haiku retrospective cliii

first stars
the green kingfisher cups
his wings

Okay, another question: If you always use weather/atmospheric
phenomenon as a first line, how do you keep the first line from
becoming a throw-away? How do you keep it fresh and immediate?
Or doesn't it matter? Is "distant thunder" such a good opener
that you can pair it with anything and have it fit? Is it good
to collect a bunch of undemanding opening lines so you'll have
something to go with all of the great endings you come up with?
Are the opening lines like old shoes that always fit when you
need to run out to the garden and look at the spiders?

bowling ball --
the puzzled haijin
chews her hair

distant thunder --
the puzzled haijin
chews her hair

grandmotherly kindness --
the senior haijin
swings his stick

distant laughter --
if you're not having fun
you're not doing it right

12 July 2001