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.

======

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

=======

Anyone else want to take a shot at it?

Or how 'bout a limerick?
at

12 comments:

  1. AlanOctober 13, 2008 at 2:18 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dan TrabueOctober 13, 2008 at 5:52 PM

    Woah! I bow humbly before the haiku king!

    All Hail, Alan, King Haiku!

    ReplyDelete
  3. ELAshleyOctober 13, 2008 at 6:28 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  4. ELAshleyOctober 13, 2008 at 6:36 PM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ELAshleyOctober 13, 2008 at 6:44 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dan TrabueOctober 14, 2008 at 3:43 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  7. AlanOctober 14, 2008 at 5:10 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dan TrabueOctober 14, 2008 at 6:10 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  9. FeodorOctober 20, 2008 at 2:30 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  10. FeodorOctober 20, 2008 at 3:42 PM

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

    ReplyDelete
  11. FeodorOctober 20, 2008 at 5:23 PM

    moneyout bridgeup
    pipein plumber trained loan spree
    moneyin taxme please

    ReplyDelete
  12. brdOctober 21, 2008 at 4:13 AM

    Presidency now
    If experience required
    One would vote McCain

    ****

    Personally now
    If maverick I prefer
    Lever to Barack

    ReplyDelete