Tuesday, June 30, 2009


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Brash winds
give way, of course
... to willful forest.

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This way, that
seems enough
... for the dragonfly.

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Summer idylls
beneath old maples given
... to games of flying.

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This night, this rare once
north winds wound
... but I will have them.

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Monday, June 29, 2009


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A Steller's Jay
all mash but no potatoes
... and I chuckle.

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Saturday, June 27, 2009


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This day, my troubles
were not among those
... of rabbits.

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Paused dragonfly
whispers what she knows
... this comes, now this goes.

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The train's
unanswered questions
... groaning impatience.

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Sleepy sparrows
poised in dark ivy
... furies in silence.

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Simple evening
fallow road for he who wanders
... and wonders.

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Just now, chickadee
chicka-dee-dee-dee-dee
... for little reason.

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Duet of sparrows
hop for hop through roses
... are they lovers?

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Bits of mistaken cheese
to a cat who prefers
... better.

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Cold June morning
and comes all of this
... crossroads.

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And says the sparrow
It's not that sort of game
... Lo siento mucho.

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Finished night
to the rise of timid color
... too holy for name.

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Cries, Oh she cries
but the little grosbeak
... can't pierce the rains.

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Crowds gather
to the peek of day
... sparrows in the wind.

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Morning's gay spillings
urgings too plenty
... for sleepy bones.

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Thin clouds won't say
why they've paused for this
... morning's drama.

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Countless robins
but these rascals who've come
... are mine to tell.

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Surely, slugs
have more to worry over
... than my stumblings.

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Chickadee, like me
had found and lost loves
... but would say no more.

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Friday, June 26, 2009

Thursday, June 25, 2009


__________


I thought perhaps rain
instead, ripe eventide skies
... of peaches.

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__________


I'll not dishonor trees
by guessing
... what they mean.

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__________


Rains blue, rains grey
then, just like that
... the greens of day.

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Morning and, of course
silly robins, the trees
... are still here.

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Roses
still bowed in grace
... to fresh rains.

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Am I the humor
in the morning towhee's
... chuckle?

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__________


Overhead
the crow scolds Hello
... and goodbye.

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Passages to morning
to rest the last messages
... of night.

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Three robins
a morning's flicker
... to brush off the night.

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Over and again
the chickadee's greeting
... lost in translation.

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Morning birds
with so many questions
... and I, so few answers.

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Now, fey of summer
secreting in these dry earths
... memories of spring.

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In June trees, in rains
do sparrows lament
... the end of springs?

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Wednesday, June 24, 2009


__________


Must this storm
must June whisper so loudly
... to cottonwoods?

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An invented fog
harsh imagined crows judging
... the opened cracks.

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Rigid bones
of a straight man fumbling
... down wild road.

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Feral night let out
slinking about and sinking
... into porous men.

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Perhaps, birds know
why blackberries favor cracks
... in old fences.

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Drapes of tart apples
a bed of cool grasses
... love's summer palace.

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Monday, June 22, 2009


__________


'fore I can stop 'er
she's all stompin' and pansies
... Pshh, neighbors!

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Sometimes, it's put right
if I just imagine
... blowing bubbles.

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Dusting off a smile
Whoopsy-daisy, he says
... just like I taught him.

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't ain't nothin'
but I'ma ride this bus
... jus' ta ride!

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Of all those things
I remember her distances
... on trains.

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This time
the dragonfly's message
... for someone else.

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But what of they
who made the hands that laid
... these mossy stones?

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Saturday, June 20, 2009


__________


Are moments far worse
than those caught in the path
... of a hummingbird.

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Yes, it's silly
hiding my nakedness
... from shameless trees.

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Old aches rebut
stepping kindly
... over dead leaves.

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Why beyond these skies?
Why even beyond these trees?
... Why, why beyond home?

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High in the old fir
woodpecker wary
... of little old me.

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Dip into velvet
this rest few fears can brook
... summer night.

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Into night, under rains
to seek what can, and feel
... what must.

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Yes, scent of clover
is call enough
... were I honeybee!

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Without covet
without trickery
comes ... sparrow goes.

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Must lover's dreams
must dreamers loving
... beneath summer trees.

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Happily!
Happily the birds!
... Gladly rains!

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A cold night -
the moth
becomes the crackle of fire.

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(With many thanks to Basho)

Friday, June 19, 2009


__________


Talismans of sorrow:
kept remnants of paths
... abandoned.

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Talismans of plenty:
honeybees sipping clover
... after summer rain.

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Oh, how we rage
against the light's full
... lusty rains and me!

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Again, kitty rises
an impish mess
... of unending need.

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Ghosts of empty streets
what choice have they
... but to give way?

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A weary cat
her sinking saunter
... infectious.

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Comes cuddle and drink
the promised charities
... of rain.

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Rat-rat-rat-rat-rat!
I'll not be bullied away
... Steller's Jay!

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Boxers their boxes
bare earths to graceless sprawl
... and black rivers.

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Feather tresses of willow
teasing the toes
... of alders.

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Black seams
binding the steel meadows
... and crusts of city.

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Thursday, June 18, 2009


__________


Bud to blossom
fade to bust, crisp
... to crust.

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Without start or ends
this long road ...
of windows, just windows.

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Things improved:
rusting things
... things bending.

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Night's shallow sea
a teeming reef
... of summer meadow.

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Wispy summer's breath
come to speak
... come to listen?

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A day not day
but merely day
... implied.

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The traveller
too plain to wish
... for the end of rains.

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Talismans of joy:
desired gifts received
... the giving.

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Talismans of fear:
laws of stone
... the bones beneath them.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Monday, June 15, 2009

Sunday, June 14, 2009


__________


And I asked, "What of love?"
and said the tree
... "Yes, do."

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Saturday, June 13, 2009


__________


Overhead, overwith
the night's profits
... crows.

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Here, there
this way, that way
... no way too is home.

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Flight
of a paper moth as far
... as I'd imagined.

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Siren through the dark
from where to somewhere
... fading.

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Jasmine
this night, this air
... of course!

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Cutting things:
what is felt but unspoken
... spoken but unfelt.

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Things magical:
sunset
... twinkling through maples.

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Friday, June 12, 2009


__________


True, seed is not seed
unless flung about
... the Tao of Towhees.

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If only this dance
for as long as dance
... the sway of maples.

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An early crow
bitch, bitch, bitch
... Yeah, looks like rain.

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New and renew
yet, I recall it just so
... this meadow.

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Never still forest
never unsweet, unsalted hills
... Never! Oh, never!

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To remind me:
this is this world
... groans of far machines.

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Heart true enough
to lay upon the tips
... of grasses.

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I cannot play
you cannot read
... little moth!

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This night
such hush
... even thought disturbs.

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Words light enough
to ride upon the wings
... of dragonflies.

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Thursday, June 11, 2009


__________


Three hops look
six hops look, nine hops look
... wary robin.

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A tiny bit
of Shambhala
... in clover blossom.

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Thisaway crow!
No, thataway crow!
... The other way, crow!

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Scraps of words
bits of heart on little tabs
... of moment.

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Things frail:
first steps from shelter
... for open ends ...

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Wednesday, June 10, 2009


__________


Go harsh dreams!
Peel away shadows
... peel away!

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The genius
of wind and moon peeling
... through scruffy meadow.

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Now to forest path
away from crass paths
... who never oblige.

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Fey poplar cottons
joyous to the melodies
... of robins.

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Slaps of a screen door
and old scoldings echoed
... in stains of mulberry.

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Round 'n round
the ev'ning light, a first web
... almost right.

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Yes, yes
the moon is a rock
... and endless poetry.

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Grosbeaks and robins
singing in the round
... the night's passing.

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Joyous morning birds
leaving the dead
... to the dead.

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So many nights
still, I lament
... the moon's passing.

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The march of sunrise
sung in the cadence
... of grosbeaks.

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For this morning finch
only love of song
... want of seed.

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How many lives
to make this one sparrow
... her once song?

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But who's missing
from the morning songs?
... Heckling jays!

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Things enduring:
the carefree stars
... the love of wander.

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Tuesday, June 9, 2009


__________


Nightland
sated of the day's fallen
... and near quiet of men.

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Things red:
itchy mosquitoes
... a feisty hornet denied.

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Such effort
to tale the effortless songs
... of robins.

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Wild, wild storm
cottonwood to fleece
... a dashing sunset.

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His Most Dapper Sir
and Gracious Lady
... peekaboo robins.

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Flashing handsome dark
and boist'rous blue
... Steller's Jay!

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As a kindness
loving the day without need
... to give it name.

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Easy all around
my own plodding dance
... snows of cottonwoods.

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Monday, June 8, 2009


__________


The rose vine snaps
... I can't remember
their color.

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Tufts of cottonwood
drifting by
... caterpillar and I.

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Not beginnings, not endings
the must of love
... the must of tears.

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Setting meadow
flitting, swirling about
... the breath of Buddha.

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Setting shadows
and evening stretch
... for trees.

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Perhaps, to tidy
the art of wild meadow
... No, not this day.

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Things patient:
hawk watching in a tree
... the tree.

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The crow
sitting misery
... for no misery to find.

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Things delicate:
the dragonfly's touch
... shadow of wings.

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List of certain things:
a squirrel's hurried love
... for peanuts!

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Damnable unsettle!
Always these worries
... for little trees.

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The Tao of Trees:
Dig - Drink - Reach - Drink
Dance - Drink ... Dream.

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Sunday, June 7, 2009

Friday, June 5, 2009


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Not to be shadowed
in buttercups
... clover!

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The clock's mantra:
now this now this
now this now ...

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Comes rain
tapping of hearts ancient
... for hearts new.

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For the heart:
life's no-restraint
... death's no indulgence.

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Just one ...
one just day without blunt
... without sink.

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(Inspired by Laetitia at Flickr)


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What brash bother!
Does the moth too
... arrogate its place?

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June fourth:
but words and winds
... had other plans.

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Thursday, June 4, 2009


__________


Selfish clouds -
my date with the moon
... canceled.

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Wild, wild winds!
Wild playful courtship
... spring and summer.

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Deep into forest
or away from forest
... what place else?

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Things tender:
damselflies, a cherry tree
... shading buttercups.

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And were no peaches
in the meadow but love
... of peaches.

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Garments of pretense
taken from corpses
... given to corpses.

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Farewells kept tender
beyond the throw of lights
... and thick doors.

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Wednesday, June 3, 2009


__________


Perhaps, this meadow
is the heaven intended
... for mossy old stones.

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Green cherries
sour the clamor and covet
... of robins.

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Things for laughing:
a squirrel scratching
... upside down!

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We may only wish
to be blossoms
... honeybee!

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Sticky day
even birdsong
... thick to bare whisper.

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Stories abandoned
to misplaced letters
... and lost shoes.

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Ever stars
ever creeping hills
... Oh, hummingbird!

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Things frantic:
little sparrow there
'n there 'n there and ...

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__________


But
I was here first
... Steller's Jay!

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Screams of crows
forgetting the beauty
... of a gliding hawk.

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Tuesday, June 2, 2009


__________


That reveal
of splinter, of paper-cut
of blister ... and of love.

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A peekaboo bird -
Wontcha-com'n-find-me?

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Robinlings
scratchy little chorus
... to old melodies.

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__________


Two hundred twenty-eight
know ever more of seas
... than we.

__________

(Dedicated to Air France Flight 447)


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Hawk!
Hawk! Hawk! Hawk!
... barks the crow!

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Pop!
Robin to a cherry branch
Pop! ... See ya!

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__________


Comes a ruffled cat -
Where've you been
... scoundrel?

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What chance have stars
but one
... with meddling boxes?

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The proud, the wanting
the hiding streets
... of night city.

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A belly's breath, a pause
to look, listen, feel, to be
... haiku.

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None
more prepared for sunrise
... than buttercups.

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Perhaps, crippling too
are the little fears
... of spiders.

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Things untrue:
sometimes you
... sometimes me.

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Curious crows
twinned in conspiracy
... and shy of photos.

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Spirals and teases
the few delights of swallows
... unnoticed.

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Things that tickle:
sunrise through lazy swarms
... of cottonwood.

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Walks-with-Sunrise:
wanders with wonders
... after wonder.

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Veil of cream
a lacy wedding
... moon and earthy mist.

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