San Francisco in 18 haikus

What better way to record my time in San Francisco than a notebook full of haikus?

Haikus are the writer's friend - a nice secure structure:

A crystalised thought
of seventeen syllables
and of three short lines

In a few minutes you get the sense of achievment from having completed something, when, in reality, what you have is only one step away from a limerick:


I once knew a man
from nantucket, everything
he saw, he'd fuck it

I guess the mysterious, airey Japanese style make them appear artful & classy:

His face reflected
in chipped sky blue toilet seat
he pissed it all green

But if you look closely, you can find haikus in all forms of art:

Cash moves everythin'
around me (Cream) get the money
dollar dollar bill (y'aaaall)

Generally, though, haikus find use as a way of recording small moments/ observations :

On Day of the Dead
They offer food to lost ones
pigeons eat it, though


Lovers kiss farewell
as a Tenderloin bum passes,
and asks them for change


Halloween on Polk
spooky scenes, as Fred Kruger
stares at Satan's ass


Three drunk idiots
clambering up buddha's arms
meditate on that


It wasn't the knife
or the mean glare, it was how
he just stood there, naked


Like paper cup phones
bloke bellows down bathroom vent
"you're fuckin' sick"


Rain trickles downhill
in night-time san francisco
memories form pools


The pimp's toothless hoes
crossing Ellis, gyrating to
the beat of his cane


She curses his name
but worries until he's home
"where the fuck were you?"


Man up the lamp post
screams 'Giaaaaants!', before falling
right back down to earth


two belts together
someone whispers ' limbo ' and
the gay bar erupts


A knock in the nuts;
a glass of limey Gimlet
life is bittersweet


Fat slob drops a can
Chinese woman picks it up.
The yin/ yang balance


"This isn't working...
Chin down a fraction? Perfect!
Snap-snap-snap-snap-snap


time to meditate
fill the bath, turn off the light
answers float in steam


Yellow rubber duck
blue eyes wide, fixed in surprise
the only witness


The Tennessee man
served breakfast with a creased smile
and a side o' grits


Everyone out to
look at the lunar eclipse
shy moon turns deep red