Kerouac and the Haiku

American Haiku (Copyright 1959)
"The American Haiku is not exactly the Japanese
Haiku. The Japanese Haiku is strictly disciplined
to seventeen syllables but since the language
structure is different I don't think American
Haikus (short three-line poems intended to be
completely packed with Void of Whole) should worry
about syllables because American speech is
something again...bursting to pop.
Above all, a Haiku must be very simple and free
of all poetic trickery and make a little picture
and yet be as airy and graceful as a Vivaldi
Pastorella."
                       ~  Jack Kerouac


Early morning yellow flowers,

thinking about

the drunkards of Mexico.


No telegram today

only more leaves

fell.


Nightfall,

boy smashing dandelions

with a stick.


Holding up my

purring cat to the moon

I sighed.


Drunk as a hoot owl,

writing letters

by thunderstorm.


Empty baseball field

a robin

hops along the bench.


All day long

wearing a hat

that wasn't on my head.


Crossing the football field

coming home from work -

the lonely businessman.


After the shower

among the drenched roses

the bird thrashing in the bath.


Snap your finger

stop the world -

rain falls harder.


Nightfall,

too dark to read the page

too cold.


Following each other

my cats stop

when it thunders.


Wash hung out
by moonlight

Friday night in May.


The bottoms of my shoes

are clean

from walking in the rain.


Glow worm

sleeping on this flower -

your light's on.