Through The Window

night flows in through the window
    with the vital breath of trees
earth's dark caress revives
    a soft child under massive oaks
once cut down, a heart found again
    drinking from the deep clear spring


Sijo

White Roses

evening wind rising at dusk
    in a garden waiting for moonlight
petunias, roses like white brides
    light the garden walk
far off thunder from the Ochocos
    calling to the sultry night


Sijo

Windstream

bar-headed geese fly
over Mount Malika

Aeolian prayers

wind carried longing for home
lush valleys, dancing cranes

my prayer flags whisper
please, please remember me

don't leave me in this cold

above Shiva's mountain
vast winds lift those holy geese

it is no small thing to reach
the peak of the earth

on a dream I might ride

the earth circling river
and remember my ancient wings

Soft Shadows

under the full moon
the deer pass through night's misty world
casting soft shadows
darkness following like a great cougar
from silence to wooded silence

The Silver Wind of Sakai Hoitsu

Waves suspended
for so many generations,
art‘s hostages, forever
reaching for their beach.
This wild silver symphony
yearns
    for its final chord.

Mortals flow and change,
go into their unknown
bravely or weeping, they must.
pass across the earth
with the lovely grasses,
finishing far
    from art‘s still palaces.

How the great screens deny
time by catching and holding
oceanic change.  How satisfying
the wizard‘s power, the artist‘s
miraculous icon. An island
where we rest
    and consider immortality.

A Scar

a scar
blinking, faded
white storyline to hit
hidden fallings, left forgotten
now breaking out, a sign, the certain curse 
best left to night or tidal reach
best given to the moon
to wash away
a scar




Rictameter (2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2)
for Imaginary Gardens
Sunday mini-challenge

the ancient tree

a violent storm
split the ancient apple tree
gone now childhood's thrones
who can rule from the spring blossoms?
or taste the fruit from your deep roots?