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Daily Haikus
from Dan Chelotti

 

Your daily haiku from McSweeney’s poet, Dan Chelotti, whose book, x is just out this month. We’re featuring a haiku-a-day as our way of celebrating National Poetry Month. Enjoy!

TUESDAY, APRIL 30.

Scrolling through pictures
The daiquiris of strangers
Taste better than mine

- - -

MONDAY, APRIL 29.

O’Hara’s birthday—
In memory of my feelings:
A bus in the rain

- - -

SUNDAY, APRIL 28.

Skyline of New York:
Everyone’s secret lover
Sleeping on her side

- - -

SATURDAY, APRIL 27.

Drive next to this bus
Peter Pan’s wifi is free
And so is the rain

- - -

FRIDAY, APRIL 26.

Plain afternoon light
Every cloud that has e’er been
In a glass of wine

- - -

THURSDAY, APRIL 25.

Springfield bus station
Three sparrows among pigeons
You go on your nerve

- - -

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24.

The bus on Fifth Ave.
We are soon to arrive
Read the Four Quartets!

- - -

TUESDAY, APRIL 23.

Man’s Search for Meaning
Counting to 2013
Using my fingers

- - -

MONDAY, APRIL 22.

Slush pile sadness
A pause before recycling—
The eyes of a frog

- - -

SUNDAY, APRIL 21.

Cemetery kiss
Blue jay light on a headstone
The world can begin

- - -

SATURDAY, APRIL 20.

Parking lot sunset
Ashbery’s dictionary
A distant fountain

- - -

FRIDAY, APRIL 19.

Outside of my life
Is a room in which I live
One chair bare lightbulb

- - -

THURSDAY, APRIL 18.

I don’t want to eat
Poems are made of hunger
And firecrackers

- - -

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17.

A cloud in a room
500 hawks overhead
Facts: rumors of wolves

- - -

TUESDAY, APRIL 16.

Snail marks on a rock
What I was supposed to do
Struck by what was done

- - -

MONDAY, APRIL 15.

Black winter branches
The e’er folding distances
A bag of Funyons

- - -

SUNDAY, APRIL 14.

On my grave near Yale:
The body of Dan Chelotti
Says Kiss her! Right now!

- - -

SATURDAY, APRIL 13.

You do not think so,
America, but you fit
In this one haiku

- - -

FRIDAY, APRIL 12.

Fiction writing friends
Meet me at Dickinson’s grave
You use too many

- - -

THURSDAY, APRIL 11.

Black mariah moon
Mandelstam picks up a stone
Lists lists lists lists lists

- - -

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10.

James Tate in the woods
Petting someone’s lost donkey
A bear looking on

- - -

TUESDAY, APRIL 9.

Queen Anne’s Lace orbits
Under high tension wires
My name is not mine

- - -

MONDAY, APRIL 8.

Cold storm-lit basement
Outdated gaming console
Red suitcase silence

- - -

SUNDAY, APRIL 7.

Bologna sandwich
Your machismo intrigues me
I will not fight you

- - -

SATURDAY, APRIL 6.

Don’t worry, students
I will grade your papers soon
(The moon is a whale)

- - -

FRIDAY, APRIL 5.

One sea cucumber
Seventeen sea cucumbers
Any difference?

- - -

THURSDAY, APRIL 4.

Dogen flea market:
Eagle keychains are eagles
Mountains in their eyes

- - -

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3.

Used bookstore glances
The gathering distance mounts
The internet breeze

- - -

TUESDAY, APRIL 2.

Pushkin in a dream:
Air conditioner repair?
You do not need this

- - -

MONDAY, APRIL 1.

Standing in Boston
Smoking outside the bookfair
I long for Boston

- - -

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