Today, our thirteenth annual Haiku Challenge (if you like, you can check out past years for inspiration). We're also happy to include other forms of poetry if haiku don't inspire you. Have a perfume-related limerick or a sonnet you'd like to share? Please do.
If you're writing a haiku, pick a perfume or a perfume house (or really, anything related to perfume), and write a haiku about it.
Use the simplified English form — your haiku should have three lines, the first line with five syllables, the second line with seven syllables and the third line with five syllables. You can put the perfume name in the title if that makes it easier, and at any rate, don’t stress over the rules of traditional haiku — this is just for fun.
Note: top image shows Inro, Ojime, Netsuke, Salting Bequest, via Victoria and Albert Museum. (And you can read more about these traditional Japanese carrying cases at Wikipedia.)
desert sun shines bright
however, I’m still cranky
where is my blanket?
Lol
Lazy Saturday
I have yet to fume myself
Chanel Rue Cambon?
31 RC is always a good idea
I got a sample of that in swap meet — need to try
31 RC is one of my favorites. Always good.
You smell wonderful! 31 RC has been on my buy list for a long time but I never quite seem to get there.
Yeah I am draining another decant…as well one of Bois de Iles..”just can’t get enough” 🎵.
If I had a full bottle, I would definitely send ya some:).
Oh, no worries! I have some samples of it that have kept me happy for awhile now. 😊
If your weather is like mine (hot, humid, no sun) I’d skip the Rue. Sorry! A blast of something cool and refreshing. Or pretty.
I love it! Rue is always a good choice.
I went through decants of this and Bois des Iles for ages until I finally caved and got fb. But, goodness… $$$$$. !
You smell great…31 RC is always a great choice.
It seemed like a Serge
Lutens sort of week, so I’m
Wearing Fourreau Noir.
Lavender, you say?
Perhaps, but to me it’s most-
Ly black licorice.
Perfect! Love the most- ly.
❤️ the fragrance and your haiku!
Most-ly 😊. I get more lavender in Encens de Lavande.
I love most-ly! I always get more lavender. Wonderful haiku.
I appreciate haiku in much the same way as I appreciate other art forms — I can discern good from bad, but am terrible at creation. Ah well, where would art be without patrons? I am wearing art this morning in the form of Vol de Nuit extrait, another classic in perfumery.
Hey, me too! Have not written one (that I can remember) in all of these 13 years.
Too funny! Nice of you to provide this outlet for the many frustrated talents out there! 😊
Me, too. That is- never been able to create haiku. This weekend NST activity is so fun.
VdN extrait is exquisite, too.
Exquisite is definitely the word for it. Mmmmmm.
Good morning !
Spent the morning picking plants 🪴 for my small balcony this morning. It was time. I was sick of looking at dead plants sitting in the pots from fall last year.
Where two scents today
Abundance of plants
Why I smell like one too
Basil and Neroli
When I miss yellow
You left me in January
Mimosa & Cardamon
It’s humid today and my hair is wild sexy. Spring makeup and ready to meet up with friends
I used to buy lavender and mini roses in pots for my balcony in Montreal, the bees loved it and it was so pretty. Have a fun day!
Nice – we wrote a haiku to the same scent (B&N)! But yours is funny 😆
Imagining the scent of fresh basil and neroli:)”When I miss yellow”, nice:). Mimosa is always good for a dose of yellow:). Like a spray of sunshine.
New perfume for me
Lilac, jasmine, hyacinth
Singularity
By Dame perfumery and also decided on the tuberose soliflory. Mmmmmm.
I meant soliflore. Good grief.
I liked soliflory 👍
I did too:)
I like it too!
Ooh how is the hyacinth note in Singularity?
I like soliflory!
I can’t say that I can actually pick the hyacinth out as it mostly smells like jasmine or some of the BWFs to me. That being said, it is mentioned as one of the notes so maybe it would come out more on others skin.
Looks like you’ve invented something for the NST lexicon. I like soliflory too!
Speaking of Dame soliflores, I got my samples yesterday evening. I have Narcissus, Osmanthus, and Tuberose in the perfume oils, and Gardenia and Rose de Mai in the body cream. I’ve sniffed the body cream samples already; the Rose one is very nostalgic for me.
Have fun with all of those. I really like many of his fragrances.
Another dark rainy day, but sun is predicted for Thursday. Crossing fingers!
Oh, forgot my scent of the day – wearing Cowichan Rose by Wild Coast Perfumery, a local natural perfume company here on Vancouver Island.
Roll on Thursday!
The real estate agent just left, they will be here Thursday to photograph the house to take advantage of the only two days of sun in the upcoming week. Crossing fingers it stays dry enough to mow the lawn properly!
Fingers crossed for sun and good photos for you!🤞🏻
Thanks!
I just read you are moving again. I’m so sorry. Moving is tough. I hope you find your happy place and you catch a break, at last.
Thank you so much Annie. I am down to my last frayed nerve, the last two years have been unrelenting stress and heartbreak. The worst should be over within a month, crossing fingers and toes.
Hope that things work out for you on Thursday! 🤞🤞🤞
Thanks!
I love the haiku challenge although I’m not brave enough to participate amidst such talent.
No perfume yet but it might be an Eau Premiere kinda afternoon— sunny yet put together
I am just not creative enough. No sun here, no perfume either…so far, just chores! We are going out to dinner later though.
Enjoy! It went from sun to rain here ☔️
We’re scent thought twins! I ended up not wearing it though.
Funnily enough me neither — I met a friend for dinner and went for my number one compliment generating perfume, Neroli Outrenoir
I’ve got no haikus for you. My brain is just practicing free form daydreaming these days, which is very unproductive. I’m finding myself almost continually, but delightedly, reliving the 90’s.
Still on my Seinfeld kick, which is keeping me firmly entrenched in that decade, in the best way possible. Such a gem of a show that I didn’t appreciate when it was actually on broadcast TV.
So, since I’m stuck in nostalgia land, I’m wearing Kenzo Jungle l’Elephant. I’m staying in the 90’s as long as I can. Eventually work will drag me kicking and screaming back into the 21st Century I suppose.
Happy weekend to all, and cheers if the 90’s were good to you, too. 👍🏼
The free form daydreaming poll is EVERY weekend!
For you:
https://boingboing.net/2022/05/14/the-finale-of-seinfeld-aired-on-this-day-in-1998.html
Love Julia Louis-Dreyfus!!
Loved Seinfeld,but “my” comedy back then was Mad about you…I just adored Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser(I think??)
I loved Seinfeld so much too, it seemed so beyond cool to my high-school self in the 90s. I feel like the 90s are having a real revival, I’m seeing a lot of its fashion on young people these days.
21st century digital boy 🎶
No thanks digital boy..I will take me some analog 90’s..a good time indeed.
If I need some 90’s nostalgia:
Watch The Crow
Old episodes of Alternative Nation
Wear 90s florientals or chypres
Look up 90s fashion..I had a thing for granny boots, coat dresses and colored tights of different designs. So 90s haha.
We had very different 90’s fashion. 😂
My tights were naughty. I partied a lot. Imagine 90’s bad girl. That was me.
Granny boots and coat dresses, here too! And mostly black with a dark red lippie.
I loved Alternative Nation and wore Donna Karan!
90’s twins! We would have been good friends in the 90’s I think! But glad to be perfume buddies now lol:). Which Donna Karan? The one in the black pebble bottle?
Completely different from all you all! My 90’s outfits were acid-washed jeans in various fits and high top sneakers.
Haha!Fabulous!
I had an array of Acid-Neon zip-up shirts in orange,yellow and a trippy blue,always paired with acid wash jeans and my plum doc martin boots.And my dungarees!!🤣🤣
When I was cruising, what did I watch? Seinfeld reruns!
So ironic. After we moved my college daughter yesterday, she took over the car aux on the way home and had her 90’s play list going.
Halllllloooooo!!!!
Busy busy busy past few weeks at work,thought I’d pop in and say Heya quick!
SOTD!No Haiku but a fairly related perfume….Frapin Nevermore.Gorgeous gorgeous.
Hope everyone is well and that Summer has arrived up north!The chill is setting in over here,although today was 24°C.
Happy weekend guys!
XO’s
I love the name of your perfume and it sounds interesting from the reviews I just read. Want to swap weather? it’s 8C here. Have a fun weekend!
What….8° would be insane for me!!Haha!
Stay warm!
I’m defo not complaining about a “springy” fall season!
XO
Waving hello👋
🤗🌹
Hellllooooo! Nevermore by my favorite Edgar Allan Poe!
First time wearing it,but a gorgeous dark powdery rose.
Very fitting perfume name:) The first work I read by Poe was The Pit and the Pendulum..I was like whoa. For lack of a better description lol. I was mesmerized by his writings. Last year, someone wanted to give away a book of his complete works and I scooped it up. Glad to have it..and should read it more.
Still only 11C here in British Columbia! I’ll be so glad when it warms up.
I think you know this T,but in SA we’re “freezing” when it gets like 17°C,haha!We do not know extreme extreme cold,and a hot summers’day is basically considered heaven.Snow happens,but mostly on the mountains.
I remember winter in Saskatchewan,and in London….BRRRR.
Xo’s
Weather twins, even though I am “up North”! Temps are expected to be around 24 – 26 degrees C for the next three days.
As slow as a sloth
The velvet darkness unfolds
Stars release the sun
A wonderful box of samples was in my letterbox yesterday, a gift from Gaynor. This morning I am testing sloth which seems to match the damp green scent from the pre-dawn garden. Looking forward to trying Arbole Arbole ( which reminds me of Isabelle, hope she’s okay) and Fort and Manle.
Ooh I love the line, “stars release the sun”:).
You have a beautiful view from your house. My mother’s cousin lived in the same street for decades, but my mother and I realised yesterday that neither of us had ever been right to the end. It’s a much longer street than we thought
Great haiku!
Beautiful haiku!
I’d like to see a mural based on this haiku.
Here’s my ode to one of my favorites:
Bois des Iles once more
Never tired of its warm
Sandalwood blanket
So I mentioned I caved and bought my first blind buy this year, it’s Perles de Lalique. And I like it a lot… BUT I also think I might be slightly anosmic to the ISO E super in the fragrance. The whole scent is on the weak side, soon after spritzing. I don’t usually have this problem with perfume. When my skin gets wet I catch a stronger whiff of that cedary ISO E super in the drydown. I’m going to keep wearing it and see how it goes, hopefully I will grow to detect it more, not less!
“Warm cedary blanket” describes Box of Eels very well.
Sandalwood blanket:) perfect
Sandalwood blanket:) perfect
Nice.
Oh, good to know that Perles de Lalique has Iso E Super in it.
Early morning, here
Invested in a Silver
Iris bottle. Large
Fell for the Silver Iris so hard, I decided to just get the big jug.
Have a great weekend!
Iris bottle. Large. Yes please!!
Head over heels. I can’t believe my luck!
I love it; I too have a life supply
I’m happy to be a lifer with you!
Ooh, glad you love it!
📌 Thank you! You got me!
Song for you: https://youtu.be/jQyazt4RDTM
Flashbacks!
Where’s my hairbrush? I mean microphone?
Yay for Silver Iris! Love it.
My new favorite.❤
MCG Gershwin
________________
Redwoods lined our paths
Day of songs, apples, sunlight
Souls transformed by Hope
We found, we knew, us
Your laughter, gulls filled the sky
Hands joined, knew no time
We climbed limestone cliffs
Looked to see smiles reflect
Nothing could stop us
Hours of darkness
After the violet sunset
Begin to approach
Shadows of cypress
Haunt midnight coastline
With wind-bent branches
Pale silver sand
moonlit cove settles our minds
Wrapped in crimson quilts
Dreaming days ahead
Fire warms our sea washed feet
And dries rain-soaked hair
Shadows of cypress
Haunt midnight coastline
With wind-bent branches
Oops last line was repeated lol
👏👏👏👏👏
That’s beautiful, Omega. I saw, felt and smelled so many things as I read it. Thank you!
That’s beautiful. And I love it with the last line included.
The beach days are coming! Hottest day so far today.
Thank you. That was haunting and beautiful.
Wow!
Creed Sublime Vanille
A warm breeze in spring,
A radiant vanilla –
Both will make me smile
Jo Malone Basil&Neroli
Green and refreshing,
A soft neroli cologne
With some earthiness
And an extra not related to perfumes –
My cat is napping
On the blanket on my desk
Look how they find peace
Love your 🐱!
How are you making out?
She is actually doing the very thing described in the haiku. Except she is awake. 🐈
Not bad. We are helping my host’s wind band at rehearsals this weekend. Making coffee, bringing food, washing dishes. They are performing tomorrow, and after yesterday’s and today’s rehearsals I look forward to the concert. And they are raising funds for Ukraine!
Kitties provide endless entertainment, don’t they? Your host family sounds wonderful. I’m sure your help is very much appreciated and welcomed. Enjoy the concert and support for your country! Hugs.
To be more accurate, there is no family, but just one woman, K. She lives and works in Stockholm, but she has a flat in Malmö. And she let us (mother, kitty and me) live in it for now. She is very kind.
The rehearsals and performance are in Malmö, which is very convenient for us. The rehearsal venue is just 5 minutes from the flat.
Oh how lovely, enjoy the concert!
Thanks! The band is good – I danced in the kitchen while listening to them. 😀
I’m so glad to read of you having a peaceful, fun weekend. Have a great time at the concert!
Glad to hear your kitty is well and you have some fun activities to distract you!
🐱 ☮️
Awwwwwwwwwww, kitty haiku! 😻
Enjoy the concert.
No haiku here, I am not gifted with talent for them. I am sampling today, Perris Patchouli Nosy Be. This is very nice and quite interesting, with a little bit of green and some cocoa notes.
I have a travel spray of this and agree it’s quite unusual!
Busy day today. I worked out, did laundry and need to fix some food for a game night get together tonight. I think I’ll make a mash up of chipotle black bean, black eyed pea and and hominy dip with melty cheese on top and serve it with tortilla chips.
Will probably be in Mandarine Basilic for the evening. 🍊 🌿
That sounds yummy!
It was pretty popular!
That sounds great. Can I come to game night?
You would be most welcome! We had a blast last night, and I’m thinking it will be a regular thing.
Sounds great, both the eats and game night!
It was a lot of fun. 😊
sun on a hot beach
limbs glistening with fresh sweat
pass me the caipi!
scent is Batucada
Oh, perfect scent-mind-picture!
Nice:). I felt like breaking out some sunscreen while reading:). I have not heard of that cocktail before, sounds tasty and refreshing!
Chanel Sycomore
Perfect scent to beat the heat!
Need another spray.
Nice one! And true.
Those chypre samples
I bought did not sing to me.
Relief or sadness?
Which ones ?
Chypre Azural – did not work for me *at all*
Dryad – nice and I’ll use up the samp, but doesn’t feel FBW
I am currently in the throes of a 70s chypre obsession – alternating between vintage Silences and Koto (parfum) most days.
Any suggestions welcome!
Hi spiderplant – Rochas Mystere if you find it. Also do you have Estee Lauder’s Azuree? I love any – including the current – version of Azuree. And this review hits the nail on the head: http://www.thenonblonde.com/search?q=+Azuree#.YoAfDIzMKUk
thanks, MossyBerry – I have never tried either Mystere or Azuree. That review of Azuree had me at “green and bitter”! I shall have to investigate.
I love Silences! Do you love galbanum?
Silences is good, isn’t it? As is galbanum generally speaking!
An old favorite – Vintage Miss Dior
Two new favorites – FM Synthetic Jungle and Eris Green Spell
I should have added – the current version of Miss Dior “Original” is also lovely
A bit of a heads up on Azuree; I find it to be a leather scent on me instead of a chypre. Your mileage may vary.
If you can find vintage Ivoire de Balmain, that’s a good chypre. It’s the one in the tall bottle, with the gold and black striped box.
Eating breakfast with my mother, and looking out at a very dull morning. That was brightened up by a couple of little birds flitting in the bushes – piwakaka or fantails.
Neroli Outre
Noir, dark name, gentle perfume
A touch of summer
Why, those little birds are lovely and I have never heard of them, so thank you. We have (Sialia sialis) bluebirds at our feeder this year, and as we green up for Summer in the Midwest, the colors really stand out on a rainy day!
Those bluebirds are lovely too – NST gives such interesting glimpses into other parts of the world!
Had many tasks to finish today and have not been able to be at my desk recently. I hope to come up with a haiku, because I enjoy them so much. Yesterday, I enjoyed Chopard Enchanted, from a very kind NST’ers Freebie and Swapmeet package. Enchanted has just the patchouli dry down I crave – *never* would have tried it except – NST! SotD is Fils de Joie: this one checks all the boxes for me. Oncle Serge put his heart into it, IMHO.
I’ve been able to try so many new to me perfumes because of the generosity of nsters!
NSTers are an awesome bunch.
Back in the haiku saddle this year with a couple. One of them is even related to perfume! Tangentially, but that counts, right?
My morning shower
I watch as the perfumed bubbles
Slide down the drain, bloop!
Drip, drip, drip rain falls
Again today as it will
Tomorrow. So wet!
SOTD = back in Glenwood today.
I love your poems.
Thank you sistine!
Awesome Jalapeno!
Thanks lillyjo!
Nice! Hopefully you’re feeling better!
Feeling much more like myself after plenty of hot tea, lots of kitty cuddles from Nurse Teflon kitty, and a skoosh of tequila. No need for your sister’s stuff this time.
Thanks!
Excellent haiku
Thank you ringthing!
Slide down the drain, bloop! Tomorrow. So wet! Excellent:). Delightful and fun!
Onomatopoeia was one of the best things I learned about in English class.
Bloop! 🤣
Who says that haiku have to be serious all the time?
Birthday box unwrapped
Damascene roses sparkle
Summer has arrived
Chanel Paris – Paris
How lovely!
This sounds nice.
❤️
Enjoy!
Thank you!
Roses for a birthday, perfect. 🌹
Two mile walk, then work
California Rêverie
My dogs are barking
On my feet all day today. Just slammed back a pomegranate and cherry hard cider. I may have another. Or I may try something else.
Had a wonderful evening with friends last night. They’re staying in a house overlooking the bay, facing west. Ate fried perch and walleye, sat on their deck drinking lots of rosé and watched the sunset. We went straight from winter to summer, but I think spring is coming next week. Weird. But nice.
That sounds like a lovely visit.
Same weather here. Sounds like a lovely evening.
Hope you have today off so your feet can rest!
I had walleye in a restaurant/bar in Minneapolis many moons ago. It was so delicious!
Walleye is delicious, especially when prepared simply. 😋
Friday night fish fry, so just pan fried, breaded lightly.
This morning I had an amazing experience. When the dog woke me up to let me know she needed to go out it was dark, the stars were shining, and the frogs were calling their lovers. We got to our half-way point and I noticed there was a faint lightening of the sky. At that exact moment the frogs stopped calling and the birds started singing.
Amphibian love
In springtime, all powerful
Paused by the sunrise
SOTD is KKW Olive.
Super cool!
And lovely poem.
Your early morning walk sounds magical. I miss hearing spring peepers.
Great story!
I love this! Both the story, and the haiku.
+1 nice! “Paused by the sunrise” 😊
Lovely haiku
Thank you for sharing and a beautiful haiku.
Love this…
Ooh how is the hyacinth note in Singularity?
I like soliflory!
Whoops–computer user brain lapse…I think I posted this twice, sorry all!
I replied above.
Based on a true story:
It’s been a long night
I am eating pizza rolls
At least I smell good
Sotd was Coco Noir.
fabulous !
Ha! That’s awesome.
Love it 😊
Same! Pizza rolls and perfume..my kind of combo:).
🤣😂 love this!
Love it! 🍕
So good in so many ways
That’s awesome, lillyjo!
🙌🏻 Perfect!😍
Hey, I think pizza rolls are great!
I will admit to consuming a LOT of them during the pandemic. Based on personal experience, they are tastier than the frozen pizzas you can get at the grocery store.
Agreed.
Love it!
You smell wonder; note to self to *finally* try pizza rolls. (I know I will love them…)
They are better in the oven but I microwave them because I am impatient.
I learned by experiment that pizza rolls are better in the oven.
From the mind of a
Heir to the liquor throne
half innocent
SOTD Good girl gone bad
Good one!👍
College move out day
Lifting, carrying, sweat
My daughter is home☺️
I wore Tam Dao, and sunscreen, and I caught whiffs of it throughout the day. We got the bulk of her belongings packed up and into mini storage, not without some initial drama! Friday morning I got a call from u-haul asking me if I still wanted the storage u-box….30 miles north of where my daughter goes to school. Umm…that’s not what I reserved! Long story short, they screwed up my reservation and gave my storage container away. Luckily I was able to find a last minute storage facility just a couple miles away from campus. Whew!
And hajusuuri, if you’re reading I think you would be proud. After multiple transfers and being placed on hold with u haul, I finally talked to someone who told me that she was sorry and there was nothing she could do. I politely told her that yes, there was, I reserved a product that I was no longer getting, so it was up to u-haul to make it right. She then discounted the mileage rate for the moving van that we rented and they will be issuing me a refund, so…I may come out of this ahead. Refund will come in a few days.
Anyway, it’s Sunday. It’s beautiful out and the hot weather has broken. My college girl is home for the next 12 days before she heads off to summer camp to work. I plan on enjoying every second while she’s here.😍
Oops, I guess that second line should have had an *and* in there.😂
I’m still reading! Good for you for standing up to your rights! I hope you come out ahead! So happy your daughter will be home for 12 days!
Thanks, hajusuuri! Me too!😁
Yay for getting them to take responsibility and make it better if not completely right!👍🏻
👍😊
Glad that you didn’t let U-Haul off the hook for their mistake!
I felt kind of bad, but I had set this up weeks ago and then they totally dropped the ball! It all worked out in the end, thankfully!
Perfumed high five, MTG: sounds like you got justice and remained on the high road!
Enjoy your visit and high five for holding their feet to the fire!
Enjoy your 12 days!
Chanel No 19
Here I am again
Stressing about dressing but
Perfume is easy
Exactly two of my dresses fit, the rest require complicated under pinnings. Now that our congregation is meeting in person again, clothes are an issue. Chanel 19 definitely helps.
“Clothes are an issue” twin, Ringthing! In my case, I was quite discouraged by how my “in person” wardrobe ‘shrank.’ But, yes: Chanel No. 19 can help.
I like the phrase “complicated under pinnings”!
Especially because I ate a little too much ice cream this week.
I’m in a couple of sprays of OJ Zizan. Getting a much needed haircut later today.
Cute Meg Ryan hair
May it magically appear
Humidity says…nay…
Haha love this!
The muggies are here, too. 😭 I can feel them creeping under my front door even when it is closed.
Loved your haircut haiku!
Yesterday I tried to wear my hair down. Nope!
Why do we buy blind?
The yearning for a new love
Hope springs eternal.
Tried Reminiscence Heliotrope yesterday which a lovely, green somewhat figgy almond overload. Do not attempt if you are anti-almond. I bought all 3 of the Gourmandes blind and they are well done though I prefer Dragee and Guimauve…going through a nutty phase of sorts.😅
Haha that was great:).
I was anti-almond and heliotrope until I smelled L’Heure de Nuit. I used to call the note, helio-nope. Lol..but then, Guerlain.
I haven’t tried that one but agree Guerlain is good. I was kind of anti-almond and orange blossom in the past but kind of come full circle on them in the last year…not sure why…maybe old dogs can learn new tricks…?
🐕
I laughed at ‘helio-nope”!
Me too!
Ooh, the Heliotrope sounds interesting. But I have the other two and am satisfied.
Woke up a bit stiff and sore…like working out after a long winter on the couch. Which, funny enough, is exactly what’s going on with my body. New job has me on my feet, and by the end of the day I cringe a bit when someone wants a pastry from the bottom shelf. I just keep telling myself, good thigh and rear end exercise. LOL. A hot shower helped. (And I love our shower…it’s big and I always feel like I’m on vacation when I shower.)
And, Fiori di Capri made me smile. Hello old friend, also asleep through the winter and finally emerging.
Glad a nice, hot shower “vacation” helped.
For a feet treat, I liked these.
https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-us/range/peppermint/c/c00102
Also Village Naturals Muscle Relief products. They smell great too imo:)
Like* not liked.
Good exercise indeed! I’m sure in a few weeks you won’t notice. But speaking as a former waitress, footwear matters
Another dark day of pouring rain. Wearing Iris Torréfié.
Jeeze Louise it just won’t stop!
I hope you get some sun this week.
Endless rain twins here in Seattle and wearing Azemour les Orangers to remember that it’s Spring!
Yuck. Wouldn’t it be great if we could send the rain somewhere it would be appreciated?
Yes! Please send it to Texas.