Here's a lovely collection of haikus by Tanja Cilia. She's a newspaper columnist and feature writer who writes poetry to help her relax.
Tanja lives in the beautiful Island Republic of Malta, Europe, with her husband and three children.
I'm happy to showcase these haikus by Tanja Cilia. Please take a look at her poetry and some of these are inspirational in nature.
Haikus by Tanja Cilia
A baby’s laughter
Like the peal of angel bells
Strengthens the spirit.
A blaze of colour...
Weeds along the wayside grow –
Lowly, lovely, gems.
A bolt from the blue;
A hailstorm in the desert
The day I met you
A box of crayons
Colours painting emotions;
Kaleidoscopic!
A bridge to nowhere;
A long and serpentine path;
I'd rather stay here.
A burdened donkey;
An ant carrying its load...
Does either ask “Why?”?
A farmer plants crops
Hoping for a blessed yield
Floods and drought destroy.
A fly’s a nuisance
A frog could be Prince Charming –
Foxes are so sly!
A fountain of peace
A source of inspiration;
When babies chuckle.
A fresh breeze blowing
Kites pulling against their strings -
Freedom would doom them...
A glacier’s thawing,
A pond freezing into ice
Balance of nature.
A glass that’s half full
Carries much more promise than
One that’s half empty.
A glimmer of hope,
A lifeline to sanity –
Smiles and hugs from friends
A heart that's broken
May not want to be chosen
To love someone new
A horse pulls at his reins;
Child rebels because of rules –
Both have to obey.
A journey through life
Has false starts and many stops
Along the way.
A knock at the door
Ends all the expectation –
Will it be bad news?
A lightening bolt flash
A glimpse of the horizon
A moment in time.
A lonely whelk cries
At the bottom of the sea
No one sees – or cares.
A picture of peace
Arms folded and eyes shut tight
Yet my mind’s frantic.
A shaft of sunlight
Peeking through the closed shutters -
To prove hope exists.
A string of diamonds...
Dewdrops on the spiders’ webs...
Equally precious.
A toddler’s giggle;
An echo of a blessing,
A picture of hope.
A veil of silence
Covers me like a shroud
I feel so lonely.
A warm hug is salve
When nothing else will suffice
To heal the heart's wound
A withered leaf falls
And is borne by the current
To the Great Unknown
After the rainstorm,
I cut a slice of rainbow...
To give it to you.
Alone with my thoughts
Clouds threaten to engulf me
My sun is no more
An army of ants
Acts in perfect unison –
Wills and souls stifled.
Anchovies, salt cod;
Breaded plaice and fish fingers –
Do you call these fish?
Ancient memories
Scented petals of a rose -
Decayed and mouldy.
Angels chant off-key,
Plucking harps way out of tune –
Un-heavenly choir!
Angels without wings
Exist – if you care to look
Closely at people.
Another Missed Call;
Strands of doubt entwine my soul;
Is this a signal?
Ant struggles uphill
Lugging a load so heavy;
For the common good.
Appearances lie;
Rivers flowing down mountains
Roll over debris.
Apple pies baking...
Myriad smells of a household...
Dog needs to be washed.
Apples and cherries
Can taste sharp although they're sweet
The nuances of my life.
Are still waters deep?
Is philosophy shallow?
Who cares, anyway?
Arrow speeds so true
Wounded deer lies down to die
What price venison?
Artificial smiles
False bonhomie and handshakes
Harbour hidden hate.
As I turn the page
The Book of Life reveals more
Than I want to know!
As if in a dream,
A scent brings memories back;
Pain and tears return.
As plain as the day,
When the saucers match the plates,
Chipped mugs are thrown out.
As time trickles by,
I count the days, the hours
Till we meet again.
August harvest moon
Illuminates my future;
Decisions to make.
Autumn is my life.
Not quite spring, not quite summer.
But never winter.
Autumn leaves wafting
Without a care in the world
Making golden rain
Autumn’s bare branches
Will be green again come spring –
If spared by winter.
Avalanche of fear;
Tonnes of snow choke all my plans –
Cold freezes my dreams.
Badger in her sett
Counts her children one by one;
Hunters on the prowl.
Balloon drifting away
Clouds dancing in the starlight
Leaves falling like tears
Bare branches on trees
Mountains made of barren rocks
Arrid desert tempts
Bare rocks, gnarled tree trunks
Arid landscape of my heart
Longing for the rain
Bare trees stand proudly
Knowing that spring will return
To clothe them in green
Bare trunks stand up straight
Giggling when tickled by ants
How I envy them!
Barely touch my hair
Grazing my cheek with your kiss –
Platonic friendship.
Be true to yourself
And the rest falls into place
With a simple click.
Beauty and tigers
Are both transient yet remain
Deep within my heart.
Beauty cast in stone
Coral on the ocean floor;
Like frozen flowers.
Beauty escapes me
Sorrow and pain are here to stay
The windmill grinds slow
Beauty is a trap
With jaws open to fool us
Through its devious smile.
Beauty in the night
Moonlight on the garden path
Ethereal Sea
Beavers build their dams
Changing the course of rivers –
And of history, too!
Because of the sun
Rainbows colour waterfalls
Beautiful nature
Becoming devious –
Seeking to outwit his wiles...
Ending up a liar.
Begin at the end
dusk is but a dawn rewound
live your life anew
Beginning, again.
My ship sails into the night...
It will not return
Behind horizons
Glorious and brilliant suns hide
Withholding their light
Being lied to hurts;
Mendacity kills your dreams...
And that’s the whole truth!
Believe in yourself;
Life is full of temptations...
Swim against the tide.
Better half a loaf
Than a whole one where there's strife:
I want harmony.
Bird pecks at the soil;
Spiders weave intricate webs.
Both seek sustenance.
Birds on a wire
Like notes on a music score...
Both sing a love-song.
Birds on the wire
Resting in between journeys
Real flights of fancy
Bitter is the taste
Of revenge, said to be sweet;
It poisons the blood.
Black and white make grey
But the problem with this is –
People just don't care!
Black and white penguins
Waiting in the queue to dive –
Uniformity!
Black blotch in my heart,
Smudged mascara down my cheeks;
Rivulets of grief.
Black clothes: funeral...
Growing up in a hurry,
Remembering dad.
Black, inscribed on white
Pretending to be the truth...
A tissue of lies.
Black velvet night-time
Embroidered with brilliant stars
Hope in the stillness
Blackberry parfait
So luscious and so tempting;
Antidote to stress!
Blackbird seeking food,
Starkly contrasting with snow...
Slink and hide, earthworm!
Blackness and bleakness;
I curl up into a ball
And try to forget.
Blank cinema screen
Nothing worthwhile showing now;
All hope has vanished.
Blanket of distrust
See my eyes and hear my soul
Would I ever lie?
Blend fire and ice;
Collect the hot tears that fall...
Vignette of my life.
Blind justice, blind faith –
Which one takes the upper hand
When you’ve been betrayed?
Blooms for a new birth
Flowers for a funeral;
Bouquets of clichés.
Blowing hot or cold
The wind decides what to do;
No cherries, just pits!
Books full of knowledge
Gathering dust on the shelves –
Defunct paper trail?
Both rain and sunshine
When forecast for tomorrow
Are yesterday’s news
Bouquet of flowers
Each one with its own meaning
Volumes in petals
Bread, the staff of life –
Buttered, battered, or deep-fried;
Oozing calories.
Bread's the staff of life;
We pray to get it daily -
Slathered in butter!
Bric-a-brac on shelves
Photos on the mantelpiece;
Inanimate life.
Bridges built or burned
Upon whim, not proven fact,
Unite or destroy.
Bridges of my dreams –
The other side lost in mist
Perilous journeys.
Broken threads of thought
Flash storms that wreak great havoc -
But life continues.
Brother Sun shines bright,
Melting shadows of the night...
And making me sweat!
Building stands forlorn
A house once full of laughter;
Dilapidated.
Bungalows stand low.
Skyscrapers scratch the skyline.
Are apartments flats?
Bushy-tailed, bright-eyed...
An inquisitive squirrel
Gnaws at a pine-cone.
Busy bumblebee
Bouncing boldly through bright bulbs
Black and gold beacon!
Busy buzzing bees
No-nonsense, honey dancers
Syrupy sweetness.
Butterflies fly south
Hoping for a warmer clime;
Nets primed to trap them.
Butterfly has gone
His soul melded into clouds
I yearn for him still
Butterfly kisses
Barely touching my warm skin:
So enjoyable.
Butterfly so fine
Looks at his cocoon and says...
Home, Sweet Home, no more.
By the water’s edge
Children splash one another
Theirs is tomorrow.
Cabbage butterfly,
Why do you smell the roses...
Are you not content?
Cactus in desert
Standing tall but feeling small
Spines hide tender heart
Calm before a storm
Signals trouble right ahead
Worry and heartbreak
Calm before the storm
Then the waves begin to swell
And lightening bolts flash.
Camel ruminates
Undulating dunes of sand...
Will he get past them?
Can you hear my tears?
Can you feel my broken heart?
Or taste my sorrow?
Candied cherries and
Sultanas, Currants, Raisins,
Sweeten life’s cake!
Captive chimp recalls
Its jungle days of freedom
And, overwhelmed, cries.
Capture each moment
In your memory’s album –
It will not come back.
Cabaret Dancer
Feathers, faux fur and spangles...
Substitutes for love?
Cast pearls before swine;
Fill old wineskins with new wine...
Waste time and money.
Castles in the air,
Hopes of a brighter future...
Crumbled, like my dreams.
Cats have cattitude;
Dogged determination
Is the way of dogs.
Caught in the torchlight,
A mouse mesmerised with dread,
Fears its own shadow.
Cerulean skies
Dotted with white cotton-wool –
A Maltese springtime.
Champagne and liqueurs
Do not even whet my want –
I’ll have coffee, please!
Chasing the last train;
Legs so fast they are a blur...
Catching my rainbow.
Cherish what you have;
Heaven's an arm's reach away...
And yet it can wait.
Cherish your friendships
Treasure those who are sincere;
Weigh their worth in gold.
Cherry on the cake;
A layer of pink icing...
Trompe-l’oeil fridge magnet!
Cherry on the cake
When you think you have it all –
Is being cherished.
Cherry tomatoes;
Tiny orbs of perfection,
So red and luscious.
Chickens in the yard,
Cows grazing in the meadow;
Poor jay in a cage!
Child, why do you cry?
Tomorrow is not here yet,
And yesterday’s gone.
Child, why hide your tears?
Mother’s instinct can’t be fooled;
I feel your sadness.
Children touched by love,
Will pass it on to others.
What a lovely thought!
Chop, change, and alter,
Will you please make up your mind…
Tea, coffee, or milk?
Circle of life is
Water morphing into clouds
Palpably congealed
Cirro-cumulus
Aurora borealis
My head in the clouds!
Climb the mountain path;
Stand on tiptoe, touch the sky...
Reality check?
Climb to the summit
Take pleasure in the wide view
But do not look down
Climbing down the hill
One forgets what it was like
To reach the summit.
Climbing the stairway
Towards the Seventh Heaven
Has left me breathless.
Closer to the brink
My horizon's within reach
I'm living on edge
Clouds cover the sun
Rain and tears run down my face
Because I miss you
Clouds like candy floss
Forming pictures in my mind
Ephemeral dreams
Clouds like candyfloss;
Shapes of faces, beasts and maps...
A flight of fancy.
Clouds obscure the sun
Smoke pollutes the atmosphere
Sadness dims my heart.
Clouds scud in the blue
Painting pictures in the sky;
Raindrops… or tears?
Coffee-éclair cake
Chocolate kisses round the edge
Calories galore!
Colours fade to grey
Butterflies and flowers pall...
Because I miss you.
Colours of friendship
Gorgeous rainbows span my life
It’s good to be loved.
Colours of our love
Ultra-violet-infra-red
And all else between
Computer screen blinks
Can’t believe what it has seen –
Dead screen-saver fish!
Concentric circles
Pebbles lobbed into the sea
Unity of souls
Concrete, stones and bricks
It's just a jungle out there
Not fit for humans!
Contrasting lifestyles
Goats grazing on the hillside –
Wolves bay at the moon.
Conversation palls
You look at me with closed eyes
Am I boring you?
Corner of the street
Love that ought not to exist;
Clandestine meetings.
Cough sneeze and snuffle
Warm lemon-carob julep
Lozenges and mints
Cowards always say
Fortune will favour the brave -
Then they lock their doors.
Cowboy and old horse
Trudging along the prairie
Friends for a lifetime.
Crash! Bang! Wallop!
Cartoons present a picture...
That could well be true.
Crisp, cool, autumn day
I can smell rain in the air
Time to brew coffee!
Crisp, cool, sharp, clear air
Invigorating and clean;
Blow cobwebs away!
Crisp ten-Euro note
For running someone’s errands –
That’s love and money!
Crying for the Moon,
Wishing upon Falling Stars;
Both are so futile
Crying in the night
Will not set you up for morning;
You still have to live.
Curtain of water
River ending at cliff edge;
Cascading fiercely.
Dainty little feet
Tip-toeing up, life’s staircase...
New, pink, ballet pumps.
Dancing in the rain;
Waiting for the tears to stop;
Which one shall I choose?
Dandelion bloom;
Why do they call you the weed,
My miniature sun?
Dark skies are lit up
With lightening's vivid blazes
Shattering blackness
Darkness lulls my mind
The forest holds salvation
Black shadows protect
Dawns swathed in haze
Misty mornings of my mind
Memories Linger
Days fade into nights
And these wait for mornings new
Over and over.
Deadlines and word counts
Clichés and hackneyed phrases –
That’s journalism.
Death does not scare me –
Just another phase of life
To be encountered.
Deep in the forest
The tree that falls knows too well
It does make a noise.
Deep within the soil
In search of life’s rich moisture
Roots creep and grapple.
Deflecting the sun
Lace curtains cast a shadow
That seems embroidered.
Despite the time lapse
Scenes replaying in my mind
Make it seem like now.
Dewdrops on flowers
Turning my world upside down,
In minute detail.
Dew-drops on the leaves –
Topsy-turvy reflections
Of upside-down worlds.
Diamonds in the sky
Reflected in the twinkles
Of your eyes and smile.
Diamond-studded sea;
Sapphire clouds in topaz sky -
Priceless emotions.
Diamond-studded sea;
Sapphire stars in velvet sky...
Priceless nature's gems.
Diet decisions;
Moment of selection comes...
Rye bread or ice-cream?
Do not lock me out
I have given you my soul
Please take care of it
Do not mourn the past;
What is over has now gone
Prepare for what comes.
Do not waste your time
In pursuit of happiness;
Take life as it comes.
Do you speak the truth?
Your body language says you lie;
You have touched your nose!
Do you thirst for peace?
Do you hunger for justice?
Sow – and you shall reap.
Dolphin grins and laughs
Puma paces to and fro
Electric eels, shock!
Don’t forget to smile;
Leave enough room for gladness –
Spend all your kisses.
Don't let the sun set
Before you have told someone
I love and need you
Dormant volcano
A picture of perfect peace;
Until it erupts!
Down in the forest
A lonely bird seeks his mate
But meets an arrow.
Dragged by tides to shore
Seashells cry to be thrown back
So they will survive.
Dreams of times gone by
memories spun in silver thread
Never forgotten
Dreams that appear real –
Realities that seem false...
Which of them is true?
Driven up the wall -
Am I coming or going?
Who, on earth, can tell?
Ducks quack and waddle
Having fun but not caring
They’re undignified!
During nighttimes’ flights
The bats’ radar keeps them safe,
From things that go bump!
Dusk is approaching
Autumn leaves frame my mem'ries
Photographs of love
Dwelling in the past
Won't alter or retrieve it;
You can't turn clocks back.
Early in the day
Before the sun starts shining
The dew is my tears
Earthquake moves my soul
colours flow inside my mind
torrents flow uphill
Eclipse of the heart
No yesterday or today -
Only tomorrow
Eels swim so sleekly
Elephants never forget
Elks are majestic.
Elinor has sense;
Marianne is sensible;
Both, in time, find love.
Empty days and nights
Twilight, dawn, dusk and daybreak...
Fade into never.
Empty tomorrows
Yesterdays that left no trace…
And bleak, stark, todays.
End of term concert;
Drama Queen throws a wobbly –
She wants the limelight.
Enough hope to try
Enough courage not to yield;
That is all I want.
Envelopes of gold
Containing invitations…
That must be paid for!
Ephemeral arc;
Inaccessible rainbow;
Transient peace icon.
Euros and greenbacks
To burn on Mammon’s altar –
A penny for your thoughts!
Even in ghost towns
Weeds grow in the pavement cracks
Life does not give up.
Every day I laugh;
Life’s a tragic-comedy...
Every day I cry.
Everywhere I go
The touch of your fingertips
Trickling down my spine
Eyes brimming with tears;
Mouth turned down at the corners...
Utterly spoiled brats!
Faith is born of trust;
Serenity begets love;
Patience brings true peace.
False smiles, cheap laughter...
Life and soul of the party...
Going home dead drunk.
Farmer tills his fields
Oxen pulling at the plough
Immemorial team.
Fascinating words –
A mere chain of syllables;
A million meanings.
Faith can move mountains
Hope will hew a tunnel through -
Charity climbs them!
Fear comes in the night
Turning dreams into nightmares –
Monsters do exist!
Feathers of a bird
Plover, penguin, parakeet,
Each one is unique.
Feel the emotion;
Love is high and broad and deep -
Three-dimensional.
Feeling so helpless
A thousand fragments tease –
Jigsaw puzzle life!
Feeling so wretched -
Will no one come to my aid?
The car won’t start!
Fine, free, pinnate ferns
Flowing and flowerless fronds.
Willowy feathers.
Fire dries up water;
Water wants to douse the fire;
They won’t co-exist.
First laughter, then tears;
Stepping stones towards heaven...
Or, perhaps, despair?
Fish in the water
Can understand perfectly
What it's like to fly.
Fire in the sky
Making shadows sweep and swerve
In my subconscious
Flames in the night sky;
Fire-trucks to the rescue…
But it’s only disk.
Flames of love doused down
Never to ignite again...
Frozen emotions
Flashes of lightning
Rend open the night-time sky
Revealing my fears.
Flawless garden snail
Whorls of wondrous perfection...
Classified a pest!
Flickers full of fun
Flowing freely from the fire
Fascinating Flames
Flight path to nowhere
Clouds swallow up my future;
Rain on my Parade!
Flowers are like smiles
That light up a garden's face;
A living rainbow!
Flowers bloom in Spring
Leaves turn golden in autumn
Sun shines during both
Flowers bloom in spring
Trees shed their leaves in autumn
And the world goes round
Flowers bloom to die
Fancy orchids, humble weeds;
Mem'ry preserves them.
Flowers do not last
In the windows of my mind
Their scent lingers
Flowers get stolen
If the garden gate’s open;
Don’t be too trusting.
Flowing thoughts and dreams
Ambling and meandering
Feeling beloved
Flying home to roost
Tiny lark sings his heart out;
All hungry for love.
Footprints in the snow
The crunch of footfalls echoes;
Winter scenario.
Forest awakens -
Listens to the waterfall
That helps it flourish.
Forest canopy,
High-rise concrete jungle roof -
Both ceilings scare me.
Forest fire burns
Destroying lives, hearts and souls,
Injuring Nature.
Fragments of shadows
In the corners of my mind
Shards of broken dreams
Freshly washed laundry...
Smells of cooking fill the air...
Scents of belonging.
Friends who wish me well
Are the seraphs of this world:
There when I need them.
Friendships fade, love dies.
Tomorrow or the next day –
Infinity’s end?
Friendships of childhood –
Secrets of a bunch of kids;
Everlasting bond.
Frozen in my heart
Enough tears to make a sea
Their salt stings my eyes
Full metal jacket
Armour that protects the soul
Some smiles destroy both.
Full of unshed tears
My eyes look deep into yours
And see our future
Fuchsia; amaranth;
Carnation; rose; lavender;
Blooms, or shades of pink?
Futile dreams of wealth;
Pots of gold at rainbows’ ends...
Elbow grease would work!
Garden of the mind
Each recall becomes a bloom;
Some fresh, some wilted.
Garlands of roses
Appeal to me much less than
Posies of daisies.
Gates will creak open
Though they have been rusted shut;
When oiled tenderly.
Geography finds ways
History will repeat itself;
And Maths will add up.
Gifts from the ocean –
Fish on the Menu today...
Garnished with seaweed!
Gilding the lily...
Chocolate-covered hazelnuts...
Cherries on the cake.
Give me an answer
Take all the time that you want –
But please tell me yes!
Give meaning to life;
Relish each single moment,
With the ones you love.
Give me inner peace
I don’t want wealth or beauty
Avarice kills souls.
Glaciers thaw their tears
Making rivers overflow,
Seas and oceans swell.
Goats smell caprylic;
Geese are extremely silly
Gophers go for broke.
Going through motions
Days and nights full of despair –
Nothing to live for.
Going up or down
Spiral staircases of life
Leave me so dizzy.
Gold, pearls and diamonds
Are of no significance
When weighed against love.
Grasping the nettle
Brought me nothing but much pain...
So much for idioms.
Happiness and truth
Elusive as butterflies...
Coveted prizes.
Happy is the man
Whose soul has learned empathy –
For his love is real.
Hard hearts, endless tears.
Rocks eroded by water?
Love is not a game.
Have faith in yourself;
A rose trodden into mud
Still bears its beauty
Have you seen my life?
Illustrated in scrapbooks –
Musty with disuse.
Halcyon weather;
Palm-fronds waving in the wind,
At peace with the world.
Having second thoughts –
Rose petals beneath my feet;
The wedding day blues.
Hazy afternoon;
Goose breaks river rime with beak
Fish will not escape.
Hazy horizon
Forecasting a thunderstorm –
Or a balmy night?
Hazy morning dew
Floating gently like manna
Quenches thirsty Earth
He captured my heart
With kisses made of honey
Phenomenal bee
He leaves silently
Tip-toeing out of her life...
Yet his smell lingers.
Headlamps shining bright;
Traffic flowing in the street –
Lives interwoven.
Hear the whis'pring leaves
Underfoot as we journey
Towards the future
Heart heavy with woe;
Dark clouds on the horizon...
Sadness in the air.
Hearts, souls, minds, bodies;
Sharing these means your love's true.
Why settle for less?
Here I am standing
between a rock and the sea;
Will I climb or swim?
Hibiscus flower
Flaming heart with white petals;
Just like me, in fact!
Hiding behind masks
Of lipstick and mascara:
Jaded actresses.
Hiding in the dark
Secrets melt in the shadows
Hoping to vanish
Hiding in the sand
Pincers preparing to pounce
Feeling so crabby!
Hills become mountains;
Tiny stones line my eyelids...
Old age has arrived!
History gives lessons
About mankind's future woes
Why don't we listen?
Hitch-hiking a lift
Along for the bumpy ride
I don’t regret it!
Hold me in your arms
Comfort me with your kisses;
Death’s scythe swathe draws near.
Hook, line and sinker,
Completely and thoroughly...
Lock, stock and barrel.
Honey and nectar
Foods of Roman and Greek gods –
Never eggs and ham!
Honey and nectar...
Sugar, spice, and all things nice...
Dieter’s nightmares.
Honey-coated bitter pill
Unpalatable truths hide
Behind false facades
Honey sweetens life
I knew that it would be so
The day I met you.
Hope flits back and forth
Dandelion down floats free
Silver wisps of time
Hope springs eternal;
Stalagmites in a cave,
Reaching for the roof!
Hope’s glass is half full
To despair, it’s half empty;
They’re identical!
Horizons that stretch
As away as forever
How can I reach you?
Horizon shimmers
Eternity's wings are fleet
Make the best of now
Horses horse around
Does so dear are female deer
Frogs play games of Leap!
Hot buttered muffins
Sizzling bacon, deep-fried eggs
Cholesterol feast!
Hot sun, sand and sea;
Longing for my childhood days;
I cannot go back.
Hungry tigers roar
Stampeding elephants call;
Who will win this fight?
Hunting for dinner
Seagulls swooping from the sky
What a fishy tale!”
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