Saturday, February 28, 2009

blood moon

blood moon--
stepping into the river
my young daughter

Friday, February 27, 2009

scent of rain

scent of rain--
all the ways
we failed each other

Thursday, February 26, 2009

spring meadow

spring meadow
sound of seedlings bursting
into sunlight

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

luna

budding branch--
luna moth dries
her unfurled wings

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

creekside

purling creek--
a remembered lullaby
in the mother tongue

Monday, February 23, 2009

hawk

hawk glides
bearing lightly on its wings
heaven

Sunday, February 22, 2009

night sky

stars gleam
dewdrops

on a spun sky

Saturday, February 21, 2009

labyrinth

labyrinth--
between pavers new shoots green
my meditation

Thursday, February 19, 2009

midnight

midnight--
I wonder whether you breathed
this same air once

thunderstorm

thunderstorm--
a child sleeps
on my leaden arm

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

days lengthen

days lengthen--
my young nephew enroute
to Afghanistan

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

willow catkins

willow catkins--
newborn barn kittens
open their eyes

Friday, February 13, 2009

cleaving

In the spring of 1993, I was nearing the end of my second pregnancy with a daughter. As she once again dug her heels into my ribs, I was able to clutch her tiny heel through my stretched flesh for a few seconds. It was a precious near-meeting in the bright world outside my womb where I knew and held all of her.

My thoughts turned to my son, the firstborn, whose tiny heel had been pricked countless times and whose burial booties had been far too big. Could he be as nearby as she with only a translucent membrane or mime's wall separating his dimension and mine?

the rising fog--
all that divides us
all that binds us




Published in Contemporary Haibun Online.

robins return

robins return--
a strand of pink ribbon
feathers a new nest

Thursday, February 12, 2009

first pale shoots

first pale shoots--
whisking the matcha
to a jade froth

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

first tree buds

first tree buds--
untuned piano music
from the old folks home

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

waves

shell held to my ear--
a wave swells and rides
itself to shore

Monday, February 09, 2009

post-divorce date

post-divorce date--
rubbing the pale band
on my ring finger

Saturday, February 07, 2009

spring thaw

spring thaw...
an old friend and I
make amends

Friday, February 06, 2009

drip

finally sun--
the icicle's persistent

rhythmic drip

Thursday, February 05, 2009

stargazing II

clear night--
the big dipper ladling
the milky way

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

nesting

robins nesting—
fresh white for the crib
she once slept in

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

cold front

cold front--
in the busker's guitar case
five copper coins

Sunday, February 01, 2009

double

upon still waters
this rustic boat rides
its reflection