haiku from Bequia

I wrote these haiku in Bequia, an island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Most are arguably senryu as opposed to haiku, but who’s quibbling? I’ll also readily admit that many of these fall under the category “You Had to Be There”, in which case I heartily recommend a visit.

tropical night —
the low rider’s
throbbing bass

as if I had to ask
the peppers in this hot sauce
are “Rasta peppers”

ex-pat cover band —
do they know that Guantanamera
is a protest song?

about hot sauce
the taxi driver says
“nothing tastes right without it”

Lower Bay —
a man named Messenger
brings me a beer

seaside dining —
the blackbird
snatches a fly

wake-up call —
the taxi toots its horn
at the top of the hill

beachside bar —
drinking
it all in

tropical sunset —
my thoughts
an infinite horizon

Lower Bay lights —
a giant cruise ship
exits the harbor

tropical night —
somewhere in the distance
a howling dog

where are we?
Elvis plays “As Time Goes By”
on the steel drum

twilight —
a lizard perched
on an aloe leaf

tropical rain —
the mourning doves
silent

after the rain
a mist
of mosquitoes

our last full day —
what I wouldn’t trade
for this trade wind

taxiing to the runway
the pilot skillfully avoids
the baby goats

first night back
I pretend the dog’s snoring
is the ocean