Amy’s Trip Haiku

On one of the wet days in Oregon last week I was thinking about ways we could celebrate the end of our time in the USA. There is a big end-of USA family post on the way, but I wanted to have some fun with this on my own. The idea of writing a little something about each state came to mind, and I settled on writing a Haiku for each state. Take each with a grain of salt...it certainly wasn’t possible to capture everything about each place but I did my best to choose things that I loved (or didn’t love) or that made me smile.

KY

Just a single night, 

then we hiked in limestone caves.

No bourbon this time.

TN

After the Opry 

we gathered eggs for breakfast.

Two kinds of ‘country.’

GA

Cold cloudy canyons 

and mossy forest coastline 

both invite us back.

FL

Land so flat and low.

Impressive beasts surround us 

and so do trailers.

LA

Outside our hotel, 

wedding party in the street 

dancing to The Saints.

TX

Pumpjacks everywhere

but we loved your palms and dunes 

and riverside walks.

NM

Recycled houses 

and radio telescopes 

both looking hopeful.

CO

Next time we’ll bring skis 

and spend more time exploring 

narrow icy trails.

UT

The shocking beauty 

of your rugged rainbow rocks 

helped excuse the snow.

AZ

The canyon amazed, 

then Saguaros entertained 

and burros were friends.

NV

Probably unfair 

to judge you based on Vegas, 

so maybe next time.

CA

It’s all breathtaking: 

coast, Yosemite, Redwoods, 

prices, traffic, smog.

OR

If rain’s what it takes 

for a place to be so green 

we can forgive you.

WA
The old rainforest 
whispered on the breeze ‘Please, stay!’ 
but home was calling.