Haikus of nature
By David Taehee Lee
1. Earth
Our Mother Gaia
Giving birth to all sweet life
Gives us death as well.
2. Sky
The azure heavens
Home to the divine dragons
We mortals only awe.
3. Sea
Dark-blue and sparkling
The fishes and dolphins dance
Along the fine waves.
4. Fire
It burns ever bright
Not solid, liquid, or gas
But a fourth power.
5. Wind
You cannot see me
But I breeze past your long hairs
I embrace your life.
6. Thunder
A bolt from the sky
The earth trembles below me
I have descended.
7. Grass
Green as your clear eyes
Bristle as your fragile heart
I lie under you.
8. Rock
I live the ages
Only to turn into dust
And fly, fly away.
9. Sun
I give light to all
But it casts a dark shadow
That feasts on the bright. 16
10. Darkness
People avoid me
But I exist through the light
Inevitable.
11. Cloud
Faces you might see
Animals you might notice
The white shapeshifter.
12. Leaf
I am born young green
I age yellow and orange
I die grey and pale.
13. Forest
They call me Earth’s lungs
Yet they cut me down and down
What cruel irony!
14. Mountains
Covered with cool green
But I am grey rock inside.
I am kinda shy…
15. Eagle
I am king of birds
I soar across the heavens
I am majestic.
16. Vulture
I glide above death
On rot and decay
I feast A sinister thing
17. Death
I lurk in the dark
I strike like a bird of prey
I am absolute.
18. Lies
Many who seek comfort
Many who seek false a glory
I am your only friend.
19. Mask
We hide behind it
Our laughs are all but a lie
We are but a joke.
20. Time
I wait for no one
I speed up when you protest
I am impatient.
