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Throwback to the Chicago Botanic Garden

In my hiatus on writing haiku during the pandemic, haiku still happened! The Chicago Botanic Garden, in partnership with the Midwest Region of the Haiku Society of America, launched the Words in Bloom: A Year of Haiku program in April 2019 for National Poetry Month. A selection of haiku were chosen to represent the four seasons inspired by the various gardens:

The Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden was the inspiration for Winter, the English Walled Garden for Spring, the Dixon Prairie for Summer, and the Native Plant Garden for Autumn.

Having never visited Chicago, I took to GoogleMaps to recreate a walk in the prairie. Eventually, I developed this poem:

which path to take 

a yellow butterfly

chooses me

This was selected for the Summer season and the Dixon Prairie! To showcase how the haiku interact with the gardens, each poem would be placed on a plaque in a garden where guests could walk and discover them amongst the roses, elm trees, and water lilies.

Then the pandemic happened. Fast forward to 2021, and we were able to visit the prairie garden. It was breathtaking.

To read more haiku from the other seasons I wasn’t able to see in person, check out this article: https://www.chicagobotanic.org/blog/news/celebrate_national_poetry_month_garden_haiku

A Small Mishap…

Sorry for the long wait, everyone!

I like to make a post when a new acceptance comes in, but I dropped the ball. Back in 2023, one of my haiku was featured in Chrysanthemum, a bilingual English/ German haiku journal in their #31 autumn issue. Somehow, I completely forgot about it! Here it is and updated under the Works page.

where the smooth flesh
of a plum meets the pit
—stargazing

Exciting Haiku News!

Hello everyone,

To those finding my website for the first time, welcome! You may have seen my new social media presence recently. With my supportive husband and aspiring writer Jack Bussert, we will be sharing new and previously unpublished works together on Facebook and Instagram.

While this website will only show my published works, but I wanted to create more opportunities to share fresh works that may not be typically suited for journals and contests.

Please check out my Facebook page of the same name and Instagram profile @bloomingtwighaiku

5th Morioka International Haiku Competition Winner

For US readers, I hope you all had a joyful and warming Thanksgiving this year. The weather has officially turned decidedly more wintery than autumnal, the squirrels and cardinals at the feeder looking more plump than the day before.

I’m very pleased to share that I received special selection distinction in the 5th Morioka International Haiku Competition!

warbler’s nest
a bus ticket tucked
within

My heart is full and humbled and I want to congratulate my fellow winners as well. It’s a special honor to be recognized by both American and Japanese haiku judges alike.

https://morioka-haiku.jp/en/

Cold Moon Journal Acceptance & Staying Focused

I don’t often like to admit that I can get distracted, but sometimes it can’t be helped! There’s an unexplainable buzzing, a glint of light that stays in your eyes, a fussing baby perhaps. For those who are religious, I’m sure you can begrudgingly admit you get distracted a time or two. Thanks to Cold Moon Journal for accepting this piece.

sitting in church
thinking about
thinking about distractions

Bad Weather Around Us

Bad weather had a habit of sneaking up on us. We think the storm will tire itself out before it gets to us, it won’t be as strong as the weatherman says, that it happens somewhere else. As I’m sure many are realizing, bad weather is everywhere. I certainly didn’t have wildfires in Canada or Maui, hurricanes in California, or strong winds (but not tornadoes) in Oklahoma on my bingo card. While visiting family in OK, we got a taste of it. I’d experienced tornadoes before, but never straight line winds that tore hundred-year-old trees from the ground and disrupted electricity for weeks. The Cicada’s Cry journal must have resonated with the idea of surprising bad weather when they accepted this piece in their summer issue.

tornado sirens
spiders make room for us
in the basement

Haikuniverse Acceptance & Fall Vibes

I hope everyone is enjoying what I’m sure feels like endless summer. With record high heat across the US, I know I’ve had my fill. Thankfully it’s nearing the end. I’ve been thinking of cool evening breezes, warm teas, and soothing stews. This particular haiku formed during a walk on a university campus. I remember being absolutely startled to see a tiny ginkgo tree full and golden one day to completely bald, every single leaf like shattered sunlight on the ground the next.

This one found its home on the daily haiku website, haikuniverse!

fallen ginkgo leaves
the last sunlight
at my feet

Be sure to check out my other acceptances this year on the Works page!

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