Islanders are all well versed in the meaning of “Juneuary” — used to describe an unseasonably cold summer day on Vashon.

But now, longtime islander Richard Rogers has expanded on the wordplay, by combining month names to create 144 distinct “seasons” described in a new volume of poetry.

It all started, Rogers said, after a friend suggested he write poetry to describe each season. So, having learned to write in the haiku form for Mukai Farm and Garden’s annual haiku contest, he accepted the challenge.

The resulting poems are now featured in Rogers’ just published “144 Seasons — A Haiku Guide to Seasonal Subtleties.”

“Some of the haikus directly address the ‘season’ named, some hope to impart profound septuagenarian wisdom, while others are simply seasonal silliness,” Rogers said, describing his book.

Combining two words to form another is known as portmanteau — the French word for suitcase. But writing the book has given Rogers a new idea, which he is challenging readers of “144 Seasons” to take up.

What it is? “To combine two months to create their own 144 seasons and combine three months to create a possible 1,728 new super seasons like Janulyvember, Aprustcember or Octobruarymay,” Rogers said. “The combinations are almost endless.”

Rogers and his wife Susan have lived on Vashon since 1989. His graphic design skills now support worthy community causes including Voice of Vashon and Word Travels, a nonprofit that encourages refugee students through art and poetry.

Rogers’ new book and his previous book “100 Words For Rain” — as well his knack for writing skits and song parodies for Vashon comedy shows — are testament to his love of wacky wordsmithing.

The timing of the publication of “144 Seasons” is especially fortuitious, said Rogers — just as poets from Vashon and around the world are polishing up their entries to Mukai Farm & Garden’s annual Haiku Festival.

The contest, accepting poems from March 18-April 24, draws hundreds of submissions from Vashon residents and poets from around the world. To find out more and enter the contest, visit mukaifarmandgarden.org.

Rogers’ books are available at Vashon Bookshop and Vashon Made. Learn more about his writing and design at rogers-graphics.com.

Haikus from “144 Seasons”

MARCEMBER

Daffodils emerge

Oh no, now they are frozen

Relax, they’ll bloom soon

JUNULY

Replace the door knob

And then rebuild the whole room

This old house needs love