by Alison

While Grandma visits

daughter asks amazed, “Was you

a little baby?”

by Alison

puppy tuckered out

kiddo in bed - we cuddle

into the quiet

by Kelly

dark clouds moving fast

mad momentum gathering —

the TV goes black

by Alison

talking about art

at the playground moms dream of

Michelangelo

.

Note: This haiku was definitely inspired by one of my favorite haiku in the book Cafe Haiku.

by Kelly

before loving me

he speaks softly to both dogs –

outside, winter thaws

by Alison

his back bent he works

the weekend and I realize

I complain too much

by Alison

I exaggerate

my Philadelphia accent

just to annoy him

by Alison

There’s room in my heart

but is there room in my home

for a Schipperke?

by Alison

My daughter, Penny, loves books — as do I. So excited was I to share my love of books that I started reading to her on day one. This, ahem, did not go over very well, but we did start reading together soon after. And so Penelope, now 4 months shy of her second birthday, has become a picture book connoisseur of sorts.

Which takes me back to haiku. Haiku Baby by Betsy Snyder is a definite favorite. So much do we love this portable picture book with 6 illustrated haiku about nature and seasons, that I have decided every future shower gift will include a copy of Haiku Baby.

The illustrations are simply adorable. Check out the charming bluebird on the cover. This bird accompanies each haiku along with other cuddly animals in seasonal settings. How sweet is that?

The haiku are also perfect for babies, in their playful and simple language. Here is Penny’s favorite:

Under summer sun

turtle drops in for a swim -

plunk, plop, belly flop!

But enough from me. Here is Penny describing what she likes about Haiku Baby in her very own words:

“Woooosh!!!”

translation: I really like the haiku about the wind and the leaves. Haiku Baby is about trees, rain and turtles basking in the sun. Nature is fun and also cute.

“Turtle! Turtle! Turtle!”

translation: I’m only 20 months old so I don’t know  a ton of words. But I do know a lot of the words in Haiku Baby. I know “turtle”, “hippo” and “flower”. I don’t know “igloo” but I’m sure I’ll learn that soon enough.

“Bye bye!”

translation: Whew. We made it to the end of the book. This almost never happens because like most toddlers, I have an incredibly short attention span. Six haiku at seventeen syllables each - perfect!

All haiku in this post © Betsy Snyder.

Break free of the crowd

Fly in your own direction

Embrace your cliché

…

.

..Did you know that Sarah Bloom has a photography website? It’s true. Check out more of her work at Sad and Beautiful World.