Jeremy Bruneel
hockey.jpg
During the NHL-playoff-free days of 2005, we invited readers to write through the pain by creating examples of the hockey haiku. a Canada literary form that Geist has nurtured since 1997.
Like the NHL labour dispute, the Geist 2005 Haiku Night in Canada Contest went on for 301 days, but no deadline was ever set and no one knew how long it would last.
Here are the runner-ups:
Phil Esposito, in 1972: "we're in a war, man."
—Rob “Left” Winger, Ottawa
my son at five skates badly wants to play the game what's five hundred bucks?
—J.A. McDougall, Calgary
The bathroom door jams On her hockey bag again The damned thing lives there
—Jon Stewart, Vancouver
6 a.m. practice, dad in the bleachers sipping Tim's, they are tied too tight.
—Derek Dunn, Ottawa
dropped puck struck centre ice the arena rose to roar dropped coke struck my crotch
—Glenn Kletke, Ottawa (Senators!)
the well-held blade; a wooden ear. a finely grained listening to what's passed.
—Matt Robinson, Fredericton
overtime? a throat blood-ready to roar, or be slit by one quick blade.
—Matt Robinson, Fredericton
Hockey is like sex Men play with their sticks while women feign interest
—Tina Smith, Windsor
In our closed garage, shoots, he scores! Hoist that tiny coke-can Stanley cup
—Adrian Burrus, Seoul
ten-year-old girls play only when their brothers' friends don't show for the game
—Wanda Nolan, Halifax
my nights were finally silent the puck would not be dropped. oh, dream on.
—Kera McHugh, Gibsons BC
"Testicle-faggot" His Russian is a bit bad. Punch him in the head.
—Tarek Suliman, Surrey BC