Prowl These Woods

" Prowl These Woods "

by Suzán Jiván

Prowl these woods
scores of rare
big-antlered stags
festooned with grass

fawns gambol
across ragged patches
speeding back
through man-made canals
in the thousands...

As We PassThrough

" As We Pass Through "

by Suzán Jiván

As we pass through
pursuing a continuance
of pre-eminence
physically and mentally
like autumn medleys
coaxed into bouquets
out of vining tomatoes
with a tiger's gaze
likely inflated
by the poorly paid
with a sum far greater...

Summer Sun Pours

" Summer Sun Pours "

by Suzán Jiván

Summer sun pours
into desiccated forest floors
unlike anything known before

as monsoons wash loosened soil
across huge herbivores
seasons before

along parched courses
for gaunt scavengers
performing the newfangled task
of stalking stall-fed animals

as women from many castes
carry empty pails
across degraded lands

in early signs
of being shortsighted
as certified outsiders

seen beneath intensified twilight
like a darkness that enlightens
while banishing daylight
against the darkened sky
with a fish eye

as unmatched masses of gasses
brandished by a time-lapsed
lunar shadow angled toward totality

in the conjunction
of an umbra and penumbra
as a conundrum covers the sun...

Not a Common Fate

" Not a Common Fate "

by Suzán Jiván

Not a common fate
quoted as saying,
" Forgery was raised "
from the exact place
of personal taste

with a fear of litigation
over the missing page
of the rock of ages
complete with sunshade
and a nickname...

With Ink Still Wet

" With Ink Still Wet "

by Suzán Jiván

With ink still wet
works for a cello
and a wailing clarinet
as honorable mentions

virtually unseen
since first inception
with the severity
of revelers

glaringly and malevolently
offset by a present quest
for the venerable

funk and shuffles
on a drum set
or sometimes
just one
strapped to the chest
still wet with sweat...

Termite Haiku

" Termite Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

Digests cellulose
abundant and destructive
sterile males females

A single queen king
distinct social colony
efficient structure

Workers feeding nymphs
building and repairing the nest
foraging for food

Pale soft and wingless
sterile soldiers, larger heads
main enemies ants

Most numerous caste
depending on the species
from tiny to vast...

Beetles Haiku

" Beetles Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

Parallel sided
noticeable striations
many species fly

In touch with larvae
wedge-shaped Bess Beetles, Betsy
fungi in the gut

Chew wood into pulp
rubbing inside leaf-cutters
plush antennal clubs

Hump-backed companions
slightly flattened abdomens
distinctively black

Brash eating habits
pieces of dead animals
as drastic scarabs...

Sometimes Echoing Haiku

" Sometimes Echoing Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

Sometimes echoing
fast flying while summering
mostly hollow notes

Readily drumming
puffed up ruffs wing thump male strut
cackle cluck tundra

Shows purplish neck sacs
scattered scrub oak, not yellow
mellow cooing sounds

Favoring tall grass
buff on female, white on male
chunky puffy head

Dry rocky canyons
unmistakable patterns
hatching rapidly

Lowland chaparral
usually elusive
reddish cap, black patch

Less scaly patterns
giving low descending, "waow"
white faced, red eyed

Also seen at times
recognizable pink bills
naked greenish heads

Escaped flamingoes
highly social, quite local
known by bright pink tones...

After Long Detours

" After Long Detours "

by Suzán Jiván

After long detours
in total square feet
one bright evening
in a dense tangle
of anemones
and creeping jenny
over a half century

having to play pretend
while becoming
totally impressed
with garret-like lessons
tottering atop a window box
and hollering,
"Get on your mark!"
demurely followed
by, "Je ne sais quoi"...

Bold Smiles and Wisecracks Haiku

" Bold Smiles and Wisecracks Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Drinking and dreaming
critical abilities
matter-of-factly

II

Went down easily
with guileless simplicity
equally lively

III

Eccentricities
wider visibility
destruct and rebuild

IV

Fingertips and palms
rather than sticks and mallets
multi-talented

V

Tearing up downtown
juicy-sounding novelties
sharp-tongued comedies

VI

Flashy fantasies
escapist entertainment
bold smiles and wisecracks...

Far Flung Haiku

" Far Flung Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Terrifying scenes
shielded by ambivalence
straight jacket escape

II

Unattainable
deadpan, bizarre repartees
making good neighbors

III

Absurdist chambers
potent laugh lines, few and far
extracting humor

IV

Sort of redundant
paranoia and shot guns
ringing out, far flung...

Orogenies Haiku

" Orogenies Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Valleys and ridges
correlations in phases
like edges of old

II

Paleozoic
Blue Ridge and inner Piedmont
seamed orogenies

III

Meta-sediments
intrusively igneous
oceans beginning

IV

Folding and faulting
supercontinent's remnants
later colliding

V

Down-faulted, normal
metamorphosed schist and gneiss
stresses subsided...

Shiner Haiku

" Shiner Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Silvery to blue
knocking sounds and purring noise
swims with fins erect

II

Currents over sand
clear to turbid, small to large
pectoral fin rays

III

Moderately forked
in northwest territories
feeding on insects

IV

Leap a few inches
capture insects just above
a prolonged hover

V

Small rivers, clear creeks
considered a subspecies
berry-red lips, cheeks...

Ridged Sawback Haiku

" Ridged Sawback Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Conspicuous, black
spine-like projections on keel
marked orange circles

II

Yellow-orange plastron
semicircular markings
elongating claws

III

Poorly-known habits
yellow neck stripes behind eyes
following scute seams

IV

Nesting on sandbars
narrow-channeled, fast-moving
passed brush snags logjams

V

Powerful paddling
swimming in rapid currents
basking on mud flats...

Killifishes Haiku

" Killifishes Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Bright killifishes
popular with aquarists
fresh and salt water

II

Spawn, lagoons, tide pools
distinguished from livebearers
barrier island

III

Barred with some pale spots
inserted low on body
pale blue and orange

IV

Yellowish bellies
warm desert pools, springs and runs
upturned pupfishes

V

Marshy backwaters
growing rather rapidly
saltier than seas

VI

Lateral series
compressed posteriorly
terminal, oblique...

Stargazing Minnow Haiku

" Stargazing Minnow Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Dusky caudal spot
in riffles over gravel
moderate to swift

II

Mid-lateral stripe
long, rounded mouth, sucker-like
eyes on upper side

III

Above upper lip
origin of caudal fin
silt intolerant...

Geological Haiku

" Geological Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Mostly intrusive
glacially polished, rock-hard
deeply eroded

II

Faulted and folded
occurring in creased regions
scale, rock and hammer

III

Stands of the older
partially metamorphosed
tilted deposits

IV

Many minor faults
several major, silted clay
increasing hardness

V

Varying degrees
most violently folded
iron formation

VI

Ice cap melted back
probably causing rifts, cracks
terrestrial patch

VII

Mid-continent zone
depositions in oceans
offset, strike, slip, fault

VIII

Local episodes
rifting in erogeny
molten lava flows

IX

The basin pinches
interbedded with basalt
distant sills dipping

X

Cliff vicinities
eroded edge, either end
quartzite facing west

XI

Quarry area
metasedimentary
beyond the lava

XII

Sank to the bottom
gorges causing waterfalls
outwashed folded back...

Relief Haiku

" Relief Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Valley floor, hilltop
trending northeast and southeast
modified by faults

II

Resistant limestone
like a continuation
remnants of relief

III

As the latter half
causing ridges, erosion
completed series...

Whipsawed Haiku

" Whipsawed Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Veined streaks of anger
pummeling syncopations
deigned unclaimed airwaves

II

Political rage
galloping harrowingly
unctuous hit-and-run

III

Whipsawed precision
in uproarious moshpits
fractious villainy

IV

Staying mad as hell
capriciously lasting, rad
glaringly mastered...

Insects' Success Haiku

" Insects' Success Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Rolled into a ball
as galleries of orders
presented like keys

II

Limbs used for walking
needing to use a hand lens
looking carefully

III

Might be the larva
or pupa of an insect
long, blind, soft body

IV

Leg-bearing segments
modified as poison fangs
immature stages

V

Hidden under wings
relatively primitive
globular body

VI

Common winglessness
oceanic, cave dwelling
flattened side-to-side

VII

Eyes small or absent
legs modified to grip host
biting parasites

VIII

Ventral projections
can jump well, eyes touching, humped
blood sucking in nests

IX

Lives in colonies
often with constricted waists
can be seen stinging

X

Long, sticklike body
widely separated legs
remain motionless

XI

Squat body, humped back
from the front, large, bulbous head
bulging reduced eyes

XII

Short tube underhead
elongating, forming beaks
coiling proboscis

XIII

Wings covered with scales
joined by tiny hooks or hairs
toughened wing cases

XIV

Wings of equal size
joined in flight by triangles
thoracic, backward

XV

Threadlike antennae
wings held together, roof-like
over bulging eyes

XVI

Lacewings and allies
netlike wings, many cross veins
reddish shiny eyes

XVII

Attracted to lights
stalked eggs on vegetation
pupate in cocoons

XVIII

Taking to the air
into far greater ranges
highly successful...

Rock Crawler Haiku

" Rock Crawler Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

May be dense or sparse
at extreme high altitudes
eating torpid prey...

Vireo Haiku

" Vireo Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Lives in a new world
in the treetops to be heard
incessant singing

II

Name, meaning, "green bird"
upper canopies of trees
sung understories

III

Fluttering of wings
before leaves come out fully
hanging hammock-like

IV

Silky fastenings
migratory fashionings
stylized posturings

V

Couplets beginning
yellowish eyerings, white eyes
exclusivity

VI

Weaving side-to-side
survival, parasitize
incubated eggs

VII

Drab, grayish olive
faint, pale stripe above the eye
undistinguishing

VIII

Greenish leaf-matching
broken phraseology
nix vicinities

IX

Forested settings
within inches of the trunk
neat cups out of bark

X

Name notwithstanding
punctured, pitched out, lower down
brown-headed cowbird...

Pollywog Pond Haiku

" Pollywog Pond Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Males clasping females
temporary rain-fed ponds
pollywogs, froglets

II

Venturing away
changing pH, acid rain
strained population...

Porcupine Haiku

" Porcupine Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Quill-armored rodent
hunched black ball high in the air
flailed quill-studded tail

II

Yellow, white-tipped hairs
broad soles covered with small bumps
wooly underfur

III

Chattering its teeth
backed up towards adversaries
quills loosely attached

IV

Excellent swimmer
air-filled quills keep it afloat
needles blunt the wind...

Beaver Haiku

" Beaver Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Uncontrolled trapping
stimulating expansion
suitably massive

II

Highly adaptive
living in and near water
dense, short, waterproof

III

Gnaw underwater
prominent sticks, mounds of mud
oxygen stored up

IV

Large liver and lungs
counterbalance, rudder, scull
sharp slap of the tail

V

Warning of danger
acute hearing, sense of smell
stand erect, dry land

VI

Fanned area, dammed
crisscross pattern, back-up pond
float logs, dome-shaped lodge...

Weasel Haiku

" Weasel Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Along with the mink
other related creatures
fisher, otter, shunk

II

Consummate hunter
pause to listen and to sniff
lap blood from fresh kill

III

Must eat frequently
high trilling note when mating
screeching and squealing

IV

Turns white in winter
normally snowy background
harder to be seen

V

Hunts beneath the snow
called ermines for the fur trade
tunneling runways

VI

Downsides to slim shapes
northern sections of its range
feathers of its prey

VII

Mark out home ranges
delaying implantation
assuring young pups

VIII

Changing back to brown
shallow burrows below ground
lowlands and mountains

IX

Smallest carnivore
long and coarsely glossy hair
sleek weasel fashion

X

Long body and neck
under fur repels water
sparkling luster pelt

XI

Excellent senses
kill with a bite to the neck
curled up in their dens

XII

Sleeping during storms
opportunistic feeding
kill more than they eat

XIII

Have few enemies
maturing sexually
long expectancy

XIV

Scratch at the entrance
of a fresh underground nest
along pond edges

XV

Arched back bounding lope
on the move in broad daylight
white on chin and throat

XVI

Wooded bottomlands
measures of intelligence
waters' wilderness

XVII

Feet used for steering
looped and twisted gracefully
webbing between toes

XVIII

Utter low chuckles
valve like structures seal its ears
shrill chirps, hissing barks

XIX

Minnows, sunfish, chubs
enlarged burrows of woodchucks
eyes protrude slightly

XX

Scats on stream-side logs
fresh droppings, checking for scents
hollow stumps, logjams

XXI

Polygamous males
several females in estrus
fights among themselves

XXII

Closely related
caterwauling while mating
keen concentration...

Mixed Species Haiku

" Mixed Species Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Year-round residents
mixed species fend together
better detected

II

Glean insects from trees
cling to branches upside down
mobbing enemies

III

Prominent head crests
abandoned woodpecker nests
wedged into the end

IV

Home territory
sound a nasal, "ank, ank" call
herky-jerky walk

V

Hammer shells apart
relish suet at the park
shove nuts into bark

VI

Blows from awl-like beaks
sweep crushed insects back and forth
eat courtship morsels...

Oriole Haiku

" Oriole Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Orchard oriole
open areas, scattered
hanging basketlike

II

Old orchards, shade groves
thought to be monogamous
migrating large flocks

III

Heraldic colors
central chambers, lined with hair
caterpillars, snails

Caddied Knickknacks

" Caddied Knickknacks "

by Suzán Jiván

A straight fairway
with colorful banks
planted with chromatic bliss
walk-in environments
in straight lines
like golfers' swings
on many greens
rarely eagling
replete with bogies
as caddied knickknacks...

Shuttered Haiku

" Shuttered Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Chicken-curry lunch
I never would have found it
if not for my thoughts

II

Both disconnected
tucked into the nondescript
certain instances

III

In a wondrous world
as yet under construction
still being shuttered...

Cult-Figure Haiku

" Cult-Figure Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

From a cult figure
the fates of nations at stake,
" Who's hanging out now? "

II

Exotic projects
as backstage preparations
poison-laced toothpaste

III

Exploding cigars
eclectic diasporas
shifting laser beams

IV

Not easily seen
quiet atmospheres leaving
repeating past years

V

Social media
projected poison pellets
well-intentioned friends...

Sawed-in-Half Haiku

" Sawed-in-Half Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Amassing vast wealth
giddily hedonistic
fully coherent

II

Rifling through styles
already a crowd pleaser
piling up top ten

III

Constrained by limits
cheek-by-jowl in a mansion
punk-pop headbanger

IV

Almost maternal
faithfully reproducing
entering applause

V

Knowingly cooing
flattering the flatterer
seated dead center

VI

Squeezed in at one end
publicizing the title
symbolic moonrise

VII

With a brute focus
no visible nudity
come to think of it...

VIII

Visceral sidelines
successfully sawed in half
then razed and rebuilt...

Reverberating Haiku

" Reverberating Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Simultaneous three-days
waves of denunciation
a fallen leader

II

Potential lessons
incendiary statements
reverberating

III

Eardrums rupturing
meticulous computers
semiconductors...

Falcon Haiku

" Falcon Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

for Anne-Adele Wight

I

Nearing extinction
while hacking and releasing
deep diving in flight

II

Returning to cliffs
after hitting its victims
launching, circling

III

Flying stealthily
spotting its targets below
skimming low, over

IV

Heavily fretted
abandoned nests, relentless
reintroduced broods

V

Eggs in a rude scrape
incubation, fed by mate
fledging in late May...

Played-Out Haiku

" Played-Out Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Usual trappings
delights in difficulties
tossing drumsticks high

II

Turning up the heat
showcasing a legacy
becoming played out

III

Proud record holders
spoken or shown from the stage
still around to cheer

IV

Wept on arrival
known to the public at large
interviewed this week

V

Movieland glamour
an obscure figure in jazz
in the spotlights glare

VI

Enduring mystiques
pioneering achievements
re-released this week...

Data Haiku

" Data Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Data made public
estimates and projections
long been expected

II

Weighing a hard line
while wrestling mightily
with a white milestone

III

Bitter civil rights
from the days of slavery
mostly recently

IV

A majority
Hispanics, blacks and Asians
with those of mixed race

V

Broad implications
restrictive immigration
as transformation

VI

Highly-charged debates
compelling and disturbing
so far shied away...

Ubiquitous Haiku

" Ubiquitous Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

All tickets
moneys advanced by the band
put on sale again

II

Now ubiquitous
like the concert industry
swimming in a sea

III

Entrenched ticket sales
occupying bottom floors
as brick and mortar

IV

With more rigmarole
as you may already now
inflated clichés

V

Mega-lovable
convincingly rapturous
seldom-seen first piece

VI

Turning the tables
confusedly wandering
strenuous whimsy

VII

Lives of common folk
celebrity cameos
game-changing whole rows...

Early-Onset Haiku

" Early-Onset Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Early-onset genes
bursts of gunfire snapping
familiar three rounds

II

Unfamiliar sounds
allies turning enemies
inside the wire

III

Larger spending cuts
in a bruised election year
bunkered guard towers

IV

Homeowners foreclosed
filings reaching the ceiling
rounds being fired

V

Memories fading
remaining complications
fearing mutations

VI

Children frolicking
diseases involving trees
latest in a string

VII

Combatively strapped
blatant animosities
officials believe

VIII

Joint-training models
lightning and apologies
tossed about bodies...

Mangled Haiku

" Mangled Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Finding diversions
after all the apathy
collective numbing

II

Equally depressed
straight to the general fund
as mangled corpses

III

Repeated trauma
deliberate distraction
just a learned response

IV

Debt-limit stalemate
all or most of the money
into the hacking

V

Recorded carnage
decapitated body
the face of horror

VI

Trauma, impotence
wrong doing at two tabloids
buried in mass graves...

A Wake Haiku

" A Wake Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

The band sang folksy
votive candles at their feet
meeting pop partway

II

Eerie digital
a cappella harmony
synthesizer chords

III

A thumping dance beat
added immediately
a pendulum swings

IV

Ticking to reveal
culture for growing numbers
festival feasting

V

Advisory feats
apart from selfish reasons
like shuffle and strut

VI

Its organizer
friction between melodies
promiscuity

VII

Budgets reflecting
being openly tender
solely neglected

VIII

Rubber-band stretchy
unabashedly endless
coming together

IX

Worldwide directions
historical perspective
fetched at an auction

X

Remained unexplored
as separate mosaics
dealing privately

XI

Not so surprising
happening to be really
an alien's child

XII

This little tyrant
sounding much like a playwright
so late in this life

XIII

Might apologize
enticingly realized
underwater lights

XIV

Winsome publisher
uncovering plundering
suddenly unloved

XV

Held up in customs
in the final gallery
displayed as a wake...

Happenstance Haiku

" Happenstance Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Ladened with clichés
final adagio posed
devalued rainbow

II

Forbidden targets
addressed by the president
incentives to buy

III

Leading libraries
signaling secret searches
buckling under

IV

Resisting comebacks
likely more democratic
perhaps happenstance...

Spoofing Haiku

" Spoofing Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Weren't worth spoofing
imperious craftsmanship
extravaganzas

II

Mounted as leftist
political barriers
all in a fashion

III

Compare and contrast
mastery in mediums
alpha figurines

IV

Taking a nanny
almost accidentally
wonkish earnestness

V

Shocking her parents
perhaps a little early
went rogue way too soon

VI

Writing sexy poems
certainly filling the bill
far from a dry one...