This archive contains all haiku written by Tuan Tran to date.
The first fifteen poems appeared on tuantran.org in June 2001. The remaining, except poem 16, were written between May 2026 and now, presented in chronological order.
Last updated: June 28, 2026
1
I saw
an earthworm
crawling
next to my feet
carefully
I picked it up
and placed it
in a flowerpot
so I wouldn't step on it
then I saw
another
I placed it
in the same flowerpot
so the other
won't be lonely
an earthworm
crawling
next to my feet
carefully
I picked it up
and placed it
in a flowerpot
so I wouldn't step on it
then I saw
another
I placed it
in the same flowerpot
so the other
won't be lonely
2
Like a sailboat
in a vast blue sea
without a compass
or a star
to point the way
then you appear
bright as the northern star
radiant and lovely
with that far-away look
in your eyes
and lips so moist
as the morning dew
and suddenly
I am no longer lost
as I steer
by the light
of the northern star
in a vast blue sea
without a compass
or a star
to point the way
then you appear
bright as the northern star
radiant and lovely
with that far-away look
in your eyes
and lips so moist
as the morning dew
and suddenly
I am no longer lost
as I steer
by the light
of the northern star
3
Spiderweb
collecting morning dew
a graveyard of mosquitoes
collecting morning dew
a graveyard of mosquitoes
4
Dark clouds
approaching
songbirds still sing
approaching
songbirds still sing
5
Desert moon
shone brightly
a lone wanderer
shone brightly
a lone wanderer
6
Dragonfly
in a pond of lotus flowers
be still
in a pond of lotus flowers
be still
7
Bamboo branches swaying in the gentle breeze
water buffaloes reflecting in the moonlight
bombs falling like raindrops
water buffaloes reflecting in the moonlight
bombs falling like raindrops
8
Ego
my own ego
big as a mountain
chip at it
a little
each day
my own ego
big as a mountain
chip at it
a little
each day
9
Master
seeking for you
halfway around the world
Guru
where are you
but in my heart
seeking for you
halfway around the world
Guru
where are you
but in my heart
10
Ten years
seems as yesterday
I have not let go
seems as yesterday
I have not let go
11
Autumn breeze
falling leaves
why think of summer
falling leaves
why think of summer
12
Every caterpillar
metamorphoses
in its own time
metamorphoses
in its own time
13
How strange
dragonflies
spitting fire
dragonflies
spitting fire
14
One boat
alone
this vast ocean
alone
this vast ocean
15
In my darkest hour
I cried out for you
I love you, mom
I cried out for you
I love you, mom
16
Temple bell ringing
I think
of my friend
I think
of my friend
Written last year in 2025. The poem that sparked the collection.
17
Peony flower
in spring
winter is over
in spring
winter is over
18
Autumn
leaves
falling
leaves
falling
19
Hummingbird
darting
a field of honeysuckles
darting
a field of honeysuckles
20
The bird feeder
black sunflower seeds
chirping red-headed finches
black sunflower seeds
chirping red-headed finches
21
Yellow butterfly
floating above
purple lavender
floating above
purple lavender
22
A bee
buzzing
the peony flower
buzzing
the peony flower
23
Cherry blossom
petal
falling
petal
falling
24
The koi
moving
in silent pond
moving
in silent pond
25
Cricket
chirping
in moonlit night
chirping
in moonlit night
26
Pink lotus
in full bloom
this muddy pond
in full bloom
this muddy pond
27
Temple bell
fading
silence remains
fading
silence remains
28
Footsteps
in
falling snow
in
falling snow
29
White butterfly
alights
upon pink orchid
alights
upon pink orchid
30
White orchid
on the altar
the Buddha smiles
on the altar
the Buddha smiles
31
Autumn leaves
on
a winding path
on
a winding path
32
A grassy field
this wet spring evening
the sound of a frog
this wet spring evening
the sound of a frog
33
A salmon
returning
the stream awaits
returning
the stream awaits
34
A brook
trickling down
a silent pond
trickling down
a silent pond
35
White peony
from the garden
on the kitchen table
from the garden
on the kitchen table
36
White peony
bending
at the stem
bending
at the stem
37
Cooper's hawk
waiting
at the bird feeder
waiting
at the bird feeder
38
Forget-me-not
on
an empty park bench
on
an empty park bench
39
This poem is currently under review for publication. Check back later.
40
Autumn fog
covering
the road home
covering
the road home
41
Moonlit night
water buffaloes
listen to falling bombs
water buffaloes
listen to falling bombs
42
Spring rain
Spanish lavender
scent in the air
Spanish lavender
scent in the air
43
Pink orchid
the shape
of a butterfly
the shape
of a butterfly
44
Pouring rain
the frogs
listen
the frogs
listen
45
Woodpecker
the sound
echo
the sound
echo
46
A finch released
chirping
on the fence
chirping
on the fence
47
Still pond
full moon
no reflection
full moon
no reflection
48
Each breath
a death
renewal
a death
renewal
49
A rose
fragrance
this moment
fragrance
this moment
50
Spring rain
cherry blossom
without flowers
cherry blossom
without flowers
51
A mouse
trapped
set free
trapped
set free
52
Sorry spider
have
a better next life
have
a better next life
53
A fawn
the freeway
a truck swerves
the freeway
a truck swerves
54
Bees
enjoy the lavender
I'm just watering
enjoy the lavender
I'm just watering
55
A teddy bear
my daughter's gift
on my birthday
my daughter's gift
on my birthday
56
Summertime
cricket chirping
by Costco parking lot
cricket chirping
by Costco parking lot
57
Summer evening
the cicadas
become quiet
the cicadas
become quiet
58
Three birds
on
a power line
on
a power line
59
Sunset
a bird
on a bare branch
a bird
on a bare branch
60
Petunia basket
hummingbird
feeder
hummingbird
feeder
61
Petunia
in springtime
intoxicated bees
in springtime
intoxicated bees
62
Autumn leaves
falling
in a gentle breeze
falling
in a gentle breeze
63
A cat
for a companion
after the separation
for a companion
after the separation
64
Kitty cat
would you like
a glass of wine
would you like
a glass of wine
65
White peony petals
on the ground
the color of passing
on the ground
the color of passing
66
I took the one less traveled by
in a yellow wood
but needed a cane
in a yellow wood
but needed a cane
67
The fireplace
a log glowing
like fireflies
a log glowing
like fireflies
68
Walking
in falling snow
with no destination
in falling snow
with no destination
69
Mid-Autumn Festival
wishing for
a lantern and mooncake
wishing for
a lantern and mooncake
70
It's a school day
I get
a loaf of French bread
I get
a loaf of French bread
71
Every
breath
aware
breath
aware
72
A bicycle ride home
from school
ao dai flutters like butterfly
from school
ao dai flutters like butterfly
73
A willow
yields
to the wind
yields
to the wind
74
Persimmon branches
swaying
are you happy I'm watering
swaying
are you happy I'm watering
75
Full moon
cold winter night
I walk on
cold winter night
I walk on
76
Lighthouse Mission
that was
a good meal
that was
a good meal
77
Chopin nocturnes
in moonlight
alone
in moonlight
alone
78
Last spring
I planted a persimmon tree
to remember you
I planted a persimmon tree
to remember you
79
The kite
my brother made
soaring in the wind
my brother made
soaring in the wind
80
The birds didn't sing
during Tet
of 1968
during Tet
of 1968
81
Dead bodies
at
a gas station
at
a gas station
82
A motorcycle
with
bullet holes
with
bullet holes
83
Winter snow
melting
the river flows
melting
the river flows
84
Moonlit night
casting my shadow
into the night
casting my shadow
into the night
85
Moonlight
shadow on snow
my companion
shadow on snow
my companion
86
A bee
makes honey
that's all
makes honey
that's all
87
This summer
heat wave
the cicadas become quiet
heat wave
the cicadas become quiet
88
Two potted blueberries
by the fence
for passersby
by the fence
for passersby
89
Rhododendrons
in full bloom
the length of a breath
in full bloom
the length of a breath
90
A spider
has
feelings too
has
feelings too
91
Dew drops
disappear
in morning sun
disappear
in morning sun
92
The moon
of yesterday
is the moon of yesterday
of yesterday
is the moon of yesterday
93
A gold necklace
from mother
for the boat journey
from mother
for the boat journey
94
The ship
turning around
someone jumped overboard
turning around
someone jumped overboard
95
A thirst
in a desert
of a boat at sea
in a desert
of a boat at sea
96
April 30, 1975
the journey
began
the journey
began
97
White sand of Nha Trang
the French landed
then the Americans
the French landed
then the Americans
98
S-shaped
hugging the sea
the shape of home
hugging the sea
the shape of home
98b
Ao dai
the shape
of Viet Nam
the shape
of Viet Nam
Written June 27 2026 — Companion to Poem 98
99
Tet here
is not like
Tet there
is not like
Tet there
100
Skylark
on a barbwire
are you looking for home
on a barbwire
are you looking for home
Volume II
The Road Continues
Haiku from the Second Hundred
I stopped at one hundred because the story felt complete.
The new poems are about the present: the aging body, the changing light, the simple act of paying attention when the storm clouds gather or the peony blooms.
Beginning Poem 101
101
White peony
translucent
in sunlight
translucent
in sunlight
102
Awareness
until
the last breath
until
the last breath
103
Summertime
a bird
begs for water
a bird
begs for water
104
A cool
summer breeze
this moment
summer breeze
this moment
105
Kindness
soothing
summer rain
soothing
summer rain
106
Breath
settled
fear dissolved
settled
fear dissolved
107
In breath
out breath
at touching point
out breath
at touching point
108
Sunflowers
reaching
toward the sun
reaching
toward the sun
109
A meditation bell
at sunrise
the sunflowers listen
at sunrise
the sunflowers listen
110
Watching
the breath
in falling snow
the breath
in falling snow
111
White orchid
wilting on
the windowsill
wilting on
the windowsill
112
Empty chair
at the table
it's snowing
at the table
it's snowing
113
Ocean
waves
the sound of home
waves
the sound of home
114
Dust rises
on the street corner
Saigon remembers me
on the street corner
Saigon remembers me
115
Temple bell
echo
in the forest
echo
in the forest