High Coup Journal - July 2011 Issue

(Photo by Ann Wright, Plymouth, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

IN THIS ISSUE:

James Dye (Dubuque, IA)

Jack Granath (Kansas City, KS)

Amy Harris (West Lafayette, IN)

Lex Joy (Amherst, MA)

Jamie Lushbaugh (Terre Haute, IN)

Amit Parmessur (Quatre-Bornes, Mauritius)

Geoff Pope (Renton, WA)

Miriam Sagan (Santa Fe, NM)

Mitzi Sicking (Midland, TX)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Editor's Note:

Each birthday a door

to new, unseen hallway

ending in a door.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Lex Joy 

Philosophy class--

One more angry German man

says we know nothing...

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Amit Parmessur

Yellow cars speeding;

Farting thin cancerous clouds

like a wintry mouth

Bonnet on my head,

As a king on a tall stool

I watch worlds drying

With a toothless mouth

My multi-colored moustache’s

A dusty toothbrush

Two pharmacy bombs

sending me to paradise,

my doctor to hell

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Geoff Pope

“Shit!”

I heard my mom say

“Shit!” only once in her life —

door crushed ring finger

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Amy Harris

Sarah Palin: the

evolution of man will

not be televised.*

* RIP Gil Scott-Heron

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Jack Granath

Her body sculpted

by a summer dress--so much

for non-attachment.

She laughs, the purse strap

between her breasts, a lesson

in geography.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

James Dye 

An intense debate

Does not deserve metaphors!

Fuck! You get the point?

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Jamie Lushbaugh

Your sandpaper tongue

licks my face after your ass.

Thanks for the gross bath.

At Petsmart, select

The three-figure, plush cat tree.

He plays in the box

Um, no, officer.

I don't know whose pot that is.

You sure it's not yours?

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Mitzi Sicking 

Unneeded finger

When you, my fellow driver,

Ran the stop sign.  Jerk.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Miriam Sagan 

to escape the smoke

as ten thousand acres burns--

movie with mermaids

cherry blossoms float

on the edge of this haiku's

silent green pond scum

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

July 2011 AWESOME SAUCE: Geoff Pope

do you suck and chew

on tips of the alphabet

until your mouth bleeds?

  

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Send birthday money

or at least some more haiku

to assuage your guilt.

highcoupjournal {at} gmail.com

High Coup Journal - March 2011 Issue

(Photo by Ann Wright, Plymouth, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

IN THIS ISSUE:

Dominique Allen (Terre Haute, IN)

William Cullen (Brooklyn, NY)

Christopher Dolle (Terre Haute, IN)

Bat-Ami Gordon (Antelope Valley, CA)

Amy Harris (West Lafayette, IN)

David Hollander (Bloomington, IN)

Chris Loft (Adelaide, Australia)

Jamie Lushbaugh (Terre Haute, IN)

Darcy McMurtery (Seattle, WA)

E. Joyce Moore (Indianapolis, IN)

Aaron Owens (Terre Haute, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Editor's Note:

Well folks, this issue
will be just a little weird...
please read why below:

I didn't set out to make High Coup Journal a political journal, but in the recent Twitter-storm of #libya and #egypt tags, I couldn't help but notice that some of them were in haiku form.  One might suggest that haiku isn't the most efficient way to share information about important breaking events, but one also might suggest that it is the best way to pack the most emotion into the fewest characters.  So we've tried to share some of those haiku in this issue along with preserving the merry whimsical madness we pride ourselves on here at the journal.

To those of you in North Africa: let us know if there's anything we can do to help.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

William Cullen

her yellow panties

on the tequila bottle

today's mardi gras

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

David Hollander

let us hope for peace
as our Arab cousins pay
freedom's bloody price


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Jamie Lushbaugh


I blush at his touch,
which is awkward when married.
I still feel sixteen.


Daddy ignored you?
Live up to his standards, be
An asshole magnet.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

E. Joyce Moore

Possibilities
Dashed upon the shore of life
Riptide's waves its fate.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Darcy McMurtery

The mirror speaks truth
and I reach for my eye cream.
Outside the crow laughs.


Lady Friends

When Grandpa started
banging floozies we didn’t
know what to call them.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Amy Harris

Xenophobia
good fences make good neighbors
on the Rio Grande


Insomnia calls
every night, 2 a. m.
when the moon is bright


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Aaron Owens

Tso Very Tasty

Oh, General Tso!
Your noodles cut through my gut
Like a katana


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Dominique Allen

My future is writ
Upon quick-drying cement
Where's my jack hammer?


White frozen crystals
cake my car in icy sheets
Fuck you, troposphere.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Chris Loft

Just one step away -
his supporters fade like dust -
wind blows in the sand


Rulers come and go - 
but in the markets and squares - 
people shall be free 


That man must go now - 
if he says he has no shoes - 
then he can have mine 


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Bat-Ami Gordon

this revolution
inspirational model
scares authorities


contagious revolution
contaminated regime
immunization


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-



March 2011 AWESOME SAUCE: Christopher Dolle

Snowflakes fuck and grow

Outside apartment windows,

While we lay in bed.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Lion or a lamb?

Hell if we know.  Send in your

poems regardless.

highcoupjournal {at} gmail.com

2010 Pushcart Prize Nominees

We are pleased to present our 2010 Pushcart Prize nominees:


Cal Clugston
Rosemary Foster
Amy Harris
Kim Keith
Vinnie Kinsella
Richard Stevenson

Congratulations to you all, and we're rooting for you!!

High Coup Journal - October 2010 Issue

(Photo by Ann Wright, Plymouth, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

IN THIS ISSUE:

Rosemary Foster (Bloomington, IN)

Michael Frissore (Oro Valley, AZ)

Amy Harris (West Lafayette, AZ)

Amanda Hillenburg (Sherbrooke, QC, Canada)

Kevin James (Terre Haute, IN)

Ethan Mandelkern (Mt. Shasta, CA)

Darcy McMurtery (Seattle, WA)

Christina Rodriguez (South Ozone Park, Queens, NY)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Editor's Note:

In just a few weeks

these leaves will become more red 

than my poetry.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Christina Rodriguez

puppy love, dear youth
lost in the shuffle of mort-
gages and children.


start off slow, they say.
take your time...time? when did time
give out luxuries?

Daddy, are you too

old for cupcakes and poems?

Too poor for Hallmark.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-


Ethan Mandelkern

wet peach tastes yummy
succulent soft beautiful
damn juice stained my shirt

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-


Kevin James

LOOK PAPA! NO HANDS!
words you never want to hear
at a porno set


boxes vibrating
turns out it wasn't sex toys
worst birthday ever

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-


Rosemary Foster

Call him “she” again
And I’ll break your fucking face
Did you get that bitch?

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Amanda Hillenburg

Laser gun bullets

Three shots missing the mallard

Want to kill that dog

God! It's full of stars!
My bad, it's just dust buildup.
Play that cartridge flute!


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Amy Harris

Sweet Malaria
Fair maiden of the tropics
Once bitten, twice shy

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-


Darcy McMurtery

A guarantee of
long-winded discussion: I’ve
Prepared a few words.


Keep your speeches short
We can still strangle you with
A wireless mic.


Personalities
Around a board room table
Like oil and water.


A workplace romance
Will poison your well so please
Don’t shit where you eat.


Writer's Block

I can't pass a verb,
completely consonated,
must move a vowel. 

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Michael Frissore

Haiku: True Story

This guy was pissed off
by my humorous haikus
Well, fuck you, buddy.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-



October 2010 AWESOME SAUCE: Christina Rodriguez

Hello denial...
Don't you look pretty today
in your coat of lies!

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-


Tell the bogeyman
that you've sent in some haiku
or he will eat you.

highcoupjournal {at} gmail.com

High Coup Journal - September 2010 Issue

(Photo by Ann Wright, Plymouth, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

IN THIS ISSUE:

Shana Dennis (Terre Haute, IN)

Amy Harris (West Lafayette, IN)

Amanda Hillenburg (Sherbrooke, QC, Canada)

Kevin James (Terre Haute, IN)

Julie Kelsey (Germantown, MD)

Vinnie Kinsella (Vancouver, WA)

Taylor Lampton (New Brunswick, NJ)

Mike Lushbaugh (Terre Haute, IN)

Nicole Reich (New Brunswick, NJ)

Ray Scanlon (Rehoboth, MA)

Richard Stevenson (Lethbridge, AB, Canada)

Maggie Wheeler (Terre Haute, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Editor's Note:

Picking grapes is not

the romantic pastoral

task that poets claim.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Mike Lushbaugh

Summer is settled
Humid thunderstorms all day
swamp ass forever


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ray Scanlon

"Cheer up, cheerily,"
exclaim the robins at dawn.
Goddamn fucking birds.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Kevin James

The sparkling bowl
never stays that way for long
after the kegger

Dancing Fool enters
does The Worm down the aisle
your wedding's ruined


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Maggie Wheeler

Cat in a trash bin
Woman won't give a reason
Throw her in instead!


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

(These next two haiku
are inspired by a hate
of FOX host Glenn Beck.)

Shana Dennis

Little man spreads hate
Dances for the camera
Dance, attention whore!


Amanda Hillenburg


Fat guy on TV
Claims to be true blue Mormon
Did it to get laid



(Read a ton more poems like these at http://www.haikuglennbeck.com/)


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Amy Harris

Cerebral Palsy?
More like a sorry excuse
For shaking all day.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Taylor Lampton

I am in heaven.
spirals, rubbers, and stick-ons--
school supply shopping!


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Nicole Reich and Taylor Lampton

Cheetos

Splendid are the curls
Of the crunchy snack-time munch
Bathed in orange dust


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Richard Stevenson

in extended care
my dad zones out mid-sentence.
a hummingbird hovers


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Vinnie Kinsella

Limp and impotent,
The power cord came unplugged--
Too short to connect.


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Julie Kelsey

LAUNDRY DAY

racing down the stairs
greeted by the waiting arms
of your sweaty shirts


MIKEY, AGE 4

idiblockon, noun:
idiot – blockhead – moron
a poet is born


JUST FRIENDS

under a blanket
curled on the sofa with you,
my friend, Nick-at-Nite


HEARTACHE

under a full moon
we kiss at midnight, yearning
for ibuprofen


-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-



September 2010 AWESOME SAUCE: Vinnie Kinsella

Two lines, one corner:
Basic trigonometry.
You and I converge.



-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Please send us more 'ku!
We will spend all October
scaring poems up.

highcoupjournal {at} gmail.com

High Coup Journal - August 2010 Issue

(Photo by Ann Wright, Plymouth, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

IN THIS ISSUE:

Joseph Carfagno (Fairfield, CT)

Andy Cognata (West Lafayette, IN)

Michael Frissore (Oro Valley, AZ)

Rosemary Foster (Bloomington, IN)

Amy Harris (West Lafayette, IN)

Kim Keith (Gold Canyon, AZ)

Lisa McClintock (Sheridan, WY)

Ray Scanlon (Rehoboth, MA)

Don Thackery (Dexter, MI)

Maggie Wheeler (Terre Haute, IN)

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Editor’s Note:

Despite moving north,
August still feels hot as hell

in Grandma's attic.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Maggie Wheeler

Round Kick to the jaw

Crazy bitch knocked me out cold.

Concussions suck ass.

The cat stares at me

With fish running through his brain.

Duh, I just fed you!

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Lisa McClintock

A message sent, not

really meant. Too late now for

feeble excuses.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Kim Keith

In Need of Salvation (and a Podiatrist)

My feet have callused

cracks, so I worry about

my immortal sole.

Taste Test

Murder on a bun

or bean-curd-veggie-burger?

The cows win—and lose.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Rosemary Foster

So friggin' tasty

Freshly slaughtered pineapple

Bleed into my mouth

Rain steaming concrete

Washing my dirty skin clean

Born again again

Shit closed captioning

How dare you crap out on me

My deaf ass needs you

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Michael Frissore

Changing Diapers

The difference between

Comedy and tragedy?

Being peed on and...

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Amy Harris

Gas stations pepper

A great divide too wide to

Conquer or enslave

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Joseph Carfagno

Stalled in the hallway

Thinking my murderous thoughts

No weapon at hand

AM Consonance

Radio actor speaking

Tires or tooth repair

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Don Thackery

conceive an image

write three lines to make haiku

trivial pursuit

spring rains make roots wake

birds return for the warmth’s sake

my dry old joints ache

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Andy Cognata

Flordia is hot,

A grave for the unprepared.

Ice cream is God's love.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Ray Scanlon

Clothesline

Clothesline in March breeze,

cotton breathes wintry freshness.

Spider in my shorts.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

August 2010 AWESOME SAUCE: Kim Keith

Forgotten

You ask for my name

as I call you Grandfather—

Alzheimer’s stole it.

-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-oOo-

Send in your haiku!

September is coming soon,

right along with school.

highcoupjournal {at} gmail.com