Hark! The haiku angels sing


28th December 2010


Japanese pear for
the first day of Christmas – no
partridges in stock.

What are turtle doves?
On the second day, I give
two turtles diving.

On the third day, three
yakitori skewers. The
French hens have been grilled.

On the fourth day, four
calling birds – I hear the
gulls migrating through.

Five golden mikan!
For my own true love, I would
peel five oranges.

On the sixth day of
Christmas, six days to lie in –
who gets enough sleep?

On the seventh day,
nabe stew for the cold:
seven pots a-stewing.

Eight maids a-milking…
Shall we bring a cow to a
Tokyo maid café?

Nine taiko drummers
drum on the ninth day – will a
Kodo CD do?

The 10th day: 10 pies
are a-piping hot. Hurray
for mince pie imports.

Eleven ladies
dancing – the budget may stretch
as far as geisha.

Twelve hearts a-leaping
Six pairs of lovers and an
EKG machine.

On the twelfth day of
Christmas, this I’ll give to thee:
twelve hearts a-leaping

eleven geisha
dancing, 10 pies a-piping,
nine taiko drummers

eight meido milking
seven nabe stewing, six
days to lie in, five

gold mikan! Four gulls
migrating, three chicken skewers,
two turtles dive

and a pear in a
partridge-free tree. (Those mikan
are peeled, by the way.)