by Alison

.

.

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Suddenly my state

is filled with Republicans -

Oh, the primaries!

.

I wonder which one

will win the nomination?

I am “Undeclared”.

.

An Undeclared is

our version of an Indy.

We wait, watch and wait.

.

We also wait for

snow, teasing us by falling

and melting away.

..

Instead we feel spring

in January, oh joy!

The debate heats up.

.

The night brings the cold

but when we wake I hope

we vote… moderate.

by Kelly

politics heat up

in St. Paul* — humidity

climbs and storms approach

* The Minnesota state government shut down at midnight, and with it, state parks, camp grounds, highway rest stops, zoos, horse racing tracks, carnival ride inspections, restaurant inspections and a long list of other state-funded agencies just in time for the 4th of July holiday. The legislators and the governor cannot agree on a budget. There is little hope that either side is willing to compromise. Nobody knows how long this will go on.  Thousands of state employees have been laid off. Their last day of work was yesterday.

by Kelly

Talk on local news

is spring flooding — in Egypt

unrest overflows

by Alison

friends’ status updates

obsess on Sarah Palin -

more pet pictures please…

by Kelly

bright Election Day

we do our civic duty

but don’t have much hope

by Alison

Independents chat

with Dems and Repubs at a

Granite State potluck

Alison Kehler, co-creator of Haiku By Two, was quoted in an article posted on the BBC News web site.

The article, “EU president Herman Van Rompuy and his love of haiku,” was written by Stephen Mulvey and posted on Saturday, March 20, 2010.

In it, Mulvey interviews Herman Van Rompuy, who became president of the European Union in 2009, about his love of haiku.

Alison Kehler learned about Van Rompuy and his haiku blog back last fall. She blogged about the world leader and his haiku-ing ways on her web site, Haiku By Two, in a post titled Euro Union Prez and Haikuer Van Rompuy.

BBC writer Mulvey picked up on her post and pulled from it to complete his recent article. Kehler’s quote appears toward the end. It reads …

“OMG! I love this guy!” writes Alison Kehler at haikubytwo.com.

“I think I have a new criterion for future politicians… the wisdom of haiku… and correct me if that’s not a great quality for leadership!”

courtyard politics

birds exchange words with gray squirrels

ancient peace resumes

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.

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….Read more of Barb Heath’s haiku.

….And be sure to check out her haiku on Twitter.

by Alison

Well, this is refreshing!  The new President of the European Union is none other than the reluctant Prime Minister of Belgium, Herman Van Rompuy. Not exactly known for playing the part of the alpha-male, Van Rompuy is more famed for being a “nice guy” with few enemies and a “quiet sense of purpose”.  Can it get cooler than that? Oh, yes it can. Van Rompuy also writes haiku.

Check out this humble haiku penned by this new EU Prez:

Hair blows in the wind

After years there is still wind

Sadly no more hair.

OMG! I love this guy!  And not only does he write haiku, he also reads them aloud at the sort of very important events politicians tend to partake in. At a recent news conference Van Rompuy introduced himself, along with the prime ministers of Spain and Hungary, with this humorous haiku:

Three waves together,

Rolling onto the harbor –

The trio is here.

I think I have a new criteria for future politicians. It’s not all policy and press, as we tend to think. Our future leaders may also benefit their constituents by possessing the wisdom of haiku…. and correct me if that’s not a great quality for leadership!

You can read more of Herman Van Rompuy’s haiku, written in his native Flemish, at his blog. But if you don’t read Flemish you are in luck - a translated version can be found here.