Competition Haiku

Warning: This post (three haiku about competition) is humor-free:

The need to be first—
Exciting, addictive,
But doomed to disappoint.

Competing oboists
Break reeds and steal music—
Angling for an edge.

Orchestra try-outs
Held behind screens to halt bias—
Betrayed by heels.

(For the lighter side of music, click here.)

Tags: , , , , , , ,

25 Responses to “Competition Haiku”

  1. paisley says:

    so wear flats!!! excellent as always!!!!

  2. madkane says:

    Thanks, paisley. That’s exactly what women ended up doing. :)

  3. madkane says:

    Thanks Forgetfulone!

  4. Rob Kistner says:

    Interesting… and perhaps partially biographical?

  5. madkane says:

    Thanks, Rob. Yes, I started out as a symphony orchestra oboist and did draw from personal experience in writing these. It’s a pretty cutthroat profession.

  6. Tumblewords says:

    Even when you write humor-free – your work is memorable and not so short of strange humor! Or maybe it’s just me. Hmm.

  7. Herb says:

    Great story told in haiku. Very nicely done.

  8. madkane says:

    Thanks, Tumblewords. I guess it must be that warped mind of mine. :)

  9. madkane says:

    Thanks very much, Herb!

  10. UL says:

    Loved the last three lines of each haiku, ‘disappointment, edge and heels’ caught me…very nicely done. Thank you.

  11. madkane says:

    Thanks so much UL!

  12. Lori V. says:

    I always wished I had the gift of poetry like this. It’s great.

  13. madkane says:

    Thanks so much, Lori. I’ll stop by.

  14. gautami says:

    I like the way you can do it! saying so much in so few.

  15. Oh yes, I can see the highly competitive music field in your haikus. Great job.

  16. madkane says:

    Thanks Cynthia. Yeah, classical music is a killer profession. I went to law school after working as a symphony oboist and used to annoy my fellow students by tell them how much hard music was than law. :)

  17. patois says:

    I did have to smile at the last line of the last ku, though. You must be a hell of an oboist.

  18. madkane says:

    Thanks, Gautami and Patois.

    And yes, Patois, I was. Unfortunately, I had to walk away from the profession because of two injuries.

  19. Linda Jacobs says:

    I love multi-stanza haiku. They are tight and precise as yours is here! well-crafted!

  20. madkane says:

    Thanks, Linda. The funny thing is I wrote them to be separate, but the ended up working as a whole as well.

  21. sister AE says:

    ouch! and it takes so long to get the reeds just right…

  22. madkane says:

    Sister AE, you clearly are familiar with the oboe player’s plight. :)

  23. LittleWing says:

    had no idea….playing an instrument should be so simple!…loved the heels!

  24. madkane says:

    Thanks LittleWing!