Some seasonal haiku

Bushes are blooming

In December it rings strange -

must be climate change

Fukushima leaks

We will eat no more sushi -

radiation fear!

No snow at Christmas

It is wet rather than cold

though my mind is chilled

Walking the pavement

Rent-boy is staring at me

with intent eyes

Where did this lot come from? 1 and 3 are obvious, today.

2 must be the connection to Japan, and shows what I think about in connection with the place. I've never eaten sushi, but I think sushi restaurants have disappeared, and it's a while since I saw those little trays in the supermarket.

The last puzzled me, till I remembered recently skimming a book about the history of the Leicester Highfields in a bookshop. It was full of recollections of the past, including 'sentimental reminiscences' about prostitutes. It stated that male prostitution wasn't mentioned by the people, and this long-forgotten experience of being stared at by one of them flashed into my mind, where apparently it has lurked since. They are very rude people. The only other men who stare like that are suspicious coppers and punch-up artists.

The other trigger was reading someone say that haiku shouldn't just be about nature, that that idea was causing stagnation of the form in Japan, so they have started writing urban haiku. 

Not sure these are great haiku, but they say that doesn't matter! Well, some say that.

The Highfields book is available locally, and was compiled by HART, a local community association. Its other unmentionable is the City Council doss-house in Upper Tichborne St, of which there is a picture, with no accompanying text. You can read about the antics of its denizens in my poem 'Drunkards of the Dosshouse'. http://stephen-wylie.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/drunkards-of-dosshouse.html