At the Haiku service on 06/18/2023, the congregation was invited write a haiku. The collection of Haiku received are presented below in no particular order. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead the service and am touched by the Haikus submitted. I hope you enjoy them too!
Joe
butter yellow walls
the sky like a robin’s egg
sun bursts into church
—M
this bench hurts by back
but my soul feels safer here
than anywhere else
this room full of folks
a chosen community
a home for my heart
—anonymous
no wonder I’m small
you can’t fit me in a your box
with your frigid fears
a life made so small
to prevent your discomfort
you have no idea
—anonymous
armed and dangerous
we may be, when weapons fail
love for all’s the key
—anonymous
love is a blessing
together hearts rejoice in
loving symphonies
–Lilia O.
song of nature sing
cicada chirp in the warm air
cold soon flood the air
–Cadin Orr
safety and letting go
gift of new understanding
but still full of grief
—Loren Brown
finding your own way
I bring myself here for help
community now
—anonymous
microphone mistakes
life is not predicable
message still the same
—anonymous
listening to haiku
too short for brain to process
needs more time to think
—anonymous
nine good minds gather
remembering a men’s story
linking us together
—anonymous
grant me a country
that loves its poets and saints
enough to burn them
—Ryan Urie
we walked a soft trail
through the fragrant evergreens
joyous summer hike
in the wildflowers
black butterflies dance
beauty every where
–Janet DeTemple
That we cannot see
is most obscured by that which
we cannot let go
read and written here
are little snippets of time
with or without ink
—anonymous
Unitarian
(sowing love throughout the earth)
–Universalists
a joy reigns supreme
the metal bird has landed
her son has come home
ephemeral thoughts
float on the wind and are gone
life’s consciousness ebbs
–Michael J Irvin
red-winged blackbird sings
summer grasses under wave
a mind’s door opens
–Amy S
leaves love to fall
for you to walk upon and feel
I float in peace with you
this world may break you
a loving presence calls you
to remember your safety within
every bird that ever sang
will know your spirit in love
your bird presence within knows you
—anonymous
spring seed is planted
to grow safety in the womb
winters arrival
—anonymous
in the weave of life
we are all just knits and purls
creating one whole
—anonymous
astride a bicycle seat
spokes and wheels spin forward
worries far behind
—anonymous
world before the fall
lovely is the light of dawn
noble is man’s heart
—anonymous
rise wrap twist pull yarn
my spirit rises and rests
knit warm soft gray fibers
—anonymous
there is the sunrise
and there is the picture
between them, focus
–Victoria Seever
dead elk on the trail
bones are scattered everywhere
a smelly carpet.
—Nancy
“….written when backpacking near Troy, Oregon with our kids and Margaret and Tiertza.”
faded pink, drooping
holding on to elegance
flowers forgotten
—Peggy