Cabin Fever
The days are frosty
make me want to cry loudly
but I am quiet.
the crazy kids move
like they are on a playground
although they are not.
the sun glows brightly
mocking the low mercury
it shines in my eye.
the girl whines at length
and I can do nothing right
the boys burst their seams
I think of their dad
or some other distraction
to drain energy
and so now I know
my cabin has a fever
I must tend to it.
*-*-*-*-*
I am writing every day now, in effort to find something I held onto a long time ago. And it’s exciting and invigorating and deeply boring depending upon when you ask me. Focusing my mind in this way is improving my spirit, but that is a different story all together.
We got a children’s book from the library called Dogku by Andrew Clements. It’s a cute story about (you guessed it) a dog, and it’s written in haiku, or maybe a series of haiku? I am not really sure, but you should look for it and read it aloud.
True haiku has a lot of rules and guidelines, and I am not a rule person. So, instead of trying to understand them, I wrote this haiku the way I remembered from to grade school. Three lines, the 1st and last with 5 syllables and the middle with 7. Except instead of only 3 lines I did what Mr. Clements did in his book. I made a longer story. About mom-ing in winter. Because we are in the midst of yet another snowy storm here in Maine, and if my family falls prey to Mama’s desires of snuggling up on the couch watching movies and reading books during every winter storm, we will all have bedsores. Does anyone live in Arizona? I am considering relocation.
A relocation Haiku:
It’s snowing in Maine
But not in Arizona
I think I’ll move there.
Please help entertain me. Leave a comment in haiku. 3 lines, restricted by syllables: 5,7,5.
It’s fun. I’m going to try it with the kids today… since they aren’t in school… again.
by Megin Hatch
Oh, and about the photo? A mom can remember, right? What a lovely warm day. Used under a Creative Common’s License, some rights reserved.
[tags]haiku, Andrew Clements, Dogku, poetry, writing exercises, cabin fever, Maine winters, Arizona, writing, mom, mother, parents, parenting, kids, weather[/tags]
21 responses so far ↓
AmyL // Feb 13, 2008 at 10:00 am
A lovely warm day?
Oh how I would enjoy that
It is too cold here
slouching mom // Feb 13, 2008 at 11:12 am
The snow keeps falling –
How can there be more?, I think –
But there is, there is.
Meg // Feb 13, 2008 at 11:25 am
Amy and Slouching
thank you for playing my game.
It is lots of fun.
A.L. Hatch // Feb 13, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I am terrible
at poetry, but I want
to play anyway
Stu Mark // Feb 14, 2008 at 6:06 pm
My sister lives far
Away from my empty arms
A hug not given
Megin Hatch // Feb 15, 2008 at 6:29 am
Hi A.L. and Stu,
you have both brightened my day.
Way to play with us.
Haiku is so fun
And a little addictive.
I can’t seem to stop.
uncle Maffy // Feb 15, 2008 at 11:37 am
Zorra the good cat…
Zorra hates the cold
She finds my lap to be warm
We both sit and purr.
Bucca the mean cat
she hates cold but likes to bite
i guess she stays cold
Megin Hatch // Feb 15, 2008 at 11:56 am
Maffy!! my dear friend,
we are all buried in snow.
Soon you will be warm.
Swim in the ocean
and think of me here at home.
Then drink a good drink
The sand will be warm
and you will dig a big hole.
And then sit inside.
I hope you have fun.
Enjoy the Dominican.
I wish it was me.
(I love that you’re here.)
Dawn // Feb 15, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Bucca kisses me
When Maffy and Zorra are not here
Hmmm, what does that mean
Watching them snuggle
Warm and toasty before jealous eyes
What else can she do
Megin Hatch // Feb 15, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Dawn makes her own rules
5/7/5 you silly girl
I do like your poem
Bucca has a rep
of not being very nice
at least you love her.
Love the salty sun
and being so far from home
I am so jealous.
(thanks for coming here!)
kimya // Feb 18, 2008 at 12:56 am
old roommate and friend
do you remember how we
used to sit and write?
just let the words flow
whatever they were about
no matter how weird
boys with no legs
and hating college and big hair
and girls in neon
i’ve always written
but that was the real start of
me writing for real
endless streams of words
subconsciousness pouring out
now it’s what i do
i was sure i’d teach
til teachers college broke me
and i had to flee
and i ran and ran
far from the best friend i’d made
a long time ago
seventeen long years
and now i’m a folksinger
and my friend found me
and my friend stalks me
so i stalk my friend right back
and she writes haikus
ha ha so do i
almost every single month
monthly flowetry
i write long haikus
like you, but mine are about
that time of the month
i did skip nine months
when i was pregnant, of course,
this month i forgot
because i’m a mom
and mommies forget sometimes
because we are busy
trying to keep our
babies from going crazy
cooped up in the house
it always rains here
in the beautiful northwest
serious bummer
tomorrow morning
i am flying to l.a.
why don’t you meet me?
remember that time
we put on all our sweaters
all at the same time?
remember when we
used to just eat orange food
in the dining hall?
back when we were kids
we were half our ages then
still so much alike
where’s your evil twin?
maybe run away with mine
kimno and megout
i’m glad you still write
i am so glad you found me
i miss you a lot
Megin Hatch // Feb 18, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Kimya.
Crap, not sure I can Hiaku this.
Nope. Tried. Can’t. Do. It.
So much to write and to say.
A lot of years gone.
Seeing your movie
Brought about a change.
Hard to explain.
Your light and your love
have carried you so so far.
Years have not dimmed it.
Your daughter is sweet.
And I know you’re a great Mom.
I want to meet her.
My kids are all Punks.
Someday I hope you will see.
But we live in Maine.
We have a Portland.
Too bad it’s so far from yours.
I wish we were closer.
But soon we might be.
Massachusetts for 2 days.
We will come see you.
My girl sings your songs.
And I smile when I hear it.
We like them so much.
The internet’s cool.
Made it easy to find you.
And I miss you, too.
Your poem made me cry.
All the times that I read it.
I remember well.
And lots more as well,
like the dog named potato.
And caterpillars.
I found the flower
that you painted just for me.
All laminated
Now the time has come
to share some of your stories.
Send me an email
Megin Hatch // Feb 18, 2008 at 7:17 pm
(If others are reading this- indulge us, we’ve not seen each other for 17 years. And if you haven’t seen Juno, then go today. And since most of you have little girls, buy the DVD so you can watch it with them in a few years.
And buy the soundtrack. My friend Kimya wrote and performed *most* of the freaking songs. You can see her singing one of my favorites here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFff-FekFWU
And guess what I am most jazzed about? She’s coming out with kids stuff: Alphabut. I can’t wait to have it.
So indulge us. Please. Who knows, we might even take it off line before we share our life stories.
AmyL // Feb 18, 2008 at 7:35 pm
I personally am loving the conversation.
You two are great!
kimya // Feb 19, 2008 at 10:14 pm
what was my problem?
i even laminated
my pink floyd poster
there is lots to dredge up
that has happened since back then
like comas and stuff
my roommates seemed to
get progressively more lame
like shooting up lame
i am trying to
deal with looking back so i
can write that email
if you listen to
all my cds in order
it tells the story
that’s not the same though
i have the samantha fox
video we made
i just brought that up
in case you were wondering
that one is classic
Megin Hatch // Feb 20, 2008 at 6:22 am
Friend, don’t go so far.
Just tell me about Panda.
Baby brings you joy.
I read some of that,
and I know it must still hurt.
Lets talk about now.
Then later will come-
We can talk or we won’t
Either way is fine.
I’m happy to stalk
and reconnect here and now,
and see who you are.
A whole lot the same,
I can see that so clearly,
Let’s just each be a friend.
Oh that video-
Some things you have to forget.
Lots of silly fun.
*smile*
kimya // Feb 20, 2008 at 8:25 am
You are right Megin
The good stuff outweighs the bad
I’ll talk about that
I hope you don’t mind
That I would like to keep on
Writing haikus here
For six years I have
Made a living playing songs
Painting pictures
I get to travel
All over the world to play
And meet nice people
I have been to Maine
There is a barn in Falmouth
I have played shows in
The kids bake cupcakes
And we all play wiffle ball
Before the show starts
Then the sun goes down
And while I sing in the barn
Bats fly overhead
I have played in parks,
Churches, rock clubs, art spaces,
Living rooms, theaters,
Museums, festivals,
Backyards and ice cream parlors
I just love to play
Remember how I
Used to sit and watch Flathead
Day in and day out?
When I listen now
To those old tapes I still have
It isn’t the same
But I know that he
Made me want to write music
And sing songs outside
On tour in the alps
A nice boy wrote me a song
And I fell in love
My brothers have kids
Skyler, Jaden, Emerson,
Charlie- my nephews
I have my Panda
The only girl in the bunch
Gentle and so sweet
She is also smart
And funny and beautiful
I am so lucky
Me, Panda, and Ange
Travel the world together
It’s so amazing
And now there’s Juno
Which is so weird, surreal,
UnThoreauvian
The businessmen are
Trying to make me sell out
I am climbing trees
Covering my ears
Singing Row Row Row Your Boat
So I can’t hear Them
I just want to play
I am happy being loved
All I ever need
I love the movie
But I transcend all the crap
And find my Walden
My head in the clouds
I am living the dream with
My feet in the pond
Megin Hatch // Feb 20, 2008 at 10:40 am
FALMOUTH: is so close.
I only wish I had known.
speaking of Walden-
Mr. Robert Alter
remember how we loved him?
I wrote to him, too.
Only remembered
me like a shadow in spring.
Still, I said thank you.
I’ve stalked you enough
to understand what you do
at least a little.
Kind, shy and so strong
I still recognize in you,
Finally loving life.
Traveling so far,
Being more of who you’ve been.
Now with your fam’ly.
So many love you-
those who go to all of your shows.
They follow you-
And when it is quiet-
are you strong in the circle-
giving and getting?
I am so different-
can’t quite remember me then.
Oh, what was I like?
I, too, love Juno-
We want to go back again.
To watch in the dark.
To hear your light voice,
and be transported again-
remembering fun.
I sat at your side
Ned and his small dog in front.
His tapes are all gone.
The letters we wrote-
from east coast to west and back.
They are gone now, too.
A mid-life crisis?
(please tell me I’m still too young.)
It’s good for my soul.
Have you made music
at the shore of Walden pond?
I’d like to be there.
**My head in the clouds
I am living the dream with
My feet in the pond **
I know you will be
right where you know you should be.
Because you’re still you.
Like the book we read
all about Stripe and Yellow
knowing what was true.
It feels funny here
in a post about haiku
to learn of your life.
But you are funny-
so here I will stay with you.
To hell with it all.
Tim Doyle // Mar 29, 2008 at 2:43 am
Two friends, all grown now
Catching up in poetry
Fascinating read!
Tim Doyle // Mar 29, 2008 at 3:05 am
How did I get here?
Looking for winter haiku
In audio form
“Winter Haiku” is
A piece of music I wrote
It’s an hour long
(Since haiku are short
It’s the plural that I mean
So goes my story)
I’d like to mix in
48 winter haiku
drop them here and there
I’ve been google-ing
Trying various phrases
Without much success
I don’t care about
My original object
When the search is fun
As it is tonight
When I find such delights through
Serendipity!
(That said, nonetheless
I would use them in a flash
Your winter haiku…)
Megin Hatch // Apr 1, 2008 at 7:28 am
The wonder of words-
This exercise meant a lot
Thanks, Tim, for playing.
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