– above post (on phone) or beside it (on desktop). –
In response to CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI: Carpe Diem Utabukuro #10 Wim Lofvers’ “a maple seed”
In late May of 2015 I happened to be out walking on a perfect day for seeing maples consign their seeds to the warm wind. Having neither the skill nor the equipment to capture the moment on video, I kept walking and composed an appropriate haiku.
I like to use a haiku to wrap up a discussion that not even Basho could fit into 3 lines. Having no more to say at that time, I typed the haiku into my computer and left it there. Now I have a CDHK opportunity for my haiku. As of this writing, there are 9 responses posted. From a wealth of good haiku about maple seeds, I will share as a favorite the same favorite (written by Betty Hayes Albright) that is shared in the 5-th response.
Albright’s haiku stands out for me because it is vivid and reads quite naturally as English w/o any apology for squeezing into 5-7-5. It also uses ordinary capitalization and punctuation, which I prefer over the affectations common in poetry. At the risk of shooting myself in the foot, I will display it alongside my own haiku at the end of this post.
The air is spinning!
Squadrons of maple-copters
take the fertile earth.
Helicopter seeds
fall from maples and travel
far enough, this once.
Mellow Curmudgeon 
I like the imagery created as one watches many “helicopter” travels from the objects that fall from the trees. The distance that these objects fall is precise and perfect. Their destiny; the earth. Their future, unknown.
I have little experience with haikus, but much experience with life’s little enjoyments. For me, this is one of them.
Thank you for sharing this experience.
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Nature’s helicopters! I want to put an ant on one, strap him in so he doesn’t fall and give him the ride of a lifetime!! Can you design a little seat belt for him, Mel, so I can do that?
Beautiful haiku with motion. And I’ll try using punctuation marks — always thought the traditional ones did not, but just read that they’re up to the poet.
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If the badass ants in my area ever get bored with breaking and entering, they can joyride on maple seeds w/o help from me. They have sharp little spines on their feet.
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First … welcome at Carpe Diem. And what a beautiful haiku set you have shared here. I love those maple seeds … I played often with them when I was a young kid.
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Thank you for the welcome and for curating the CDHK series. My wheels turn slowly, so I may not contribute much. I am glad to find out that U and others share my delight in maple seeds.
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This is wonderful!
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Those militaristic maples!
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Yeah, that is one reason I honestly do like my own haiku a little better than Albright’s.
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