Comment from Pearl Edwards

Excellent

Great job with this Haiku poem Craig, and they really do look like menacing eyes, certainly enough to fool predators. Great final line, love that. Good luck in the contest,
cheers,
valda

 Comment Written 11-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 11-Mar-2018

Thanks very much, Valda. I think I might get a fright if I saw those staring at me in the dark. Much appreciated - Craig

Comment from rama devi

Excellent

Unique haiku subject. Clever satori. Interesting imagery, Good form and fine presentation. Fine consonance of L, P, N, S and Y sounds plus alliteraiton of S and B.

Bravo.

Warmly, rd

 Comment Written 10-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 10-Mar-2018

Many thanks for the complimentary review, RD. Much appreciated :) Craig

reply by rama devi on 10-Mar-2018

My pleasure, dear Craig!

Comment from BeasPeas

Excellent

Nature surely is amazing, isn't it? Love it. What an image. I think owls are fascinating creatures to just about all of us. You've managed to combine the owl with the butterfly eyes in a creative fashion. Well done. Marilyn

 Comment Written 09-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 09-Mar-2018

Many thanks for the lovely review, Marilyn. Greatly appreciated - Craig

Comment from --Turtle.

Excellent

Hey, Craig,

Read through this haiku. When it comes to haiku, well... I always mention caution to remember, I probably only know enough about haiku to be able to run with my scissors and poke myself in the eye.

The butterfly effect, last line was neat, because of all the other context that surrounds the phrase... something as small as the beating wing of a butterfly being enough to cause a hurricane as that little wind compounds. Here the effect being an image on the wing being enough to thwart a mighty owl its food, all because of the menace of a butterfly's wing. Maybe more like it remembered how gross the last thing that looked at it with those eyes tasted, I figure.

The middle line and the first line have an odd contradiction about it. Like the owl wouldn't be swooping to strike while simultaneously being repelled, so my want to consider these two lines interconnected lines of imagery... I got the imagery, but also felt a seam between the first and second line.

Not sure if anything needs to happen, as the intended image does come across, but I can't help but mention that I pondered the seam I was sensing a bit.

 Comment Written 09-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 09-Mar-2018

Hi Turtle,
A couple of people have mentioned issues with this, which probably means it isn't all that great a haiku. One person thought owls didn't go for butterflies, but the smaller ones do. Your reservation is well noted. I guess the image I had in my mind is this... the owl sees some movement on or near the ground from a fair way off, and it's up high. So it swoops down to attack, but as it gets closer, the "eyes" come into play, and then is gets frightened away. Of course, all that is impossible to say in 17 syllables. Anyway, if it creates a feeling of contradiction, it probably isn't good. I could change the predator to a mouse or something, but I don't think that fixes the problem. Many thanks for sharing your thoughts, and you're probably right on this.
Cheers,
Craig

Comment from Teri7

Excellent

This is a really great haiku about the owl swooping down. You used very good descriptive words and I love the picture. When I was a lot younger I collected owl figurines. I thought they were really cute! best wishes in the contest. Blessings, Teri

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2018

Thanks so much, Teri. They are indeed lovely creatures, who doesn't love them? Much appreciated! Craig

Comment from Joy Graham

Excellent

Hmmmm, I'm not too sure I get it? I blame it on me for being not the sharpest crayon in the box. I love owls and can see your owl swooping. I can see the eyes in the picture and that they are totally menacing. Then I get stumped because I don't know if the owl is swooping down to get a butterfly? That doesn't sound very worth the owls hard work. Not enough of a tasty meal in a butterfly? Please help my pathetic mind to understand. I love haiku aha moments. I know I'll love this one when I understand it.

Joy the silly one xx

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2018

Hi Joy,

Owls most certainly do eat butterflies. Larger breeds tend to mainly go for small mammals or other, smaller, birds, but the smaller breeds, like the elf owl, and others, will eat butterflies, moths, and many other types of insects. That said, I could make the predator a frog or a spider. Seems poor butterflies are on the menu in lots of restaurants.

reply by Joy Graham on 08-Mar-2018

Oh the poor butterflies. I didn't know that. I won't be eating any butterflies.

reply by the author on 08-Mar-2018

Hmmm... I didn't mean literal restaurants, as in people eating them!

Comment from Sandra du Plessis

Excellent

A very well-written haiku. The butterfly wings represent the eyes of an owl, any small animal will go into hiding when they presume this is an owl making ready to attack their prey.

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2018

Thanks very much, Sandra. Yep, it's quite an amazing thing! Much appreciated - Craig

Comment from Gloria ....

Excellent

Ha, the deceitful nature of this fellow is definitely found in the butterfly effect. What a picture too! Where did you find that little beauty, Craig.

Anyway great job and best wishes to you in the contest. I'm gonna watch out for those puppies. ;-)

Gloria

 Comment Written 08-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 08-Mar-2018

Google images is my go-to thing for pictures. Many thanks for the lovely review, Gloria :)