welcome to the haikutimes
#114, Boston, Massachusetts, June 19-24, 2005. Haiku and photography by Jonathan Machen
lifted from the reverie
that boulder has become
days spent in now familiar grooves
all now so distant
halycon days of music
and bachelorhood
volunteering by instinct
leads to a trip to boston
where the principles of
non-profit management
and community deveopment
are drilled into me
providing good cover
for haiku in boston
elmus beside me
southern hospitality
from mississippi
i sit
a welcome change of pace
in the minority
couple beside me
augmenting their diet coke
with baccardi rum
a study in contrasts
the christian science plaza
old subway 'T' steps
bending down to read
inscriptions on that gravestone
reveals her red thong
across harvard bridge
motorcycler does wheelie
speedy defiance
from many cities
we come sharing our stories
of community
beers in red bar
discussing people we know
in cambridge hangout
from across the room
loudly shouting, 'game's over'
drunken baseball fan
his hands still shaking
something i had forgotten
about my old friend
convention center
busy with floors of people
all taking classes
inside stained-glass globe
whispers and sighs across borders
boundaries dissolve
urban architects
for the last 300 years
shaping brick and glass
my hmong roommate
comes straight back up to his room
just watches t.v.
either with headphones
or talking on their cell phones
boston is plugged in
cops doing detail
watching construction projects
so no-one gets hurt
m.i.t's buildings
appropriately given
numerical names
floating idle
u.s.s constitution
relic of the past
wonder why she says
"it's sick - it's insidious"
talking on her cell
at italian restaurant
host barks at me
in thick italian bostonian accent
and boxy crew cut
serves wonderful wine
in an orange juice glass
italian villa murals
cover the walls
ceiling fans
stir up the atmosphere
hoping they will serve
my ziti soon
not having to speak
only to observe
this colony from whence
america was settled
in paint, not in blood
boston's freedom trail lies red
snaking down sidewalks
focusing on
the march to independence
not the native americans
timeless event
creates historic aura
on plain patch of ground
harvesting haiku
on historic freedom trail
red path leads me on
boston commons now
the site of playful frolic
not revolution
next to ipod sign
old south meeting house now stands
new culture, old class
he's been on my mind
for the last 300 years -
ben franklin, that is
government center
concrete, looming, ponderous
over brick state house
gravestones at copps hill
where ben franklin once wrote
the lighthouse tragedy
the symbols of death
skull and wings, willow and urn
on copps hill gravestones
solo/group kukai
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen