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...