9 Breaths of Monsoon Season in Ontario by Eli Sokoloff Harris

1.
The sumac bushes bloom
As the shield passes us through
Its granite hands
A heavy whisper is the campfire’s only song

 2.
I know of two men:
A man who knows the future
And a man who chooses not to

 3. 
As a winter lodge carries a serenity 
Inside its polyurethane doors, 
A cabin will ease you into 
The neighbouring dimension
Just quickly enough to wake a sleeping cat burglar
And steal all your precious seconds
From under your snivelling nose

 4. 
I’ve made more mistakes than
Two parents on their 8th week of parenthood
And I have learnt less than they have on their 9th

 5.
A tent will usher you through a forest door
Colouring your cataract eyelids
So you cannot see 
Your children anymore

 6.
The train-tracks rumble softly;
I know a train comes soon
I sip from my can 
And chunks of gravel shake beneath me

 7.
Tefnut smiles down therapeutically 
And opens her hands wide
To shatter the cerulean heavens;
We are grateful for the rain
Her sundogs howl around her waist

 8.
When the autumn breaks
The big organ is always a little off key
Our paddles battle the waves valiantly, and
do we ever rush forward, 
The river’s current no match 
For last night’s treachery.

9.
When elegies for the voice are made,
And not just for the heart, then perhaps
I shall write one about the monsoons
That laugh at your very existence 
And how the candles and the nighttime 
Are always running a race
To see who is extinguished first 

10. 
Even though I love you,
I want you to go:
Please don’t see me just as a vain and ignorant God
I’m only so young, for such a small deity.
And I know that the vegetables don’t always grow
And the canoes don’t sail like they used to
But someday I’ll take you to where they do

__________________________________________________________________________________

We’re proud to presented our next Pessimistic Haiku featured poet, Eli Sokoloff Harris! Eli Sokoloff Harris is a Jewish singer, songwriter, and poet from Toronto, Ontario. He studies classical music at Wilfrid Laurier University. During the spring and summer seasons, he is an outdoor educator at various Outdoor Education centers and Summer Camps in British Columbia and Ontario. This is his first published work.

Mountain Wild II (spam poem) by Vanessa Lee

Maybe you lost my name. 

Too close by, 

Where are they? 

he could stay here 

 

Will laughed 

the rest remained 

but he was wrong. 

 

mountain wild men 

at least go to bed 

she thought. 

Hugs to hold on 

this with that 

where there was home 

 

Tell her. 

 

She found his face and

set down the strong arms. 

Even though they saw 

yes, Since she drew her own 

Because now Will only nodded.

thinking that he was right 

 

god help Mountain wild men going hunting. 

Another to leave without having been wrong. 

 

So she found herself another. 

Will lied with his hands. 

Shouted at your ma 

cant but notice of course. 

 

Away from him

Her breath caught. 

mountain wild 

and remained shook 

sat down 

Remained quiet and of snow.

 

What was coming to help Will.

Answer but for you

value yer own life.

perfect safe 

camp fisherman 

Mountain wild 

 

Someone to sleep with 

 

tears. 

she nodded 

damn his eyes.

 

the next morning Will found himself. 

mountain wild 

and looking down.

 

Yellow California part 3 (spam poem) by Vanessa Lee

Call from the same

think that

Sure thing 

the way back

was to stay.

 

Seeing his mouth

and checking

the hallway.

Okay then

set of everything.

 

Then

the bathroom door

opened and gently.

Maybe you really loved her very much.

She Explained

and appeared from behind the baby.

 

Just to hurt.

you feel like.

 

Seeing the phone

and calling me that.

 

Insisted

checked the things

Once again

and grabbed her

though Nothing to take.

more minutes in pain

and air returned.

  

Unwilling to grow up

pretty much.

 

Home and everything you love.

Recalled

 

felt like something on the side.

Replied her arms

while she Chuckled

looked so happy.

Insisted she set the car seat.

  

Laughed

tried to remind herself.

Mused,

looked down

Cry

saw her hand.

 

Slowly

made sure of it this time.

Continued

looked once more.

 

Please god

 

this would take some doing.

Replied looking about

you have this.

Chuckled

  

who are we

in return.

Tell me

  

down beside him

one more time.

Without him so many years

and from then on.

Mountain Wild 5/7/3 (Adapted Spam Poem) by Vanessa Lee

Make me this woman
for what and who we were. 
trouble stop. 
 
to sit up before
looking fer trouble with such
things give up.
 
Robe beneath him and
waited. Arm around her hair
and watched. 
 
Proverbs mountain wild
will Laughed and ye shall
be living. 
 
Psalm mountain wild by
myself. be living. and then
that night, him. 
 
Setting up the right
for someone. Thinking of course
away from here.
 
his arms Besides the
cabin door opened. How long day
of all right.
 
Someone had stopped
as fast Ground but would become
of Mountain
 
wild were all that came
fer trouble but the presence
of his word. 
 
Make any, Got anything
to know the Truth was right there
Before shrugged
 
lightly touched Cabin door
opened Sounds of pemmican
from such things.
 
Give reminded sigh. 
Mountain wild Will for several
moments before. 
 
Go sit down and watch
Only to be much fer trouble
had known help
 
Asked closed his snowshoes
drew her inside the cabin.
Here was lost
 
his hands. Psalm mountain
wildlife Want to work it out
so many people.