By Hynek Koziol

deep winter

a neighbor sells

unused children's books

—Hynek Koziol

By Randy Brooks

rising bubbles

the off-course curves

of half-truths

—Randy Brooks

By Xiaoou Chen

empty pharmacy

an echo of knocks

awakens the neighborhood

—Xiaoou Chen

@cold_moon_journal is on Instagram!

 Dear readers and contributors of Cold Moon Journal,

We are delighted to inform you that as of this month, CMJ has an Instagram account.

We encourage you to comment with the story behind your published text, and generally support each other and build this lovely community through this platform.  

Consider using the hashtag #cmjhaiku to post your work and tag us!

We also have Facebook and BlueSky page that we'll be developing.

Timothy and Oana 

By Chen-ou Liu

in my mind

you shouldn't get married

loud and louder ...

we're like two vacuum cleaners

sucking at each other

—Chen-ou Liu

By Carmela Marino

first cold

my son walks

in my shoes

—Carmela Marino

sunset light

traces of loneliness

on the armchair

—Carmela Marino

a cup of coffee

the warmth left

by his hands

—Carmela Marino

By Ana Drobot

first ball...

they all dance together

with their shadows

—Ana Drobot

By Ravi Kiran

snow on snow

the heaviness

of longing

—Ravi Kiran

By Dennis Owen Frohlich

the pungent scent

of ground ink—

Minnesota lake

—Dennis Owen Frohlich

tapping maple trees

my novel-writing secret

revealed

—Dennis Owen Frohlich

By Paul Callus

indecision -

the coming and going

of autumn clouds

—Paul Callus

By Adrian Bouter

 wear pattern you're not in my shoes

—Adrian Bouter

By Keith Evetts

their protestations

go with them

migrating geese

—Keith Evetts

in the middle

of the long cold night

we cuddle

—Keith Evetts

By Bob Carlton

old man

his old dog

same limp

—Bob Carlton

By Fatma Zohra Habis

evening mist

echoing the scent of pine

my favorite song

—Fatma Zohra Habis

By Banasmita Das

fog drapes

winter chill

the heart’s quiet ache

a warm, lost blanket

distant summer

—Banasmita Das

By Vladislav Hristov (from 2024)

spring fly 

my sick dog 

comes to life 

—Vladislav Hristov

rice field

the way she walks

through the silence

—Vladislav Hristov

quiet morning

a symphony of shoes

squeaking in the snow

—Vladislav Hristov

Editor's Note: This haiga is from the "lost poems" chosen by founding editor, Roberta Beach Jacobson. 

By Belinda Behne (from 2024)

—Belinda Behne

Editor's Note: This haiga is from the "lost poems" chosen by founding editor, Roberta Beach Jacobson. 

 

By Belinda Behne (from 2024)

afternoon tea

her shadow 

arrives first

—Belinda Behne

the stars call my name

reminding me to look up

into forever

—Belinda Behne

 Editor's Note: These are from the "lost poems" chosen by founding editor, Roberta Beach Jacobson. 

By Bryan Rickert (from 2024)

 

slowly 

going over the falls

sunrise

—Bryan Rickert

always

like she’s on the catwalk

my cat

—Bryan Rickert

waking up

to fresh snow

today

feels like a good day

to begin again

—Bryan Rickert

Editor's Note: These are from the "lost poems" chosen by founding editor, Roberta Beach Jacobson. 

By Jay Friedenberg

USB port

always slotting it

the wrong way

—Jay Friedenberg

Rorschach clouds

the disapproving glare

of dad's face

—Jay Friedenberg

By Steliana Cristina Voicu

after the rain… 

a bellflower greeting 

the moon

—Steliana Cristina Voicu

peonies in bloom

the one near the yard

no one knows about

—Steliana Cristina Voicu

By Krzysztof Kokot

dawn-

one red stocking

under the bed

—Krzysztof Kokot

By Mark Hendrickson

fall migration

choosing a new bird

to follow

—Mark Hendrickson

By Robert Witmer

churchyard

an ancient yew

bent with snow

—Robert Witmer

a marked page

in a library book

dating app

—Robert Witmer

By Oliver Kleyer

every year

the walk over the graveyard

takes longer

—Oliver Kleyer

By John Zheng

Fox News

the parrot falls quiet

on my shoulder

—John Zheng

By Alvin B. Cruz

table for two

the melting candle

between us

—Alvin B. Cruz

cherry blossoms

in late spring

the tree i planted

though i will not sit

in its shade

—Alvin B. Cruz

another home

in ruins

winter deepens

—Alvin B. Cruz

the letter

that never reached you

wisteria blossoms

—Alvin B. Cruz

By Steve Black (from 2024)

back in town 

going by a different name

too late to run

too late to be forgiven

hurricane season

—Steve Black

painkiller

she washes the day

from my back

anoints oil to the scars

that never go away

—Steve Black

the back door

into the night

i left open

i thought 

she would close

—Steve Black

Editor's Note: These are from the "lost poems" chosen by founding editor, Roberta Beach Jacobson. 

By Aja Rhianna

last pail of milk 

we say goodbye 

to our favorite cow 

—Aja Rhianna

gentle waves 

the calm 

before moonlight

—Aja Rhianna

By Kavita Ratna

threadbare blanket 

on the other side 

a new day

—Kavita Ratna

by Nicoletta Ignatti

moonspots... 

she keeps all her secrets

to herself 

—Nicoletta Ignatti

spring twilight- 

telling her 

we will no longer be friends

—Nicoletta Ignatti

By Sarah Mahina Calvello

the smell

of flowers in blushing

burnt sun

—Sarah Mahina Calvello

By Marylyn Burridge

unsteady

on my bruised ego

apache plume

—Marylyn Burridge

By Deborah Karl-Brandt

cat's eyes

the blackbird tunes into

fortissimo

—Deborah Karl-Brandt

worn-out socks

learning how to mend them

into a haiku

—Deborah Karl-Brandt

By Partha Sarkar

bird twitching 

its tail—waves

in the sun.

—Partha Sarkar

By John J. Dunphy

outdoor nativity scene

one of the Wise Men

facing the wrong way

—John J. Dunphy

his last road trip

my friend arrives

at the cemetery

—John J. Dunphy 

By Vickie Yiannoulou

old bedroom

a bassinet holds

one tiny sock

—Vickie Yiannoulou