1
Dust
seeks entry into
a crystal sphere
2
a memory --
moonlight falling
on the sun
3
Head on a pillow
of withered flowers
she dreams of jade
4
hanging from a cloud
the tower practices
non-attachment
5
In the Forbidden City
a jade pepper
no one has tasted
6
In late winter
marigold skeletons
are beige
7
In the river
the women's feet
looking for jade
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Invisible Castle (VII): 10 Haiku
1
Invisible castle
I'm looking everywhere
for my eyeballs
2
Invisible castle
If the mist new where it was
it would hide it
3
Invisible castle
tears waiting patiently
to be cried
4
At the invisible castle
a convention
of mermaids
5
Tarot cards
are square dancing
at the invisible castle
6
At the invisible castle
a performance of
"The Eyebrow Ballet"
7
For the invisible castle
Marcel Proust
writes a lengthy haiku
8
At the invisible castle
foreclosure is
a daily occurrence
9
Stored in the invisible castle
a vast supply
of monogrammed towells
10
At the invisible castle
a crystal dragon
guards irrational numbers
Invisible castle
I'm looking everywhere
for my eyeballs
2
Invisible castle
If the mist new where it was
it would hide it
3
Invisible castle
tears waiting patiently
to be cried
4
At the invisible castle
a convention
of mermaids
5
Tarot cards
are square dancing
at the invisible castle
6
At the invisible castle
a performance of
"The Eyebrow Ballet"
7
For the invisible castle
Marcel Proust
writes a lengthy haiku
8
At the invisible castle
foreclosure is
a daily occurrence
9
Stored in the invisible castle
a vast supply
of monogrammed towells
10
At the invisible castle
a crystal dragon
guards irrational numbers
Lightnings and Rainbows: 6 Haiku
1
Trapped in the flaws
of a crystal tower
lightnings and rainbows
2
John Sandbach's roost is
a bed
with 10,000 curtains
3
Close to my ear
a star whispered
"distance is nothing"
4
Rotting balcony please receive
this gentle pressure
of moonlight
5
She's lost her memory
she's found a rock --
creek at dusk
6
From the hand's
alchemical spring flows
nectar and roses
Trapped in the flaws
of a crystal tower
lightnings and rainbows
2
John Sandbach's roost is
a bed
with 10,000 curtains
3
Close to my ear
a star whispered
"distance is nothing"
4
Rotting balcony please receive
this gentle pressure
of moonlight
5
She's lost her memory
she's found a rock --
creek at dusk
6
From the hand's
alchemical spring flows
nectar and roses
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Dust and Balloons: 17 Haiku
1
In soft clay
a knife
opens a mouth
2
A yellow tree
startles
like spilled blood
3
After many centuries
photos of the Great Pyramid
appear
4
for the bored
a small sky
of ordinary blue
5
Polish the floor
remove the roof
walk on clouds
6
blue by day
to give us time
to digest our starlight
7
Vast blue
a magnifying glass
won't help you see a plane
8
Where the sea
is one inch deep
that's where I like to voyage
9
Gigantic clouds passing --
the dinosaur's thoughts
are clear and simple
10
Kansas --
the rectangular lands
of long ago
11
To conquer the maze
golden light
rubbed into the feet
12
Everywhere
swirls of glitter -- the universe
is very pretty
13
Plans for tomorrow's clouds
must be submitted
no later than midnight
14
Dust
and balloons
heal the battlefield
15
Fat and juicy
a slug blessed
by the moon
16
Snow, lightning
stars, and clouds --
the diet of white dragons
17
mist, mold, fire, and wind --
the paper tower
dreams of death
In soft clay
a knife
opens a mouth
2
A yellow tree
startles
like spilled blood
3
After many centuries
photos of the Great Pyramid
appear
4
for the bored
a small sky
of ordinary blue
5
Polish the floor
remove the roof
walk on clouds
6
blue by day
to give us time
to digest our starlight
7
Vast blue
a magnifying glass
won't help you see a plane
8
Where the sea
is one inch deep
that's where I like to voyage
9
Gigantic clouds passing --
the dinosaur's thoughts
are clear and simple
10
Kansas --
the rectangular lands
of long ago
11
To conquer the maze
golden light
rubbed into the feet
12
Everywhere
swirls of glitter -- the universe
is very pretty
13
Plans for tomorrow's clouds
must be submitted
no later than midnight
14
Dust
and balloons
heal the battlefield
15
Fat and juicy
a slug blessed
by the moon
16
Snow, lightning
stars, and clouds --
the diet of white dragons
17
mist, mold, fire, and wind --
the paper tower
dreams of death
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Cloud and Boulder: 5 Haiku
1
With no "excuse me"
a cloud
interrupts the sun
2
Stolen
from the mountain
12 black pillars
3
Morning voices
and particles of dust
freely mingling
4
Long ago
by the gentle sea
there dwelled a labyrinth
5
Child
of cloud and boulder
hippopotamus
With no "excuse me"
a cloud
interrupts the sun
2
Stolen
from the mountain
12 black pillars
3
Morning voices
and particles of dust
freely mingling
4
Long ago
by the gentle sea
there dwelled a labyrinth
5
Child
of cloud and boulder
hippopotamus
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Admiring the Dust: 6 Haiku
1
Is it the moon?
the withered white face
watching the rain
2
in the garden
an old Chinese Poet
oh no, just a possum
3
secretly
a mountain
admiring the dust
4
Into a breeze
stamens of day lily
rearing up
5
For a Buddha
newly emerging
a withered pomegranate
6
Poets of Japan
please accept as a gift
this ancient soap bubble
Is it the moon?
the withered white face
watching the rain
2
in the garden
an old Chinese Poet
oh no, just a possum
3
secretly
a mountain
admiring the dust
4
Into a breeze
stamens of day lily
rearing up
5
For a Buddha
newly emerging
a withered pomegranate
6
Poets of Japan
please accept as a gift
this ancient soap bubble
My haiku from "Ginyu"
"Ginyu" is an international haiku magazine published in Tokyo and edited by Ban'ya Natsuishi. He was my original inspiration for breaking away from tradition and exploring the vast realm of free haiku. His encouragement has been a major support for me as a writer. You may visit the "Ginyu" website online at http://www.geocities.jp/ginyu_haiku/.
These first four are from "Ginyu" No. 39 (July 20, 2008, Ginyu Press, Japan):
1
In Antarctica
we sail to the island
of poison fumes
2
Each
in their own darkness
worms and stars
3
Iceberg
rising and falling
tsunami passes
4
Mayan Princess
to save the children
she turns into a lawyer
The next four haiku are from "Ginyu" No. 18 (April 20, 2003, Ginyu Press, Japan):
5
Nightmare --
dragonflies sit
in perfect rows
6
between each step
bottoms of the feet
exposed to light
7
on the moon
how peaceful
the absence of waterfalls
8
My birthplace --
on a hill
a gray tower smolders
The next six haiku are from "Ginyu" No. 10 (March 20, 2001, Ginyu Press, Japan)
9
amulet found on X-ray
she sleeps still unwrapped
10
winter so old
there is even dust
on the moon
11
oil slick rainbows
in the street light
of dinosaur blood
12
the clouds no one ever sees
the dinosaurs love them best
(This and the next two haiku also appeared in my book "Step Into Sky."
13
falling asleep
I see them
caves on the moon
14
afternoon moon
dry sponge
thirsting in the Blue Desert
15
Colors
of gardens long dead
travel toward the stars
16
What can
a little bat tell me
at evening by the sea?
17
In the invisible castle
tapestries
woven of starlight
18
With mist and mirrors
trying to locate
the invisible castle
19
Fairies
never speak
of the invisible castle
20
So frail and tattered
thousand year old cloud
21
By the time I returned
from peeing
the cloud had died
(This haiku is from my book, "Wrinkled Sea.")
22
In Utah they watch
a ten-ton rock
poised on a ledge
These first four are from "Ginyu" No. 39 (July 20, 2008, Ginyu Press, Japan):
1
In Antarctica
we sail to the island
of poison fumes
2
Each
in their own darkness
worms and stars
3
Iceberg
rising and falling
tsunami passes
4
Mayan Princess
to save the children
she turns into a lawyer
The next four haiku are from "Ginyu" No. 18 (April 20, 2003, Ginyu Press, Japan):
5
Nightmare --
dragonflies sit
in perfect rows
6
between each step
bottoms of the feet
exposed to light
7
on the moon
how peaceful
the absence of waterfalls
8
My birthplace --
on a hill
a gray tower smolders
The next six haiku are from "Ginyu" No. 10 (March 20, 2001, Ginyu Press, Japan)
9
amulet found on X-ray
she sleeps still unwrapped
10
winter so old
there is even dust
on the moon
11
oil slick rainbows
in the street light
of dinosaur blood
12
the clouds no one ever sees
the dinosaurs love them best
(This and the next two haiku also appeared in my book "Step Into Sky."
13
falling asleep
I see them
caves on the moon
14
afternoon moon
dry sponge
thirsting in the Blue Desert
15
Colors
of gardens long dead
travel toward the stars
16
What can
a little bat tell me
at evening by the sea?
17
In the invisible castle
tapestries
woven of starlight
18
With mist and mirrors
trying to locate
the invisible castle
19
Fairies
never speak
of the invisible castle
20
So frail and tattered
thousand year old cloud
21
By the time I returned
from peeing
the cloud had died
(This haiku is from my book, "Wrinkled Sea.")
22
In Utah they watch
a ten-ton rock
poised on a ledge
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