Tuesday, August 18, 2026

A Haiku, or Maybe Not


I shall write a haiku.
Five syllables.
Seven syllables.
Five syllables.
That's how it works.

Probably.
I should count.
One.
Two.
Several.
Close enough.

This poem has already
 gone off the rails.
Which is unfortunate
 because I don't think
 there were rails
 to begin with.

Now I'm wondering
 who decided
 haikus needed rules.

Was there a meeting?

Did somebody stand up
 and declare that all future haikus
 would be five, seven, five?

Did everyone agree?

Were there forms to sign?
It seems like
 the sort of thing
 that should have paperwork.

Tiny penguin sneezes.
 Or perhaps a cucumber.
 The mailbox agrees.


Written for Bad Poetry Day