speeding through errands
when I pause for a moment
compelled to look up.
I see sun filtered
through a canopy of red.
nature’s beauty in
sharp contrast with the asphalt
beneath my feet. in my head.
I don’t think there is any haiku tradition with this 3 verse style – but the 5-7-5 x 2 + 7-7 rhythm seems like the right fit … so I’m calling it good. and done!
Happy Tuesday!
and p.s. to my gardener friends – these leaves look like oak leaves – are they supposed to be red this time of year?
mere-et-filles 
Curious leaves! I am not at all certain about them being red now… hmmm.
It's lovely and you wrote it so you can call it whatever you want!
I think you've got a future! 😉
Hmm interesting, the Japanese maples are red, but oaks-not so sure. Always good to take a break and look up.
Yep . . . oak. But unusual. (Have you watched this tree before?)I love your poem, official haiku or not!XO
I do like your extended haiku format! It's an oak, but the red leaves are definitely unusual in spring (Mine are just beginning to leaf out and are bright yellowish-green.) I recently toured the arboretum where Justin went to college, and they had a small black oak seedling with red leaves. The card with it said that red leaves on oaks can also be a symptom of oak wilt (a fungal disease), so they were isolating it until they knew for sure. I hope it's a unique specimen and not a fungus. 😦
I, too, love your poem Mary (especially "asphalt in my head" – that is perfect!!). And yeah, weird leaves on that Oak. I hope it is not diseased.
Your haiku works well, more so because it is written with your own styling! Hope the oak is doing its own thing, but is healthy and strong!
Hope the mystery of the tree is solved and that the tree isn't diseased. We have two oaks out front and neither has red leaves …hmmm. Love the Haiku…I always have a time trying to keep to the 5-7-5 formula…think your way is way better – let it out!Write on!Cheers~