Celebrity Death Haiku

Peter Mayhew

1944-2019

Hirsute Solo pal
Battled cinematic evil
Sans dialogue coach

—Michael Dominowski

Dick Dale

1937-2019

Wordlessly summed up 
A time, place, sport and spirit
King of surf guitar

--Phil Valens

Road-tested Fenders
For Leo, who wouldn't sell
One Dick hadn't surfed

--O'Cyrus

 

 

Peter Tork

1942-2019

A real musician
Also played one on TV
Monkee-wrenched career

--O'Cyrus

 

Carol Channing

1921-2019

Song, footwork, laughter
Huge eyes, monumental smile
Always our Dolly

--Michael Dominowski

Burt Reynolds

1936-2018

Outrunning Smokey
Made cinema turkeys pay.
But that Tiparillo!

--Michael Dominowski

 

Bidding Burt adieu.
Too fancy for the Bandit?
Yeah. Later, gator!

-Abby Rhodes

Kate Spade

1962-2018

Empire of pockets
Bagged fashion’s rising clamor.
The rest is silence.

—Michael Dominowski

Tom Wolfe

1931-2018

Had the Right Stuff for
A long time but then lost it
All in a bonfire

—O'Cyrus

 

Before the Bonfire,
Electric minds were tested.
He had the write stuff.

—Michael Dominowski

Carrie Fisher

1956–2016

So clever with the
Danish pastry Princess hair
Miss you already

–babatjie

 

David Bowie

1947 – 2016

The chameleon
From oddity to hero
Suffers last changes

— Dr. Vitz

 

Leonard Nimoy

1931–2015

Lived long and prospered
By any logic he served
Needs of the many

—Dr. Vitz

Rod McKuen

1933–2015

Some called him "Poet'
Some say "songwriter" was right
Most say "He just died?"

—Dr. Vitz

Casey Kasem

1932–2014

Scooby to Shaggy:
This snack is dedicated
From longer distance

— Dr. Vitz

 

Richie Havens

1941–2013

Wow, what a career!
Opened at Woodstock! And ... and ....
Other stuff, I'm sure.

— Jeff Tiedrich

* * *

He had those sit down
can't cry oh lord gonna die
blues ... and now he's dead

—Babatjie

 

Storm Thorgerson

1944–2013

Took a pyramid
Sent prismatic bands through it
Colored our heartbeats

— Dr. Vitz

 

Annette Funicello

1942–2013

M-I-C-K-E-
Y? because Baby Boomer
boys liked your sweater

--babatjie

Roger Ebert

1942–2013

Will Gene welcome him
To heaven — watching classics
Or hell — Michael Bay?

— Dr. Vitz

* * *

A two-thumbs-up life!
See you in the balcony
I'll bring the popcorn

— O'Cyrus

 

 

Harry Reems

1947–2013

Reems was Ground Zero
For that cultural icon,
The porn star mustache

— Jeff Tiedrich

 

Van Cliburn

1934-2013

Outplayed the commies
While a grateful America
Pretended to care

— Jeff Tiedrich

Neil Armstrong

1930–2012

Did he ever, on 
A moonlit night, glance up, wink
And say, 'Hi, gorgeous'

— O'Cyrus

* * *

Buzz watched from behind
As once again Neil was first
To take giant leap

— Dr. Vitz 

Phyllis Diller

1917–2012

Had better plastic
Surgeon than Joan Rivers and
Funnier, to boot

— O'Cyrus

 

Helen Gurley Brown

1922–2012

Knew her audience
Better than they knew themselves;
Cheese for mouseburgers

— O'Cyrus

* * *

Did death tap its foot
While she finished dressing or
Roll its eyes and wait?

— Russell 1000 

Tom Davis

1952–2012

Al's second fiddle
Like too many funny men
Largely unnoticed

— Dr. Vitz

 

Andy Griffith

1926-2012

The sheriff? Matlock?
Will either outlive that theme
We all can whistle?

— Dr. Vitz

 

Nora Ephron

1941—2012

Interned at Kennedy
White House, greeted the Beatles...
How'd she miss Woodstock?

— G. Runyon

* * *

Imagine the book
She'd have written if Jack had
Made a pass at her

— O'Cyrus

 

 

LeRoy Neiman

1921—2012

His true artistry
Was the way he lived; and, yeah
That giant mustache

— G. Runyon

* * *

Did what he loved and
Got paid for it handsomely
Suck it, art critics

— O'Cyrus