Haiku

Haikuesday: Luke Skywalker (ESB)

Oh No! A Wampa!
Commander Skywalker is
attacked by a beast!

Hanging Upside-Down
Oh look, it’s his lightsaber…
..but just out of reach. 😦

OH WAIT! USE THE FORCE!
Eyes closed and hand extended…
The saber responds.

OH NO! THE WAMPA!
Freed from the ice, Luke attacks.
Poor one-armed Wampa. 😦

Hoth’s frozen tundra.
A blizzard lashes at Luke
and our hero falls.

Ben’s apparition
gives Luke a direct command:
“Go to Dagobah.”

Stuffed in a Tauntaun…
…they smell bad on the outside
and on the inside.

Floating in Bacta.
Then, a few minutes later,
kissing his sister.

The Battle of Hoth.
All-Terrain Armored Transports.
Luke leads Rogue Squadron.

“Hobbie! “I’ve been hit!”
…annnnnd once again Luke crashes
to Hoth’s snowy ground.

“All the scopes are dead.”
Luke enters Dagobah’s sky.
“I can’t see a thing.”

A swampy landing.
“Artoo, what are we doing…?”
The droid throws up mud.

“Like we’re being watched!”
A strange creature confronts Luke
and trashes his camp.

Important question:
“Why wish you become Jedi?”
“…my father, I guess.”

“We’re wasting our time!”
“Cannot teach him. No patience.”
The creature? Yoda!

Yoda on his back.
Luke begins Jedi training.
And learns of the Force.

Haiku Addendum:
Jedi training involves a
lot of cardio.

Dark, sinister cave.
“That place…strong with the dark side.”
So Luke just walks in…

Dark Confrontation –
Face-to-face with his father’s
killer: Darth Vader.

Red and Blue Collide
A dream like battle ensues.
There is no victor.

Upside-down again.
Luke lifts rocks using the Force.
But crashes again.

His X-Wing sinking.
“We’ll never get it out now!”
Yoda is annoyed.

“Luminous beings.”
“Life creates it, makes it grow.”
“You must feel the Force.”

Yoda moves Luke’s ship.
“I don’t…I don’t believe it.”
“That is why you fail.

Haiku Addendum:
I hope Luke thanked Yoda for
freeing the X-Wing.

Meanwhile, elsewhere…
Han. Leia. Asteroids. Slugs.
Darth Vader. Hunters.

Upside-down again.
This time Luke crashes after
a vision of friends.

Decision to make:
go and help his friends or to
finish his training.

Haiku Addendum:
because he is impatient,
Luke decides to leave.

Haiku Addendum:
internalizing lessons
is not Luke’s strong point.

Onto Cloud City!
Luke waltzes into a trap.
The truth awaits him.

“The Force is with you.”
The Carbon Freezing Chamber.
Luke confronts Vader.

Red and Blue Collide
Skywalker holds his own but
it won’t be enough.

Launched out a window.
Pushed back onto a platform.
An abyss below.

A deadly blade stroke.
Maimed by Vader’s blood red blade.
“There is no escape.”

“I’ll never join you!”
And now the truth is revealed…
“I am your Father.”

“That’s impossible!”
“…we can rule the galaxy
as father and son…”

Calm comes over Luke.
A decision has been made.
He lets go…and falls.

Upside-down again
Luke has nowhere else to go.
One option remains.

Calling to Leia,
Luke reaches out with the Force.
His sister responds.

Haiku Addendum:
in the next film, they will learn
that they are siblings.

Haiku Addendum:
…but pay attention and you
can figure it out. 😉

Haiku Addendum:
Seriously, “Empire”
gives you the info.

Luke gets a new hand!
And Lando wears Han’s clothing.
Did Hobbie survive?

Meanwhile, on Hoth…
the one-armed Wampa adjusts
to a one-armed life. 

Luke maims the Wampa.
And Vader maims Skywalker.
Quite interesting…

This post is Part 2 of 3 in a special three-week version of Haikuesday exploring Luke Skywalker in the Original Star Wars Trilogy. Be on the lookout next Tuesday for for the final installement with haiku about Luke in Return of the Jedi!

Luke Skywalker (ANH)

 

Haikuesday: Luke Skywalker (ANH)

Tatooine farm boy.
Dreaming of a greater life.
Craving adventure.

Bad motivator.
3PO suggests R2.
“What about that one?”

As he cleans R2,
Luke stumbles on a message:
“You’re my only hope.”

Binary Sunset.
A New Hope baptized by Light.
Arise, Skywalker.

“I wish I’d known him.”
Star pilot. Warrior. Friend.
Tales of a Father.

Jawa Massacre.
Imperial Stormtroopers.
A burning homestead.

Stopped by Stormtroopers.
“Not the droids you’re looking for.”
A Jedi mind-trick.

Crossing the threshold.
The Mos Eisley Cantina.
A hero’s journey.

Baba. Evazan.
They don’t like Luke very much.
Old Ben saves the day.

With the blast-shield down
Luke is blinded by his doubts
but takes his first steps.

“The Princess? She’s here?”
“What are you talking about?”
“We’ve got to help her.”

Luke has an idea.
Han thinks it’s a bad idea.
Chewie is just mad.

“I’m Luke Skywalker.”
The hero to the rescue!
Leia is just chill.

Death Star Compactor.
A one-eyed beast tries to eat
the youthful hero.

Chased by Stormtroopers,
a hero swings a Princess
across a chasm.

Haiku Addendum:
 Princess Leia could have done
all the heroics.

Haiku Addendum:
Leia was just letting Luke
play the hero part.

Red and Blue collide.
The sacrifice of Old Ben.
“Run Luke, Run!” Ben’s voice.

A mentor is mourned.
Skywalker struggles with loss.
“Can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Got him, I got him!”
“Great kid, don’t get cocky,” the
smuggler declares.

Pleading with Solo,
Luke learns some are driven by
self-preservation.

Childhood friend: Biggs.
Skywalker and Darklighter.
X-Wing Red Squadron.

“Red Five Standing By.”
He wanted more out of life.
Well, he got his wish…

Running the gauntlet.
Protected by Biggs and Wedge.
Going full throttle.

Biggs dead. Wedge knocked out.
Luke is pursued by Vader,
his father’s killer.

“Use the Force…Let go.”
From the beyond, Old Ben speaks.
Faith in something Great.

Han Solo Returns!
“Let’s blow this thing and go home.”
Torpedoes away.

The Death Star destroyed.
Luke and his friends celebrate.
The Force is with him.

Good news! This post is Part 1 of 3 of a special three-week version of Haikuesday exploring Luke Skywalker in the Original Star Wars Trilogy. Be on the lookout next Tuesday for haiku about Luke in The Empire Strikes Back!

Check Out Other Haikuesday 2.0 Posts Below:

Imperial Atrocities

Haikuesday: Recap

Haikuesday: Recap
Looking Backward and Forward
A New Haiku Dawn

In January 2017 I had this crazy idea: what if I wrote Star Wars-inspired haiku and posted them on the first Tuesday of every month. Thus, my Haikuesday series was born. Since the first Haikuesday was posted in February 2017, I have written fifteen other Haikuesday posts, the topic for each being chosen via polls on Twitter. Allowing my followers and others on Twitter to vote for each Haikuesday topic was a way to garner some fun and “fan”tastic support for the monthly series, and while all those who voted may not have gone on to read the haiku I wrote, it was never-the-less fun to know so many people were voting!

I am incredibly proud of the Haikuesday posts I have written, in large part because these posts have enabled me to explore my love of Star Wars in really unique ways. Never would I have imagined, when Haikuesday began, that I would have be scouring the Expanded Universe novel The Truce at Bakura for inspiration, or that I would be obsessively listening to Carl Orff’s O Fortuna (from Carmina Burana) as I wrote haiku about Darth Vader. I dug into my knowledge of the Star Wars: Uprising mobile-game (which I played obsessively before it was cancelled) for the haiku about Cloud City and was inspired by the poetry of Toru Dutt and Hindu mythology as I wrote about Queen Amidala. Long story short, Haikuesday has enabled me to explore not just Star Wars, but a wealth of other music, art, literature, and more in really interesting ways.

At the same time, the writing of Haikuesday posts has taken numerous forms, and happened at pretty random times. For many of the sixteen posts, I would work on the haiku over the course of the week leading up to Haikuesday. Sometimes my inspiration would come late in the process, and I would still be writing haiku an hour before I planned on actually publishing. More often than not, though, the haiku would be completed in advance of Haikuesday. As well, many of the haiku were first written by hand, and I have two notebooks filled with my Star Wars-inspired poetic creations. As I told my friend Kiri from the site Star Wars Anonymous (who write some of her own Star Wars haiku!), I often keep a notebook with me to ensure that I can write a haiku if it pops into my mind. And, in those moments when I do not have a notebook, my iPhone comes in pretty handy.

There are definitely some other little things about Haikuesday I could mention, but realistically, and for the sake of brevity, I will skip all of that. Like, you don’t really care that I wrote most of The Battle of Scarif haiku in the backseat of a car, Rogue One: The Visual Dictionary by my side, on a road trip from Detroit, MI to Alexandria, VA…do you? Naw, of course you don’t care, so I won’t share that with you. And I definitely won’t share that I wrote all of The Battle of Umbara haiku in a note on my phone (I remember when phones were just used for making calls and not writing haiku. Those were the good ole days…in the 1990s). 

So, what is next for Haikuesday? Well, first and foremost, a much-needed creative break. I love rendering Star Wars in haiku form but my brain is tapped out right now. For right now – meaning for a few months – I am taking a break from Haikuesday to focus on some other Star Wars posts I have wanted to nail down for this site. In fact, now that this site is over three years old, I have quite a few ideas moving forward…including plans to FINALLY do Wookiee Week (but more on that later). As for Haikuesday, I already have some fun and innovative ideas to revamp it, changing how I approach it – from when/how I write, to the topics, and getting Star Wars fans (you!) involved in writing haiku! I even have this crazy idea to do an entire Haikuesday post in Aurebesh…

But all of that is in the future. For now, I hope you will take some time to read (or re-read) and share my Haikuesday posts. Leave a comment on them, tell me what you like, and if you have any thoughts/ideas on helping me make Haikuesday even more successful I am all ears!

Below are all of the featured images I used for every Haikuesday (with links to each post in the captions).

oom_battle_droids-2
Droids
Thrawn TIEFighter
Thrawn

Haikuesday: Coruscant

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Sorry for the wait,
I’ve been sitting in traffic
for-flippin-ever!

Was gonna write these
at home but I have time now
since we aren’t moving

Rakata Owners.
30,000 BBY.
Legends are the best.

Planet: Coruscant.
From: Heir to the Empire.
Lucas liked the name.

Entire planet,
an Ecumenopolis,
“just one big city.”

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

An onscreen debut
in Return of the Jedi
Special Edition.

A distant Temple.
Crowds pack streets celebrating
an Emperor’s death.

The Phantom Menace.
The Republic Capital.
Corruption Galore!

Corellian Run
and Perlemian Trade Route.
Region: the Core Worlds.

Places you should see:
The Senate building of course!
Jedi Temple, too.

Manarai Mountains.
NOT an urbanized landscape.
Still canon to me.

Need something to eat?
You should try Dex’s Diner.
Tasty Jawa Juice.

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

I wonder what the
planetary accident
rate happens to be.

Zillo Beast Terror!
Malastare to Coruscant.
Palpatine’s problem.

Honor Salima,
Coruscant Home Defense Fleet.
She is in command.

Coruscant below,
a Venator on patrol
as fire rages.

Seppie Invasion!
The Battle of Coruscant.
Massive engagement.

Invisible Hand:
Grievous’ dreadnaught, flagship.
Anakin “lands” it.

Republic dissolved.
Galactic Empire born.
Capital remains.

Official name change.
 Now: Imperial Center.
Thanks to Palpatine.

Super construction.
Buried beneath big buildings.
Dreadful Lusankya.

Deadly Krytos trap!
Isard unleashes virus
after the Rogues win.

Great Hyperspace War!
Sadow attacks Coruscant.
The Jedi rally.

Yuuzhan Vong control,
27 ABY.
Time to terraform!

The Jedi Temple,
sitting on a “Sithy” spot,
says James Luceno.

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Hold up for a sec:
Do we ever see the dark
side of Coruscant?

The Koros Trunk Line,
from Koros to Coruscant.
Grievous and Sadow.

Grand plan: Asteroids.
Thrawn lays siege to Coruscant
using some space rocks.

Haiku Addendum:
The rocks are invisible.
Damn, Thrawn is brilliant!

Coruscant terror!
Grievous sends cleaning droids armed
with bombs to the world.

Sheev and Anakin.
Galaxies Opera House.
Performance: Squid Lake.

Clone Commander Fox
leading the Coruscant Guard
during the Clone Wars.

Darth Krayt’s Empire.
Capital for the One Sith.
Hardly a surprise.

Rising First Order.
Hosnian Cataclysm.
Lucky Coruscant.

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

The Outlander Club.
Kenobi and Skywalker
track an assassin.

Thrawn, Ciena,  Eli,
Nash, Thane, Kendy. Jude, Kallus.
Academy grads.

Coruscant rebels.
The Anklebiter Brigade.
CoCo born youngsters.

Ahsoka and Plo,
descent to the underworld.
Mythic adventure.

Coruscant haiku.
Dizzying, overwhelming.
Just like the city.

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Traffic and Traffic
and Traffic and Traffic and
Traffic and Traffic

Ugh, seriously!!!!!!!!
They should rename Coruscant
“Stuck in Traffic World”

Why did I move here!?!?!
I spend my time sitting in
these jam packed sky lanes.

Screw it, I’m moving.
I’ll find some backwater world
and settle down there.

Coruscant is the
bright center but I’ll find the
planet farthest from.

Traffic and Traffic
…if I can get home and pack…
Traffic and Traffic

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Ahsoka Tano (March 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Cloud City (September 2017)

General Grievous (October 2017)

Millennium Falcon (November 2017)

Poe Dameron (December 2017)

The Battle of Umbara (January 2018)

Hondo Ohnaka (February 2018)

Jyn Erso (March 2018)

Haikuesday: Jyn Erso

Rogue One: The Movie
Rogue One: The Rebel Call Sign
Rogue One: Jyn Erso

First year of Clone Wars.
Separatist world of Vallt.
Jyn Erso is born.

Mission on Alpinn.
Jyn travels with her mother.
Has and Nari, too.

Hiding on Lah’mu,
eight-year old Jyn Erso with
her loving parents.

“Koodie” the Tooka.
“Stormie,” “Wuzzwork,” and “Tinta.”
Some of young Jyn’s toys.

Star Wars Trivia:
Tookas are a subspecies
of the Loth-cat. Neat!

Stormie – stormtrooper.
Wuzzwork – looks like a Wookiee.
Tinta – a Tauntaun.

To Jyn: “Trust the Force.”
To Jyn: “I love you Stardust.”
Lyra and Galen.

Lyra’s sacrifice.
Jyn watches her mother die.
She runs and she hides.

A lonely bunker.
Jyn waits for a friendly face.
Reb: Saw Gerrara.

Age: eight to sixteen.
In the care of Gerrara.
Partisan Rebel.

Scene: planet Garel.
“Pick on someone your own size,”
Jyn tells some troopers.

A Heart of Kyber.
Erso rescues a Loth-cat
for a little girl.

Sabine runs into
an accidental ally.
Yup, it’s Jyn Erso!!!

I wonder why Jyn
was just hanging around on
the planet Garel.

Water drips. drips. drips.
Imperial prison cell.
A Rebel Rises.

Droid: K-2SO
A painful introduction.
“Congratulations.”

Liana Hallik?
Nope, that isn’t her real name!
She is Jyn Erso!!!

“The luxury of
political opinions,”
Jyn has never had.

Mission to Jedha.
Cassian, Jyn, and K-2.
An occupied world.

Standing in a crowd.
Chirrut Îmwe can see Jyn
even though he’s blind.

Pendra Siliu.
Crying, caught in a battle.
Rescued by Erso.

Kicking trooper ass,
Jyn turns, shoots a KX droid…
…it’s not K-2. Phew!!!

Saw’s paranoia.
Convinced of Jyn’s betrayal.
Momentarily.

Eadu Extraction.
Jyn and Galen reunite
as tragedy strikes.

Pleading for action:
“Rebellions are built on hope.”
Turned down by Rebels.

Rallying the troops.
Jyn leads a mission to steal
dreaded Death Star plans.

Scarif bound shuttle.
Jyn grasps her Kyber crystal.
The Will of the Force.

Citadel Tower.
With Cassian and K-2,
Jyn nears infamy.

How do they get in?
Clever disguises of course!
Jyn the Technician.

Hyperspace Tracking.
Navigational Systems.
Stardust, that’s the one.

Stardust discovers
that Project Stardust will turn
Death Star to star dust.

Warrior Daughter.
Jyn, standing before Krennic,
declares who she is.

Mission Accomplished.
Plans transmitted to the fleet.
A Heart of Kyber.

Scene: on Scarif beach.
“Your father would be proud, Jyn.”
Two friends embrace death.

From a hidden base,
Rebels led by Jyn Erso
kicked ass and stole plans.

Star Wars: A New Hope
“Rebellions are built on hope.”
Jyn embodies hope.

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Ahsoka Tano (March 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Cloud City (September 2017)

General Grievous (October 2017)

Millennium Falcon (November 2017)

Poe Dameron (December 2017)

The Battle of Umbara (January 2018)

Hondo Ohnaka (February 2018)

Haikuesday: Hondo Ohnaka

HELLOOOOOO FRIENDS! It is I, Hondo Ohnaka, businessman and sometimes pirate extraordinaire! Perhaps you have heard of me and my legendary exploits – battling Sithy Lords and clanking generals, running an honorable enterprise in the Outer Rum, throwing great parties for my Jedi friends!  One time, I even rescused Jedi kiddies who were in trouble, swooping in to save the day in glorious fashion when they fell under attack by…

Ummmmm Hondo, it’s me, The Imperial Talker. I thought I would interrupt you and remind you that you were actually the one who attacked the Jedi kids and put them in harms way.

WHAT!?!?! Oh how dare you accuse me of such horrific crimes! You will pay for such insolence, Imp….

Time out, did you just say I am being insolent? Because that is exactly what Darth Maul accused you of that time on Florrum. Remember, he called you insolent and you said you didn’t know what that word meant because you are a pirate?

Ahhhh I see that you have been following my glorious exploits Mr. Talker! I knew you were the right person to write tear-jerking poetry about me for Haikondoesday! Tell me, what grandiness of mine have you captured in syllabical fashion!?!?!

Well, one haiku…

AHEM!

Sorry, one “haikondo” is references that time you raided a village on Felucia and tried to…

My my look at the time Mr. Imperial! It is time your readers get to reading about the wonders of Hondo. It is also time I go find my dear friend Bridger and encourage him to join me on another fun-filled and not dangerous at all adventure! Oh, and Mr. The Talker I will bill you later for using my name to promote “Haikondoesday.”

Wait a minute!!!! I didn’t coin that! You just did! What the heck…he just ignored me and walked out. Ugh, whatever, I’m going to get a drink. Here are some Haiku about Hondo Ohnaka. 

Wonderful Weequay.
One hell of a gentleman.
Hondo Ohnaka.

He isn’t as young
as he used to be, but he’s
certainly older.

Insolent Hondo.
HAHA! He is a pirate!
INSOLENT!?!?! HAHA!

Stories he could tell,
some of them are even true!
Legends of Hondo.

Morally neutral.
No, morally self-serving.
That’s how Hondo roles.

Scene – planet Florrum:
Hondo tortures two Jedi.
But we still love him.

Scene – on Felucia:
Hondo attacks some farmers.
But we still love him.

Scene – in outer space:
Hondo threatens Jedi kids.
But we still love him.

Scene – planet Florrum:
Hondo is a drug dealer.
But we still love him.

Scene – on Felucia:
“Die Jedi scum,” he exclaims!
But we still love him.

Scene – in outer space:
He tries to kill Jedi kids.
But we still love him.

Scene – on Onderon:
Hondo is an arms dealer.
But we still love him.

Scene – planet Florrum:
Hondo drugs two Jedi Knights.
But we still love him.

Scene – Drazkel System:
He tries to buy a Jedi.
But we still love him.

Here is my question:
Hondo does lots of bad shit…
why do we love him?

It’s his good looks, right?
His legendary exploits?
Perhaps his wisdom.

One hostage is good.
Two are better. And three, well
that’s just good business.

More of his brilliance:
Speak softly, drive a big tank.
Teddy would be proud.

Soft spot for children,
like the youngling Katooni.
Wit captures his heart.

Ezra and Hondo,
Brothers of the Broken Horn.
Adventures galore.

Ezra lies to him.
Hondo is a proud father.
Children learn so fast.

Reklam Station heist.
Stealing Y-Wings with Rebels.
And his Ugnaught pals.

The Ohnaka Gang.
Devious and deceitful.
But mostly stupid.

Maybe we love him
for all of his grandeur and
magnanimity.

I like that Hondo
has an actual flying
saucer as a ship.

Describing his ship:
silvery and round, and it
spins and spins and spins!

Perhaps it’s his sense
of honor, the pirate code
he sometimes follows.

A Sith Lord captured.
Epic fight: cannons, blasters,
glowy thing, voom-voom.

Hondo and Aurra
sitting in a tree, K-I-
S-S-I-N-G.

All the ladies love
Ohnaka, all the men too.
He is so handsome!

If I had to guess,
I’d bet that Maz and Hondo…
…imagine the rest.

Looking for advice?
The Partisan Cantina
runs Hondo’s column.

Ahsoka doesn’t
want to hurt Hondo and he
appreciates that.

Pirate and Jedi.
Ohnaka and Kenobi.
I think they were friends.

Jedi love Hondo!
He is always helping them!
Such a thoughtful guy.

Scavenging downed ships,
a special past time of his.
Find him on Jakku.

Hondo and Solo.
No doubt they met at some point.
Where is that story???

The Book of Hondo,
No! The Gospel of Hondo!
Sagacious Weequay.

Hondo on Florrum,
Brilliant and wise and sexy,
Hallowed be thy name.

Why do we love him?
We love him because he is
Hondo Ohnaka!

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Ahsoka Tano (March 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Cloud City (September 2017)

General Grievous (October 2017)

Millennium Falcon (November 2017)

Poe Dameron (December 2017)

The Battle of Umbara (January 2018)

Haikuesday: The Battle of Umbara

Expansion Region;
Ghost Nebula; Umbara;
Confederate World

CIS Blockade
Tano and Offee attack
with Z-95s

The southern campaign:
Kenobi, Krell, and Tinn move
on the capital.

The northern campaign:
Skywalker engages their
foe’s reinforcements.

Umbaran forces,
technologically fierce.
Do they use clones too?

Haiku Addendum:
All Umbaran fighters look
exactly the same.

If I had to guess
I’d say yes, the Umbaran
militia are clones.

The 501st
lands in the north and a dark,
deadly fight begins.

A counterattack
catches Sky Guy’s troops off-guard.
Strategic retreat.

Abandoning ridge,
the 501st waits for
Odd Ball’s bombs to drop.

Anakin relieved,
ordered back to Coruscant.
Pong Krell takes over.

Pong Krell’s Strategy:
frontal assaults against the
dug-in Umbarans.

Key to invasion!!!
Krell scolds the 501st.
“Krell is such an ass.”

Into a minefield,
the clones march forward but are
ambushed and outgunned.

Umbaran airbase
supplying the capital.
The next objective.

With Rex in the lead,
half the battalion enters
a valley of death.

Caterpillar Tanks
greet the unsuspecting clones.
Casualties will mount.

Rockets do the trick,
the creepy crawlers destroyed.
Another threat looms.

Umbarans send in
their Mobile Heavy Cannons.
The clones are so screwed.

Dangerous mission:
Fives and Hardcase infiltrate
the Umbaran base.

Hijacking fighters,
Fives and Hardcase save the day!
MHCs destroyed.

Airfield is captured!
But another threat still looms:
A droid supply ship.

Atmospheric fight.
Separatist fleet battles
a Republic force.

Umbaran missles.
100 megaton yield.
Krell just doesn’t care.

I have to be frank:
100 megaton yield
IS NOT accurate.

The explosions
would be catastrophic and
utterly massive.

Protected droid ship
resupplies the capital.
But Fives has a plan.

Hijacking fighters,
Fives, Hardcase, and Jesse fly
into supply ship.

Hardcase shows courage.
“Live to fight another day…”
Hard-earned sacrifice.

Insubordinate.
Fives and Jesse found guilty.
Ready…Aim…FIRE!!!!!!!!

Umbaran advance.
Disguised in clone trooper gear.
Brothers should beware.

Ambushed by their own.
Brothers battling brothers.
Carnage of Pong Krell.

Deception revealed.
Every clone prepares to fight.
Fives and Rex in charge.

General scorn.
He won’t go down easily.
Irate, Krell attacks.

Jedi on the run.
Kix and other clones pursue.
Lured into a trap.

Many dead brothers.
Nevertheless, they persist.
Outraged for justice.

Pong Krell lies in wait.
Quietly prepares…attacks!!!
Rex rallies the clones.

Sabers ballet death.
Tup with a plan, his own trap.
Unaware, Krell strikes.

Victorious clones.
Waxer’s justice will be swift.
Xenos Krell shot dead.

Who pulled the trigger?
Not throwin away his shot:
the loyal Dogma.

The 501st.
The Battle of Umbara.
Dark, Deadly Triumph.

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Ahsoka Tano (March 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Cloud City (September 2017)

General Grievous (October 2017)

Millennium Falcon (November 2017)

Poe Dameron (December 2017)

Haikuesday: Poe Dameron

Star Wars Trivia:
Poe’s parents fought for Rebs at
Battle of Endor

Mission to Jakku.
Poe handed crucial info.
First Order arrives.

A battle ensues,
Dameron sprints to his ride.
“Come on BB-8!!!”

His X-Wing damaged,
Poe passes the mission off
to his trusted droid.

Taking aim, Poe shoots.
A trooper is hit, goes down.
Blood. Pain. Death. Panic.

Lor San Tekka killed.
Dameron reacts, fires.
Frozen by the Force.

Interrogation.
Torture. Pain. Resilience. Grit.
Kylo will break Poe.

“The right thing to do.”
“You need a pilot,” Poe says.
“I need a pilot.”

TIE Fighter stolen.
Dameron heads to Jakku.
Finn isn’t happy.

TIE Fighter crashes.
Poe is no where to be found.
His jacket remains.

I have to be frank:
I never understood how
Poe just disappears.

Fast-forward the film:
Now we’re on Takodana
and Poe reappears.

“Fighters incoming!”
“It’s the Resistance,” Han says.
Poe leads Black Squadron.

Star Wars Trivia:
Poe flies a T-70
known as the Black One.

Dameron blasts TIEs.
“That’s one hell of a pilot!!!”
Ace in a dogfight.

Poe and BB-8,
pilot and droid reunite
at Resistance base.

Finn looks on, sees Poe.
Dameron looks up, sees Finn.
The two friends embrace.

Scrubs: Turk and J.D.
“It’s guy love between two guys.”
Star Wars: Finn and Poe

I have to be frank:
Oscar Isaac, who plays Poe,
is one handsome dude.

Star Wars Trivia:
Poe flew with the Republic’s
Rapier Squadron

“Disable the shields.”
“Take out the oscillator.”
“Blow up their big gun.”

 Preparing to fight,
the Resistance springs to life.
Poe readies his ship.

Base to Black Leader:
“…go to sub-lights on your call.”
Poe gives his orders.

Leading the X-Wings.
“Hit the target dead center.”
TIE Fighters inbound.

Hole in the target,
Dameron creates a plan.
He just needs cover.

Into a long trench,
Poe is pursued by TIEs and
targeted by guns.

“I need some help here.”
Ello Asty is destroyed.
Black Leader persists.

Threading the needle.
Poe blasts the oscillator.
Proton torpedoes.

Thermal Exhaust Port
and Thermal Oscillator.
Thermal Bros – Luke, Poe.

“Starkiller” destroyed.
“Our jobs done here, let’s go home.”
Hard fought victory.

I’m of the belief
that Poe should be given the
nickname “Starkiller”

Leia: Huttslayer
Poe Dameron: Starkiller
You know you want this.

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Ahsoka Tano (March 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Cloud City (September 2017)

General Grievous (October 2017)

Millennium Falcon (November 2017)

Haikuesday: Millennium Falcon

These haiku are based
on “Millennium Falcon”
by James Luceno

Haiku Addendum:
obviously I’m kidding
so let’s begin here…

The “Falcon” is the
single most important ship
in all of Star Wars.

If you don’t agree,
well, that is perfectly fine.
Except, you are wrong.

Make: Corellian
YT-1300f
And sort of trashy.

Cockpit on the right…
…so how the hell does Solo
see ships to his left?

Haiku Addendum:
the cockpit placement seems like
a big design flaw.

A really fast ship:
it makes point five past light speed…
…whatever that means.

Easter Egg Alert!?!?!
Y’all see the “Falcon” over
Jedha in Rogue One!?!?!?!

“What a piece of junk.”
Luke insults Solo’s baby.
Han just doesn’t care.

A really fast ship:
It made the Kessel Run in
less than twelve parsecs.

Point of inquiry:
wasn’t it fourteen parsecs?
Someone go ask Rey.

Han’s best maneuver:
list lazily to the left.
Family Guy joke.

“You came in that thing,”
the Princess asks the Captain.
“Braver than I thought.”

Dorsal and Ventral.
Quad laser cannons blast TIEs.
Luke gets one; Han too.

Last ship to arrive
at the Battle of Yavin.
A Death Star Destroyed.

Inside Echo Base
Chewie and Han make repairs…
…a lot of repairs.

Tool: hydrospanner
Use: fixing broken “Falcons”
A space screw driver.

On the Avenger,
the “Falcon” hides in plain sight,
which is sort of odd.

Point of Inquiry:
how come no TIE pilots saw
the “Falcon” parked there?

On Cloud City we
learn that Calrissian used
to own the “Falcon.”

We never see Han
piloting his prized “Falcon”
in Episode VI.

A really fast ship:
Solo offers his baby
to Calrissian.

“She won’t get a scratch.”
“I got your word…not a scratch.”
She, ah, gets a scratch…

First ship to arrive
at the Battle of Endor.
A Death Star Destroyed.

Leading Endor charge.
The Millennium Falcon
blasts TIEs left and right.

The Endor gunners –
Two Rebels: Cracken and Blount
They deserve praise, too.

Lando and Nien Nunb
pilot the “Falcon” into
the Second Death Star.

Sub-light: Girodyne
Hyperdrive: An Isu-Sim
Power Core: Quadex

“The garbage will do,”
Rey says to Finn as they flee
First Order Fighters.

Stolen by Ducain,
then the Irving Boys, then Plutt,
then by Rey, then Han.

Stress on hyperdrive.
Ignition line compression.
Some moof-milker’s fault.

Now that Han is dead,
who technically owns his ship?
Leia? Chewie? Rey?

Haiku Addendum:
did Solo have a space will?
Maybe Ben gets it…

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Ahsoka Tano (March 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Cloud City (September 2017)

General Grievous (October 2017)

Poe Dameron (December 2017)

Haikuesday: General Grievous

Rasp, Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough
Cough, Cough, Rasp, Rasp, Rasp, Cough, Cough
Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Rasp

Qymaen jai Sheelal –
deadly Kaleesh warrior,
killer of Yam’rii.

Kaleesh warrior
turned into cyborg monster:
General Grievous.

Cybernetic dude.
One arm, two arm, three arm, four.
And some cool legs, too.

Fierce Separatist,
commanding the droid army…
…and the droid navy.

Death and destruction,
killing all of the Jedi.
Grievous’ purpose.

Grievous is his name.
Killing Jedi is his game.
What a nifty rhyme!

Rasp, Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Rasp
Cough, Rasp, Cough, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Cough
Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Rasp, Cough

Malevolent ship,
reaping havoc on Clone troops.
Can Grievous be stopped?

I have to be frank:
it’s funny when Grievous just
ignores Count Dooku.

Falleen victory,
but Bothawui invasion
halted by Sky Guy.

Blue, Green, Blue, Green, Blue
Spinning Sabers, Spin, Spin, Spin
Blue, Green, Blue, Green, Blue

Tano fights Grievous
in the sky of Ruusan’s moon.
A rookie mistake.

In Grievous’ lair,
a young Jedi Knight will die
but Fisto escapes.

Master Koth captured.
Grievous tortures the Jedi
for some amusement.

On Saleucami
Kenobi pursues Grievous
but it’s all for not.

Cough, Rasp, Rasp, Cough, Rasp
Rasp, Cough, Cough, Cough, Rasp, Rasp, Rasp
Cough, Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough

Tarpal’s sacrifice.
Grievous captured by Gungans,
exchanged for Ani.

“Wipe the witches out”
Dooku commands of Grievous.
Massacred ‘Sisters.

The planet Florrum.
Hondo’s gang is outgunned by
Grievous’ droid troops.

Battle of Zanbar:
a Grievous led army fights
Maul’s Mando soldiers.

Dooku’s bodyguard
at humanitarian
event on Raxus.

Grievous fights Quinlan.
Quinlan sort of beats Grievous.
It’s temporary.

Invisible Hand,
Grievous’ flagship during
Coruscant battle.

Polyphonic piece.
The “General Grievous” theme.
Revenge of the Sith.

Rasp, Cough, Cough, Rasp, Cough
Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Rasp
Cough, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Cough

Grievous meets Sky Guy.
The two trade inane insults.
A brief encounter.

Tracked to Utapau,
Grievous is confronted by
Master Kenobi.

“Trained in Jedi arts,”
the cyborg tells Obi-Wan.
What a weird statement…

Green, Blue, Green, Blue, Green
Twirling Sabers, Twirl, Twirl, Twirl
Green, Blue, Green, Blue, Green

Find someone who will
look at you the way Grievous
looks at Kenobi.

Grievous flees the scene
and is pursued once again.
Ugh, how typical.

Seriously though,
have you noticed that Grievous
flees battles a lot?

Bursting into flames,
his heart shot by Kenobi.
So uncivilized.

Commander Karbin,
cybernetic Mon Cala.
He is no Grievous.

Here is a fun fact:
Mister Bones has some Grievous
programming in him.

Another fun fact:
I don’t have any Grievous
programming in me.

Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Cough
Cough, Rasp, Cough, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Rasp
Rasp, Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough

Hold up for a sec!
Grievous was a cyborg but
couldn’t get new lungs!?!?!

Are we surprised, though?
I mean, Padmé thought she was
having one baby.

Honestly, med tech
in Star Wars is advanced but
weirdly lacking, too.

Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Cough
Cough, Rasp, Cough, Cough, Rasp, Cough, Rasp
Rasp, Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Cough

Rasp, Cough, Rasp, Rasp, Cough
Grievous needs Albuterol.
Get his inhaler.

Haikuesday is a monthly series on The Imperial Talker, a new post with poetic creations coming on the first Tuesday of each month. The haiku topic is chosen by voters on Twitter so be sure to follow @ImperialTalker so you can participate in the voting. Now, check out these past Haikuesday posts:

Droids (February 2017)

Ahsoka Tano (March 2017)

Darth Vader (April 2017)

The Battle of Scarif (May 2017)

The Truce at Bakura (June 2017)

Queen Amidala (July 2017)

Ryloth (August 2017)

Cloud City (September 2017)

Millennium Falcon (November 2017)

Poe Dameron (December 2017)