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"...