sundial garden
a few freckled mushrooms
licked by the cat.
Sundial garden
mushrooms rising
before the first light.
Sundial garden
feeling the heat
the honeysuckles exhale.
Garden sundial
behind the full moon
a million stars.
Sundial garden
the tiger moth gives up
to the spider's venom.
Sundial
the waterwheel washes
the gardener's hands.
Sundial garden
sudden sneeze
the dog finding the cat's scent.
Garden sundial
an ice frost
that was snow this week.
Sundial garden
moving handfuls of cow-dung
the bed of roses.
Sundial garden
on her father's shoulders
picking almonds.
On the sundial
mother's gold ring
while she gardens.
Morning breeze
sundial and blossoms
in the same dance.
Sundial
a garden black rain
oozes down the stone path.
Sundial garden
winter tightens
the apple tree skins.
Garden sundial
where butterflies mate
in silent flutters.
Sundial
the white summer cloud
measuring an hour across.
Garden sundial
the tiger-moth wrestling
in a circle of silk.
Sundial garden
under the hush of dawn
meat-ants returning.
Sundial garden
the tart of the lemons
dusted with snow.
By the sundial
the yoga student's
first soft om.
Garden sundial
the landing owl folds
some moonlight in.
Sundial garden
on every white rose
a glow of the moon.
Garden dawn
the sundial recording
its singing hour.
Both tyres flat
a child's bike beginning rust
against the sundial.
Garden storm
winter licking
the skeletons of trees.
Sundial garden
koi in the pond
turning to bubbles.
Sundial garden
being alarmed at first
to the hive's gentle hum.
Exploring the venus trap
others have gone to
a green sting fly.
Garden sundial
making shadows deep
the fall of dusk.
Your over-sea's trip
I think in shadows
moving over you.
Sundial garden
the silent magpie
hearing the worm turn.
Sundial garden
the owl hoots
the cat away.
Thirst calls
from the deep stone well
echoes.
Autumn garden
the start to falls
refilling the pond.
Sleep
replacing moments
by the fire-side's crackle.
Garden sundial
folding wings two Monarchs
step out of the breeze.
Sundial garden
our cat's litter
no two playing in the same way.
Sundial garden
stopping the autumn rustle
the smell of burnt leaves.
Sundial garden
a breeze spilling
the tulip-cup's showers.
Suddenly there
a magpie on the sundial
shading midday.
Sundial garden
the lean of the wildflowers
from the winter shade.
Sundial garden
the pond no fish swims in
raising bubbles.
The Doberman's walk
dragging our neighbour
... her quick wave.
School children
into every parked car
their afternoon rush.
Park bench
the stray dog fed
staying near.
Garden raspberries
enough in my cupped hands
for the family pie.
Garden
gathered at the sundial
shadows that die.
Sundial garden
the afternoon heat
making the cicadas shrill.
Garden fog lifts
midday
starting on the sundial.
Afternoon breeze
stopping the sundial
a brush from the orange tree.
From the sundial
a sprinkle of Wattle seeds
blown to earth.
Garden sundial
bees sharing
the blossom's need for pollen.
Sundial garden
a butterfly wings
in and out of the breeze.
On the sundial
.... butterflies....
the breezes from their mating.
Sundial garden
the sleep the owl is losing
to the cold of the moon.
Sundial garden
lingering ... the scent of basil
plucked for dinner.
Sundial garden
the sound of the gate locking
behind the old dog.
Dawn spreads
emerging from darkness
the sundial's shadow.
Sundial garden
no moon yet, but the white roses
gently glow.
Sundial garden
only the green water-wheel
moving in the mist.
Gathering storm
the sundial pitched
between black and light.
Sundial garden
the tom cats snarling
at midnight.
Sundial garden
after the cat fight
she sweeps the loose gravel.
Cold garden
on the brass sundial
a brown apple core.
Rose garden
the crushed-brick-path smells
of summer rain.
Sundial garden
composing silence
after the cat fight.
Sundial garden
the summer's filled
with the summer's drive.
Sundial garden
under father's apple tree
gravity plucks another.
Garden vines
grapes on a white lattice
sprinkled with rain.
Sundial garden
in the rows of carrot heads
our curled cat.
Sundial garden
footprints to the tool shed
caught in snow.
Garden quiet
up and over the sundial
ants in a hurry.
Sundial garden
vegetables and flowers
for the family table.
Without a sundial
my father's garden
also in spring bloom.
Eucalypt trees
speckled on the sundial
the start of the day.
Going around
the sick friend's garden
rain drizzles.
Sundial garden
the loudest sound
the twigs I snap.
Garden sundial
the morning moves slowly
from its foggy start.
Garden sundial
branch by branch
the slivers of day.
Lightning flash
its time
recorded on the sundial.
Spring garden
sundial and blossoms
the same dawn light.
Garden sundial
still clearly working
soaked with dew.
Garden pond
so clear with cold
watching the carp turn.
Garden sundial
between us
our talk of divorce.
Garden sundial
after a job interview
time to reflect.
Garden sundial
each cloud pass
taking time.
All in star time
to the garden pond ...
a billion years.
Sudden rain under the red swings a child’s blue kimono.
the sundial records … the lightning bolts back to the night
the full moon ---- becoming ------- noon on the sundial
sundial garden all over a butterfly
Going around the sick friend’s garden rain drizzles.
Without a sundial my father’s garden also in spring bloom.
Sundial garden under father’s apple tree gravity plucks another.
Sundial garden the summer’s filled with the summer’s drive.
Sundial garden no moon yet, but the white roses gently glow.
Dawn spreads emerging from darkness the sundial’s shadow.
Garden sundial bees sharing the blossom’s need for pollen.
The Doberman’s walk dragging our neighbour ... her quick wave.
Sundial garden a breeze spilling the tulip-cup’s showers.
Sundial garden our cat’s litter no two playing in the same way.
Sleep replacing moments by the fire-side’s crackle.
Your over-sea’s trip I think in shadows moving over you.
Exploring the Venus trap others have gone to a green sting fly.
Sundial garden being alarmed at first to the hive’s gentle hum.
Both tyres flat a child’s bike beginning rust against the sundial.
By the sundial the yoga student’s first soft om.
On the sundial mother’s gold ring while she gardens.
Sundial garden on her father’s shoulders picking almonds.
Sundial garden sudden sneeze the dog finding the cat’s scent.
Sundial the waterwheel washes the gardener’s hands.
Sundial garden the tiger moth gives up to the spider’s venom.
The spider’s dash to the fly then losing it-- sundial garden.
Garden sundial a breeze just as gentle opens the monarch’s wings.
Garden sundial a magpie on the canary’s cage suddenly flies off.
Garden sundial mother’s house sold without it.
Past the sundial into the lemon tree winter’s loud wind.
Sundial garden father’s peach tree growing in his ashes.
By the sundial the children’s pet grave ... another lesson.
Sundial mosquitoes whining over the gardener’s neck.
Sundial the garden Buddha’s eternal smile.
Sundial garden a cracking egg surrounds the chick.
sun and cloud
ticks and re-ticks
the brass sundial
the sundial records---
the lightning bolts
back to the night
cirrus clouds
sweeping time
from the sundial
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