A Month of Haiku of Hikes and Runs from Arizona to Michigan and Points In Between  — 2011

1. January 1, 2011:

Telescoping stick

Offers a welcome third leg —

North Mountain is seen.

 

2. January 2, 2011:

Hot water swirls round,

Weary limbs immerse themselves,

Inhale, exhale hike.

 

3. January 3, 2011:

Piestewa Peak’s

View ascends to the heavens.

Glory is in town.

 

4. January 4, 2011:

Rain clears valley air

Of smoke from fireplaces.

Two lungs are grateful.

 

5. January 5, 2011:

A forked saguaro

Stands tall in the desert sun —

Proud Sonoran dusk.

 

6. January 6, 2011:

Bouncing weightlessly

Looking up for the faced moon —

The pool felt so good.

 

7. January 7, 2011:

Preserving forest

Hiking trails and jogging paths —

Remember Deer Grove.

 

8. January 8, 2011:

Thinking of Boulder

The hike high in the mountain —

Snow crunch under foot.

 

9. January 9, 2011:

Feet pound the cold trail,

Dust flies over still, small snake —

Startled, stop and sigh.

 

10. January 10, 2011:

Hard cholla lie dead,

Strewn over the desert floor —

Still poisonous snakes.

 

11. January 11, 2011:

Proud cholla stand tall,

Crevasses and holes galore —

Reaching to the sky.

 

12. January 12, 2011:

 

Prickly Mickey suns

Pear shaped ears stretching shade for –

Scorpions and snakes.

 

13.  January 13, 2011:

Burnished bronze sunset

High mountain chill and sky heat –

Shiver by the blaze.

 

14. January 14, 2011:

Widowed eagle sits

Alone far above the fray –

Looks but doesn’t see.

 

15. January 15, 2011:

Gun shots blaze the mall;

Bullet passes through Reps. brain —

Insane in Tucson.

 

16. January 16, 2011:

Palo Verde sprout

Thin skinned, pale green trunk and branch –

Delicate strength.

 

17.  January 17, 2011:

Fisher flips eleven one

Fly falls on the swift riffles –

Quizzical fish watch.

 

18.  January 18, 2011:

A child dangles legs,

A man jogs down the trail below –

Convalescent coughs.

 

19. January 19, 2011:

Kicked from the hilltop

Small rock tumbles here and there –

Rolling on the trail.

 

20. January 20, 2011:

Jogger stops quickly

As rock tumbles by his feet –

He sees dangling legs.

 

21. January 21, 2011:

Jogger starts to run

Observer coughs; it is loud –

Legs stop dangling.

 

22. January 22, 2011:

Four thin, green skinned trees

Palos form a half circle –

Worship or protect?

 

23. January 23, 2011:

A tiny palo

In the midst of the circle –

Protect or worship?

 

24. January 24, 2011:

I see as I jog

Prickly pear green now purple –

Did red ears hear me?

 

25. January 25, 2011:

Javelina stir,

Down in the wash they mingle –

My dog sniffs and bolts.

 

26. January 26, 2011:

Night along the trail

Four legs pass along the light –

Coyote on the prowl?

 

27.  January 27, 2011:

Hiking sticks and boots

Firmly planted on the trail –

What tales will rocks tell?

 

28. January 28, 2011:

Royal crown quail

With heads erect scampering

Away from boot sounds.

 

29.  January 29, 2011:

We hiked North Mountain

Up and up and up and up —

Until we reached the top.

 

30.  January 30, 2011:

And then we hiked down

Down and down and down we went

Until we hit trailhead.

 

31.  January 31, 2011:

From trailhead to home

And then I sat in the spa

Soaking the water.