Three more Haiku Chases have begun! To see the first 9, and find out how to join in, see Day 3 and Day 4.

The brief version of how to join the chase: choose the last line of any haiku and use it as the first line of your own haiku. Post your new one in the comments section, and I’ll add it in on the next day’s post. Easy!

10.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still—such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom(DD)

Cherry trees in bloom
Petals fall, tears one year
after tsunami

after tsunami
heart heavy aching with grief
the sun insults me (KW)

the sun insults me—
how it shone the day after
though too far to warm

the sun insults me
exaggerating my years
candlelight was kind (MB)

11.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still—such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom (DD)

Cherry trees in bloom
Spring’s colors teasing my eyes
Wonder what might loom (LK)

Wonder what might loom
might veer, might barrel my way
in April—Tax Day

12.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still—such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom (DD)

Cherry trees in bloom
Petals fall, tears one year
after tsunami

after tsunami
heart heavy aching with grief
the sun insults me (KW)

the sun insults me—
how it shone the day after
though too far to warm

the sun insults me
exaggerating my years
candlelight was kind (MB)

candlelight was kind
as was starlight, blurring rough
rubble into moss

3 new chases going! For the first 6, see this post: Haiku Chase Day 3

The newest chases are below. Choose any one, start a new haiku with the last line of any existing haiku, and post your work in the comments. I’ll add it to the next update!

7.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

but still, such beauty!
laugh lines kvell bubbe’s punim,
to hell with botox! (JS)

to hell with botox!
chicken fat, patent pending,
fresh from the schmaltz pot. (JS)

fresh from the schmaltz pot
pealing onions for fishstock
carp ogle glukel. (JS)

8.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still–such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom (DD)

Cherry trees in bloom
Spring’s colors teasing my eyes
Wonder what might loom (LK)

9.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still–such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom

Cherry trees in bloom
Petals fall, tears one year
after tsunami

after tsunami
heart heavy aching with grief
the sun insults me (KW)

the sun insults me—
how it shone the day after
though too far to warm

Yeah! We have 6 different strands going! To join in, choose any strand and write a new haiku using the last line of the last haiku in the strand.

Or, for the more creative or stubborn, start a new strand by using the last line of the foundational haiku (that’s the one that’s at the beginning of each strand). Or riff on any existing strand by writing new haiku after the 2nd or 3rd or 4th one, thereby creating a new strand like a new branch of a creek.

1
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still—such beauty
the deer jawbone parched in mud,
teeth, even, intact

teeth, even intact,
ache, throb, clenched after reading
ice melts, white bears, dead

2

Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still – such beauty.
Seattle springtime washes
everything in gray.

3
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still–such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom

4
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still—such beauty
the deer jawbone parched in mud,
teeth, even, intact

teeth, even intact,
ache, throb, clenched after reading
ice melts, white bears, dead

Ice melts, white bears, dead.
we pretend a misty dream;
Santa’s North Pole cold.

5.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

but still, such beauty!
laugh lines kvell bubbe’s punim,
to hell with botox!

to hell with botox!
chicken fat, patent pending,
fresh from the schmaltz pot.

6.
Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

But still–such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom

Cherry trees in bloom
Petals fall, tears one year
after tsunami

The founding haiku:

Bluebells and tulips
should never be both in bloom
But still—such beauty

A response from Lisa Wujnovich:

But still—such beauty
the deer jawbone parched in mud,
teeth, even, intact

My response to hers:

teeth, even intact,
ache, throb, clenched after reading
ice melts, white bears, dead

AND we have other first day responses you can use to launch your next haiku in the chase!

But still – such beauty.
Seattle springtime washes
everything in gray.
Dane Kuttler

but still – such beauty
in the deep of new-found grief
shattered love revived
Lynne McEniry

But still–such beauty
A forest of pink petals
Cherry trees in bloom
Debra D’Alessandro