welcome to the haikutimes
Issue #176 Trip to California June22-July 11, 2020
vacation delay
behind flashing yellow lights
ten minutes from house
bird in the back seat
heading to California
during a pandemic
Bonneville salt flats
i spray the salt from my feet
sanitize my hands
old car abandoned
dilapidated hotel
tarps cover windows
in Winnemucca
porches strewn with childrens’ toys
left for all to see
the only echo
in affluenza suburbs
is the leaf-blower
realtors’ strategy
to plant american flags
by expensive homes
Oakland streets below
Diablo summit above
in between two worlds
the higher you go
the more the houses are priced
with more to protect
danville redwoods dry
some needles turning yellow
fall on the parched ground
empty at the park
with once bustling people
a few left in masks
at the trader joes
they sanitize my hands -
pandemic worsens
waterfowl more at ease
while people anxious inside
look at their news feed
even black asphalt
sparkles in the morning sun
roadway to the stars
hanging by the door
his old hats and walking sticks
now gathering dust
the lawns all the same
in upscale foothills enclave
uniformly neat
war memorial
with Lincoln’s words to console
she who lost five sons
on a family drive
to the top of Diablo
Orion car sick
social distancing
with relatives from oakland
awkward mask greeting
suddenly screeching
worn-out brake pad on steep hills
metal on metal
the kids’ old routine
to go to the dollar store
and bulk up on crap
dollar store treasure
inflatable swim donut
perfect at swim hole
twenty-four batteries
feeding cabin electrons
to run microwave
desiccated mouse
at the bottom of his bag
motor home buzz kill
the off-grid cabin
isolated in the woods
her dad’s legacy
oldest son’s delight
to put his grandfathers shop
back into order
waking up to see
the partial lunar eclipse
shine through my window
up pudding creek road
shasta daisies surrounding
her little cottage
sun sinks orange and low
towards the pacific ocean
a sense of deep peace
Allison walks here
on this land by the ocean
her sister keeps watch
the kids grow older
and they need me a lot less
lonely while sketching
fourth of july bash
under red and blue shade tarps
sitting far apart
replacing the wire
that has frayed in the hot sun
cabin maintenance
a brand new porch light
that grandpa never installed
now proudly in place
Haiku and photographs
by Jonathan Machen
June-July 2020
please visit jonsportraits.com for portrait inquiries
or Jonathanmachen.com art archive
vacation delay
behind flashing yellow lights
ten minutes from house
bird in the back seat
heading to California
during a pandemic
Bonneville salt flats
i spray the salt from my feet
sanitize my hands
old car abandoned
dilapidated hotel
tarps cover windows
in Winnemucca
porches strewn with childrens’ toys
left for all to see
the only echo
in affluenza suburbs
is the leaf-blower
realtors’ strategy
to plant american flags
by expensive homes
Oakland streets below
Diablo summit above
in between two worlds
the higher you go
the more the houses are priced
with more to protect
danville redwoods dry
some needles turning yellow
fall on the parched ground
empty at the park
with once bustling people
a few left in masks
at the trader joes
they sanitize my hands -
pandemic worsens
waterfowl more at ease
while people anxious inside
look at their news feed
even black asphalt
sparkles in the morning sun
roadway to the stars
hanging by the door
his old hats and walking sticks
now gathering dust
the lawns all the same
in upscale foothills enclave
uniformly neat
war memorial
with Lincoln’s words to console
she who lost five sons
on a family drive
to the top of Diablo
Orion car sick
social distancing
with relatives from oakland
awkward mask greeting
suddenly screeching
worn-out brake pad on steep hills
metal on metal
the kids’ old routine
to go to the dollar store
and bulk up on crap
dollar store treasure
inflatable swim donut
perfect at swim hole
twenty-four batteries
feeding cabin electrons
to run microwave
desiccated mouse
at the bottom of his bag
motor home buzz kill
the off-grid cabin
isolated in the woods
her dad’s legacy
oldest son’s delight
to put his grandfathers shop
back into order
waking up to see
the partial lunar eclipse
shine through my window
up pudding creek road
shasta daisies surrounding
her little cottage
sun sinks orange and low
towards the pacific ocean
a sense of deep peace
Allison walks here
on this land by the ocean
her sister keeps watch
the kids grow older
and they need me a lot less
lonely while sketching
fourth of july bash
under red and blue shade tarps
sitting far apart
replacing the wire
that has frayed in the hot sun
cabin maintenance
a brand new porch light
that grandpa never installed
now proudly in place
Haiku and photographs
by Jonathan Machen
June-July 2020
please visit jonsportraits.com for portrait inquiries
or Jonathanmachen.com art archive
solo/group kukai
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen