Monday, October 13, 2008

Can You Haiku?


Spiderweb 3
Originally uploaded by paynehollow
The People for the American Way (PFAW) organization is sponsoring a McCain/Palin-themed haiku contest.

Here are my entries.

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Are You Qualified?

aw now gosh darn it
elite media, dontchaknow -
I can see Russia!

"Energy Expert"

Just 6000 years
The age of our old planet
or so says Palin

100 Years

One lone century
How many lives can be lost
'til we leave Iraq

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Anyone else want to take a shot at it?

Or how 'bout a limerick?

12 comments:

Alan said...

I love me some haiku, though I prefer cats as a topic. Here's a few off the top of my head....

Alaskan Airhead
Ol' Grampy McGrumps-a-lot
Like a Muppet Sketch

Palin ethics probe
Before she's even VP
Cheney impression

Katrina Landfall
Birthday cake with his pal Bush
McCain Antoinette

Nine times out of ten
McCain votes with buddy Bush
So much for "maverick"

Katrina, Iraq
Abu Ghraib, torture, wiretap
McCain's buddy Bush

Witch protection prayer
Makes Palin seem kooky, and
Ticks off Elphalba.

Dan Trabue said...

Woah! I bow humbly before the haiku king!

All Hail, Alan, King Haiku!

ELAshley said...

The first one's second line is too many syllables long.

Alan, your first one is wrong too. So's your "maverick" one. Maverick, btw is 3 syllables.

If ya'll're gonna write haikus you should at least get the form right

5
7
5

And haikus are typically about nature or seasons. Applying the form to politics demeans the form.

Summer's light has fled
Autumn beckons with a kiss
The last blossom falls


That, gentleman, is a haiku.

ELAshley said...

My bad, Alan. Your first one IS correct. But your "Abu Ghraib, torture, wiretap" is also wrong. Good efforts nonetheless.

I give you, Alan, a B. 4 out of 6 is a good effort.

Dan, you get a C... you didn't work as hard as Alan.

ELAshley said...

Soldiers stand in sleep
Arms leafless in winter coats
Fuel for Springs fire

Dan Trabue said...

The first one's second line is too many syllables long.

Ah, I beg to differ. "Media" is a two syllable word when delivered in Palin's Minnesotan drawl ("Med-ya").

I'd like my grade upped to a B, thank you.

Alan said...

I've heard Abu Ghraib pronounced as 3 syllables, ie. A bu grab (long a).

Also, a two syllable pronunciation for mav-rick is apparently correct according to American Heritage. Perhaps it's regional, but I can only imagine east coast latte swilling commie elitists pronouncing it "mah vah rick", dah-ling. Those of us who live on on Main Street say "mav-rick."

And yes, they're typically about nature, but the contest has specific rules.

Dan Trabue said...

I suppose you all know that apparently haikus are not limited to the 5-7-5 format? I think that is the starting point, but there appear to be a range of approaches to the form, or so says them internets.

Feodor said...

Moose dying here. Knife:
high heat. Change is… oh! Bah! Ma
is on SNL

Feodor said...

Taught us history's
inner love-fight: bearded Karl,
smeared, more qualified.

Feodor said...

moneyout bridgeup
pipein plumber trained loan spree
moneyin taxme please

brd said...

Presidency now
If experience required
One would vote McCain

****

Personally now
If maverick I prefer
Lever to Barack