A sampling of dog haiku for Haiku Poetry Day

“the family we choose” is 8x10, made of paper, acrylic paint and glue on board. © Annette Makino 2020

Today, April 17, is International Haiku Poetry Day! In celebration, I’m sharing a collection of haiku I’ve published over the years about a subject near and dear to my heart: dogs.

These poems were all inspired by our sweet, funny and neurotic poodle mix, Misha. At 16-plus years old, he is clearly declining and we don’t know how much longer he’ll be with us. So I want to celebrate him while he’s still around.

the jingle
of the dog’s tags
wild currant in bloom

bush after bush
the dog’s news feed
juicier than mine

Misha just relaxing at home.

open road
the dog’s ears
streaming

waning crescent
the dog re-checks
his food bowl

steady rain all night snoring from the dog bed

hunger moon
a descendent of wolves
licks our plates

wet black nose the simple things

constellations
one barking dog
sets off another

empty bowl
I explain daylight savings
to the dog

rhythm of rain
the dog curls tighter
in his sleep

campaign sign
the dog registers
his opinion

home from errands—
a hero’s welcome
from the dog

rolling thunder
the old dog
too deaf to panic

winter night
the dog crawls deeper
under the covers

lengthening shadows
I lift our old dog
into the back seat

the family we choose
he nudges his snout
under my hand

Happy Haiku Day from Misha and me!

•

Makino Studios

Free shipping thru Sunday: In celebration of Haiku Poetry Day, I’m offering free shipping on the Makino Studios site through this Sunday, April 23, with no order minimum. Use code HAIKU2023 at checkout.

Sunkist Festival: This small and delightful fair takes place on Saturday, May 6, from 11 to 5. Formerly known as the Pizza and Pottery Festival, it will feature wood-fired pizzas and other goodies plus live music. In the garden at 135 Sunkist Lane, off Glendale near the Blue Lake Murphy’s Market in McKinleyville, CA.

Mother’s Day and graduation cards: Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 14 and graduation ceremonies are coming right up. I have several card designs for both occasions. You can browse all 70-plus designs here.

A New Resonance 13: I’m delighted to be one of the 17 haiku poets featured in this landmark series published by Red Moon Press. Featuring a wide variety of emerging voices in haiku, these books are now available to pre-order. I expect to receive my copies within a week or so and will ship orders as soon as possible.

Calendars: My last 2023 mini-calendars of art and haiku are now on sale for $6.99 (from $12).

•

Publication credits:

2021 in art & haiku by Annette Makino
A Hundred Gourds
Four Hundred and Two Snails: Haiku Society of America Members' Anthology 2018
Frogpond
Haigaonline
Haiku News
Hedgerow
Modern Haiku
Notes from the Gean
Presence
Red Paper Parasols: 2022 Southern California Haiku Study Group Anthology
The Heron’s Nest
tinywords
ukiaHaiku Festival 2014, first place, General Adult
Wishbone Moon: An International Anthology of Haiku by Women

Thanks for 12 great years!

“the redwood path” is 11x14, made with acrylic paint, washi paper, silver foil and glue on cradled birch panel. It was inspired by a hike that went a little later than expected. © Annette Makino 2022

Gosh, so much has happened lately! In December alone, my husband Paul and I visited the Galapagos and mainland Ecuador, I finally caught Covid, I won a $10,000 Jacoby Award for Humboldt County artists, a violent earthquake damaged our house, and we hosted extended family for the holidays.

January brought a series of intense winter storms, repeatedly knocking out our power and water. We continued earthquake repairs and I tackled my dreaded year-end business accounting. In February we were treated to a very unusual event: several snowfalls right here on the coast! Meanwhile, I’ve been exploring new art techniques, writing and publishing haiku, and reorganizing my studio—while getting pounded by a fresh series of atmospheric rivers. I’m currently in Portland, Oregon, where I visited the serene Portland Japanese Garden and saw an inspiring show of Japanese woodblock prints.

I won’t go into detail on all that here—photos and more detail on most of these events can be found on my Instagram feed and the Makino Studios Facebook page. But this is just to say that although I’ve been bit preoccupied, I haven’t forgotten you, my friends and fans!

This Saturday, March 18, is the 12th anniversary of Makino Studios. What a privilege to have spent the past dozen years as a working artist, sharing my creativity with the world. In thanks for your ongoing support, I am offering 15% off everything in my shop. Use code 12YEARS at checkout through midnight this Sunday, March 19.

Who knows what new twists and turns the coming year will bring—tornadoes? zombies? I only know that I’m grateful to be able to walk the artist’s path.

the redwood path
absorbs our footsteps
moonlit ferns

Paul and I just casually hanging out with a Galápagos penguin, as one does.

•

Makino Studios News

12th anniversary sale: Cards, prints, books, calendars—take 15% off everything in the shop except original art, using code 12YEARS at checkout. Offer ends at midnight this Sunday, March 19.

Pizza and Pottery Festival: Mark your calendar for 11-5 on Saturday, May 6, for this lovely small fair with wood-fired pizzas and other goodies plus live music. 135 Sunkist Lane, off Glendale near the Blue Lake Murphy’s Market.

Calendars: My last 2023 mini-calendars of art and haiku are now on sale for $6.99 (from $12). You’ve still got most of the year to enjoy one!

Skipping Stones: It’s always an honor to have a haiku selected for the Red Moon anthology of the best English-language haiku of the year. Here’s one of mine that made it into the 2022 edition:

Covid variant
another wave sucks the sand
from under our feet

(First published in Mariposa and in The Haiku Way to Healing: Illness, Injury and Pain)

A New Resonance 13: A longtime dream has finally come true: I've been chosen as one of the 17 haiku poets to be featured in this landmark series published by Red Moon Press. I will have copies available for sale in June, featuring a wide variety of emerging voices in haiku.