Verselove is a community celebration of poetry in April—an invitation to write, read, and reflect together. You’re welcome to write a poem a day or to come and go as you need. Reading and leaving a brief note—a line you loved, an image that stayed, a feeling a poem stirred—is also a meaningful way to participate. This is a generous, low-pressure space. We’re glad you’re here.
Our Host
Mo lives in the Chicago suburbs, where she enjoys spending time with her enormous family. She is a retired middle school reading teacher who enjoys reading, traveling, practicing yoga, and attending Chicago theater. Mo likes to think of herself as a worldwide literacy advocate. She also spends a great deal of time trying to convince her husband that they need a couple of dogs.
Inspiration
April 15! Tax Day! ARRRGHHH! Are you proud that you’ve paid your taxes early this year? Are you ecstatic that you are getting a refund? Furious that you must send in a check? Relieved that this day is almost over? April 15th is a day that certainly evokes a great deal of emotions for us.
Process
Today I’d like to challenge you to write about those complex emotions in just 17 syllables- a haiku! Feel free to use the traditional haiku form of a three-lined poem of 5/7/5 syllables or try your hand at a modern haiku in which you focus on imagery and emotion over form. Maybe a series of haikus works for you. If a haiku doesn’t suit you today, try another short form, like hay(na)ku or sijo.
Mo’s Poem
my hair already
graying, I sign the check, hop-
ing to save the world
Your Turn
Now, scroll to the comment section below to write your own poem. (This is a public space, so you may choose to use only your first name or initials depending on your privacy preferences.) Not ready? That’s okay. Read the poems already posted for more inspiration. Ponder your own throughout the day. Return later. And, if the prompt does not work for you, that is fine. All writing is welcome. Just write something. Oh, and a note about drafting: Since we are writing in short bursts, we all understand (and even welcome) the typos and partial poems that remind us we are human and that writing is always becoming. If you’d like to invite other teachers to write with us, tell them to subscribe. Also, please be sure to respond to at least three writers.
Mo,
Thanks for the cool prompt! Just returning from a hockey game.
Here’s an ode to NY Islanders. Although, we lost the last game of the season. It was a blast seeing everyone have so much fun!
The fans chant
energy cheers and hu-rahs
Whistles and game time
Yay, I loved hearing all the songs of the big game in your haiku. Hurrah for the Islanders on a good season! Nice you could go to the game.
Darshna,
Lovely way to culminate this tax day w/ a sport that has its own taxing ethos. Chanting and cheering w/ the fans.
Darshna, you’ve captured the excitement of a hockey game perfectly. Way better than taxes!
Yes to cheers, chants, hu-rahs, and whistles, Darshna! Thank you.
Thank you all so much for your amazing poems today. It was such a terrific experience to read all of them. I hope everyone has filed their taxes and is feeling good bout them. Hang in there
Mo, thank you for the prompt today. Taxing matters! I love “hoping to save the world.” The time is coming for hope!
this world is not
for the faint of heart
take courage, friends
Denise,
It’s not nice to make me wait so long for you and search and search while I’m traveling! Here you are w/ a prophetic truth. Yet I meet people, you included, who touch my heart in tender ways. This morning one of those people was a pharmacist who is sending me messages via What’s Ap.
Denise, this poem is so you. I love your admonition to take courage.
Denise,
I feel like this totally suits you and we need this message more than ever.
Truer words were never spoken! Love it!
Denise, I missed your poem yesterday. You are such a fighter, and I appreciate your calls for action. Let’s do it together!
I’m thankful for a Haiku prompt–especially on a Tuesday after school! But taxes–not my favorite topic, especially when paying them feels like putting money in the wrong pots. Mo–I wish my taxes could save the world!
When I took my walk after school I came across a message that sent me in a different direction. You can read more details here: https://thinkingthroughmylens.com/2026/04/14/kindness-npm26-14/
Here’s my Haiku
When words have power
use them with pure intentions
paint the world with kindness
Great choice and great act of rebellion, Kim. I just love the idea of pure intention.
Kim, I love the power of words and your reminder to use them to paint the world with kindness. So many times, we forget that one kind word can make a world of difference. Thank you for sharing this!
I really do think that kindness is an act of rebellion. I love that last line!
Kim,
I love this haiku. It totally matches your personality and incredible photography. Thanks.
Kim, such a wise advice to treat words “with pure intentions.” I absolutely believe in kindness.
Mo!
Fun prompt. I’ve signed those checks and cringed. You know how to keep that fiery red hair.
taxing
he gets on my nerves
taxing onerous buffoon
sticky-fingered gnat
like a leech sucking
life-blood from the public teet
always wanting more
gorging his fat face
reveling in violence
as spectator sport
he thinks he’s Jesus
healing his epstein bestie
taxing sanity
Glenda Funk
April 15, 2026
Oh, Glenda, this oils spot on! I love the ending line you land on because I’m losing my sanity with all the bs going down. Gorging fat face is a striking and accurate description! I also really love the L sounds in the second haiku. Powerful!
Y first thought was of those amazing Shakespearean insults- you know the ones I men! Thanks for not capitalizing epstein.
Glenda, your title says exactly how I feel about it – – it’s all so taxing just even thinking about all the ways he irritates me. You have the best mug to start every day.
Glenda, I can’t image who you could be talking about! “Sticky fingered gnat” is an amazing comparison. “Taxing sanity” is a pretty perfect encapsulation of where we are.
Glenda, oh, Glenda, the end is in sight, isn’t it? Praise God. Thank you for speaking out.
These lines, perfect metaphor for our reality:
Glenda,
Oh my… gotta love all the visuals and metaphors.
Glenda, love the tone, the metaphors, the fierce anger you carry through the poem! I can’t wait to see the change in the Oval Office, but I’m afraid it might take awhile to undo the damage.
Mo, what a fun and thoughtful prompt to greet tomorrow’s tax day. I love the break in your line, the way it makes “hop-ing” tentative.
inheritance from my dad
“it’s only money”
I fret over travel plans,
violin repairs:
our joys, gummed up in
worry I try to bury:
“it’s only money”
Worry and bury really jump out at me, Brenna. You also have me curious about violin repairs-how much do they cost?
It’s being assessed—again—next week. Anywhere from in the hundreds like last time or we could find out that the instrument we paid $1500 for for my daughter is a gasp! total loss. 🤞for the better side!
Brenna, brilliant! “It’s only money” is what people who have no money worries say, right?
I love the beginning and end with “it’s only money”–and yet totally understand the worry and fret associated–“gumming” up the joys! So much packed in that tight double Haiku!
Brenna, sometimes the gift of inheritance brings a worry, especially when it carries more responsibility. I often fret about house repairs on a house that needs a lot more work than I have time or money, but yet it falls in our lap. Your poem resonates deeply with me in this way.
Violin repairs are no joke. And I love the verb “fret” that precedes violin. The refrain of “it’s only money” underscores the tension that the financial squeeze creates.
Brenna,
Clever way of capturing the essence of money and how we fret over it alogn with the worries. Thanks.
Comes round every year,
But it’s not a holiday—
Dinero sadness.
Dinero sadness indeed, Julie. I like how you’ve compared tax day to a not holiday.
Julie,
Love the code switching!
Julie, yes ~ great way to put it in another currency form to show it is universal.
Julie, I love the “Dinero sadness” line. Not a holiday, for sure!
Love the last line and how you capture today’s prompt.
Here’s my April haiku, written quickly after a long day, and not about tax day.
wind and meeting whipp’d
arriving at home ready
for another day
You earned some rest, David! Great alliteration in the first line with /w/ and consonance with /d/ and /t/, and also with /r/ in the second line. Sometimes, our subconscious choices make great moves. Hope tomorrow is better for you.
“meeting whipp’d” is such a great phrase, one we can all relate to. I love the ambiguity in the last line–if the day is beginning upon arriving or if it means preparing for the following day is complete. either way, it’s peaceful.
I love how you’ve equated wind and meeting whip’s. I hope you get the rest you deserve, Dave.
Love “wind and meeting whipp’d” I can imagine that feeling! Time for rest.
Collecting data
Time stalls, stands still, a stalemate
One day Dr. Pate
Ashley, I’m guessing this haiku is about your research struggles. I sure hope you get past that stalemate soon. Thanks for writing today.
Ashley, take it easy – one item at a time.
Now, data collection (and doctoral programs) are more taxing than the Federal government. Hang in there. You got this.
I love the middle line here, the alliteration and the way one phrase pickups from the next. It really captures that deadlocked feeling.
Ashley,
Ouch! That first line defines life these days.
An interesting topic for a haiku. I went with how taxed I feel after our Problem Solution Symposium in ELA today.
Problem solution
experts share their research while
I keep the fires squelched
Heather,
“fires squelched” is such an interesting and intriguing way to end this haiku! I can picture the words spinning around you as you listen and try to maintain all of your own responsibilities!
I love your topic choice today, Heather. I’m really curious about those squelched fires.
Heather, while you truly speak for many of us about squelching fires, you also make on wonder about what problems and what experts. This gives your poem double power! It makes us nod and think. Thanks, I think. 🤓
What a cool contrast between the experts and the squelching. You capture the energy of a room with varying priorities so clearly.
Heather,
”Blessed are the peacemakers” echos that last line. Love the solution.
Taxes done early
Thankfully big refund came
Dentist took it all
Oh man! Thats as sad as mine! The state garnished my refund.
Refunds don’t last long in our house. This year was the first year we did not put it toward college. Ours went to new rugs.
Cheri,
You have captured that feeling so many people have where any time we have some kind of bonus adult responsibilities seem to come knocking!
Oh no! I was really celebrating with you for a minute…then boom. I really enjoyed reading this, but I’m sad you had to spend your refund on dental work.
Cheri, I remember the days when people used to splurge on something fun with their refunds. I guess those days are long gone now. Hope you enjoy your smile!
Cheri, I don’t know if it is a law of equilibrium, but it seems that whatever we get from one hand is taken away by the other. At least, it went toward your health.
Poetically, I love the unexpected turn in the third line, but I hate it for you.
Cheri, it just goes to show that somehow or another, it’s gonna get gone……even if it’s a refund, it’s still just all the time changing hands! Awesome! At least you have a pearly smile, right?
Ceri,
Im crying at that last line. I’ve had those dental bills.
Ooof! Killer ending! Hits way to close to home for me!
Cheri, oh man!!! You really capture the feeling of “just when you think you’re getting ahead…”
Mo, thanks for hosting today. I needed to have a little levity! I’m actually getting two returns but combined they do not cover the accountant’s bill.
My Last Penny’s Spent
bombs drop
bird shit splatters
my sight’s blinded
leadership’s corrupt
my trust’s stolen
dreams dissipate
I should’ve just bent
over, spread both cheeks
another hard year
Barb Edler
14 April 2026
Oh Barb — You are not alone. The “trust’s stolen” line hits hard…and of course the cheeks…What a blow it’s been to watch the “splatters.” Hugs, Susie
Oof! Each haiku hit. The “my trust’s stolen/dreams dissipate” line was powerful.
I find your poem to be irreverently reverent. Or something. Like I wanna laugh at your crassness and yet there’s a lot of real life there that makes me pause. Thank you for your poem.
Barb, there is nothing like an Iowa woman for a straight shooter. I love how you are able to infuse humor into such an important topic.
Barb, the beginning with “bombs drop” pains my heart–I can’t believe this is the way to solve problems in 21st century. Aren’t we past barbarism? And that “trust stolen” line hits me the most. Being disappointed and losing trust is not knew, but still devastating for me personally. Powerful, raw, impactful!
Barb, your intro of owing the accountant more than you got back made me want to read and your “I should have just bent over,” left me roaring with tears of understanding and sadness. It is an mess and the leadership is underwater literally and in reality!
Barb, why am I smiling so big here right now? It’s your unique style and way of putting it that makes me chuckle at the brutal honesty and straightforward verbiage. You can say it so plainly and truthfully.
Barb,
That lady stanza is the fvcking reality these days. Ugh! Love the /s/ sounds in that first stanza. It sounds and feels like spittle hurled at us by the takers
Barb,
those first two lines really say it all —the parallel is really powerful. The splattering is a visceral image for what this all feels like.
Oh, ouch, you have captured your taxing emotions so well, Barb. Then you are able to also give us a chance to smile. Thanks!
Oh, tax day. I chose to go with a golden shovel today.
A Nod to Poor Richard
What if, instead of blindly paying taxes in
service to our government, we could say “This
is enough. It is our world,
Not yours,” and we should able to choose–nothing
or something or all–in service to whatever cause is
the most important to us. I feel certain
that if we were allowed this power, except(ing)
those who would abuse it, we would see the death
of causes that only benefit those who don’t need them and,
instead, a world in which we all shared the wealth of taxes.
Julie, this is a poem that should be posted across social media! You’ve succinctly composed a Five W’s and H call to action! If you have time, create a small flyer with your poem and a graphic call to action. I’ll share it on my platforms! Others need to know this, and having a short, figurative explanation may attract supporters. You’ve got me! Consider inviting others to do the same.
Julie, your golden shovel is full of righteousness and expresses exactly how I feel. Let’s focus on what matters rather than feeding the insatiable greed manifested by the top tier who want to control the entire world while lining their already too full pockets.
Julie — A “nod” well taken. I like it. Run for Congress…please! Susie
I love the what if poems I’ve been reading today. I really love your ending, which asserts such positivity. I appreciate the hopefulness.
Julie, I love the golden shovel. It really grounds your message. This is such a hopeful poem and a call to empowerment. I’d like to hope that we would act with wisdom and empathy if we had the chance to, where we all shared the wealth of taxes.
Amen, Julie, I think if we were able to choose, I would like to trust we would not spend our taxes on wars. Great form and poem today.
Thanks Mo! We’ll keep writing those checks trying to save the world!
Let’s Keep This Simple
I don’t mind taxes–
grow parks, schools, roads, and research,
but don’t buy more bombs.
Amen! If only we could choose where our taxes went!
Amen!
Bingo! You’ve got my vote, Dave. Susie
Yes! Simple indeed.
I love this. I’ve been confronted by some who don’t have the same beliefs as me and they are irate that the government is stealing their money. I think our government is a mess but I see so many things I don’t mind paying for. Bombs didnt make my list either though.
Amen! I don’t know what else to say. You’ve hit all the important points in 17 syllables.
Dave, exactly my thoughts today. Use these money for our own people good. Thank you!
Dave, this says it as it should be!
Yes, I love your ideas for the use of our taxes. So well said in only a few lines. If only it could penetrate the groupthink in DC.
Dave!
Amen! I want my money going to the people and not the military industrial complex.
You hit it on the end. If only I felt optimistic…
Same, Dave! Schools, libraries, roads, yes, absolutely, bombs, no thank you.
Dave, this is my favorite haiku of the day! Hooray, hooray! I so agree. I want to pay my taxes for all those things you mention, and not bombs!
I have paid all year
And now I pay once again
Yes, extra for schools
I especially like how “Yes, extra for schools” lands like a small correction to the frustration, shifting it from complaint into something more complicated and grounded, maybe unique to your place in the world.
Yes! Extra for schools 🙂
Extra for schools is a fascinating way to end your poem, Jonathon. Educators sure know how to give!
I’m with everyone else—that last line is perfect.
Three adult children
Thirteen W-2s among them
Mom is still filing
Yike! That is too many W2s!
I’m stressed out just reading it
Luke,
This poem strongly implies the mom is likely either a CPA or someone with great tax-prep skills (or just the unofficial family accountant).
Sarah
My adult daughter worked in three different states last year, and yes, we are still filing for her.
Whew! That sounds brutal…
Is mom the family’s savior? That’s a lot of W2s. It seems like you have a very hard-working family.
That is a lot of W2s I thought before I remembered I am just one person and I had 6!
Luke,
I’m pretty sure 13 is a lucky number😬. If not, this is still a really good poem, in a laugh-sob kinda way.
Oh! How I enjoy the discovery of new poetry forms. I went with a reverse Hay(na)ku today on the topic of tax day.
Annual April Wond’ring:
What if I’re
t’just volunteer
ev’ryday?
lol, love it
This is delightfully wry—the compressed language feels like tax-season exhaustion turned into poetry. And that turn, stepping out of obligation altogether,just generosity.
Ooh, what an intriguing idea, Amber. I also love the way you’ve played with the language here. Such a concise form.
Amber, I’m following you! And basically, I think teachers do mostly volunteer work for the energy and relentless work. We should not be taxed. Great idea!
Oh gosh! I used an adjective when I needed an adverb phrase…ha! Do I even teach English? Let’s see what I can do with an edit here for funsies.
What if I’re
n’ev’ry day
vol’nteer?
ack! still not right. Ha! Writing is always becoming!
Thank you Mo, for hosting today. While I loved your tax day haiku, I went in a little less heavy direction today.
Laundry–a taxing
Task. Wash, dry, fold, put away
Do more tomorrow.
Sort out the colors,
Jeans, towels, whites and then some,
No! Toss it all in!
If I wait a bit
Maybe Mike will fold it all
While I take a nap!
I love that you focused on a different aspect of taxes
I like that you focused on a different meaning of tax.
This is so fun with “Laundry–a taxing / Task” sets the tone perfectly, like you’re already joking with the exhaustion. I love the escalation from careful sorting to “No! Toss it all in!” and that final hopeful fantasy of Mike folding everything while you escape into a nap is just chef’s kiss—so relatable and so funny.
HA!!! I’m laughing because was “laundry day” at our house. My husband puts it in, without sorting! I get to fold and put away, trying to smooth out the wrinkles in shirts I don’t plan to iron! Thanks for choosing this topic on this day
Laundry woes. I will fold if someone would just put it away!
I love your approach today, Jeania. I’m left with a burning question- did Mike fold the laundry?
Jeania,
LOL! Laundry is like rabbits, constantly reproducing.
Thoreau
a fine
example of civil
disobedience.
A friend
let him stay
in
quiet Walden
Pond. Who has
some
relaxing get-
away for me?
To
be self-
reliant and grow
my
own veggies,
raise chickens. I
will
still need
people since killing
chickens
is not
part of my
skillset.
I want
to learn, maybe?
Today is my first day learning or re-learning about Hay(na)kus and I am hooked, so this was a great read for me. The line breaks are great for this poem with the talk of chickens and killing and skillset. The ending really catches me with the “maybe?”
You got this!
Cayetana,
This is so, so smart in the way you break Thoreau into these tiny, almost hesitant steps feels like watching the myth of self-reliance get gently questioned in real time. I love the shift from “Walden Pond” aspiration into the very real, very funny limits of “killing chickens is not part of my skillset.” That turn keeps it human, grounded, and a little self-mocking. Am I reading this right?
Sarah
Oh, I was thinking about Thoreau today too. I told my husband I thought we should not pay taxes to a government we don’t support. But…we still paid them. You’re right…Thoreau had a rich benefactor and very few responsibilities.
Your lines “killing chickens is not part of my skillset” reminded me of my hippie mom who wanted to live off the grid and raise all of her own food, but when it came time to kill the chickens…well, let’s just say that we ended up with an old folks’ home for chickens LOL
This is written from the lens and pen of a master poet even if in this day and age it would not ever be possible to find such a get away unless you had TONS of cash and a connection to the government to buy them off when they came to get you!
Cayetana, your poem strikes a chord with me. The desire to get away from all the nonsense is strong. I appreciate you bringing us back to reality in your poem, too. Not everyone is ready to be self-reliant.
This is how I feel, too. I want to be all self-reliant, but I require modern convenience and am not interested in killing (or plucking) chickens or other animals.
Got a refund: Yay!
But not as big as some years
Why does that happen?
Yay to refunds! I also have no idea how this all work (ha!), so the question at the end is also something that sits with me.
Sheila,
Got a refund: Yay!” opens with celebration, and then it gently deflates into real-world confusion. I love how the final question lands like something we all think but rarely say out loud.
Sarah
Who knows? It’s all so complicated. My husband took on a second job as an independent contractor and whoa! No more refund for us! We basically will be paying as much as we’ve gotten in refunds in years past.
Sheila, the answer seems to be who knows? I’ve asked my brother tax questions throughout the years, as he was a fraud investigator for the IRS. His answers usually started with, “It’s complicated…” I usually tuned him out after 5 minutes or so. Maybe that’s what they hope for.
Thank you for the cool Prompt.
Boxer Glue
no tax is worthy,
of anything that’s earthly,
we own dust stirring.
So, take my skin,
Rip my heart,
bloody knuckles,
callous restarts.
Sign it over,
one more Again,
Freedom for all,
but,
all do not pitch in.
Taxed,
by Ax,
that’s straight facts!
Ooh! There’s something really powerful about that first stanza: “we own dust stirring.”
The sound in this poem is fire. It”s like a rap! That’s “straight facts”!
I just want to read these lines over and over again and apply them to so many parts of life: “so, take my skin, / Rip my heart, / bloody knuckles, / callous restarts.”
Thank you for sharing this in this space today. I needed those words!
Boxer,
Half protest, half chant. “no tax is worthy, / of anything that’s earthly” feels almost philosophical, then it snaps into that gritty body-level imagery with “bloody knuckles” and “callous restarts.” The shift into rhyme at the end gives it this punchy, spoken-word charge like you’re saying it out loud, not just writing it.
Sarah
Clayton, that we own dust stirring is such a wonderful line. And the freedom for all, but all do not pitch in says so much.
and still I paid
my taxes being
used to fund an immoral
budget makes me sick
we are not talking
one disagreeable cost
but pervasive hate
we’re stripping money
from children, poor, elderly,
and marginalized
healthcare, elder care,
child care and school systems
list goes on and on
siphoning money
from have nots to have so much
forced to fund vile
eradicating
our country’s social fabric
intentionally
good citizens pay
for corrupt and repugnant
a frustrating trap
——
Mo, thanks for giving me the opportunity to vent, lol
It IS “a frustrating trap,” Maureen! And my state taxes are funding vouchers for private education intended to undermine public education. Ugh.
Maureen, loved this! Inspired and inspirational. Beautiful poem; relatable sentiments.
Maureen – I so appreciate the strength of your voice here, calling out the graft, the horrific reality of what is happening. You are doing far more than mere venting, you are spelling out the rage we are feeling as these monsters rip apart our country. Thank you. Susie
Maureen, I couldn’t agree more, especially the “pervasive hate” and “eradicating/ our country’s social fabric”. I feel ensnared, too! Please, Lord, let us survive this because it’s feeling pretty frightening!
This is the poem that was lurking in my heart. Yes, there are so many reasons why we do not want to give money to this regime while so many are still in need of our help and support….sigh….this is a very sad year for many/most of us/
Ugh. How I related to this! I wanted to pic a verse or two to reinforce how I really relate to it. But I can’t. It’s all deep. Necessary. Not pretty. But still eloquent.
I read your poem and kept thinking, “Oh, this is a great line,” then I’d read the next line and think the same thing over and over again. Sadly, I don’t think I’ve ever agreed so much with the sentiments expressed in a poem.
Maureen,
Love repetition of “care.” It highlights the absence of care in this admin. Love: “siphoning money
from have nots to have so much.”
Thanks, Mo, for hosting.
Love the optimism and reminder of the purpose of taxes in
—————————————————
Death and Taxes
I’m talking with friends
of death and taxes when Dad calls
I know Aunt Mary’s gone
Whoa. So much packed into these three little lines and 17 syllables.
Sharon, what a perfect haiku this was with its twist in the midst!
Beautiful haiku – I like the twist of that unexpected third line. Sorry for your loss.
Thank you, Maureen.
Sharon, this is a great haiku and while I hope it is not true, I suspect it is! I am sorry for your double whammy of taxes and a loved one.. Not fair
Sadly, it is true and from this morning.
What a twist at the end!
Sharon, I’m sorry for your loss. Your haiku is so special.
Thanks, Mo
Sharon, love the title – – it says it all. I’m sorry about your aunt.
Thanks, Kim
Taxes Spent
Little pain and glad
my taxes paid weeks ago.
Money in and out.
Sigh!
Paid the gov all year.
Now they want even more cash.
Time to run away.
How do they spend it?
On more detention prisons
or ritzy ballrooms.
It’s hardly my view
that gets deemed or included.
Rules made on a whim.
Good to vent on this topic. Thanks, Mo.
Rules made on a whim. Yes! I keep saying that what we want doesn’t matter…more now than ever.
You and I were on the same wavelength, Susan – venting about taxes this year. So much truth in:
Susan – So honest and spot on. This resonates. Thank you. Susie
“Rules made on a whim”….Oh yes, Susan. The time spent on denying rights and banning books is exhausting. But as my senator Ernst says, “We’re all going to die!”
Susan, your line, “rules made on a whim” makes me grimace with its accuracy and craziness while your lines about the detention prisons just makes me sad. Lots of profound thoughts here.
Your last stanza is so good, Susan. SO many of us feel unheard. Thank you for venting today!
Susan, yes. That ballroom and a war and all the other things that can help no one. Love the points you raise here today in your poem.
To protect and care
for others and things like roads
takes money; we pay.
~Susan Ahlbrand
14 April 2026
Hi Susan. I like your positive Haiku. I just wrote mine and I vented about the things my taxes pay for and I have no control.
Susan,
Love this simple reminder of our civic duty.
In theory, or at least we used to!
Love your optimism, Susan. Yes, this is very much why we pay taxes. I really like the last line with its clever semicolon linking those two word phrases.
Susan, you are upbeat and positive like I want to be! Tomorrow is a new day!
Protect and care is what it should all be about. Not so sure that’s true anymore.
Susan, your positive take is just what I needed right now. It’s a great reminder when so many of us are unhappy today.
Susan, I love that you remind us of the good things our taxes pay for. The helpful things.
Tax Day is also
the day the Titanic sank:
a coincidence?
________________________________________________
Thank you, Mo, for your haiku and for your prompt today! (And I’m “hop- / ing [your check helps] to save the world” too!) For my offering, yeah, it’s probably just a coincidence.
Whew! Scott there were so many visions going in my head after I read this. I hope it is a coincidence but I saw democracy sinking.
But what a coincidence!
For real? hahaha That really helps me this year.
Scott— Well that’s a tidbit I didn’t know! How fitting. Susie
It is also when Abe Lincoln died.
Scott, no way; they did it! lol
Scott, I do not think this is a coincidence. It’s a day when lots of us do some sinking!
Scott, I think not! I feel the ship sinking!
Wow. Symbolism much? Thanks for sharing this info. I’m going to text my brother, retired IRS agent, and ask what he knows about this.
A snapshot from my living room last night 😂
Teamwork
He files taxes
on his laptop while I spend
our refund on mine!
Rachel, this is light and fun–and relatable. I love that you’ve titled it “teamwork”! Thank you for sharing.
Hahahahahaha! That’s all I’ve got to say. 🙂
LOL Teamwork makes the Dream work! This is great, Rachel!
Rachel,
How fun!
Teamwork makes the dream work, right?
Excellent!
Hahaha – this is teamwork!
Rachel, this is a great poems! I would suggest based on my experience you wait until you are sure before you actually buy anything! My federal bill are up my state return! SIgh
This made me laugh!!!
This made me laugh! I love it!
A partnership made in heaven, Rachel? I love your relatable story.
Rachel, the best ever way to work together – he files, she spends! You have a keeper.
Rachel, so good! Maybe you can write that laptop off as a business expense next year!
I had big plans for my Kansas return but apparently so did the state. They found a debt for me to pay.
State Tax Return
Kansas tax return
You were supposed to save me.
Instead you are gone.
-Carrie Horn
Shoot! “Instead you are gone”—feels so familiar, the way a new expense always sneaks its way in…
That is frustrating. “You were supposed to save me” – I hear such a pleading, sad voice in this line.
This, Carrie, is so true for all of us. I had a return from the state and a bill 10 X more than the state refund from the Feds! How did one know that I might have any money for any amount of time!
I love the shift at the end! Brilliant, Carrie!
Carrie, it’s frustrating that so many people have a similar experience as you did. So many people across the country are hoping for a tax return.
Mo, thank you for your “timely” prompt and wonderful poem. I dutifully dated my digital check for tomorrow, but I really do wonder if there was a way to opt out of taxes if you are not satisfied with the work being done?
It does not make sense.
Those making millions will give
Back a few pennies.
So they can invest,
Buy arches, paint, while others
Buy bombs, pay tariffs,
What if we did not
Pay until Congress does what
It needs to do now?
Ferreri for President! You have my vote. After a lifetime of evaluations each year to determine whether I was being effective, YES to Congress evaluations. LOVE this poem!
“It does not make sense.” – I’m absolutely in agreement with you.
Amen Anita! My family and I just had this conversation. It sure seems fair. Susie
Your poem helped me remember Thoreau.
Anita, I love the idea of refusing to pay until Congress gets its act together and actually does something!
It seems like we have a few budding politicians today. I love your idea. Your first stanza really brought me in quickly.
Haiku are usually season related…I guess this really is a season.
A New Season
Twixt dewy grass blades
Robins invite worms to brunch
Nausea sets in
Mornings come early
Evening sunsets arrive late
Days are extended
A bald eagle calls
Shattering, lifting sea fog
He’d always done this
by Donna JT Smith ©2026
Donna, the darkness and wit of Robins inviting their prey is my favorite line! Thank you for sharing today.
Donna, I love how you structured your stanzas today. There is a deep pain and suffering in your few words. The contrast to nature’s beauty are so clear. Thank you!
Every year I think
Next time I will start sooner
But I can’t seem to
Same, Kate, same.
I know…me neither.
Gentle confessional, honest and universal like the annual return of the same intention, the same hope, the same delay. I love how it just trails off at the end, like the thought itself can’t quite finish what it promised.
Sarah
Kate, I completely feel the same and when I work to get things together in a timely fashion, I still have to wait for some 1099, etc. to show up. Ugh!
Kate, I started early and worked late. It is a process with infinite pitfalls! Plus, why give them money early?
So relatable, Kate. We actually just finished ours about an hour ago.
Hi Mo! Love haiku and hate taxes! Thank you!
Tax Day Haiku
What if teachers got
100% refunds
Because we matter
©Stacey L. Joy, 4/14/26
Preach, Stacey! If only, if only.
Stacey, I’d vote for you in a heartbeat….I love this wondering. Yes, yes – – public service workers should be non-taxed. We already pay in what we sacrifice.
Hi Stacey! Yes, Teacher tax benefit…why do we even have to ask. You matter and if I recall, you are on countdown to retirement, right? Congrats!
Well said Stacey! Just imagine…
Makes sense to me, Stacey!
Aaah, YES!!! I’d give you 150%! Teachers rock! Hugs, Susie
I love that idea! In Missouri we get a measly $250, as if that’s all we spend in our classrooms!
Oh, heck, yes, Stacey! This would really be a wonderful gift. But does our society really care about teachers? (meh)
Stacey, this is a great idea.Have you though about running for office? I’ll help, promise!
Another genius idea today. Thanks, Stacey.
38 trillion
$ is the US debt
This increases by
300,000
$ every 5 seconds
Very worrisome
Anyway, let me
go file my taxes
They’re so important!
**actually, I will probably just file an extension like I always do. I’ve always wondered about the national debt in relation to all of us regular folks and taxes, credit scores, etc. The above info came from this site: https://www.pgpf.org/national-debt-clock/. Not sure of the legitimacy.
Angie, great plan! I love the extension option and wish I’d taken it this year…..I need more time.
“[E]very 5 seconds”?! Worrisome indeed… though there’s so much important to invest in!
Angie, thanks for sharing the hard facts and link! I can hear the sarcasm and completely agree!
Angie, thanks for sharing this information today. Very worrisome indeed! Good luck with your extension.
These numbers are intimidating, Angie! Thank you for bringing up these concerns. I know about the national debt, but also about the ridiculous amounts of money that goes toward the things it should never go.
Mo, thanks for the prompt. My students started end-of-level testing today. It’s not their favorite thing or mine.
Pencils tap like rain,
bright screens flicker, minds drift off—
spring hums by the door.
Ooo testing season 😬 “minds drift off” yup and it’s painful to watch when you have to invigilate. Boo!
Pencils tapping like rain while the real rain falls outside, right?! I love your last line. Good luck getting through the testing 🙏
I love “spring hum[ming] by the door”! ‘Tis the season when we all wish we were outside instead.
Melissa,
A taxing situation for students and teachers. Alas.
You capture so well the lost potential of testing students when they could be writing or outside leaning from and with nature. Big sigh.
Melissa, love this haiku with its shift in the middle; great poem.
Oh!!!! What a great idea! My 11th graders did ACT testing today. Spring is humming! Thank you for sharing this.
Melissa, “pencils tap like rain” is especially beautiful; it turns something ordinary into atmosphere. and then that last line—“spring hums by the door”—feels like the world just outside the room, patiently waiting.
Sarah
Argh! It’s so hard to test when spring hums by the door. Your poem reminds me that I am glad I am retired during testing season. Hang in there!
Mo, thanks so much for this fun prompt today. I loved your rich haiku, the simple imagery suggestive of so much more. Beautiful work!
This morning, my seniors were studying the Grunge Era of the 90s (I teach a class called “Poetry, Music, and Social Change”). We filled in a web of words descriptive of the era, then wrote Golden Shovel poems based on our words. Below is my Shovel and the revised haiku(ish) chain. 🙂
Throwdown
Society, time for your overthrow:
After years in garages – lonely but not alone,
we’ve had it with being labeled toxic
We’re young,
but cut us some slack.
You view our movement with discontent,
see us as sick. And we are sick.
Of your chaos.
Your good genes.
You think you’re the rebels,
but we’re the anarchy cheerleaders,
our moods sepia
but with an edge, a rasp,
our brains on the edge of recession
but at least we see in shades of gray.
Throwdown
Society,
time for overthrow:
Lonely but not alone,
labeled as toxic –
we may be young,
but cut us some slack.
Viewed with discontent.
You see us as sick.
We are – of your chaos.
Your good genes.
You think you’re rebels:
We, Anarchy Cheerleaders,
our moods sepia
with an edge, a rasp,
brains on the edge of recession
but we see in shades of gray.
Both of these are so good and the class sounds amazing! I love the use of “anarchy cheerleaders” and “sepia”.
The Anarchy Cheerleaders were inspired by Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video. 🙂
Wendy,
What a cool class you are teaching, Love it. And this poem, it is really striking; the energy feels like it’s pushing against something larger than itself, and you sustain that tension well across both versions. What I love most is the voice shift: from full declarative protest in the first section to the compressed, almost chant-like fragmentation in the second. It feels like the poem is tightening its fists as it goes.
Sarah
Wendy, this sounds like an amazing class. What an incredible teaching tool you wrote today. I imagine sharing both of your excellent poems would be so inspiring to your students. You’ve inspired me!
Mo, here’s a quickie on a timely topic: Teaching. 🙂
Taxing Times Teaching
Taxing times come all year.
Wondering if I will be doing it right.
Teaching new texts, waiting to hear
The cheer from that student
With the joy of understanding light!
Maybe he’ll turn on today.
Yes, that wondering. And then the joy. That’s teaching!
Anna, loved this take on “taxing,” and I’ll be all of my colleagues could relate to this poem: nice job!
Great take on “taxing.” Teaching sure can be taxing, but those lightbulb moments keep us going.
Anna,
Cheers to those moments of
Anna, it seems we are always hoping for a students to turn on the light of understanding. We must be eternal optimists!
Mo, you are a genius! Thank you for this prompt. I wish our taxes could save the world.
I “heard” my poem early this morning even before I read the prompt in an ad that will be playing thousands times today:
File taxes today
The max refund guaranteed
TurboTax promise
On a more serious note:
Wish it were a pledge
not to feed the war machine
but make lives better
P.S.: It’s all-day-on-campus kind of day, so I’m taking the shortest route this morning
Leilya, Thoreau would cheer you second stanza, and I agree 100%. There was a movement circulating a while ago for us to all hold $100 back from our taxes this year in protest. I wonder how many people will do it.
Yes, Leilya, this!
What a great idea you have today, Leilya! I live not feeding the war machine.
Leilya, I love the TurboTax promise and the shift towards the truth of the matter. Hope you’re having a great campus day and I wish that our taxes did make lives better, too!
Oh, cool…to hear a poem before seeing the words. What a treat! Good ole’ Turbo Tax. I wonder what that co. is worth?
Leilya,
Love the last stanza and feel it’s aspirational.
Thanks for the prompt! Attempted my first sijo.
writing
sitting down to file these words, each line a ledger of what I owe
drafts stack up—taxing thoughts, revisions audit every claim,
but in the margin, some small return arrives I didn’t plan
Melanie, you’ve got a beautifully-crafted sijo. Barb taught us to write it here a few years ago. That final line is a treasure in both meanings–literal and symbolic. I like how you explore writing using the language of tax filing. Masterful!
I like the return.
Melanie, nice sijo! Clever use of words in this poem. 🙂
Ah, I love this! I apprecieated your ideas: filing words, taxing thoughts, revisions audit, and small returns arrive. This was a very creative way to look at taxes.
You hit your first attempt right out of the ballpark, Melanie. So well done.
Thanks, Mo, for a short prompt mid-month, especially about such a dense topic! I always appreciate an opportunity to tackle complex feelings in a brief form.
Upon Learning I’m a Teacher, A Finance Bro at a Bar Attempts to Belittle Me
“My taxes pay your
salary.” “Actually, they
fund a genocide.”
-Jessica
The title of your poem is establishing a clear context. The haiku response is straightforward and fierce. Bravo!
Oof! This was awesome. <3 <3
Perfect.
Fabulous!
Wow, what a punch. The combination of the title and the haiku–wow.
Great conversation and an even better title!
Your haiku is a mic drop!
Jessica,
This is heartbreaking on multiple levels.
Glad you were able to put the finance bro in his place.
Wow. This is amazing.
Jessica- I appreciate your sharp retort to the dope at the bar. Gosh… we are in such a mire of horror. Keep writing! We need your voice out there. Thank you. Susie
A week of worry…
Found documents saved the day!
Taxed mailed last night.
Rita,
So relatable! As the old saying goes “if it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done!”
Rita, phew! I hope you get a good refund.
I understand that kind of worry!
Rita, I know that feeling of worry that hangs in your throat. You did a great job of expressing that emotion in just a few lines.
Rita, I’m smiling so hard at my fellow procrastinators today. Glad it worked out for you!
I can feel the panic in this one, Rita. Glad you were able to find the necessary documents.
Thanks for the prompt- keeping it short writing about taxes!
“Old Lady” that I am
I get back what I paid Uncle Sam
(My state says I still owe)
Diane, I am glad your federal taxes get reimbursed, but why is it always the state that wants more? We usually worry about the state taxes too, and I pay extra from my salary monthly.
I love your rhyme in the first 2 lines. I hope your balance from the two still came back positive 🤞
Do all the old ladies get back what they’ve paid? I sure hope so! I’m due!
Love the ending side note, Diane! Love the opening, too, as this would have been the perfect opening for my own response!
Of course the state comes back at ya! Phew. You deserve whatever comes from Uncle Sam. I hope he is good to you.
Thank you, Mo, for guiding us with your example to draw some hope into our money thinking — save the world, indeed. As always, I post my work here. Today’s offerings (including a line lifted from Mary Oliver) are …
“middle class haiku”
Direct deposit,
autopayment, autosave —
our frenzied stasis
*
Tuition, fees, food,
the whipcrack of the mortgage —
Glad I’m not alone
*
Teenage paper route
and tearing movie tickets —
Young me earned with joy
*
Our expenses rise
to meet our income life long —
resist, breathe, and live
Joel,
Oof — “the whipcrack of the mortgage,” especially paired with the Google image, hit me in the chest. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure! That line is lifted from Mary Oliver’s Black Walnut Tree! : )
Joel, you are a master of haiku vignettes. The final one spoke to me louder, as as it is more relatable.
The whipcrack of mortgage–love that line and feel it. I love all of these. The teenage one made me smile.
Thanks! That line is lifted from Mary Oliver’s Black Walnut Tree! : )
The whipcrack is a fabulous line, Joel. You also jogged a few memories for me with the paper route reference. Well done!
Thanks! I sample from the best — that line’s not mine. That line is lifted from Mary Oliver’s Black Walnut Tree! : )
Joel, I love the addition of the photo and can completely understand the mortgage woes. Loved “resist, breathe, and live”.
What an appropriate prompt, given the day I’ve had here in Jeju. I’m back here for a visit to hang out with friends and sort a few things out, including getting the money out that I left in the bank when I left.
Unexpected Korean Taxes
I’d like to withdraw
my money in my account
Yes, all of it please
Puzzled, she asks me,
Have you done illegal things,
crimes in Korea?
No way! I’d never!
My clean police check proves it
Worry lines set in
I’ll call the police
to check what is happening,
assets are frozen
What could I have done?
I’ve never committed crimes
on purpose, at least
Hanging up the phone,
she says, You owe back taxes
on your old scooter
Whew! No jail for me!
But now tomorrow is gone
while I sort this out
Oh wow, this is such a, ahem, ride. I love how the tension builds all the way to “I’ll call the police” and then turns on something so unexpectedly small. “on your old scooter” made me laugh out loud. That mix of real panic and everyday absurdity feels so true. Sending serenity your way as you work this out.
Sarah
Good luck!
I can feel your stress rising and certainly can relate to the loss of a day. So glad it turned out okay!
It’s always SOMETHING!
I’m always afraid I’ve forgotten to do something, and somewhere in the future it will come back to bite me. It’s never happened…so I guess that’s why I figure the something I’ve forgotten is still out there waiting to trip me up! Lol!
Yikes! I sure hope this gets sorted out soon. Thanks for sharing your worldwide troubles with us today!
Oh, bother. I hope it’s not too high a bill. What a frustration!
Oh no! Back taxes in another language. I hope you get it sorted out!
Love the playful taxonomy. Tax day. So clever, Mo! If only our reinvestments went to making a better world (one can hope, eh?).
It’s All So Taxing
Direct deposit
landed a few weeks ago –
swallowed at the pumps.
American bandstand.
giveth and taketh away.
Federal flip-flop,
I owe the State some…
the Connecticut love song
of forty dollars.
Income is tiring.
Best not to ponder paystubs…
better to take walks.
Recreational
individuality
reactivated
Bryan,
“swallowed at the pumps” is such a sharp, familiar truth, and then “Connecticut love song of forty dollars” made me smile. Clever. I love how you move from frustration to that final turn toward walks, toward self. It is a reclaiming of something real of abundance.
Sarah
You say so much, but your last line resonates, expressing the things stressing about taxes takes from us.
There’s so much going on here, Bryan. Your ending offers excellent advice.
Bryan, “swallowed at the pumps” oh my! What a perfect line. Love your solution for dealing with the agony!
Bryan, “Federal flip-flop” it is. Also agree that it’s better take walks.
Sabbtiment Haynaku
Salary
cut to
a quarter sustains
carrying what remains
we choose
Us
Note: At my university, a sabbatical means full salary for half a year or half salary for a full year. To travel with me, Dan chose to retire early, before his pension began. It’s a risk, yes, but also a gift—one made possible by a system that, in some places, still believes in rest, study, and renewal. If you’re in education, it’s worth looking into; some schools offer versions of this, too.
Sarah, you took that better choice “Us”… and you planned not to stay still but to truly re-new in a generative experience. So happy for you and for Dan.
Your dice roll paid off – – and who even knows the true value. One of the last things my father said to me was, “Be careful of stress. It’s a killer.” You two may be the beneficiaries of miracles untold even as you realize that less is so much more. It really is. I’m so glad you took the time and paused…..and I’m sure will carry these new discoveries forward.
So wonderful you could make this choice. I also had great options for “professional growth” that was broad in interpretation. Just had to give a presentation afterwards.
Sarah,
Love this so much. The word play of the title. The symmetry of the new-to-me form that I’m eager to play with. Best of all the wisdom and joy of
The line breaks give me a sense of exuberance.
What a lovely way to commemorate your year of exploration. I love the idea of carrying what remains.
Sarah, your final stanza shows what truly matters and I’m sure this sabbatical has been incredibly worthwhile and healing at the same time.
Thanks, Barb. I hope it doesn’t turn out to have been a bandaid, but that’s another poem.
Those who read/follow/learning alongside you see the gift that it was. Truly inspirational. One lifetime. Too many possibilities. Never enough time to simply live. You modeled how it is done.
Tax the rich. No. Don’t.
Instead we will tax the poor
blame them for all bad
So true. The last line punctuates your feelings so well.
Luke,
I love the staccato turn of “No. Don’t” and the alliteration of “blame them for all bad.” Thanks for sharing. Here’s to hoping for change!
That is the sad, awful truth of the whole ding dang thing.
They fight to the death
socialism, free market
in my mind and bank
Yes, your last line says it all – “in my mind and bank”. What a battle – and who will win?
Yes, Luke, they do. It’s all about power. Great way to put this thought in a haiku!
Thanks for the prompt ~ be back later to read and respond….
Paying Taxes
Always did my part,
Feed the hungry, clothe the poor,
help the immigrant,
fund the libraries,
meals on wheels and medicaid.
But now, but now, but
now my hands are stained
paying taxes seems a crime
to crush the needy,
and reward the arrogant.
Ann, the repetition of “but now” speaks volumes. And the allusion to stained hands- chef’s kiss.
Wow Ann, you read my mind. I love your last 4 lines. No, I love all of it together really. So so good.
I like how you broke the form for the ending. What a punch!
Ann,
Your poem carries a heaviness, the turn at “But now, but now, but” just drops me into that shift. And “now my hands are stained”… that’s such a painful, honest way to name it. I can feel the care underneath it all, which makes the disillusionment land even harder.
Sarah
How well you captured our current situation. That last line speaks truth to power.
Ann — I’ve had these feelings as well. I never minded paying taxes…it was always part of making the community, well, more communal. “But now”… it is, indeed, a “stain” as we see far too much heading into pockets of the greedy and power thirsty… “arrogant” is exactly the word. Any nickel that goes to the ICE thugs that have been here in MN is a blood nickel… and now a war declared by a lunatic…pumping Billions BBBillions so that “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” (he will never be able to walk back my memory of those ugly words) I so appreciate your poem. Thank you. Susie
Ann–that last line. And “But now, but now, but now….”
Ann, your poem today speaks directly to my heart. Why are we trying to crush the neediest? Why are we allowing these greedy bastards to get away with this b.s.? Yes, let’s fund libraries and not spend valuable time trying to deny rights and ban books! That’s the living nightmare in my state.
Meals on wheels is a new shining star in my world. I cannot sing them enough praises for how they are helping my parents to sustain themselves…More of this. Less Gold ballrooms.
This is fantastic . . . you acknowledge all the good taxes are used for but wisely shift to show how things are NOW.
Verselove Day 14: Taxing Matters—Haiku
Army veteran.
My knees, shoulders, and back say,
We already gave enough.
April 14, 2026
Tracei Willis
Wow, Tracey. This one hits hard. I’d have to say I agree with you. Thank you!
Tracei,
That first line holds so much weight on its own, and then “We already gave enough” just lands—quiet, firm, undeniable. The body speaking its truth. It’s simple, but it carries a lifetime of service that didn’t and doesn’t end, and the body reminds you.
Sarah
Thank you for serving.
So powerful, Tracei. I love the use of personification…it makes your feelings visceral!
Tracei — Truth. Your service was far more that the days you served…they are the lifetime of repair that is too often required thereafter… a daily tax. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Susie
Wonderful ~ your pointed arrow hits the mark. Thank you!
[Hey, Mo, just the prompt I needed this morning! Gracias!]
TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION
Taxed in MN and MO,
double states of woe for war,
ask me what I think.
Unauthorized war,
declared as holy crusade,
ask me what I think.
Billions to pockets,
while kids skip another meal,
ask me what I think.
by Susie Morice © April 14, 2026
[Note: I moved and, of course, paid taxes in both Minnesota and Missouri. Uffdah! And even thinking about where my taxes went… well…]
I hear you, Susie. These are tough times. Side note- did you happen to notice the sweatshirt I have on in my picture? It was a gift from my niece who lives in Lee’s Summit.
Dang, Mo, I missed that sweatshirt! Look at that! Ha, a backwards MO is spot on and too true! Yeah, my niece lived in KC and I drove through Lee’s Summit all the time. I love how we all are closer together than we might have thought. Susie
Susie,
First, I so appreciate learning through poetry and the way these poems gather experiences around themes of life, of existence. Your move is just one of those life shifts from the fence/neighbor poem to the taxes (and the way your art work and music is informed by place, too).
I love how this poem builds a reflection of place(s) with each stanza widening the lens from the personal (“Taxed in MN and MO”) to the global (“Unauthorized war”) to a moral reckoning (“kids skip another meal”). And that refrain “ask me what I think” keeps sharpening, turning from invitation to indictment. It’s rhythmic, pointed, and unapologetically clear. Whew. Did I say whew!
Sarah
So much of this hit hard. Double taxes, the repetition of ask me what I think, while kids skip another meal…my heart feels this.
Susie, I never thought about having to pay into two states with a move! Your repetition of “ask me what I think” adds to the weight of this burden. Perfect title to sum up that refrain.
Susie, wow! You packed a punch – – your words are ringing in my ears, your verse I shall carry in my heart. Our priorities are so out of order that I shake my head and wonder…..is this really us? Don’t we know better?? You really called the shot today.
Susie, yes, it is frustrating. The question about where our taxes go often stay unanswered or answered vaguely.
I love your refrain, Susie. “Unauthorized war/declared as holy crusade” infuriates me! Too many hungry kids and the medical costs are out of sight! You nailed it here! Love the title, too!
It was JUST the prompt for this morning. Well said…I bet I know what you think!
Susie,
Bringing the truth! “woe for war,” and “Billions to pockets,
while kids skip another meal”
I always want to know what you think. I’m channeling these thoughts.
Mo, I have to admit that this is not my favorite topic. I’ve been struggling with my mother-in-law’s anger over her tax payment. She is ready to chew out the CPA who is just doing his job. I’m attempting to express it in a haiku.
Aging mind anger
+ an innocent CPA
= curmudgeon grandma
I know you know how difficult it can be dealing with aged loved ones. I also know you do it so gracefully. I hope it works out!
Margaret — You’re a saint! Doing one’s OWN taxes is nuts enough, but tending to your M-i-L’s taxes… uffdah! (as they say here in ‘Sota.). :-). Susie
Margaret,
This equation is perfect—so sharp and funny and self-aware and “innocent CPA” made me laugh, and then “curmudgeon grandma” just seals it. Whew. You turn frustration into something playful and totally human.
Sarah
Wow! So clever. I love this equation.
Margaret, this doesn’t sound easy. Sorry! Like an equation haiku form.
ooof. What a math problem. Sorry to see you have to navigate anger. It’s no joke!
Margaret, I seem to remember a great time in Mississippi once got rained upon by a curmudgeon whose taxes weren’t finished and I had to leave the party. In the middle of a cup of hot tea and a Sound of Music record. Oh, the aging!!
I love that you expresses this as an equation. And yes, same for me!
Thank you for hosting, Mo. I appreciate the short form today.
It’s a taxing world
paying more and getting less
unless you are rich
Truth!
¡Verdad, mi amiga! Sure could use a cool million … just to buy eggs. Susie
Amen to this, Rita!
Rita,
That last line lands like a quiet mic drop—so simple, so sharp. I love how you set it up with that familiar frustration and then just say it. It’s understated and carries a punch.
Sarah
Love the use of “taxing” as an adjective. Sad truth!
Rita, I couldn’t agree more with your poem! Your last line hits a chord!
Rita, truth!!!
Facts!
Rita,
Just the facts for sure!
Tax Day
The fifteenth, a day like
any other. Because we have
done nothing. Again.
Extension form, I
love you. You give procras-
tinators more time
for procrastination.
GJSands
4-14-26
Mo— thanks for the reminder. Now if my husband will just gather up his receipts…🤦🏻♀️
So we aren’t the last ones! Your poem makes me feel better about procrastinating. Today’s the day! I love your opening stanza, Gayle.
Gayle, We do the same thing! I love the way you added “procrastinators more time for procrastination.”
Gayle,
This made me laugh—“Extension form, I love you” is too real. That playful honesty about procrastination hits. feels like a whole day captured in a wink. I’ve been there, completely.
Sarah
You add a light touch to such a stressful situation. Been there, done that!
Gayle, this is a great idea – I should have done a procrastination extension this year!!
Mo, thank you for hosting today and inviting us to focus on this yearly chore in short form.
tax vile, baseless words
of a wannabe royal
narcissist t.a.c.o.
Seems like everyone is feeling a certain way these days. I’m so glad we have this platform to express ourselves. Wannabe royal is a great description.
Stefani — Bingo! My sentiments precisely. Thank you. Susie
Oh my gosh, Stefani. There’s such bite in the way you compress anger into something sharp and controlled: “baseless words” and that last line stings with intention. It feels like calling something out without overexplaining it as only a poet can do!
Sarah
LOL….love your last line!
Thanks, Mo! This was fun. We switched tax prep services last year, deciding to use a local CPA who has his own small office. We were so pleased with his work and advice that we had cookies delivered to the office.
Making Tax Prep Sweeter
The best tax guy, Frank.
Retiree taxes. tricky.
Cookies for Frank. Thanks!
I need a Frank in my life! We still do our own, which I’m sure we shouldn’t. I’m sure he lived the cookies!
We have Sam. I should send him cookies!
Lori,
This is so charming: “Cookies for Frank” just makes the whole thing glow. I love how you turn something stressful into gratitude and care. A small, sweet ritual that makes the whole process better. I so appreciate experts and people who can do the work with numbers that I can’t.
Peace,
Sarah
Oh, I wish I felt like giving cookies to my CPA. That would be a great feeling!! I know that with the hours of a CPA in the springtime, those cookies probably meant dinner on a long day.
Haha!! Lori, I’m glad my tax guy is retired too because he will know exactly what I need to do next year.
Your title is perfect. Hopefully you got a refund as sweet as the cookies.
Story Problems
If citizens pay
into a government now
filled with corruption
at what time will we
meet at the Boston Harbor
to dump tea?
Mo, haiku always seems like a simple process (so small!) until you start wresting with it (much like taxes!). Such a clever prompt today. We were old-schooling paper forms for tuition paid until we reached line 19 of form 8863 which took us to another form on adopted children (what?). It reminded me of when my dad would try to help me with math in 5th grade, and I’d always end up crying.
I love where you have taken this poem, Jennifer. You raise just the right question.
Fantastic poem, Jennifer! I’m heading to the harbor…I’ll see ya there in a few! Love, Susie
Jennifer,
Oh, that memory you shared in the note about “always ended up crying.” I know this feeling too well. And your poem: This really leans into that historical echo—the pull of protest, of drawing a line. I feel the urgency in your question, how it reaches back to imagine what resistance looks like now. It’s thoughtful, charged, and invites us into the tension. I feel like I am gradually opting out of systems while also depending on them paradoxically of late.
Sarah
I read this before I set out for the day and all I want to say is that I’ll meet you at the harbor, This is really great, Jennifer,
Jennifer,
I love that you kept it going because I needed that final line!! 👏👏👏👏
I’m ready for it, Jennifer! I feel a civil war on the horizon!
Tomorrow! I say we meet tomorrow to dump the tea. I like your take on taxes.
Amen! I’ll meet you there…in the mean time, find me at a NK rally.
Jennifer, you toast a very valid scenario. Nothing surprises me anymore! Tea in the Habbah wouldn’t either.
Jennifer,
I love Boston. Let’s go!
Thank you for hosting us today, Mo! I love this topic for poetry – it helps ease the pain.
The Tax Man Cometh
Caesar’s rendering
my travel fund cindering
all fun hindering
Ha! Clever and fun, especially those verbals.
Okay, a rhyming haiku so early in the morning? Virtual snaps, especially for including Caesar.
I love how you used a clever rhyme scheme. I hope we don’t have to sacrifice our travel fund that my mother left us. We’ve already had to pay my parents’ back taxes and penalties out of it because they did not pay them. Definitely “fun hindering.”
Kim — Yes…Caesar has screwed the plan, dashed the “fun” all to smithereens. I love the title… and sure do feel that “hindering.” Hugs, Susie
Kim,
“my travel fund cindering”—ouch, that line hits. I love how you carry that playful rhyme all the way through while still capturing the real sting. It’s clever and a little painful in the best way that a poem carries such commentary and that only a poet, my friend Kim, can capture.
Sarah
Love the rhyme in this haiku!
Fun rhyming. And true. Render to Caesar.
You made it fun, regardless!! Sorry about the cindering of the travel fund.
Kim, sorry for cindering and hindering. You made it a fun one ))
Kim, I love the title and your use of sound in this one. Travel funds are like a lifeline for one’s mental health!
oooof. That hurts. I do love “cindering.”
yep! Love the rhyming haiku–cindering!
Kim,
Love the rhyme. Feeling the pain in every beat of each syllable. The progressive verb forms give an ongoing sensibility to the poem.
We owed this year so we did not do the electronic payment but waited until the last moment to mail in a check.
Kevin
The envelope, sealed,
sits waiting on the counter,
until the last day
Kevin, the perfect passive resistance!
I hate to be a one-upper Kevin, but we haven’t even done ours yet for the exact same reason. Love it!
Stick it to the man!
Kevin, that’s right–they can wait.
I felt this in my soul.
Yes! I enjoyed this, Kevin!
will it be enough
to end the war? bring some peace?
counting beans again
Linda, I’ve asked the same! Makes me wonder why we are counting beans at all.
Counting beans, indeed. I just love how much can be said in such a short poem.
I know in my mind that taxes are for the good of our country, but in my heart it’s another feeling altogether. Peace is my prayer.
Linda — Perfect questions. It burns my shorts to think this war mongering is going unchecked. I feel your sentiments. Susie
Linda,
I was also pondering the word “enough” today: “will it be enough” carries so much doubt and hope at once. And then “counting beans again”… that quiet return to reality, it really lingers.
I am loving how the haiku offers such commentary without overexplaining.
Sarah
We need peace! No more war!!
Linda,
I agree!!!
Linda, I think we are all in agreement here: why do we have to count beans? Well posed questions in your haiku. Thank you.
Linda, your poem reminds me of The Bean Eaters, and what a great question to ask about the difference.