Haikus About Life, Weather and Politics

As many of you know well, I write a #morningcoffeehaiku on facebook most mornings. I find this literary structure of only three lines and seventeen 17 syllables, 5, 7, 5 perfect for expressing pretty much anything. My early haikus were more about coffee, the weather and life, but as life here in Israel has gotten bogged down in a dangerous war, my haikus also reflect that.

Have you ever haikued? Oops! Can haiku be used as a verb? What do you think?

Which among these is your favorite? Why?

elections approach

haven't a clue which party

is best for my vote...

see winter coming

seasons change so rapidly

even in one day

still feel yesterday's
ASCENT to Har HaBayit
profound holiness

new week, seasons change

humidity increasing

accept and thank Gd...

Friday, Shabbat soon

looking forward... special peace

gift from Gd for sure

Chodesh Elul Tov

hard to believe soon New Year

yes, Rosh Hashana

looking forward, yes,

adventure planned with a friend

Gd willing success

I'm counting blessings

good health, family, neighbors

yes, grateful to Gd

golden dawn hiding

autumn's sneaking up on us

days shrink and darken

thankful bright sunrise

energizes me for sure

reminds me of Gd

In The Meantime... Wartime Haikus #6

I still write a haiku almost every morning, except Shabbat and Jewish Holidays. This has been going on for years. It's truly amazing how much can be communicated in just seventeen 17 syllables, 5, 7, 5. Have you tried writing them? You can think of me as "addicted." #morningcoffeehaiku 

Here are some; enjoy. I'm interested in your reactions and opinions, thanks.

Jewish Birthday YES!

thanking Gd for everyday

enjoy to the hilt🎂

Israel's enemies

don't care about history

facts get in their way

strange unsettling time

How will history report?

depends who's writing...

war will resume soon

much worse than ever for sure

deals don't make real peace

finally summer?

forecast for hot days...

dreaming of the pool....

shining sun comforts

Gd's light brings many blessings

thank Him every day...

optimistic sky

message from Gd that He's here

never give up hope

praying for good week

life's very complicated

sun's shining, good sign

despite war, life's great

sounds really impossible

Israel's miracle

barely slept last night

I guess my body didn't need sleep

things just can't control

looking for sunshine

in very difficult times

we must do Gd's will...

uncertainty reigns

true peace definitely far

VICTORY's needed

ceasefire's not true peace

every second's more danger

our enemies laugh

our Independence

must be more than just a word

don't fear to WIN war

remembering friends

more killed by our enemies

true... we're still not safe

busy yesterday

funeral for friend's mother

many said goodbye

being busy's great

I'm thankful to fill my days

friends, travel, study

Life Unplanned-- VICTORY Prayer Haikus #5

I've been writing haikus on Facebook every morning for years and have posted a variety on both my blogs, Shiloh Musings and this one. I label my haikus Morning Coffee Haikus, and you can use that title for searching. 

IMHO haikus are a fantastic writing medium, because of its restricting the writer to express a thought in just seventeen 17 syllables. Enjoy my haikus and try writing your own. Which is your favorite? Please let me know in the comments, thanks.

Passover countdown

adds to pressure during war

trying to stay sane

strange... seasons confused

raindrops greeted me at door

blessings, Gd willing

rainy dark morning

strange, cold pre-Pesach weather

still rain prayers, OK

Gd only saves us

when we follow His commands

We're not just puppets

can't lie, yes, worried

no peace without victory

next battles much worse

optimistic dawn

but sans VICTORY no peace

deals don't bring true PEACE

evil enemies

must be totally destroyed

deals total farces

war's far from over

Iran's a lot better armed

last spring we were conned

can't fall back to sleep

Iran bombed long before dawn

but thank Gd unharmed

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Will This New Fridge Last Us...

My new refrigerator!

Just over twenty years ago, when we got our recently deceased refrigerator, we were two decades, yes a score, younger. It lasted us well these past twenty years, as most of our kids got married and grandchildren born. Twenty years ago we were still working and feeling young. Now we're retired and as busy as we try to be, we're certainly not young. 

I'll miss this old fridge...

Thank Gd we're both alive and relatively healthy, but that refrigerator bought in our middle age has died. On Friday I kept hearing what sounded like an electric saw, which I thought was from a neighbor doing some sort of construction. But then when the sound continued on Shabbat, I suspected that it must be something else. It came from our old trusty fridge. Gevalt, such a dramatic death. I realized that it wasn't working, but on Shabbat there wasn't much I could do. I trusted its insulation to preserve my food until after Shabbat.

When Shabbat was out I sent out a desperate plea to neighborhood WhatsApp groups requesting cold and freezing refuge for the food hiding out in the no longer "superior SHARP." A few "half shelves" were offered, when a nearby neighbor said that she had a spare fridge/freezer just waiting for us. It took a few trips with heavy bags, but the neighboring refrigerator got most of the food. I stored milk for morning coffee and a few other items on a window sill which never gets sun or heat, so my #morningcoffeehaiku wasn't affected. 

Sunday morning, as early as I dared, I clicked the site of the Chashmalit Beit El electric appliance store in Beit El and found myself communicating with them about a new refrigerator. After my reporting the size of the niche it had to fit into, they offered two, but one seemed a bissel too wide. Refrigerators keep changing their measurements, sort of like most of us. I had been hoping for a new one just the size of the old one, even a drop taller... but wasn't possible. I asked when a new fridge could be delivered, and they said that if I decided within half an hour, then it would come between 1-4pm. That sounded good, even great. I consulted with one of my kids, since I couldn't reach my husband. 

But then I had to solve another problem. The delivery men would take the old fridge, but they weren't going to pull it out of its niche, and my arms aren't long enough to wrap around it do do the job. Also, I really wanted to clean out the niche before the new fridge moved in. So, again I sent messages to local WhatsApp groups. No responses... so I contacted a young neighbor with big tall kids to see if anyone was available to help a short old lady. Luckily one of her sons could come, and he easily pulled out the ol' refrigerator and helped me unplug it. It was a stubborn as some crotchety elderly can be.

Soon after 1pm the new fridge arrived. It even matches my kitchen better than the old one did. I was told not to plug it in for about four hours. During that time, I was busy with less pleasant things than staring at the new, still empty refrigerator. I went down to our local cemetery twice. First for an azkara, memorial ceremony, and after that to the funeral of a dear friend, an older woman who had passed away that very morning.

When I returned I plugged it in and tried to understand the instructions. This fridge is very modern. All the controls are on the door, much better than inside, but I had to figure it out. The LG even has a Shabbat mode. Apparently, all I have to do is to press a button for a few seconds, and it's ready for Shabbat. After Shabbat I'm to just press it again. I guess I'll have to "practice" beforehand. Yes, this is the new generation of religious appliances. If you want, I'll report on my "adjustments." 

And it took me until this morning, until I brought all my food from my neighbor. Why did it take so long? OK, that's another story...

Haikus About War, Weather and Life

It's amazing how much can be expressed in seventeen 17 syllables... Yes, I've posted many of my haikus over the years, and I think we're due for a new haiku post. I write a haiku, posting it on Facebook, every morning besides Shabbat and Jewish Holidays when writing and posting are forbidden. Sometimes I wonder if I'm being repetitive, considering that I write hundreds each year... Wow! Even I'm impressed 🤣 Following is a variety, as promised in the title. Enjoy, and please let me know in the comments which you like and why. Thanks.

long busy day planned

thankful to Gd for my health

each day a true gift

cold, grey winter morn'

exhausted from yesterday

but was lots of fun

suddenly sunshine

see weather changing quickly

winter in Israel

Gd created earth

but man's bad judgements cause war

VICTORY NOW, please

Holy Shabbat soon

trying to clear mind's worries

Gd willing, please help

new week, pray for change

weak leader endangers us

I can't ignore it

freezing cold today

glad my plans changed to stay home

will Zoom and walk here

Thursday so quickly

week sped by and didn't do

all that I had planned

never ending war

people, nations hate us Jews

comes from them, not us

I'm a nobody

my opinion doesn't count

but I'm not quiet

I never follow

popular fads, opinions

have mind of my own...

woke much too early

too frustrating forcing sleep

that refused to come

Thank Gd for Shabbat

just another few hours

special holy day...

pray for better week

may Gd gift leaders with wisdom

so far disaster

don't be fooled by words...

don't trust fancy promises

I don't see true peace...

Israel's enemies

want to believe all those lies

truth ruins their story

Haikus, So Much Said in 3 Lines, 17 Syllables

I've been writing haikus every morning for years and have a facebook group where I post them. Since the war against Israel began, many of my haikus are political, but some just deal with ordinary life. I'll include some of them here.

Honestly, I recommend writing haikus to learn how to express yourself with a minimum of syllables and lines. As I said in the title here, just three lines, five syllables, seven syllables and finish with another five syllables.

Mulling over map

while drinking friend's strong coffee

in Jerusalem

figuring out new route

to Matan* while roads dug up

in Jerusalem

despite worries slept

thanking Gd for energy

long busy day planned

coffee energy

when sleep won't cooperate

life's complicated

Gd willing Shabbat

will herald true peace, please pray

Gd is our True King

*Matan is where I study Tanach/Bible

Ruti Eastman's "Haikuchains..." A Book Review

 Haikuchains That Kept Me Sane Through The Pandemic by Ruti Eastman

For Ruti Eastman
Haikuchain as book review

obvious of course

Ruti wrote a book

diary in haiku form

suits just perfectly

We both say so much

in seventeen syllables

everyone, try it

Haikus can be news

family or good cooking

certainly coffee

When writing haikus

we must count all syllables

each one packs a punch

Book's dedicated

to me so surprisingly

though we're haiku groupmates*

*Morningcoffeehaiku Group on facebook

read what's posted here

a selection of haikus

written by Ruti

to order the book

rutimizrachi@gmail.com

yes, recommended

Haiku With Morning Coffee on Facebook

Many of you may know that I've been writing morning haikus as I drink my coffee every "weekday" on facebook for quite awhile. The facebook page I started never took off, so I opened a facebook group called Morningcoffeehaiku Group. It's growing. Anyone interested can request to join it, but I don't accept those recommended "second hand." That's because I hate being added to a group without my permission.

I illustrate my haikus with photographs.

Haikus are simple minimalistic poems of three lines 5, 7, 5 syllables. Theme wise you can take liberties. There are those who say that even the syllable count can be flexible. Following are a couple of haikus I've written.

woke to pouring rain
winter is still here with us
warmed by hot coffee
#morningcoffeehaiku

won football last night
coffee, shabbat too much food
bright early sunrise
#morningcoffeehaiku

As you can see, it's a daily diary of sorts. Join us.

#morningcoffeehaiku Into The New Decade

Whether home or away, I still begin most days with a #morningcoffeehaiku posted on facebook. I find the simplicity of the 5, 7, 5 syllable structure of haikus just perfect to galvanize my brain as I wake up and drink my morning coffee, after water, usually with slices of lemon and ginger.

I must admit that after many years of writing these haikus, I may get repetitive in the phrases and even complete lines included in these mini-poems. Please forgive me. And there's also a limit as to what I can photograph, the dawn, darkness, coffee mugs and various coffeemaking apparatus.

Following is a selection of recent #morningcoffeehaikus. For more, search on Facebook, where I've made both a page and a group titled #morningcoffeehaiku. You're invited to join and follow.

dark cold early morn'
saved by great strong hot coffee
starting week grateful

tired, not enough sleep
post-Shabbat syndrome, plus pool
coffee must kick in

got up too early
sun's oversleeping, not me
love drinking coffee

exquisite sunrise
though dark winter clouds invade
while I drink coffee

Need good hot coffee
Winter in Jerusalem's
not for the wimpy

dull, grey cloudy morn'
looking forward to sunshine
cheered by good coffee

Instantly COFFEE
Perfectly hot on cold day
In Jerusalem

sparkling ice raindrops
drinking hot coffee to warm
very winter day

woke up to bad news
but sun still shines so brightly
need sweeter coffee

Hot coffee "still life"
In Holy Jerusalem
Need caffeine to wake

exhausted this morn'
Rosh Chodesh before Shabbat
last night my team won

desp'rate for coffee
fun, friends and beer aren't sleep
sun's still shining bright

much too early but...
coffee preceding sunrise
soon Shabbat plus more

pastel colored dawn
I need strong coffee today
Where's the orange sun?

pretty new kettle
spectacular orange dawn
great start to new week

Chodesh Tov, New Month
Joyful Ladies' Holiday
drink coffee and smile😍