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haiku : booshi

"Booshi" is Japanese for "hat." I'm not sure anymore, but I think this series all started because of the word "wimple."

a turned-down derby
added style to weathered face
and five gold-capped teeth

broad-brimmed floppy hat
red as the ripe tomato
strutting under it

blue beret inclined
over one brow, his lips pursed
obvious French kitsch

rakish Stetson sits
on bridge of nose of sleeper
snoring in the sun

abandoned in haste
a flowered Easter bonnet
visited by bees

instinctive new beau
her fondness she shows for a
distinctive chapeau

cantankerous coot
the ol’ cowboy won’t remove
his hat for haircut

Holmes’ dark silhouette
but for the pipe you’re not sure
which way he’s facing

tiny black bowler
parodied atop Stan’s head
precariously

ostrich-feather plume
signals her emergence soon
from behind the fence

without color-matched
tennis visor the entire
outfit falls apart

sunglasses, red fez
unhidden dagger glinting
provoked will slit you

it’s quite a topper
amazing how it stays on
chased by lovestruck girls

tophat leading tails
the couple brought up in the rear
by bustled caboose

beard and fedora
not distinguishing features
of nude gent in park

big chief’s new headress
very big disappointment
when feathers fell out

green headgear of crew
rowing in a row looked like
five peas in a pod

“high-hat” attitude
no match for his low quotient
of intelligence

hooded Eskimo
fur-framed face grinning proudly
five seal save village

dockman’s woolen cap
conceals smokes and a matchbox
funny-looking lumps

fisherman’s foul cap
now displays two kinds of flies
some alive, some not

a white couvre-chef
gave away his profession
but not much talent

young king’s circlet crown
squeezed wisdom from swelling head
no Solomon he

can’t see his feet, thus
this night the helmet protects
his aching stubbed toes

maid’s linen wimple
life’s pleasures oft this simple:
smile, blush and dimple


high steeple hennin
made petite princess taller
… still, problem kissing

steeple hennin point
used like charging rhino horn
m’lady’s angered!

escoffion’d she
regal bedecked… horns widespanned
in her door bestuck

new beaver felt glides
two sizes too big downslides
hides eyes when he rides

feather in his cap
plucked from a grand falcon who
swooped and claimed it back

cocked hat or tricorne
the Minuteman’s locks were shorn
cold head now hat’s torn

a permanent “do”
used too much sticky pomade
head/hair/hat now one

soft cotton mobcap
chambermaid’s quick substitute
for mop forgotten

Napoleon’s head
rarely seen on battlefield
sans trademark bicorne

snores like howling wind
stocking cap flutters on face
blown out… it falls back


man with chimney-pot
had to ventilate stove smoke
used hat as stovepipe

Victorian poke
bonnet employed this Spring day
as flower basket

Hamburger’s homburg
in hand waving flies away
from fresh Berliner

handsome straw boater
fortunately’s a floater
blown off into lake

balmy baudy day
sun-kissed blonde in panama
hat was all she wore
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