Birthday Haikus
 
by DJ Ink-Quizzitive

Apparently, my birthday wishes to Julie over the phone are very easily forgotten.  Thus, I will attempt to express myself in a more memorable fashion.

In honor of Ms. Lopez's 23rd anniversary of the year of her birth, I have written her a haiku about our very first meeting (that I remember).  Beth had invited us both out to IHOP late one evening.  This is my haiku for you, Julie.

The Truth Is Delicious
 
Chicken on my face?
She will loudly point it out
And laugh mockingly
 
I've also written another haiku here at work.  My friend Janelle and I both loved the character of Brick from the movie Anchorman, and we have been walking around saying, "I love...carpet.  I love...lamp.  I love lamp."

So it came to pass that in my mail heaven, I met a new love, one that had been there for me since Day One:  Stamp. 

Here is a haiku I wrote for Stamp:

Stuck On You
 
Stamp, you stick my heart 
To your envelope of love
Afternoon delight
 
I know, I know.  My eyes are tearing up, too.

Last night, I also came across a limerick I wrote for my friend Melinda, the soccer player I interviewed and almost went with to camp to be a counselor for kids with disabilities.

There once was a girl named Melinda,
Who played stadium soccer in Brinda.
She'd kick really hard,
miss the goal by a yard,
then shout, "It was 'cuz of the winda!"

Doctor Otto Octavius was right.  Poetry is the way to go.

The Rest of the Entry
 
8:57 pm, just after take-off.

It was beautiful.  From my window seat, I could see planes that were all lined up to take off from the same runway.  We were second in line.  The planes would taxi down the line, turn left twice (clearly not Zoolander planes), and then take off from the adjacent runway.  It felt like we were being scrambled for a perilous, epic mission.

I counted the jets as we went past them.  We were #2.  There was 3, 4.  We picked up speed.  5, 6, 7.  Their lights blinked at us.  8, 9.  Our engines roared to life.  10, 11, 12.

As we let go of the Earth, I spotted a straggler rolling over to get in line.  Ah, lucky 13, I thought.  The perfect number of planes laden with brave pilots and brave crew on a mission to save the world.

The plane cut a sharp left and immediately hit turbulence.  Off over South Mountain, I could see flashes of an approaching monsoon storm.  I tried to remember if I had rolled my window up.

The jet shook as it hit another patch of rough air.

Bring it on.

[end of entry]