Two Trump Haiku, by Monika Cooper The Society October 14, 2023 Haiku and Senryu, Poetry 10 Comments . Trump in Asia the carp glows in dark waters, remembering the time that Trump fed him . . White House Advent Melania walks in her orchard of glass fruits her Christmas forest . . Monika Cooper is an American family woman. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Trending now: 10 Responses Margaret Coats October 14, 2023 Nice work, Monika, with appropriate natural and seasonal reference in each, and a statement about each of the Trumps that deserves meditative consideration. Reply Monika Cooper October 14, 2023 Thank you, Margaret. The haiku form is full of possibilities and you have inspired me to explore them. Reply Sally Cook October 14, 2023 Dear Monika — These haiku have an inspiring and uplifting meaningful construct. Thanks for sharing them with us. Reply Monika Cooper October 16, 2023 Sally, thank you! Wonderful to hear from you. Reply C.B. Anderson October 14, 2023 These two jewels refract light in ways too subtle for me to grasp fully or begin to explain. This is what you do, and I’m beginning to expect as much. Shine on! Reply Monika Cooper October 16, 2023 Thank you, C. B. Play of light seems to be one of the fortes of the haiku form, from what I notice. It is hard to get more basic and elemental to nature than light, unless you descend to breath (it’s ruach I mean). Reply Margaret Coats October 16, 2023 Monika, I’m still thinking, and hoping for an interpretive pointer about the first poem here. I recall one tour President Trump made to Asia, meeting leaders in South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. And I believe the trip to India was a full-fledged state visit. I wonder whether the carp means all Asia, or some portion. Darkness of the water contrasted with glowing carp must be meaningful. Carp in cold water specify winter as a haiku kigo, and there are separate words for gold and silver carp, which we would call orange and white. Remembered feeding can only happen with a mature fish. Authorial ideas? Reply Monika Cooper October 16, 2023 That is just beautiful about the separate words for gold and silver carp. I guess they both glow, but the orange ones more warmly (which is what I pictured here, to heighten the contrast you mention). By itself, the haiku could be titled “Trump in Japan.” It has the title it does here because it had a companion piece originally that alluded to Trump’s famous visit with Kim Jong-Un in North Korea (maybe that one was more of a senryu). There was a media firestorm about Trump “overfeeding the koi” during his Japan visit, fake news that still circulates. So my poem imagines and tells the fish’s side of the story. It’s eerie that Abe, who stood on the bridge with Trump that day, has since been assassinated. Both of these poems are intended as sparks of correction, to rebuke the media misrepresentation of beautiful moments in Trump’s first term and commemorate them more fittingly. Trump recalled in a recent interview how the media constantly criticized the First Lady’s White House Christmas displays. But how wonderful they actually were! Reply jd October 18, 2023 You are a true Poet, Monika. C.B. has articulated it best. Reply Monika Cooper October 18, 2023 Thank you, jd. Our souls aspire! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Margaret Coats October 14, 2023 Nice work, Monika, with appropriate natural and seasonal reference in each, and a statement about each of the Trumps that deserves meditative consideration. Reply
Monika Cooper October 14, 2023 Thank you, Margaret. The haiku form is full of possibilities and you have inspired me to explore them. Reply
Sally Cook October 14, 2023 Dear Monika — These haiku have an inspiring and uplifting meaningful construct. Thanks for sharing them with us. Reply
C.B. Anderson October 14, 2023 These two jewels refract light in ways too subtle for me to grasp fully or begin to explain. This is what you do, and I’m beginning to expect as much. Shine on! Reply
Monika Cooper October 16, 2023 Thank you, C. B. Play of light seems to be one of the fortes of the haiku form, from what I notice. It is hard to get more basic and elemental to nature than light, unless you descend to breath (it’s ruach I mean). Reply
Margaret Coats October 16, 2023 Monika, I’m still thinking, and hoping for an interpretive pointer about the first poem here. I recall one tour President Trump made to Asia, meeting leaders in South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. And I believe the trip to India was a full-fledged state visit. I wonder whether the carp means all Asia, or some portion. Darkness of the water contrasted with glowing carp must be meaningful. Carp in cold water specify winter as a haiku kigo, and there are separate words for gold and silver carp, which we would call orange and white. Remembered feeding can only happen with a mature fish. Authorial ideas? Reply
Monika Cooper October 16, 2023 That is just beautiful about the separate words for gold and silver carp. I guess they both glow, but the orange ones more warmly (which is what I pictured here, to heighten the contrast you mention). By itself, the haiku could be titled “Trump in Japan.” It has the title it does here because it had a companion piece originally that alluded to Trump’s famous visit with Kim Jong-Un in North Korea (maybe that one was more of a senryu). There was a media firestorm about Trump “overfeeding the koi” during his Japan visit, fake news that still circulates. So my poem imagines and tells the fish’s side of the story. It’s eerie that Abe, who stood on the bridge with Trump that day, has since been assassinated. Both of these poems are intended as sparks of correction, to rebuke the media misrepresentation of beautiful moments in Trump’s first term and commemorate them more fittingly. Trump recalled in a recent interview how the media constantly criticized the First Lady’s White House Christmas displays. But how wonderful they actually were! Reply
