First Weblog: Ten Haiku

One of the things that has been keeping me busy this year is that I am taking a class in Canadian Design History. I had hoped that the fallout from my assignments would ultimately benefit this largely American audience more than it has, but here at last is something I can share.

Our 3rd assignment was to write a poem on the subject of Canadian Identity. I decided to write 10 poems: 10 Haiku, one for each provincial flag (I skipped the 3 territories, sorry), from west to east.

squashed Britannia on
wavy ocean lines under
inept rising sun

field of blue around
mountainous pictoral crest
illegible parts

iii

red prairie lily
dominates three wheat bushels
oddly missing sky

conservative red
ensign plus lonely bison
trapped atop a rock

rejected logo
canada’s three maple leaves
and used British parts

four fleur-de-lys for
a big divided province
pushed to four corners

vii

ancient nordic ship
invades black east coast waters
yawning and stretching

viii

generic gold shield
covers the intersection
of blue X on white

abstract what the fuck
is that Romulan star ship
made from Britain’s flag

another lion
over sadly stunted trees
with busy borders

..........

Fun, huh? So dear Speak Up readers, should you feel so inclined, I invite you all to write Haiku* for your own state, provincial, municipal or whatever flag, right here, right now.

*Where Haiku is defined loosely as a 3-line poem with 5 syllables on the first line, 7 on the second and 5 on the 3rd.

Comments

By far one of the best posts! It makes me proud to be a Canadian. Marian, I applaud you.

My poem,

we stole from the swiss,

as alberta, and 'toba

unionized maple

Posted by: marko savic | February 15, 2006 05:02 PM

gated estates to

tree shaped cell phone towers

the bear looks lonely

Posted by: Corey Holms | February 15, 2006 06:24 PM

This is very interesting. Has Canada not ever gotten over being colonies? Are these flags a visual representation of Canada's struggle for a Canadian identity that I hear about now and again?

Quebec's flag is very French, and the rest are seriously British. The Union Jack is obvious. The white with the red cross is England's flag. The lions are taken from Edward I's three lions, which were taken from the lions of Gwynedd (in Wales). Nova Scotia's flag is the Scottish flag with the blue & white reversed with the Scottish crest slapped on.

The left out flags of Yukon and Nunavut are the only ones not without major British or French elements.

I've never written haiku. Tonight's not the night to start, so instead I submit my favourite Canadian Anthem from the good ol' days of Ren & Stimpy: The Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksmen

Posted by: Jeff Gill | February 15, 2006 06:36 PM

Red cross for England

Irish and Scottish crosses

But what about Wales?

Posted by: Tom B | February 15, 2006 06:44 PM

naitive heritage

shielded in blue, sword above.

seeking peace, latin.

or, written from the perspective of a true bostonian:

"dood, i gotta hit

a packy if you want to

pre-game before bars."

Posted by: Elisabeth Waltz | February 15, 2006 07:25 PM

These are great! Keep 'em coming.

and Tom B: Fucking brilliant.

Posted by: marian bantjes | February 15, 2006 07:48 PM

Another California:

Seeing the lone star

the grizzly thinks to himself

shouldn't that be blue?

This is fun!

Posted by: jenny | February 15, 2006 08:14 PM

Yikes... I had never seen the New York state flag:

I won't get the syllable count right, but here goes:

Luscious draped ladies

Ships sail sun shines eagle flies

All balancing our beliefs

Yo gurls

I got somethin' else you can poke

Bring that blindfold

Sorry!

Posted by: Armin | February 15, 2006 08:43 PM

French flag recycled

Added eagle with ribbon

Then spell our name out

Posted by: Jeff Bonker | February 15, 2006 09:12 PM

I think that NY state flag requires a Sonnet. Waaay too much for a Haiku to handle.

Posted by: marian bantjes | February 15, 2006 09:15 PM

autumn centrepiece

on a long white tablecloth

syrup anyone?

Posted by: jenny steele | February 15, 2006 09:34 PM

State of Georgia

Compromises:

thirteen stars, three bars, no latin,

committee design.

No, I don't want a confederate flag, but is it too much to ask for some balance and style?

Posted by: Matthew Rodgers | February 15, 2006 09:52 PM

two nice jersey girls

beat up New York's flag ladies;

ride off on Khartoum

buff colored blandness

works for Jersey flag, but not

on my Camaro

which one came out first?

is New York flag a copy

of the garden state?

Posted by: JonSel | February 15, 2006 10:07 PM

just because...

Posted by: Feldhouse | February 15, 2006 11:11 PM

the snow is higher

than we thought was possible

soft and so fluffy

Posted by: debbie millman | February 15, 2006 11:26 PM

British Columbia (Vancouver Island)... (Victoria in particular)

Real estate is prime,

And drugs keep the kids smitten.

The ocean smells neat.

---

Ugly whale statues,

What the hell is going on?

Concerning design.

Posted by: Steve | February 16, 2006 05:15 AM

the deeper I gaze

complexities multiply

pure simple icon

Posted by: nick shinn | February 16, 2006 10:54 AM

Sorry Marian, no haiku today. But I do need to mention that Nick's scan is amazing. I'm a big fan of Fleming's CN logo.

Posted by: Michael Surtees | February 16, 2006 11:21 AM

Oklahoma flag

Full of Indian symbols

Typeface is oft wrong

Posted by: Jeremy Fuksa | February 16, 2006 11:30 AM

OR...

What's a damn haiku?

I'll kick your ass smartypants...

I'm watching NASCAR.

Posted by: Jeremy Fuksa | February 16, 2006 11:31 AM

I hope my first post

Didn't come across as rude

I'm just wondering

Posted by: Jeff Gill | February 16, 2006 11:57 AM

Manitoba is

***king cold right now minus

forty five degrees

Posted by: oo | February 16, 2006 12:07 PM

Jeff, no, not rude at all. Like most flags, the provincial flags are pretty old. Before Canada adopted the familiar red maple leaf in 1965 (a design which, I have to say, I think is wonderful—and compared to other flags around the world is a very, very nice piece of graphic design), we had a "red ensign" which was very similar to the Ontario or Manitoba flag (red flag, union jack in the corner, crest in the mid-right). So, far from being a struggle for Canadian Identity, they are relics of our largely British origins. The Scottish and Welsh influences back east are particularly appropriate, especially if you've ever heard a Maritime accent.

Posted by: marian bantjes | February 16, 2006 12:24 PM

Yikes... I had never seen the New York state flag

I was born in New York and moved to California with my family when I was 9. I don't ever remember seeing an actual New York state flag — only reproductions in books. In California, the state flag is almost always flown along with the U.S. flag. I remember thinking that was odd when I was a kid.

Posted by: David E. | February 16, 2006 12:41 PM

Don't worry Texans, I'll save you the trouble ...

Texas, Texas, um ...

Texas, Texas, Texas, uhh ...

Go Texas! Texas?

Posted by: danny | February 16, 2006 12:47 PM

Why, Pennsylvania,

do the horses wear iPods?

We are not that hip.

Posted by: kd | February 16, 2006 12:53 PM

The Swiss flag is square

We — bird beak and awkward stripes

I think we might win

Posted by: Derrick Schultz | February 16, 2006 12:53 PM

I fucking love this

I am rotfl

more pretty please, more!

Posted by: marian bantjes | February 16, 2006 01:00 PM

Ages since I looked;

Placed on a mail-box high.

Too busy, no trout.

-Michigan

Posted by: Ravenone | February 16, 2006 01:38 PM

Blue field, wide white road

Red Pacman swallows gold pill

Health through chemistry

Posted by: Lisa Barker | February 16, 2006 02:00 PM

For my birth state -- Wisconsin:

Forward! Industries!

Hey sailor -- a fine looking

badger you got there.

For my current home state -- Missouri:

Grizzly bears -- attack!

Quick! Encircle them in stars!

Whew, that was close, huh?

Posted by: lauren e. | February 16, 2006 05:49 PM

PS. I love kd's Pennsylvania haiku.

Posted by: lauren e. | February 16, 2006 05:51 PM

dragon, white and green

makes a nice flag and the worst

tourist kitsch on earth

Posted by: Jeff Gill | February 16, 2006 07:26 PM

white above the green

the difference to russian

plus red to all bore

Posted by: Plamen | February 17, 2006 06:58 AM

Ah, this is fun :-) Here's mine to the flag of The Netherlands:

Lines as flat as the

Dutch horizon. Missouri

copied our flag, look!

Posted by: DutchKid | February 17, 2006 07:57 AM

For Virginia:

Forget John Wilkes Booth

For real tyrant butt-kicking

Check out hot mama

Posted by: Eric Stewart | February 17, 2006 08:30 AM

After the blizzard we had yesterday I feel like an honarary Canadian.

Thirteen inches snow

Highs in the single digits

Work cancelled, er no?

No more new Star Wars,

at&t death star gone,

Wisconsin, whooo-chaahh

Posted by: Zoelle | February 17, 2006 10:08 AM

Here's another for Wisconsin:

Severed arm on shield,

with outdated tools of trade.

What? No wheels of cheese?

Posted by: Daniel Green | February 17, 2006 10:27 AM

Eric—you're killin' me!

and, I have to take a crack at (awesome) Wisconsin myself:

pussycat, kill kill

darth vadar stands idly by

what a bunch of tools

Posted by: marian bantjes | February 17, 2006 11:08 AM

You're kill'n me.

These haikus are addictive. I have to restrain myself from making my client's Google Adwords ad into a haiku.

Posted by: Zoelle | February 17, 2006 11:37 AM

these haikus are so funny

Here's an attempt at my home state:

Hail Connecticut

we are the farming police

plants stay in the badge

Posted by: Stephanie | February 17, 2006 12:22 PM

Detroit's City Flag:

Space lions attacking!

Good job we've got five ships left

Go get the mothers!

Posted by: John S | February 17, 2006 12:55 PM

for New York too...

Eagle says proudly,

"I caught a planet this big."

The ladies are pleased.

Excelsior means

"Slender, curved wood shavings

used for packing stuff."

Cruisin' up river,

girls get their toga on,

raisin' roofs and jibs.

Posted by: Josh B | February 17, 2006 01:57 PM

Another one for Wisconsin:

Two guys just standing --

must be government work crew.

Time for coffee break!

Posted by: Daniel Green | February 17, 2006 03:52 PM

New York:

Eagle sits on top

too many colors for me

Who designed this flag?

Posted by: Sarah B. | February 17, 2006 04:30 PM

For my home state:

Bah! Kerning Schmerning

Sailing ships fly for Oregon

The only sun you will see

Posted by: JenB | February 17, 2006 05:55 PM

and for my residing state:

George! I emplore you.

Step away from tan lotion

Peach is just not you

Posted by: JenB | February 17, 2006 06:02 PM

I'm branching out to coat of arms. This is the Halifax, NS coat of arms:

Angry horses drown,

their hooves are laden down, their

shield has run aground

Posted by: sarah n | February 17, 2006 06:36 PM

JenB! JenB!

And sarah has employed the rhyming haiku!

Posted by: marian bantjes | February 17, 2006 06:58 PM

Marian

I had actually written a chi•ku — a haiku about chicago — when I was designing the shirt for the j3tlag site.

There's some weird humor in this. And it's not for the state, but without Chicago, Illinois would be a very different place anyway, so here it is.

city on the lake

windy hot dog lake short drive

chicago is home

Posted by: Andrew Twigg | February 17, 2006 07:57 PM

Yippee-kai-yea!!

Texas

KABLAAM!! Missed the quail,

but Cheney nailed friend Harry

on Lone Star State hunt.

Quick! Call a doctor!

And have the lobbyist host

talk to media.

But let's wait a day...

Why? We'll never really know.

Shot men tell no tales.

Posted by: Tan | February 17, 2006 08:10 PM

Tan, YOU WIN!!!!!!

Posted by: marian bantjes | February 17, 2006 08:24 PM

Aw shucks, thanks Marian.

Years ago, I used to participate in a Haiku group about Spam. Yes, Spam, as in the luncheon meat. There were a ton of good ones sent out to the group every week. My favorite submission:

Pork Vader to Spam,

"I'm your father!".."Noooo!!!" cried Spam.

"That's impossible!"

Haikus are oddly fun. Lots of great ones in this thread. Keep going everyone! Bring it on!

Posted by: Tan | February 17, 2006 11:16 PM

One more for Michigan

Waving man boxed in

Watch out for monster deer or

perhaps eagle poo.

Posted by: Ravenone | February 20, 2006 03:43 PM

an alternative for the California flag:

Once a republic,

Now so few Republicans!

I guess I ate them.

Posted by: stella bodoni | February 20, 2006 05:52 PM

a couple subtle variations...

shirtless and stogied

“out of my way, girliemen”

arnold’s republik

Posted by: rich melcher | February 20, 2006 06:44 PM

eagle on nopal

eating that poor snake why not

a taco instead

three colors overused

don't they know something else than

green, white and bloody

...red

Posted by: Sat Dharm | February 21, 2006 02:04 AM

Inspite of my haiku on the mexican flag, I actually like my flag against others. I just wish the colors weren't those. It's like 80% of the world's flags use them.

Great post, I had the best laugh so far this week.

Posted by: Sat Dharm | February 21, 2006 02:10 AM

No one's done one for my home state of Maryland yet, so...