Some of these beach haiku were written by random trips to beach.
Most of these are part of a series based on afternoons spent at the beach on Hilton Head Island with my pad out ( a real paper note pad), hoping for words with my iPhone camera handy to add illustration to my thoughts.
I wanted to see if I would be ‘inspired’ by what I saw, by what I heard, by what I smelled, by what I tasted, what I felt emotionally and what I felt tactilely.
Some turned out okay.
Some were too forced.
Some were just bad.
Some did involve some or all of those feelings.
As far as it goes, I guess I was inspired by by what I saw, by what I heard, by what I smelled, by what I tasted, what I felt emotionally and what I felt tactilely.
Please aware that most of these haiku were NOT WRITTEN on the date in the title – for an explanation of this please see The Series link in the navigation table.
ignorant of how they see, don’t see unless work very hard at it
Paul Cézanne – The Village of L’Estaque Seen from the Sea (Le village de l’Estaque vu de la mer)
Sprawled there by the creek and cautioning myself against my canteen whiskey I stared at the assortment of dead leaves that had gathered themselves in the spring, with some floating, a few suspended in the clear water, and the bottom of the spring pasted yellow and dull red with the others.
I had once tried to paint this phenomenon, unsuccessfully in the minds of others because it is not the sort of thing one can see clearly.
There was the odd thought, absent for years, that nearly everyone was ignorant of how they see, lost as they were in the attraction for the simplicity of photographs, which is not how anyone sees.
We don’t see all at once unless we work very hard at it.
When I first saw Cézanne’s work I was dumbstruck at his comprehension of true vision.
From True North by Jim Harrison (New York, Grove Press, 2004).
life lives less in the present than in future, less in both together
Age saw two quiet children Go loving by at twilight, He knew not whether homeward, Or outward from the village, Or (chimes were ringing) churchward. He waited (they were strangers) Till they were out of hearing To bid them both be happy. “Be happy, happy, happy, And seize the day of pleasure.” The age-long theme is Age’s. ’Twas Age imposed on poems Their gather-roses burden To warn against the danger That overtaken lovers From being overflooded With happiness should have it And yet not know they have it. But bid life seize the present? It lives less in the present Than in the future always, And less in both together Than in the past. The present Is too much for the senses, Too crowding, too confusing— Too present to imagine.
Carpe Diem by Robert Frost as published in The Witness Tree (Henry Holt: New York, 1943).
With happiness should have it and yet not know they have it.
Why do spend so much time wanting what we don’t have and not even understanding what we do have?
Always remember … carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero is the complete quote from the poet Horace.
Or …
Seize the present; trust tomorrow e’en as little as you may.
Way I heard it was … seize the day … for tomorrow a new day comes.
low tide high tide date location is H H I what more need to know?
I ask again?
If you know where you are and you are on Hilton Head Island.
If you know where you are and you know when high tide and when low tide is.
If you know where you are and you know the date.
If you know where you are and know what the colors of the warning flags mean.
Red flags mean there is a high hazard of dangerous currents and/or surf – OR Sharks – OR lightning seen in the area.
And that’s a pretty good list of hazards to be aware of.
Yellow flags mean there is a medium hazard of moderate current and/or surf and it says nothing about sharks (though a good friend of mine says if you put your finger in the water and then taste it; if it tastes salty there are sharks in the water).
Purple flags mean there are Marine Pests Present. Marine Pests mean things that STING like jellyfish or stingrays while I include anyone on the beach that has to, and I mean HAS TO play some game that involves throwing something. I mean really, you put all this effort into getting to the beach and relaxing in the sun by the water and yet there are those who after one or two minutes of relaxing, jump and say, “who wants to throw something.” That includes baseballs, tennis balls, footballs, frisbees and just anything that can be thrown if any of those items were not brought along. It also involves kicking soccer balls, bumping volleyballs and golfing. It makes no matter if its low tide and there are acres of beach, they set up right next to you or high tide when there is no space for such games but these pests persist in throwing footballs or baseballs or kicking soccer balls through a crowded mass of people like their lives and their vacations depended on it. And as a good part of these pests are imbibing beverages of an adult nature, their accuracy steadily diminishes as the day goes on. These pests may possibly be the biggest hazard on the beach.
BUT I DIGRESS!
If you know where you are and you know the when high tide is.
If you know where you are and you know the when low tide is.
I ask you.
What more do you need to know?
PS: Do I need to mention I took this picture when … I was on my lunch break from work. Yeah, I guess I do.
male of the species in spring gather at the beach engage in displays
In the gentle warmth of early spring, we find ourselves along the sandy coastal plains, observing one of nature’s more curious spectacles: the seasonal migration of the adult human male. Drawn by rising temperatures and an instinct as old as time itself, these creatures gather in loose, sunburn-prone clusters along the shoreline.
Now, if you look closely, you will notice the males establishing their territory, usually marked by brightly colored towels, portable coolers, and the faint but persistent aroma of sunscreen applied far too late. Their calls, a mix of laughter, shouted greetings, and questionable attempts at music, echo across the beach.
Our cameraman, of course, did not dare get too close.
As the day progresses, the ritual intensifies. The males engage in displays of athleticism, tossing spherical objects with great enthusiasm, often with no discernible goal beyond the act itself. Observe the proud stance after a successful throw and the subtle nods of approval from nearby males. This is a key component of their social hierarchy.
Hydration, of course, is critical. You will see them frequently returning to their watering vessels, aluminum containers or plastic cups, filled with fermented liquids. Consumption appears to increase confidence, though it has been known to reduce coordination in later stages of the ritual.
And ah, yes, the sunburn. A badge of honor, it seems. Despite clear environmental warnings, many males will forgo adequate protection, resulting in a gradual transformation from pale to crimson. This vivid coloration may, in some circles, be considered a sign of endurance.
As dusk approaches, the energy begins to wane. The throws grow shorter and the calls softer. Some males retreat, while others linger, reluctant to abandon the day’s rituals. It is here, in this golden hour, that we see the species at its most reflective, sun-kissed, slightly unsteady, yet deeply content.
Indeed, the beach in spring offers us a rare and fascinating glimpse into the behavior of the human male, playful, social, and just a little bit ridiculous. They need little in the way of a reminder of what day it is.
