The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 30

Today's Theme : Geylang



lonely planet tour...

photo by ppdigital

image from morguefile.com

geylang


i)

drive by.

sparks scatter on sidewalk
from a tossed cigarette.


ii)

outside a bar
strobe lights of a police car.

glass shards on asphalt.


iii)

a wash of pink neon

the wrinkles on the hooker's face
smoothened.



30/09/2011
**********




Geylang is a place throbbing with life after dark. It has great eateries and pubs, serving some of the most delicious food in Singapore. It also happens to be the main red-light district of the city.



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 29

Today's Theme : Rhythm



these past few days, sudden showers took us by surprise...







rhythm


sudden summer storm-

on my umbrella
drum song


29/09/2011
**********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 28

Today's Theme : charm



not sure it's charm, but in our intoxicated state, anything can happen...







two more beers


busty beer promoter
leans over our table.

two more beers.



28/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 27

Today's Theme : Poise



hunting in the city...





photo by blary54
image from morguefile.com



stalk


pigeons feeding.

feral cat
poised on springs.


27/09/2011
**********


© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 26

Today's Theme : Phoenix



for some, there is no choice..







moll


as she undresses

the phoenix flaps its dyed wings
on her silky back


26/09/2011
**********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 25

Today's Theme : cold



it was not always this way...





image from imageafter.com


cold in september


i)

street lights
reflecting off the wet asphalt -

a city shivers.


ii)

the rain falls again
cold needles on my face.

how i missed your warm hands.


iii)

alone at the bus stop
only the streetlights, my friends.

the bus, late again...


25/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 24

Today's Theme : Lost


some people are expected to know the way better than others...




image from imageafter.com



lost


approaching midnight
dark and unfamiliar road -

some taxi driver!


24/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 23

Today's Theme : Water



September has been a pretty hot month...

photo by ppdigital

image from morguefile.com




parched


just
a
drizzle

the
parched
leaves

begged
more
water


23/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 22

Today's Theme : bullseye



i struggled a bit with this theme...







501


pitted wall
around the dartboard.

needs more practice.


22/09/2011
**********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 21

Today's Theme : Bubbles



amazing how simple things can make a child happy...







untitled


the squeaks of children-

soap bubbles rising
towards the evening sun.


21/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 20

Today's Theme : Feather



don't read this before lunch...







feather


roadkill -

a lone feather shakes
in the cold morning air.

20/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 19

Today's Theme : Bold



we called art, the authorities called it vandalism...





photo by alvimann

image from morguefile.com

opinion


red and bold

their opinions spray-painted
on the storm drain's walls.


19/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 18

Today's Theme : home



come to think of it, my kid can draw quite well, in a naive sort of style...



drawing by YunPing




home


home is a castle!

a child with colour markers
and an imagination.


18/09/2011
**********



Some background about the drawing. It is from the cover of a card, done in color markers, by my daughter when she was about six years of age. It is a bit yellowed now, but I am still treasuring it. :)


© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 17

Today's Theme : Winter



but i can try...

photo by jbthemilker

image from morguefile.com




untitled


a breath of hoarfrost -

the snow on the bare branches
shivered.


17/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 16

Today's Theme : Chime



there was a time i worked a lot of late nights and at unearthly hours...







untitled


a draft from the night-

the door chime of the 7-11
loud and angry


16/09/2011
*********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 15

Today's Theme : Patience



and lots of doggedness. half way point already?







untitled


a spider web
still in the afternoon air.

a prey will come...

15/09/2011
*********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 14

Today's Theme : Elixir



it's tough, but i think i got it...

photo by Alvimann

image from morguefile.com



untitled


on the night you left

my heart bleeds a wound
no elixir can fix.


14/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 13

Today's Theme : Liberty



a little bird in my secured work compound inspired this...

photo by click

image from morguefile.com


bird on a wire



barbed wire on chain-link fence

can stop limbs
but not wings



13/09/2011
*********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 12

Today's Theme : moon



Okay, okay, i know this is not the official theme. But today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is one of the three most important festivals for the Chinese.

It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. On this day, family members and friends gather to dine, offer incense to the deities, eat moon cakes and sip tea while admiring the moon.

I will try to get back in sync with the theme the next time.





photo by dsnake1



mid-autumn


mid-autumn's night.

the moon in the sky
brighter than the children's lanterns.


12/09/2011
**********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 11

Today's Theme : [] []



if this opens old wounds, it's unintentional. just that 10 years on, it's still...







untitled




      us
_______________

     them



11 Sept 2011
************




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 10

Today's Theme : Magic



"Truly wonderful the mind of a child is."
-- YODA, Star Wars







untitled


a pencil rubbing!

as image appears on paper.
my little girl thinks it's magic.


10/09/2011
*********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 9

Today's Theme : Yearn



tough theme, until i thought of someone special...







untitled


rainy night -

i woke up, yearning
for the warmth of your body.

09/09/2011
*********





© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 8

Today's Theme : Hidden



still alive after a week...

photo by pjhudson

image from morguefile.com




quote


three things, the Buddha says
will not be hidden for long -

the sun, the moon and the truth


08/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 7

Today's Theme : Hypnotic



Calling in the plumber is not cheap...







untitled


in the dead of night
a leaky faucet drips, drips

scary and hypnotic


07/09/2011
*********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 6

Today's Theme : Kiss



I love today's theme...





pencil sketch by dsnake1




kiss



first kiss

her lips
hot coals




06/09/2011
*********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 5

Today's Theme : Flourish



difficult theme, isn't it?



calligraphy by Gocho Kankai, 1739 - 1835
image from visipix




untitled


bamboo bending with the wind -

the master's calligraphy
bold flourishes of ink


05/09/2011
**********






© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 4

Today's Theme : any topic



I saw this in the park one morning...







in the park one morning


a singer with headphones
screeches a song.

crows caw in reply


04/09/2011
*********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 3

Today's Theme : windmill



I wanted to write about Don Quixote, but it will gonna be tough. :)







untitled


lonely pinwheels in open spaces

embracing the wind
on their blades


03/09/2011
**********

photo by diggerdonna

image from morguefile.com




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 2

Today's Theme : mirror



Sometimes, I have a fear of mirrors. I don't know why.







untitled


in the darkness the mirror reflects only the sounds of the night


02/09/2011
**********




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011

The Height of Haiku Challenge - Day 1

Today's Theme : write



Not a good start...







untitled


after two hours

these three lines
are all that I can write


01/09/2011
**********



© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2011