वैन गो कान से मुकत हो गए 

उनको  सुनने की ज़रूरत नहीं थीं :

उन्होंने पहले से ही अपनी दिव्य आवाज को भीतर से सुना ।

 

अल-माररी को वास्तव में इतना ज़्यादा दिखाई देता 

कि उनको अपनी 

आँखों की ज़रूरत नहीं पड़ी ।   

 

चारेंट्स की कब्र नहीं है 

क्योंकि 

वह हमेशा अमर रहेंगे । 

 

मैं अपने बाएँ हाथ से लोगों का स्वागत करता हूँ 

क्योंकि मैं अपने दाहिने हाथ से 

भगवान को अभिनन्दन कर रहा हूँ । 

 

– एडवर्ड हारेंट्स

    

The surreal surprise haiku

Black, black cherries. And
suddenly an eruption
of earwigs, earwigs.

– Leonard Blumfeld (© 2017)

Note
Did not happen quite that way. But I started eating a nectarine when a big earwig fell out of the pit, which had partially split the way it sometimes happens with nectarines. That was surreal enough, actually. But then I thought of a pile of black cherries and discovering, when taking a closer look, that there were masses of earwigs underneath a thin layer of cherries...

The brutal reality haiku

If it's not fake, it's
most likely war, injustice,
fraud or betrayal.

– Leonard Blumfeld (© 2017)

Note
A somewhat pessimistic view of what’s going on in the world.
What brought that on?
Looking at the news, I suppose, suppressing the few hopeful items that are reported on now and then as well as advertising, which suggests that everything is fun and games if you buy the right products.

The big business haiku

Spotless pin stripe suits
and nothing but shit in their
dirty underpants.

– Leonard Blumfeld (© 2017)

Note
Would I ever write a haiku without a note? Naw!
This little one is pretty much self-explanatory, I would think. For anyone who might not get it: big business is two-faced ... on the pretty side it’s all advertising (premium products, service excellence, best customer experience, bla bla bla), on the stinky side it’s all about exploiting their workers and suppliers down to the shameless hilt (and preferably beyond). Anything that serves the greed of the top tier and makes them rich.

Time travel Bengali style

(Another one-line movie quickshot)

Abby Sen (2015) is a beautifully filmed time travel drama/comedy that is well worth watching - but do not expect this to be an action movie; this is a detail and character-oriented film that takes its time and is ultimately very rewarding.

Directed by Atanu Ghosh, starring Abir Chatterjee, Raima Sen, Chiranjeet Chakraborty, Bratya Basu, and Priyanka Sarkar.

The oh Windows poem

(Small ode to updatitis)

My computer has just received
the latest Windows update

Which means it’ll be busy
Microsofting for an hour or so

Instead of doing
what it needs to do

– Leonard Blumfeld (© 2017)

Note
Once in a while I let Windows install an update and immediately regret it because it means that the PC will be slow as a snail for at least an hour afterwards doing God knows Microsoft what instead of working for me.

The failed poetry haiku

Objects juxtaposed
and not filled with poetic
meaning – fail! Fail! Fie!

– Leonard Blumfeld (© 2017)

Elucidating note
Such objects or emotional weight carriers might be, for example: evening, window across, still unbegun, longing, promise, return, unspoken, unsaid, arm of love, fingers touching the heart, castles in the air (don’t call them pipe dreams, that removes the poetic component), etc.

The age of well-ventilated knees

These days of torn pants may well be remembered as the age of well-ventilated knees by future generations.

(Who knows - doctors may remember them best for the increase in osteoarthritis ...)

The opium haiku

This so-called fragrance
is an allergen. Makes me
sneeze. Kills small animals.

– Leonard Blumfeld (© 2017)

Note
Based on facts! Even though at least one person I know and love would contradict me vehemently and keeps wearing it.

Disclaimer
Does not refer to the drug.

Gods of Egypt

(Another movie one-liner)

An overblown piece of Hollywood fantacrap with shitloads of tiring special effects – don't waste your time and money on this one.

– Leonard Blumfeld

Note
Refers to the 2016 film Gods of Egypt, directed by Alex Proyas and starring Gerard Butler – darkened somewhat to look particularly sinister – and a slew of other ethnically incorrect white actors. If you want to find out something worthwhile about ancient Egypt or Egyptian deities, give this bore a miss and visit your local library.