28 Comments
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Melanie Bettinelli's avatar

Your two-liner is lovely, the light/music synesthesia is splendid.

I love the playfulness of watched the sun/passed the test.

Beauty is not surprised by itself-- that's such a good line, especially enjambed, but blooms to a crescendo is also quite lovely.

Fifth stage of grief.... that line really lands the haiku.

What a lovely collection.

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

thank you Melanie!! I enjoy your newsletter/writing so this is lovely to hear, and what a good close reading you did. Fifth stage of grief came to me out of nowhere but I knew it had to go in once it did. I've really enjoyed leaning into/learning haiku over the last few months

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Noah Bartley's avatar

Love these! Great work!

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

Thank you, Noah!! Means a lot!

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Bethany Peck's avatar

Beautiful! 🫶🏻🌸

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

thank you! and thank you for reading Bethany! 🩷🩷

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Bethany Peck's avatar

💛🫶🏻

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Nina Carroll's avatar

sweet haiku

Fine Gardening magazine and its digital reference guide would be wonderfully helpful in learning how to garden and identify and enjoy flowers, trees, and shrubs.

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

that's a good tip, thank you!!

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Abigail's avatar

Beauty is not surprised by itself. Lovely. Music as a verb! "Passed the test" becomes an invitation to your reader to join you in bearing witness. You manage to enjamb the lines which I find difficult in haiku. Really enjoyed these.

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

this close reading by you is such an honor and pleasure :) thank you!!

(yeah enjaming the rose haiku was a risk, heh, I felt that as I wrote it)

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Abigail's avatar

The risk worked!

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Tyler Rogness's avatar

Stunning poems. Nicely done! Thank you for the refreshing words.

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

thank you Tyler!! I appreciate you reading! (love your work)

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Tristan Dueck's avatar

Ah, I read “passed the test” and smiled big. That one is my favourite. :) love them all tho Claire!

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

thank you Tristan!! I wondered if people would "get" that line or if it wouldn't make sense, and I"m so glad you did!! :))

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Tristan Dueck's avatar

Maybe because I’m a teacher;) it’s been in my head all day!

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Tyler Rogness's avatar

Agreed. "Passed the test" was excellently put!

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Jordan Williams's avatar

Claire, these look like Peach Drift roses to me, a lovely choice!

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

ooh! a stunning name to fit a stunning flower, thank you!

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Jody L. Collins's avatar

Beautiful haikus indeed, Claire. And yes, those are roses. How a garden can inspire!

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

yes!! I have my own backyard for the first time and we're planting everything and it's been SO life giving (and thank you for confirming the roses!)

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Robert Charboneau's avatar

"Beauty is not surprised by itself" is a great line. Love it

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

thank you!! love your work so that is meaningful (it was my favorite line of this set, too)

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Vincent L's avatar

Lovely flowers and poem!

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

Thank you Vincent! Always encouraged by people reading and commenting!

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Kristi Joy Rimbach's avatar

Love these, especially the last three. Such original use of language 💕✨

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Claire Adderholt's avatar

thank you Kristi!! that's a great compliment 💕 thankful for you reading and so glad it gave you a bit of joy

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