welcome to the haikutimes
Issue #64, Maroon Bells Wilderness, June, 2003. David Teitler, Paige Wild and Jonathan Machen explore another corner of the Maroon Bells. Haiku and photographs by jonathan, with a few additional haiku from Dave and Paige.
small hail on the trail
blue lupine, red columbine
yellow arnica
summer plants dripping
from glorious june showers,
sun warms muddy trail
into wilderness
i depart, leaving sick cat
behind in boulder
walking on a trail
leaving behind memories
of a busy week
reducing my thoughts
to a pool of pine-tree
and hailstone water
pine needle pond scum
mixed with hail and horse manure
dampens leather boots
what is wilderness?
the matrix inverted
we look for mushrooms
walking through aspens
and thickets of blue lupine
under thunder skies
evidence of squirrel
seeds neatly arranged on log
and center of path
wet, wet walk in woods
water whistles in the wind
whipping windbreakers
we are almost there
where is there, spoke the bear?
AAH! i'm outa here! dave
slipping up switchbacks
mud, and songbirds warbling
immune system good
always suprised
to come a cross a view like this
have to work to find it paige
humans examine
wet brown stain on forest floor
while taking breather
surrounded by fog
cradled by arms and the mist
on this mountain perch
crossing snowmass creek
icy cold on sandalled toes
under threat of rain
under mt. daly
snowmelt flows in the sunshine
and shuts down at night
(call the supah)
spider scurrying
on pink granite in the sun
before the hailstorm
blizzard at solstice
high country lightning and hail
who's gonna dance naked?
blizzard at solstice
dave says, 'i am the great stag'
testicles recede
blizzard at solstice
even shrinking testicles
deter not the stag
despite his prowess
the great stag does not condone
apple-swapping kiss
snow darkens june skies
building to a frenzied pitch
of white-out at noon
multiple snow storms
grace the high country in june
my poncho on, off
camp robbers await
sleepy hikers' evening rest
for forgotten scraps
the weather - alive
from a lovers' still morning
half moon high above
june thaw of tundra
reveals small shoots, purple and green
young plants just budding
dave wonders aloud,
'why such bone-whitened snail shells
here in the high peaks'?
my small camping stove
responds to intuition
rather than guile
though it is but june
and snow only just melted
living green abounds
good morning, campers!
defiant chipmunk chirping
at snoozing humans
green eyes beaming
under a pine tree ceiling
gold light in her hair
catching the thermals
both raven and sparrow
above snow gully
summer-warmed snowfield
i walk with gaiters ready
for sinking surprise
burrowing creatures
make the snow-moistened tundra
loamy and lumpy
robin zips through camp
leaving in it's wake, a breeze
and one more haiku... dave
those damn misquitos!
have to get the DEET out
they can't have my blood... paige
elizabeth and shawn
being much love into my life
thank you very much... dave
after three mornings
you just have to take a whiff
where is the shower?
our trail is made up
of decomposing matter
flattened by footprints... dave
dave, lost in the moss
of a dead green stump garden
with tiny mushrooms
pollen-ringed icebergs
yellow, edging white on blue
floating on moon lake
on a clear june day
when the storms have all blown by
we follow elk tracks
a crystal clear sky
moon lake icebergs reflecting
puffy clouds above
nothing less than bliss
to be at icy moon lake
on a hot june day
in all directions
vistas overpowering
distance relative
in old growth forest
mushroom caps cling to wet stumps
tree decomposes
redcones on tall trees
releasing golden pollen
in the morning sun
campsite by clark peak
i watch the jagged shoulder
catch the day's last light
meadow plants unite!
gather in strength after snow
has melted away
shake the pollen from the pack
now it's time for another hack.... dave
to our great concern
clouds of pollen drift
over our breakfast
high arc of the sun
one day after the solstice
pollen drifts from cones
mid morning, late june
my companions and i walk
through mountain meadows
maroon bells-snowmass
just a signifier
for something larger
aromatic blue
of lupine under silver
stands of aspen trees
hardly noticing
the roots that bind the aspen
i see single trees
aspen and lupine
the scent and the sight of both
the song of a bird
beaming from mountaintops:
aspens in sunlight
and dappled shadow
nettles stinging knees
of unwanted visitor
voracious small plant
nettles sting my knees
i bless the intelligence
of this crafty plant
nettles on my ass
maybe the perfect bathroom
was not so perfect
young ranger walks by
with a shovel in his hand
we stop for a chat
solo/group kukai
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen