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Tuesday December 13th, 2011

The exercise:

Two haiku that take place on: the ranch.

There's a very definite chill in the air here these days. You'd think we're almost halfway through December already or something.

Mine:

Cigarette smoke clouds
loiter above cowboy hats
and gruff Good mornings

*     *     *

Coffee calls at dawn.
The horses neigh nervously
as fat cowboys wake.

8 comments:

  1. You did say you've had some snow already! When does the real snowfall start up there near the Arctic circle then? It's also been quite chilly here in London, but currently we have strong winds and rain threatening us, so it actually feels a little warmer. The dog doesn't like it though.

    I like your first haiku best this week, although it does slightly put in mind of the Marlboro cigarettes adverts from years ago :) Was that deliberate?

    The ranch
    It's more dangerous
    Than a striking rattlesnake,
    Left-out ranch dressing!

    -----

    He calls it his ranch,
    But a dead horse and old boots
    In a shack don't count.

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  2. m and g, brilliant!

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  3. The Ranch - haiku

    long verandah shades
    a hot house under the sun
    cows moo, munching grass.

    the sheep need shearing
    ahead of the summer sun
    brew time's done, now work!

    (we have ranch style houses over here, hence the reference)

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  4. Well when you say ranch I can't help but think of Sarah Smith and her past. :}

    Sarah once lived on
    a ranch that was converted
    pasture turned to farm

    five children helping
    father breaking in yearlings
    mother hovering

    :} Cathryn

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  5. Greg - I was all set to say we hadn't had any more snow since that initial nonsense, but then it went and started snowing this evening :P

    Not deliberate, was just trying to create an image with the haiku. Can see what you mean now though.

    Both of yours made me smile, the second one slightly more :)

    Writebite - thanks!

    Really like the imagery in your first one this week.

    Elor - in your case it's the imagery in the second one that's captured my imagination :)

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  6. Okay, Bear with me here. I am an Australian . . . forgive me ;) My ranch knowledge is appalling so I thought I'd use US wildflower names as a starting point. By the way - there are some kooky plants in your hood to be sure! Anyway . . . this is very fun indeed. Haven't written anything for years. Three days into it and I'm looking at wildflower names and getting inspiration from the velvet underground. Thank-u!

    Shorn Desert Candle
    Flickers by running foal
    A velvet panic

    Rattlesnake weed waits
    Primed for tender foot
    Silver spurs holstered

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  7. @Marc - yeah the second one was much better than the first.

    @Inez - there are ranches in Australia, I"m pretty sure there are. *grin* It's just everyone thinks of the USA because of all those western movies out there. (most of which were filmed in Italy thus Spaghetti Western).

    :} Elo/Cathryn

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  8. Inez - that's really awesome, and from where I'm sitting I'm not seeing any rust on your words at all.

    You're very welcome and I'm glad you're enjoying yourself here :)

    Two solid haiku, but I think the second one is my favourite by a hair.

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