Comet McNaught Haiku

COMET MCNAUGHT HAIKU
(C/2006 P1 - January 2007)
-by SARM and Friends-

MOTTO

McNaught’s wish:
“Happy dreams, my friends,
between cometary twilights.”
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

special feeling -
a comet in the yet bright sky
and no stars around it
-Valentin Grigore-

FEVERISH WAITING

something happens -
emotion in stars
the space road is ready
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

SOMEWHERE IN CENTRAL ASIA

What is a comet?
Just a fire-fly
Drawn to the Sun-torch.
-Galina Ryabova, Tomsk, Siberia, Russia-

IN NORTH AMERICA

Comet McNaught -
the celestial wonder
of our life…
-Alin Tolea, Maryland-

exclamation point -
a comet streaks
the sunset
-Deborah P. Kolodji, California-

New comet?
Between the Sun and the palm tree!
A missed photography...
-Jeremie Vaubaillon,
a Frenchman in California-

(Tail of Comet McNaught Two Hours After Sunset)

Invisible with the naked eye…
Maybe in a blacker sky…
And it was such a terrible wind…
-Alin Tolea,
close to the Atlantic Ocean shore-

IN WEST EUROPE

(Astronomical Joy)

SUPERB COMET
the other words are useless
Cielo Despejado!!!
-Catalin Paduraru, Spain-

(Astronomical Frustration)

I've not seen COMET McNaught at all,
so don't really feel able
to COMMENT on it anyway…
-Alastair McBeath, U.K.-

(Astronomical Consolation)

I couldn’t see Comet McNaught.
And Internet pictures show me that
it has been extraordinary…
-Klaus Lowitz, Germany-

Comets come and comets go.
Fighting against the sun’s mighty gravity.
Only the strongest will survive.
-Jos Nijland, Holland-

sunset comet
I only see long distance
a friend's telescope
-Gerald England, U.K.-

Just once, this fiery
Streak will enliven our skies -
Then go forever
-John Francis Haines, U.K.-

brief sun pasture graze
intent, don’t notice sheep-drag
tail liar-nose grows
-Steve Sneyd, U.K.-

Hail Comet McNaught
Omen of misfortune for men to blame
When projects come to naught
-Geoffrey Grayer, U.K.-

Comet from space,
disintegrated into dust,
be a meteor case.
-Paul Roggemans, Belgium-

(CO2 Emission)

Comet McNaught tells
This warning to the world:
Stop it now or die!
-David M. Turner, U.K.-

IN SARM’S COUNTRY

once upon a time
a sundog forecasted
a sungrazer
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

waiting for the comet -
we went to the Danube River
to fish that light
-Iulian Olaru-

The comet? Not yet.
Just a solar halo, a circumzenithal arc,
and my primitive camera.
-Valentin Grigore-

the sociable comet
visits us
even at twilights
-Zigmund Tauberg-

first watch:
some red and bad clouds were upset with me
and put themselves on the comet
-Alexandru Conu-

a friend of mine says:
the comet is a luminous coil,
but I want to see it
-Boris Marian-

Jupiter close to Antares -
like in my childhood
when I learned the constellations…
-Alexandru Conu-

not Planet Jupiter
but Comet McNaught -
tailed morning star
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

a comet visible with the naked eye -
Elysian fields
near Bucharest
-Alexandru Conu-

Comet McNaught -
bathed in dawn purple
and drowned in daylight
-Valentin Grigore-

not Planet Venus
but Comet McNaught -
tailed evening star
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

over people’s bustle
a detached world:
the evening star and a comet
-Valentin Grigore-

(Comet McNaught)

the splendid comet just lowers
to the horizon line -
a peacock of light

it has to disappear
and I know I also am a
comet at twilight
-Florian Saioc-

lights in the town
a comet in the sky -
hard choice for the lake mirror
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

a mystery known by everybody,
photographed,
but yet a mystery
-Boris Marian-

clouds vanished on time;
this pretty comet likes
to be seen by everybody
-Ciprian Cristea-

my rendezvous
with a comet which caresses
warm colours of the horizon…
-Valentin Grigore-

I caught it!
In fact, it allowed this.
True, Magnificent, Astral.
-Dan Mitrut-

in cometary clothes
spacemail MacNaught
connected to the sun
-Ion Moraru-

Watching the twilight
a burning wish:
to fly by thinking of the comet
-Gabriel Ivanescu-

Comet McNaught to Earth:
“Always dawn. I can see you
only in my fantasy.”
-Doina Chilargi-

comet mcnaught -
we see ourselves riding it
to utopia
-Emil Pasculescu-

comet among clouds -
celestial companion
of earthly life
-Valentin Grigore-

flight towards the sun;
a fairy whips
the twilight
-Dominic Diamant-

my head is licked by time
with a cometary bridge
over edges of orbits
-Adrian Sima-

a very bright comet appears
… and disappears in the flue
of a chemical factory
-Eugen Florin Marc-

Comet McNaught
a space reference point
I live in a particular time
-Victor Chifelea-

an enchanting comet -
topnotch in the album
with astral memories
-Valentin Grigore-

a light in the sky
not just once
life at twilight
-Boris Marian-

I saw the comet very little;
clouds darkened the horizon
and my mind
-Ioan Agavriloaiei-

superior race against time -
comets always use
cosmic fuel
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

an apparition
fighting the sun
in cold weather
-Dominic Diamant-

near Dracula’s
Targoviste Tower:
historical comet show
-Valentin Grigore-

A shock for me -
such a long-tailed comet.
Clear skies… because we need them!
-Mihai Curtasu-

great McNaught
amazing comet
ecstatic nucleus
-Mihai Iahim-

Celestial show:
a comet at twilight
luring us to the south
-Gabriel Ivanescu-

useless rebellious gazes -
the horizon calls you
my star dust
-Cristina Slovineanu

such a long twilight comet;
think of its aspect
in a black sky
-Valentin Grigore-

close to the sun;
a comet fondles you
from eye to soul
-Valentin Grigore-

a very bright comet
no stars for comparison
invasion of clouds
-Eugen Florin Marc-

Comet McNaught
a new celestial answer
to human rockets
-Ion Moraru-

the eye wishes to catch
the bloody end -
a tear of the universe
-Cristina Slovineanu-

spark of snow
arrow in the clear sky
flake of hope
-Irina Cristescu-

a bird of the void
and a bird of the atmosphere
wings for life
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

I saw the comet in the blue!
Hide the Sun
and admire it!
-Alexandru Conu-

This comet seems
too unreal to be true,
but it is.
-Sorin Hotea-

It’s clearly unique -
what could be more fascinating?
A sunset with a cometset.
-Valentin Grigore-

Comet McNaught in daylight!
Be cautious and insistent;
it’s still there awaiting you
-Mihai Iahim-

precious jewel
celestial face gilded by blazes
a comet which today is a semi-god
-Claudia Surtea-

A comet bathed in sunbeams -
we saw it in north daylight.
But in south nights?
-Valentin Grigore-

(Moon and Tail of Comet McNaught)

now she's in the south -
last locks of the new space girl
nicer than Selene
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

the brightest comet in my life -
from now on I’d live
in the south hemisphere
-Felician Ursache-

always an amazing combination:
the celestial power
and our happiness
-Andrei Dorian Gheorghe-

SOMEWHERE IN WEST ASIA

Searching the fiery horizon with straining eyes
For the glorious tail of the comet.
McNaught is NOT.

One day past the optimum
The skies clear and the horizon is ablaze
Sadly, I have missed the comet.

What has been gained by chasing the sun?
I cannot find McNaught, but
I have discovered the fire in the western skies.

”Red sky at night” may be a “sailor's delight”
But for this McNaught chaser
It breeds only disappointment.

With eyes as red as the fiery horizon
I search in vain for the
Comet called McNaught.

I was there
but McNaught
was naught!

…

Next day at noon, one final try.
Steady in the shadow, I shade the sun with fisted hand.
And then… There! Look!

In broad daylight - I see it!
Victorious, eyes wide in deep amazement -
McNaught at noon! Who could imagine such a sight!
-Arlene Carol Brill, Turkey-

SOMEWHERE IN PACIFIC

Comet McNaught over Mauna Kea -
superb with the naked eye,
unforgettable through the binocular
-Simona Vaduvescu, Hawaii-

THINKING OF THE SOUTH HEMISPHERE

July 2006.
Crux, Magellanic Clouds, and observatories
that I have dreamt…
-Ovidiu Vaduvescu, Chile-

…

January 2007.
Soon I’ll fly south again.
Maybe I catch Comet McNaught, if it resists…
-Ovidiu Vaduvescu, Romania-

…

(A British Founding Member of the Australian Haiku Society
Admires an Australian Picture with Comet McNaught)

hemlock trees-
the comet fans out over
Swifts Creek

white box gumtrees-
big kangaroos go to that place
and catch the comet's tail
-Alan Summers, U.K.-

SOMEWHERE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town, its surrounding nature,
a very nice comet show, and me
…like in a paradise.
-Liviu Ivanescu, South Africa-

SOMEWHERE IN OCEANIA

not Comet McNaught
but a cloudy sunset -
anxiety
-Danut Ionescu, New Zealand-

(Poem of Frustration)

Seeking comets is a pain
When there's cloud and lots of rain.
Auckland 's weather, it is plain,

Torments us -
But
We'll try again.
-Claire Ryan, New Zealand-

OH! YEH! THE COMET!
Take an airplane, come here,
and let’s see it together!
-Danut Ionescu, New Zealand-

A fantail comet.
Are you ready
to write astropoetry?
-Danut Ionescu, New Zealand-

(In the West)

Glowing coma, sweeping tail,
A gift for night eyes
which prevail.

Brighter than we ever thought,
The simply stunning
Comet McNaught.
-Claire Ryan, New Zealand-

comet’s fascinating brightness -
you can really feel the warmth
of its gaze…
-Danut Ionescu, New Zealand-

like a woman
who gets older
but remains beautiful…
-Danut Ionescu, New Zealand-

even if it becomes faint
many people want to see it
again and again and again…
-Danut Ionescu, New Zealand-

Tinopai, Kaipara
the comet in the morning
warmth after rain
-Danut Ionescu, New Zealand-

Our thanks:

-to the foreign friends:
Galina Ryabova (from Tomsk State University),
Gerald England (editor of New Hope International),
Deborah P. Kolodji (president of the
Science Fiction Poetry Association),
Jeremie Vaubaillon (from Paris Observatory, Spitzer Space Center
and California Institute of Technology),
Jos Nijland (from the Dutch Meteor Society),
John Francis Haines (leader of Eight Hand Gang),
Paul Roggemans (general secretary of the
International Meteor Organization 1988-1996),
Casper ter Kuile (from the Dutch Meteor Society)
Klaus Lowitz (from Astrotreff Rhein-Main),
Steve Sneyd (director of Hilltop Press),
Alastair McBeath (vice-president of the
International Meteor Organization),
Geoffrey Grayer (British astronomer),
Alan Summers (Japan Times Award for Haiku - winning poet)
David M. Turner (British poet),
Arlene Carol Brill (Turkish poet),
and Lisa Crause (from Cape Town Observatory)

-to the New Zealanders around
Auckland StarDome Observatory
and Auckland Astronomical Society:
Claire Ryan,
Oreste Pinto,
and Dr. Grant Christie (Member of the
New Zealand Order of Merit for services to astronomy)

-to the Romanians established in other countries:
Catalin Paduraru (from Spain),
Alin Tolea (from John Hopkins University,
Baltimore, U.S.A.),
Simona Vaduvescu (from Hawaii),
Ovidiu Vaduvescu (from La Silla ESO, Chile),
Liviu Ivanescu (from Cape Town Observatory,
South Africa),
and Danut Ionescu (from Auckland Astronomical Society,
New Zealand)

-to the other Romanians:
Valentin Grigore, Alexandru Conu, Adrian Bruno Sonka,
Iulian Olaru, Zigmund Tauberg, Florian Saioc,
Ciprian Cristea, Dan Mitrut, Ion Moraru, Boris Marian,
Doina Chilargi, Emil Pasculescu, Florian Ispas, Adrian Sima,
Cristina Tinta, Alexandru Tudorica, Laurentiu Alimpie,
Victor Chifelea, Eugen Florin Marc, Dominic Diamant,
Ioan Agavriloaiei, Soo Attila, Cristina Ungureanu,
Mihai Curtasu, Catalin Mares, Cristina Slovineanu,
Catalin Timosca, Mihai Iahim, Irina Cristescu,
Sorin Hotea, Claudia Surtea, Catalin Fus, Felician Ursache,
Astroclub Galati
(Aurel Chirila, Alexandru Dumitriu, Jan Ovidiu Tercu, etc.),
and to other organizations
(Astroclub Bucharest, Astroclub Timisoara, Astroclub Turda,
Targu Mures astronomical group)

for their contribution to this astrohaiku web site.

CONCLUSION