B+

B+, B-
Fact: I'm not exceptional
That will have to do

C.M.

Redemption

redemption - a debt
to be paid. the payment made,
blemished forever.

Anonymous

Cool November day

Cool November day
His jacket drapes her shoulders
And love comes knocking

Eva Brookes

Wretched nights sleeps

Wretched nights sleep cheats
me of recovery
Dark rings under eyes

Kenton Penley Miller

My fucking car keys

my fucking car keys
here one minute gone the next
a senior moment

Ian Row

Library cafe

Library cafe-
we swap lost key stories
as my coffee cools

Alan Summers

White Dust Ghosts* (Series)

waking the kraken
this irregular sonnet
of men and angels

childhood kiss 
the shadow of gypsophila 
in the wheel

blue sky rain
the sunshine leaks
from pavements

leaves begin to fall
this face too evolves 
from fish

bomber moon–
all those hiding places
within you

hee, ba, coo, sha
even the name suggests peace
Nagasaki anniversary

Alan Summers

*There are people who survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In Japanese, the atomic bomb survivors are known as Hibakusha, some are still alive and share their experiences in the hope of peace and the abandonment of nuclear weapons. This is the 68th anniversary of atomic bombing on Nagasaki, August 9th 1945

Counter, baby mouse

Counter, baby mouse
Crunching on dry spaghetti
Cute, and then I screamed

Carol Ruth Kimmel

The word for today

cease to resist an
opponent - capitulate
the word for today

Ian Row

What's left is now right

What's left is now right
Sans serif font, extra gaps
Facebook's fresh changes

Kenton Penley Miller

You will not stain me

you will not stain me
claim my mind, use up my time
that's all you're having

Ian Row

A moody sunset

a moody sunset
precursor to sweet morning
long distracted night

Ian Row

Bittersweet trigger

bittersweet trigger
textbook, the chain reaction
breathe in Frank Ocean

Ian Row

Today tomorrow

fark it's still today
keep thinking it's tomorrow
feels like tomorrow

Ian Row

Gentrification

Gentrification
People gotta live somewhere
Just not here

Ian Row

False starts

the new year's false starts
the shine was an illusion
is clarity truth?

Ian Row

Lazarus, rising

Lazarus, rising
Undo myself, if I could
Who might we have been

Ian Row

High above our heads
Mountains of Washtenaw Street
Shovelled, piled-up snow.

Carol Ruth Kimmel

Were I there right now

Were I there right now
I'd hush you with my nose kiss;
Impose you a dance

Jeff Patterson

In my new clothing

In my new clothing
I feel so different, I must
look like someone else.

Matsuo Bashō (1644 - 1694)

New Year's Day

New Year's Day
everything is in blossom!
I feel about average

Kobayashi Issa (1763 - 1827)

Whatever

the word 'whatever'
cute/contentious but deadly
if/when misconstrued

Ian Row

Year's end & Along my journey

Year’s end, all 
corners of this 
floating world, swept

Along my journey
through this transitory world
new year's housecleaning

Matsuo Bashō  (1644 - 1694)

I've drunk too much
Garden is full of Triffids
I really don't care.

James Von Sutekh

Admittedly, I'm
mad, admitting that you can
harden and excite

Jeff Patterson

Postcards never sent

Postcards never sent
Moments best not remembered
Writing history

Ian Row

Avoidance haiku

Avoidance haiku
delay defensive email
for your clarity

Ian Row

Rules

rules bent and twisted
make it up then lie to me
the line in the sand

Ian Row

It kinda makes sense

It kinda makes sense
Sitting in my living room
Disconnectedness

Ian Row

We gathered to learn 
of digital engagement.
Rain kept some away.

Chris Gill

Spotted...

Spotted on Punt Road
Orange Datsun 120Y
Ms. Amy Winehouse

Ian Row

A senior moment

I found my car keys
in the street directory
A senior moment

Ian Row

Dreaded reunions

'Dreaded reunions'
replayed and reimagined
Past life progression

Ian Row

Happy birthday, Me

Happy birthday, Me!!!
With each year, I love you more -
Wiser; right on time

Jeff Patterson

Mum/Dad

i.
Mummy kiss goodbye.
I'll remember this moment.
Words you can forget.

ii.
a lift or ride?
dad's way of extending time.
a moment, stolen.

Ian Row

iPhone crash burn

iPhone crash burn.
Time to get a new phone, dude.
To save is to sync.

Ian Row

Full circle selfies

i.
full circle seflies
I have never looked so good
aging gracefullish

ii.
"Paging gracefully..."
profile pics take off ten years
"... look into my eyes."

Ian Row

A few hundred ks

A few hundred ks

Travelled back from work today

Hell of a commute

Kenton Penley Miller

Daddy is eighty

Daddy is eighty
A life summed up in cake and
a two minute speech

Ian Row

Winter sunlight leaks

Winter sunlight leaks

Promise onto paving stones

Flower turn their heads

Catherine Austin

Ferocious winds blow

Ferocious winds blow
Icy fingers through the clothes
Chilling in the sun.

Kenton Penley Miller

i.
what is this about?
go away to find yourself
unconscious living

ii.
straitjacketed soul
best you stand clear I'm about to
uncoil unravel

iii.
secure in your self?
stability's slow reveal
someone to settle

Ian Row

Man with a machine

man with a machine
making sideways clean and neat
cutting down wildflowers

Carol Ruth Kimmel

Kiss and tell

I don't kiss and tell

Luckily for you young man

[Insert Blank Name Here]

Kenton Penley Miller

A touch of heaven

A touch of heaven

To Skype without dropping out

catching those we love

Leah Billeam

My body fails me

My body fails me
Therese falls, lies unbroken
Perhaps not this time

Ian Row

Chiropracting love

"Hands behind your head"
"How lean back - back against me"
Chiropracting love                                                             

Ian Row

July 13 Twinset

The folks who live at 11 Howard Street

Where's my follow-up?
Home business service falls short
Reservoir hippies

Ian Row

Chicago on July 12, 2013

River mulberries
Summer dusk, cicadas sing
Flashing fireflies

Carol Ruth Kimmel

Home

This house is my home
I think I'll stay forever
You are like my house

Ian Row

Flower

Growing midst the weeds
in the garden of my life
a rare flower - you.

Chris Gill

Lunch

soup of self-pity
stir-fried melancholy
glass of 'suck it up'

Ian Row

Happy birthday to us

We're seven!

Massive applause for the following hot crossers for your contributions in 2012-2013:

Natalie Au

Catherine Austin (formerly Cathy Dineen)

Eva Brookes

Jane Frances Fey

Jeanne Frayne

Chris Gill

Annie Jeffries

Carol Ruth Kimmel

Neil Krieger

Karen McVean
Kenton Penley Miller

Dawn Mok

Spudnik Nebulanut

Neve

April Norcross
Simon Patience

Jeff Patterson
Violette Rose-Jones

Jason Rostant
Ian Row
Sue Ficke Siebert
Guhan Subramaniam 

James Von Sutekh

And thank you to all our followers here and on the Facebook group.

Hush

Hush now, Jealousy
Your music: so sad; so shrill
Hush now as I sing

Jeff Patterson

Little victories

Little victories
My body to overcome
My mind to conquer

Ian Row

The Queen is dead

So the Queen is dead
The king greets the gathered throng
Blood trail on the floor

Catherine Austin

Cool spray of water

Cool spray of water
Mists in the summer night breeze
Lawn plants drink, thankful

Jeff Patterson

Facing greater fear...

Facing greatest fear
And being greeted by Love:
Miraculous shit

Jeff Patterson

Winter

Winter: a stiff neck
feels the season acutely
as well as my age.

Ian Row

A haiku about summertime

Summertime, life here -
Birds, cicadas, flowers sing -
Light, in full effect

Jeff Patterson

No more at peace...

No more at peace - or
Found or Better than before -
Still...I wash ashore

Jeff Patterson

An effective haiku

The adjective for
'efficacy' is not...
'efficus'.

Ian Row

(Special credit: Rhys Benbow)

Subconsciously...

Subconsciously
stockpiling soy milk
Suspect

Ian Row

My walk home last night

the moon lit my way
twas nearly full
will be winter soon

Jane Frances Fey

A haiku about proofreading

proof read all haikus
an extra syllable makes
a pretty poem

April Norcross

Mounting in public

Mounting in public
Young couple suck face in park
Making me hungry

Ian Row

PR

You make me look good
Your weblinks for my networks
PR you can't buy

Ian Row

My tears from heaven

If nothing else, think
of me when you see, hear, feel
and smell the raindrops

Natalie Au

Lush Jacaranda
Branches move like peacock plumes
Squally autumn winds

Eva Brookes

Liberals are evil,
And Labor has lost its way,
Let's vote for The Greens.

James Von Sutekh

Jericho - ghostly
Oak and faded photographs.
One rusted gravesite.

Catherine Austin

Snake

Wanna see my snake?
Dude has a Diamond python!
Not on the first date.

Ian Row

Warbling red bird
Suit of snow upon your back
Rise and shake away

Annie Jeffries

My nose and his foot
Two cripples in Charles Street
Looking for our bin...

Catherine Austin

"B"

"B"

Hung the moon and stars,
I know he did! And if not...
he was in on it

Jeff Patterson

Voices in her head

Voices in her head
This is why she plays music
Someone else's song

Ian Row

Rival

The rival returns
Pushes buttons, flicks switches
A circuit breaker

Ian Row

So many "seers,"
so few "likes" - luckily, I
love my every line

Jeff Patterson

proof read all haikus
an extra syllable makes
a pretty poem

April Norcross

41 outside

41 outside
Inside it's like a resort
Day at the office

Ian Row

o despicable
self indulgent creature who
tries to sell me things

April Norcross

Living and dying

living and dying
every breath - inhale, exhale
live and let limbo

Dawn Mok and Ian Row

It's a school night

It's a school night but
I know how you like to live
dangerously

Ian Row

Winter, north or south?
Both unloved - still, I'd rather have
Yellow grass than snow

Jeff Patterson

Perth airport bustle
Rested but eager for home
FIFO for Xmas

Jason Rostant

Under my skin

Under my skin, your
finger as an antenna
sparks my yearning soul

Spudnik Nebulanut

Stone-handed partners
Sing north of the horizon
Music but a breath

Spudnik Nebulanut

10.43pm ~
Last bus 10pm
Screw you, suburbia!
Not even a cab

10.52pm ~
Rain stops, I walk home
careful not to step on snails
crossing the pavement.

11.08pm ~
This will mend my back
unfold my crumpled body
placate the tetchy spine

Ian Row

Melaleuca

melaleuca blooms
plain jane recasts herself
shiny honeyed summer

Ian Row

No crusty baguettes

no crusty baguettes
most people don't dig hard bread
gourmet delusion

Ian Row

Form versus function

form versus function
perfect bound or saddle stitch
that is the question

Ian Row

oh michael jackson!
in nineteen-eighty I would
have spent time with you.

Jeanne Frayne

Seeking the infinite

seeking the finite

brings me full circle back

to the infinite

Dawn Mok

Curse you snooze button!

Curse you snooze button!

Tempting siren of deceit

Now I'm late again.

James Von Sutekh

Grace lives in the space

Grace lives in the space

sincere smiles are found that

at one time held tears

Jeff Patterson

Speed Round 22

i.

Bravery, be mine

Not by pill or liquid - no

Rise from the heart, true

Jeff Patterson

ii.

Deceased estate! Yay!

Supply chain of pre-loved goods.

Must contain my joy.

Ian Row

iii.

You again

Causing my reflex to flex

Hard habit to break

Neve

iv.

Continental cake

Twice the cream on the corner

Death by sweet tooth

Ian Row

v.

When truck and train meet

Both road and rail become blocked

Phew! No-one was hurt.

Chris Gill

vi.

After forever

I find you; seeing you was

on my bucket list

Ian Row

vii.

Midst tumultuous

Change and hope and chance events

I sit – Buddha-like

Cathy Dineen

Like a sweet dessert -
All my moves, my words with friends -
You, I save for last

Jeff Patterson

Subconsciously
stockpiling soy milk
Suspect

Ian Row

Friends to non-lovers,
Boys to men, soul-bound brothers -
How far, you and I!

Jeff Patterson

What's a nice car like
you doing being driven...
Northern suburbs skank.

Ian Row

i.

i tried but couldn't

capture your loneliness and

your pain in three lines

ii.

your body fails you

your mind a mischievous twin

anger, then madness 

Ian Row