f/k/a archives . . . real opinions & real haiku

On this page, you will find haiku and senryu that present mothers and Mother’s Day from many perspectives. They are written by f/k/a’s Honored Guest Poets. Click the link to find the archive for each poet whose work appears on this page.

2008 additions:

calling home
the color of mother’s voice
before her words

………………… by Hilary Tann – Upstate Dim Sum (Vol. 2008/1)
orig. pub. The Heron’s Nest IX:4; also “dust of summers: RMA 2007”

watching a rerun
my granddaughter
in my daughter’s arms

……… by Yu Chang – Upstate Dim Sum (Vol. 2008/1)
orig. pub. Frogpond XXXI:1 (Winter 2008)

mother-in-law
at the tip of her swizzle stick
pink flamingo

………. by Roberta Beary – special to f/k/a –

Mother’s Day the silence before hanging up

.. by w. f. owen – Haiku Notebook (May 11, 2008)

autumn rain
mother turns her face
to the wall

………. by Roberta Beary – from echoes 1 (Red Moon Press, 2007; Haiku Ireland Kukai 2007, 1st Place)

Original Posting, May 2007:

catching a firefly
& letting it go…
mother’s day

the groundskeeper rests
against her stone…
mother’s day

i follow her recipe,
but something’s missing…
mother’s day

……. by ed markowski

spring sun
warm on my back
mother’s day

Sunday morning —
humming a tune
my mother taught me

evening class
a toddler comes in
with her mother

cutting the moon cake
just like my mother
Mid Autumn Festival

silence
the baby finds
the breast

……………………. Yu Chang from Upstate Dim Sum

mother’s day
a nurse unties
the restraints

from here
to there
mother’s silence

blossom viewing—
mother shrinks deeper
into her shawl

ice patch
the surprising strength
of mother’s grip

………… by roberta beary
“mother’s day” – The Heron’s Nest VII:2; Big Sky: RMA 2006
“blossom viewing” – Hon. Mem, Vancourver Cherry Blossom Festival 2007
“from here” – 2nd Place, Penumbra Haiku Contest 2006
“ice patch” – “ice patch” – The Heron’s Nest VIII:4 (Dec. 2006)

Mother’s Day
the florist adds kisses
to my card

mother’s email
X’s after
the :-)

for a second time
eight candles
on mother’s birthday cake

……………. by Hilary Tann – Upstate Dim Sum

standing here
at this window, remembering mother
standing here

all through
his temper tantrum
her calm

……………… by Tom Clausen
“standing here” – from standing here (1998)
“all through” from Homework (2000)

April —
the bare navel
of a swollen belly

Mother’s Day
that first breath of air
outside the door

World History
my mother’s
margin notes

children’s gardens
all the scarecrows
dressed like mom

……………. by John Stevenson – Upstate Dim Sum
except: “Mother’s Day” – from Quiet Enough

winter sunset
buttoning mother’s coat
up to her chin

starless night
she knows he is
one of her sons

so suddenly winter
baby teeth at the bottom
of the button jar

…………… by Carolyn Hall
“winter sunset” – Frogpond XXVIII: 3
“starless night” – Frogpond XXVIII:2 (2005)

the daughter taps flour
into a mixing bowl . . .
mother’s apron tight

cool evening . . .
mother takes me by the arm
from grave to grave

…………… by randy brooks
“the daughter” – ” – School’s Out (1999)
“cool evening” – from Haiku: A Poet’s Guide

mother-in-law…
he adjusts the sprinkler
for the fourth time

new pink sneakers —
grandma’s porch step
still creaks

faded recipe. . .
peeling apples
with grandma

………… by Laryalee Fraser
“new pink sneakers” – clouds peak #2
“faded recipe. . .” – The Heron’s Nest (Vol. VIII 2006)

morning milking
the white
of mother’s breast

dead calf
a mother licks
the wind

………. by alice frampton
“morning milking” – New Resonance 3; Haiku Canada Newsletter XVI:3
“dead calf” – The Heron’s Nest (Sept. 2005)

Mother’s Day
a bit of shell
in the chowder

………….. by paul m – tug of the current & Modern Haiku 35:3

mother-daughter
small talk
snap beans

for her mother
bluets
root and all

………….. by Peggy Lyles – To Hear the Rain

Mother Day alone
arranging roses
with no scent

after her death
composing roses
instead of words

…………….. by Pamela Miller Ness

Mom’s sunburnt back . . .
first the youngest touches it,
the the eldest

………………………….. by randy brooks – School’s Out (1999)

mom makes
grandma’s holiday soup –
steam and tears

Mother’s Day visit
bringing home her smile
and her frown

………………………………………. by dagosan

orig. haiga at MagnaPoets (May 10, 2007)

grayskies
on mother’s day –
grandma’s favorite park

poem: david giacalone
photo: arthur giacalone