A Dictionary of HaikuClassified by Season Words

with Traditional and Modern Methods

by Jane Reichhold

AHA Books

Text Copyright © 1992 by Jane ReichholdHaiku Copyright © 1983, 1988, 1992 by Jane Reichhold

Book Copyright © 1992 by AHA BooksWeb Version Copyright © 2000 by Jane Reichhold

Paper publication as: ISBN: 0-944676-8-1

This edition of

A Dictionary of Haiku

was made with permission

from the web version

published in 2000

and available at

http://www.ahapoetry.com/aadoh/adofinde.htm

Introduction

The Japanese have long wondered how writers in English could ever hope to writehaiku when one of the most-basic writing tools was unavailable to them. Every Japanese writer owns one or more saijiki (sigh-gee-key).

A saijiki is a dictionary of haiku in which the poems are arranged, not alphabetically, but by seasons. Within the five seasons (New Year's Day has a separate section) are usually the seven different categories: Season (weather aspects indicative of that time of year), Celestial Phenomena (stars, sun and moon), Terrestrial Phenomena (geographical aspects such as mountains, fields, rivers, etc.,), Events (or holidays), Life (terms dealing with the daily life of humanity), Animals (deemed appropriate for each season), and Plants (often those most conspicuous for the season).

Within each of these categories the poems are listed in a prescribed order of appearance according to the natural world. In spring (and saijiki traditionally startwith the first and best season) plum blossoms are listed before cherry blossoms because the plum blooms first; slush comes before new grass. In many cases there is a natural sequence; in others - as in animals - it is very arbitrary.

However, for the user, this all makes perfect sense.

It is spring, a haiku writer is feeling the urge to express his/her feelings. Before going on a walk for inspiration, the saijiki is consulted to see what has touched others and how they have formulated their thoughts and feelings. The saijiki is at once a source of ideas and a guide for what has been done and what is yet possible.

Renga (a genre of linked poetry) writers are very dependent upon a saijiki. For example, if one is expected to write a summer link and wants to use an animal orinsect it has to be one that corresponds (according to tradition and other saijiki) to summer. You may be seeing butterflies all over in your summer day, but unlessit is designated as a summer butterfly, a plain old vanilla butterfly is a spring symbol.

In America, saijiki have been misunderstood because certain knowledgeable persons have used Japanese saijiki to "carbon-date" haiku according to the assigned designations as set by the literary center of Japan - Tokyo as a way of criticizing the poem. I feel readers, given the chance to read haiku ordered by seasons and categories, can come naturally to an understanding and appreciationof the use of kigo. Kigo [season words] are accepted designated nouns and noun

phrases which have been traditionally classified according to season. A season word is authorized by literary authorities who accept a haiku using that word and publish it as such in a saijiki.

This brings up another reason no other English saijiki has been compiled. The North American haiku scene, at least the most vocal and visible, has largely ignored the use of kigo. At this point in English haiku, very few writers understand the historical position of the kigo, and even less of that number make use of it.

Renga writers, also, are rarely interested in following the rules for sets of seasonsfor the various links, partly because they had no available standard reference withwhich to check.

However, in the summer of this year [1991] I read the first saijiki published in both English and Japanese. Koko Kato, of the Ko Poetry Association, in Nagoya, Japan, edited a saijiki containing about 1,200 haiku from authors around the world. Among other revelations, I found it to be an excellent solution to a problem I have long pondered.

For as long as I have been publishing haiku - since 1979 - one of the problems forme has been to find a way of presenting a number of haiku to the reader which overcomes certain drawbacks of the genre.

Because of the shortness of a haiku, it is too easy for the eyes to race across the lines without pausing to savor either the language or waiting for the series of images to arise after each poem.

Various solutions are always being experimented with: haiku with illustrations, haiku one to a page, haiku written in all capital letters, haiku on cards, very smallor short "books" of haiku. Sometimes the haiku are arranged in sequences, whichmakes them more cohesive in the reader's mind, but further defeats the purpose of slowing down the inquisitive mind. Still, when faced with a book of haiku, my first impulse is to read it from beginning to end.

I wanted to make a book in which is this is physically impossible and mentally destructive. Reading too many haiku at once is the same as eating the whole box of assorted chocolate creams.

My dream reader would have this book next to the other dictionaries on the desk,or leave it laying on a nightstand, (or even in the little room of great relief) where, in an idle moment when the soul is soft and open, there is time to snatch a glimpse of a poem or two. Soon finding something to ponder, the book would beclosed and laid down with the mind far away in the realm of imagining.

Yet, I wanted the reader to be able to easily find a haiku which was enjoyed or remembered. To my mind, listing the terms alphabetically facilitated this with lessdependence on indexing.

I love looking up one word in a dictionary and then reading further down the pageto see which words surround it. I also feel that when one "needs" to know something, it will pop into one's awareness and while looking up one poem,

another one, never yet read, will reveal itself. Fellow addicts of dictionary (addiction airy) reading will recognize the above symptoms and aha! understand that for haiku to be put into a dictionary form combines the best of my two compulsions.

The haiku in A Dictionary of Haiku are arranged into seasonal categories because,for me, a sense of the season is vital to enjoying and understanding haiku. Lacking our system of seasonal buzz words, it is very often difficult, or impossible, to know if an individual haiku (and here I refer only to English haiku) is set in autumn or winter. By putting many haiku together by season, it was my intention to let the season mood of one poem resonate with the next one, causingthem to have the same vibration indicative of that time of year without the over-use of the actual words spring, summer, fall and winter.

Japanese saijiki have the individual items within a category listed in the arbitrary order of their natural appearance during the season which is often a matter of debate. In Japan, probably 90% of the adrenalin used for writing haiku goes into the arguments about the use and usage of kigo.

By listing the subjects within a category alphabetically, it avoids the above while itcreates leaps within the subject matter of a season spanning such a distance so the reader will stop reading at the beginning of the next subject-word.

Though I have consulted available kigo lists from the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society of United States and Canada, those compiled by Kiyoko Tokatomi, and Koko Kato's Four Seasons, I have deviated from them considerably. For the Japanese reader and friend/defender of saijiki, the first category, especially will be a jolt to the senses.

Usually this section is labeled "season" or "climate" and the kigo express the essence of the time of year with venerated expressions which imply the emotions we equate with the season.

As English writers we too work with these sensibilities but lacking set phrases to stand for them, have had to express these human concepts and emotional states much more subtly. In the English/Japanese saijiki these haiku would be listed as "non-seasonal."

I felt by making a list of essences or moods of the seasons which embody our emotional states relative to that time of year, haiku which do not blatantly state "spring" but which emote the airiness, gentleness, freedom of spring, could be given their rightful place. Many of the kigo for the season/climate category (such as "bright skies" or "south wind") could more accurately fit into celestial phenomenon leaving a category free for emotional states, which to me, as a much a part of any season as a bird or flower.

One of the reasons the Japanese have so many saijiki is every editor has a new idea of how to categorize the indefinable and infinite. Using the knowledge available to me, the Japanese works in English recommended, I have organized my material in a way unlike the others.

I've borrowed ideas and inspiration from the concept to accomplish goals I had for bringing a number of unrelated haiku together in one volume to increase an awareness of the season for readers and writers. I hope you will find some poemshere to please you. May they inspire you to write and treasure your version of your experiences.

Jane ReichholdGualala, CaliforniaOctober, 1991

SPRING

Spring Moods

anticipation

she lifts her heada tapping at the window

is only rain

rainopening the window

a light heart

a south windpolishing my face clean

for this journey

spring windsthe old lady tries again

to tidy her hair

spring mistson these long evenings

someone's coming

an unknown boatcoming into the harbor

touches me

walking to workour sleeves touch

starch on silk

asking for a ridehis answer dotted

with music

static electricitygarbled introductionsthey lean together

panty hoseshe crosses her legs

with whispers

woman and her pillowcurled around a notebook

dawn's first light

lightimprinting the stone

rings

awe

as one of usthe child watches

an earthworm

being loved

warm under quiltsthe young couple lie quiet

in the place of one

rain dropsfalling around the bed

her hair pins

his body a bowhis arrow shot me

full of flowers

spring stormsat their climax

thunder rolls away

rain showerafterwards he reads to me

all of his poems

eyesinto eyes

lights

after lovemakingall is quiet until

rain begins again

a woman's crythe shower begins

with lightning

orgasman explosion of flowers

in wind chimes

tangled in sleepon a sea weed strewn beach

lovers

flooded riversides flowing together

lovers touch

drippingspring rain and your body

in mine

driftwood lairlovers hidden from view

found by the wind

lying in a riverwords of lovein the current

boredom

rainidle fingers strumming

the dulcimer

one earlistening to the river

wet with rain

rain drippingone hour

into another

these long dayswatching the sky fade

with closed eyes

river windsflipping white pages

without poems

rain erases timeone hour reused

the whole day long

in this rain my housea stone in the stream

I a female fossil

scatteredamong driftwood

drifters

companionship

touching his facethe slope of her forehead

echoes

new friends meetsnow-melt streams

into the river

walkingthe river comes

along too

meeting an old friendat the mountain stream

a bear

silencearound loversa silver cord

lovers in churchgiggling at the term

immaculate

afternoon raininto my sleep

your pencil moves

book coversrenewing a friendship

somewhat faded

clipboardunable to tell

your poem from mine

complaints of lovers

daybreakthe person you love

is not perfect

without lovesea kelp growing

a holdfast

alonebut not alone

the sun - the moon

so easy to loveyet she always fumbles

locks and keys

organ dronemother's warningabout choirboys

rain complainingof the steepness of the lane

to his lover's house

partingat the river

weeping willows

unwanted childwearing a namethat doesn't fit

crying at dawngulls

and a lonely woman

desire

morning fogdreams not buried

deep enough

spring sunshinethe strangeness of his perfectly

normal thumbnail

sunny sea windsshoulders ache

for the want of wings

kids laughingin the neighbor's house

the childless couple

moonlight movingwith the gate as the servant girl

takes an evening

unemployed carpenterl-o-v-e

tattooed on his knuckles

Saturday rainthe desire to buy something

extravagant

Saturday raindesire by a warm stove

for an affair

static electricitya silken sleeve is drawn

to the amber

white surfwanting to keep the ocean

free of oil wells

waterfalldelicate forms

for a spirit

buyingScotch magic tape

as it were

dreams

dinosaur clawstaken to a rocky beach

a dreaming mind

ballet moviesall night her dreams

tip-toe

dreaming I wasthe sleeve of your coatI learned your secret

acrobat familymine - if I ran away

to the circus

roar of the surfsleeping on the beach

a child dreams

nappingamong driftwood logs

sleeping

awakeningfurniture

with chipped veneers

ephemeral

up and downdriftwood lairs of lovers

come and go

tide pool stillas if it is tomorrow

I'm not here

fadingcondolence cards

the sting

sea spraya rock writesanother name

spiralsthe world tied together

with double helixes

a watchleft out in the rain

timeless

excitement

three fingertipspressed to a cheek telling

of a new love affair

tide turnsleaping white into the cove

our eyes

raindropsin a waterfallglory-rush

surf's surge and boombrushing my teeth

in a stranger's bathroom

each white wavemounts the black rock

differently

waves crashin the trickling away

another crests

hour by hourthe wave-white seabecomes the wind

spring run-offa little more - a little lesshumans get so excited

expectation

waistlong-gone encircles

a child

rented housethe ocean's roar

in mother's womb

tugging at my sleevethe a wind a voicesaying mommy!

the widowtaking swimming lessons

from the life guard

on a bridgea young couple discuss

old lovers

expansion

nestthe fullness of spring

with eggs

lunchtime by the brook

spring-fed

always furtherdown the road frogs

and the dark

on the long piera tall father tells his sonhow deep the ocean is

winds on the beachgoing inland to remind you

of my love

thin and palethe air of spring

leaving in flowers

smooth seasupon jagged shores

the power

expectation

a love affairbuilding a fire

in a strange stove

the new coupleone looks upstream

the other down

dropping sticksin the flooded river

their fortune

happiness

riverstaking care of us

small fishes

eartheach spot layered

with stories

sunshineon the hobo's back

hitchhiking

songfrom a fence post

meadow lark

the night is shortenedby your letters on the pillow

here beside me

coming togetheryour nearness

my music

hope

the road before usdeparting clouds bright

with a rising sun

increase

so much rainthis year how the kids

have grown

jealousy

turning greeneach wave crests

higher than the last

thunderhis first date

not hers

joy

spring rainyour gentleness seems to know

no sorrow

to off-shore rocksspring comes rowing

lovers in a boat

parentsshowing the newborn

to the rising sun

lipstake from the springs

whistling

lust

cut crystal rainbowshining where he wanted

to touch her

warmingher feelings of love

the hot springs

duckspaddling around

lovers

invisible thrustingthe mountain raises

all of us

flooded riverrubbing low skieselectric current

a woman's slitsliding over granite

a spring

springthe urge to scratchthe earth with a hoe

randy againher voice on the phone says

"... he wants me"

treasured gifther smooth stone calls

as the phone rings

gentle breathingnight rain comes alivetapping on the window

society dameflirts with an unreal cowboy

her teenage romance

dawn's faint hourawakens under closed eyes

a shiver of pictures

desiring yourain drumsin my ears

love dueteveryone in the music class

crosses their legs

pearl buttonsundoing her blouse

two soft ones

patternsyour words open

the iris

new life

tumbling surfwater voices of children

within the womb

heavy surfthat sound I heard before

being born

soft thingsinheriting a pattern

in time

desert windnaked as the crackwhere I was born

silencebaby's blue eyes

without tears

fingerprintsthe tiny scars

for life

lying in your lapthe dense smell of musk

a birthday gift

the poise of comingforward waves on a beach

a baby's first steps

passion

this need to lovemountains give to spring

flowers

downpouryour fingersinside me

sun settingemerald waves free

our passion

illuminatedin the light from the barn

their first kiss

rainpounding in love

all night

rain on the roofwet around uson the sheets

kissesin your open mouth

the rest of you

in and outof the river's mouth

a tongue of sea

opening my legsto the flooded river

currents meet

jerking offthe love scene played

by marionettes

peace

deep hummingwaves unrolling

the bay

relaxedcherry flowers unfold

peace

across the fencewith his cherry in bloom

I can forgive him

planting peasa harvest today

of peace

asleepmorning seas quiet

pink

raised upwithin the protectiona mountain unfolding

pleasure

a touch of silkcaressing her bodyglistening sperm

vacationutterly exhausted

by pleasure

seduction

local flirttwo pair of wool socksbelow a backless dress

standing stillhis glance begins

the dance

silencebetween eyes

love lights

her hemthe wind liftsa little fog

giving hima bite of her

oldest apple tree- for Marlene Mountain

deep sea green waterssheltered by a cove slipping

into something frothy

unfaithfulness

rented houserows of ocean waves

seem unfaithful

a strange housethe new nightgownseems unfaithful

youthfulness

a young girlchewing gum in conversation

with herself

river childhoodbanging a bucket

boat sides

tea housea child feds the koi fish

his fortune

how proudly it wavesthe American flag T-shirt

on her young breasts

wet dreamsthe man in the moon

was once young

young poet givesto Jane his book of poems

"For Maggy, with love"

Spring Occasions

April Fool

no April Foolsthese crocus buds closed

against the snow

Ash Wednesday

the guru speaksevening steals upon uswith wide-open eyes

baptism

stained glassabove the baptismal font

a babe spotted red

decorating graves

canning jarsoverflowing among the graves

roses

Easter bunny

Easter bunnyleaving a basket

of kittens

Easter eggs

Easter Mondayfinding a solid chocolate egg

under fake grass

Earth Day

earth daymy pencil bounces

as a tree falls

Easter

high mountain villagechurch organ reedy as willows

the noisy brook

telephone callthe addressed Easter card|

not to be sent

Easter morning mountainmy shadow crosses

Death Valley

Easter Sundayhikers arrive

in Cathedral Canyon

after the storma sunny Easter morning

finds opals

atheists' vacationEaster weekendin Death Valley

Fathers' Day

Father's Dayhe names his son

after me

late again jokegift-wrapping popcorn

for Father's Day

Father's Dayshe mows the lawn

and whistles

Good Friday

Good Fridaybuying Easter candy

the second time

Graduation Day

Graduation Daysweat and mothballs

grass so green

graduationwhere green banners wave

grass grows long

graduation nightthe owl printed on a balloon

seems the wisest

gun salute

gun salutefrom a hilltop monastery

monks chanting

Lent

religionon the remote coast

buoy bells

May Day

May dayremoving her wedding band

the last cloud

Memorial Day

Memorial Dayso many flowers broken off

on the ground

Memorial Daywild flowers overpower

the flags

cloudya crowded skyMemorial Day

Memorial Daythe passion flower opens

wholeheartedly

Memorial Daythe honored guests slept

through the parade

Mothers' Day

Mother's Daygiving the old cata dish of cream

Mother's Daythe daughter's callabout her divorce

Mother's Daywearing the silver earrings

from Mexico

Mother's Daydeciding the catmust be spayed

Mother's Dayall of her flowers bloom

along the road

Mother's Daythe photo of her

afternoon

Mother's daygive-away puppies escaping

the banana box

Mother's Dayseaside restaurant special

crab balls

Saint Patrick's Day

wearing of the greenfor a real Irishmana black & blue eye

toy rabbits

during the hailstormthe stuffed Easter rabbit

clutched in her arms

wedding

last day of frostbuying the bride

a bread box

rehearsing vowsin the middle of the night

frogs

honeymoonersboats in the harboranchored together

smiles leavingher bridal jitters

at the altar

Spring Celestial

air

fibersso fine mornings

green the air

before it comesthe knowing of rain

in the air

sea aireach cell fills

with salt water

morning airtightly rolledin her curlers

breeze

morning breezein the flooded river saying"find a spring green stone"

morning breezecoming in the window

surf sounds

clouds

cloudsthe sky divided

into puddles

waveschurning up high

clouds

cloudstouching the sea

with rain

free to flysome of the ocean

in wind-driven colors

wispy cloudssplashed across the sky

sea foam

a point of landbreaking through the clouds

sunshine

pinesunder great white mountains

clouds

changing formsall around the Buddhaclouds in a blue sky

cloudsflooding the river

with spring

spring cloud meltflooding river willows

green leaves

journeyingspring clouds blow over

packed suitcases

rolling downrounded ridges

rain clouds

a cloudy daythe silky softness

of fresh-washed hair

spring windsbetween the tops of bent grass

bottoms of clouds

silencein high winds a cloud

turns around

wispy cloudsa white-water view

of the sky

fog

the pyramidmorning fog and sunslanted by redwoods

treetops greenleaving in fog

clean blue

a winter heartflying into spring

low clouds and fog

sunrisepouring into the valley

fog

cliff sidethe edge of fog

bright green

step by stepa hole in the fog

walking away

moon radiancefilling the river valley

fog

sea fogdarken the trampled grass

beach path at dawn

hail

on the green hillpiles of dark clouds

full of hailstones

after lovemakinghail falls between us

she buttons her blouse

hazy moon

a hazy moonpinpointed by the lights

of fishing boats

light

silencewafted by lightmany colors

a range of lightmorning colors flow

out of the high Sierras

morning lightthe sound of waves

on your sleeping face

without lightsthe brightness of a blue sky

full of stars

dawn's faint hoursqueezes in heart-run veins

light in every limb

light touchingwhere only rain goes

trespassing

tideslight comes and goes

as ocean

first lightthe cove still dark

with low tide

dawn lightrocks and water

full of fire

wings of dawnbirds unfolding

the light

the dark moonpulls out of the ridge

morning light

stars bend downmorning seas light

dawn

ocean so wideand weighty

yet dancing with light

sunriseout of two feet comes eight

foot long shadows

crack of dawnthe thin line

of birds peeping

curving an emberof a not space place

crack of dawn

morning wavesto burnished water

a radiance

ancient cypressleaning over the light

at sunrise

lingering cold

morning brightmeets cabin cold

on quilted mountains

as is the darkwithout the sound of rain

the room grows cold

April weatherall the changesleave us cold

spring pressescold into shadow

shapes

curve of the seacupping her breasts

cold hands

still coldspoons in the sandbox

all empty

long day

shining glassof unlit kerosene lamps

this long evening

expanding the warmththe yellow flowers

of longer days

old snowsoften by bird song

a longer day

a long dayunfolding rock crevices

with light

the long dayholding my eyesagainst the sky

morning

rocks give waymorning light rolls over

eastern peaks

morningdrawing lines on the sea

one for the horizon

morningwetted by the light splash

of small waves

morningside of the mountain

awake

early morningthe weight of paperwaiting for poems

ocean terracelifting to the north-born fog

morning

morning lightdreams climb the dark wall

of the obelisk

yawningsea fog in the valleyrolls into morning

morning sunpulled over the ridge

by sleepy eyes

morning suncoming down the cliff

the ocean night

morning fireblazed forth at lastsun through the fog

moon

a morning moonyour face in sleepturned to the wall

a calm searefusing to acceptthe morning moon

balanced at dawna full moon slides into the sea

without ripples

too perfectthe day moon rises

from snow-capped peaks

wild surftears in the night

a tender new moon

morninga touch of sea wavesand the moon melts

mist

sea lightfilling the valleys

with mist

moving against mistcrumbles from the cliff

stream down

pink misty mountainsgather between the peaks

the rising sun

morning mistfilling the spaces

of night birds

lacking a rednessthe gray mist of morning

not yet an argument

mistsleaving the lake

high

fire angelsriver mists at dawn

manifest

ocean roarat the open window

a breath of mist

mistsoftens the hillsincoming waves

passing of spring

passing of springwater trickles over rock

into the koi pond

rain

a wooden gatethe sky begins to crumble

the upright posts

narrow brookin pouring rainthe smallness

rainfalling in the brook

once again

salt shakerin dawn's pearly light

the pouring rain

in this rain my housea stone in the stream

I a female fossil

March rainsfilling the zodiac

with fish

running from the hillthe haste of rain water

in twisted paths

tops of waveson mountain ridges

rain

such a rain!changing into

a clean nightgown

fallingwith the rain

into bed

raincoming to the wakeful

sleep sounds

waveswind flowing over mountains

in rain

a sound fallingin the night bird feathers

spring rain

fallingthe amount of rain

in a haiku

sky watersyoung between trees

on a high wind

spring rainthe night soundof bird feathers

after the storma thing in the darksomewhere drips

rain cloudsthe tide turnssmall ripples

a rippled poola rain cloud falling

into the sea

raindrops

round puddlein spaces between raindrops

circles

edge of the roofraindrops dripping offseconds of the night

raindropsdrowning in the pool

rings as tombs

raindropswetting rocks dried

by low tide

rainbow

spindriftthe setting sunin a rainbow

segmentsmorning rainbows

in a wet net

cloudsdrifting into sea foam

rainbows

rainbridgecrossing the river

rainbow

showers

after a showerstars also shine

brighter

May showersthe wind so gentle

rain is round

April showersyour sticky diamonds

dry on my leg

a white wave breaksin the death of tumult

a rainbow

sky

morning facesocean and sky

soften pink

waves breakinga paler blue washes

across the sky

line of mountainsstretching the eye

a clear sky

snow

for the maiden dancelight fluffy flakes

of April snow

snow mixingmy breathwith spring

stars

a morning moonnearly touching Venus

with my finger

darknessdawn light entersfilled with stars

faithful 'till sunriseof all the heavenly lights

only the morning star

morning starsalone with me

the beach

morning starsthe call of the sea

over the dunes

in the morning sunthousands of night stars

still in the dew

still a few starsas if they will stay

all morning

in the marrowof my own bonesa morning star

forest clearinga circle of stars

spinning out

sunshine

sunshinemaking light of itsalt water wave

opening the cavethe morning sun

slips in

filling the bayan incoming tide

of sunshine

silencein a rain shower

sunshine

in spring sunshinearound the granite stones

spaces green

sunlightin a slurp of coffeeSunday morning

on the far ridgean arch of fire burns

into Sunday

morning suncreeping from up to down

in the sleeping holes

sunrise

sunrisecoming thru the mountain pass

a yellow line

ocean sunrisethe colors of a grandson

running on the beach

sunriseslipping into view

bird songs

the sun risespetting a yellow cat

with warmth

walking eastdrawn to that place

the sun rises

sun risegiving me a new name

and a shadow

Vernal Equinox

first day of springon the calendar

by the snowy window

rising from earththe spring equinox moon

grows round

desert springs hot tubthe canyon rim warmswith spring's first dawn

spring equinoxfitting into wintera saucer and cup

double helixearth hangs

in a woven net

wind

coming insidespring wind has filledmy pockets with cold

windrubbing the lakethe wrong way

sea windssmells diluted by distance

flow thin as light

lace curtainswhipped by spring winds

billows of clouds

cloud windblowing colors in and out

of the ocean

high windsmemoriesof flight

stars bend downinto the wind of whitecaps

morning light

no trespassing signtorn down by spring winds

the open sky road

a south windironing work shirts on the line

at thirty knots an hour

Spring Terrestrial

beach

a wide beachthe many suns

of foam

beach diamondsa new day crystallized

in sunny surf foam

beach logsbleached silver

beach rain

incoming wavesunroll a foamy carpet

of gray skies

springunrolling on the beach

a great white roar

morningespecially high on the beach

sleeper waves

brook

lost sleepin a babbling brook

loud as the cold

all the noiseof spring-flooded stream

bright green

forgotten brookrunning the centuries down

locked in rock

cliffs

jagged cliffsfalling water torn to shreds

smoothes rocks

sea cliffs touchsoft edges of water

nights

fields

black windsthe moonless earth

deeply plowed

flooding

wheels of waterrims rolling all night

the spring flood

spring rainsswirling flooded waters

driftwood

flood watersspreading valley to valley

mud

cloudsflooding the riverbubble sounds

spring floodsthe river valleyin high spirits

cloud soundthe river floodedwithout a duck

bridgingthe flooded river

my fears

up-canyon windsrushing flood waters

the wrong way

carried alongwith the flooded river

muddy thoughts

white pussy willowsabove a muddy swollen river

fat raindrops

flood watersfilling on a deserted island

a wine bottle

springcomes to the river

flooded

dropby

dropthe river floods

glub glubthe flooded riverdrinking stones

all the noiseof a spring-flooded river

back in the wind

spring floodsthe river valleyup to my toes

spring floodsgrasses on a high hill

lowered

swollen streamflowing sidewaysinto fence rows

blue into blueflood waters risein a pool of iris

rising flood waterstonight's moon is less

than yesterday's

flooded deltain the rocksmany cracks

eventidedesert mountains flooded

with pink

heat shimmer

desert soundsout of the sunclouds moving

heat waves

rippling grasswind moves up the hill

light waves

hills

coastal hillsfrom curling waves

a new green

hill risetrees lending themselves

to the land

high tidessea mists in coastal hills

new green grass

blue veilsbadly wrinkled - barely smoothed

rows of coastal hills

surf rollingmorning sunshine

into green hills

coast hillsone dark rainstorm leaves

a green shimmer

lake

the spring lakerising up to siton the bench

ripplesthe lake ear listening

to us

mesa

skystone dropped by a mesa

a light shine

meadow

after the stormsmall waves on sea meadows

meek sheep

flute melodiesacross green ocean waves

spring meadows

melting snow

the bones the stonesthe last snow melts

again a river

coming between treesslanted sunshine rivulets

melting snow

mountains

soul shapebetween soft evening peaks

a valley cradle

coastal mountainscatching the rain clouds

wet slopes

rising at 6:00 ama wobbly blue line

of distant mountains

morning airthe mountain smells

as if it had slept

up the mountainon the yellow line

someone goes down

mountainsfolding into a valley

bird wings

muddy road

sunshine onthe way to your house

a muddy road

oasis

desert oasisfinding in the water

more "o" sounds

tricklelife in a granite wall

water

puddles

floating cloudsdown from the mountain

a puddle of rain

in mud puddlesin a strange sky over

a stranger land

rain dropsin a puddle crowns

of light jewels

skystonerounding the matrix

a puddle

in puddlesthe pattern of raindrops

dyes the hills green

rivers

lightwinding through the forest

a river

rocks twistthe river smoothes

each one

evening skiesdark comes to the river

cloudless

lightdrawing in the river

boulders

low cloudssqueezing earth

into a river

streaming inmorning light electrifies

the river

river windfrom valley to mountain top

dampness

after the showerthe smell of pine soap

in the forest

pencila color of treeswet with rain

river soundits shape moving

one

a bright eyefollowing the light wood

carried by the river

seepingbetween rocks a river

begins nameless

tumblingwood at high tide

into a river

river valleyletting the sunrise

into the sea

rainthe river beginning

on the roof

amber cloudsin skies shallow with rain

a moving stream

along with the raingoing down the mountain

to the sea

riversconvergingraindrops

clean bright blueredwood shadowson a muddy river

wind in pinesrushing to the river

rain

cloudshanging around the river

rain drop spirits

sunshinein the mud-yellow river

rain

spring raina dance with tiny steps

tree roots growing

run-off

playfully tossingriver smooth stones

spring run-off

spring run-offleaping into the sky

falls

spring run-offdown the face of the rock

jagged joy

escapinga moan from the banks

spring run-off

sea

in the beginningbefore we awakethere's the ocean

daylightleaping out of dark seas

a wave

heaving seas at dawnyou breath as lightly

as the sky

refreshed by sleepmorning seascalm and clear

the face of morningsky shining on the ocean

a blush of pink

land breezesgentled by rollinghills to the sea

morning sunfinding off shore rocks

yet another one

waving every wavethe ocean wildas early spring

surf soundswall to the outer worldpale green and white

the baycurving into the sea

spring

wide oceanending in little waves

covers bare toes

dawnthe moon with mesinks into the sea

morningcoming from the night

the flat ocean

underfootthe ocean rearranges

its rocks

morning mildwaves bring to the shore

misty sunlight

undercurrentssurf roar to Vivaldi

on tape

spinning aroundthe earth curls

each row of waves

spring wavescurled water

coming unrolled

into the covea big wave brings

a bit of sun

gathering energya wave rises up

in me

weaver windsthe white world of waves

spinning

springs

mountain springa damp breathing

from a rock

lipssucking from the spring

a life sound

rocky springlips taking a sip

from lips

taking from the springwords of praise

holy water

tide - high

many days of rainthe ocean at high tide

covers it all

tide turningaround rocks

around the sea

tide - low

low tidea giant wave still fills

the narrow gorge

a month of rainlow tide returns to us

a favorite beach

low-tide rocksresting on the ocean's bottom

this morning

hearing secretsa low tide whispers

about the rocks

pale greenthe ocean's bottom

at low tide

low-tide rocksthe sun in a rack of clouds

far out at sea

deep enoughthe ocean covers a rockwith small white waves

sea caveshollow at low tide

buoy bells

whispersrising up to come ashore

transparent waves

emerald poolsthe color of sleep

at low tide

tide - incoming

incoming tidewets small rockseach with time

pulled from sleepspring high tidescrash and roar

tide pool

magic lightshining from rocks

tide pool

opal lightglancing from salt

waves

land shapedby the heavy blue wind

underwater

waterfall

mountain streamsparkling waterfalls

washed by snow

falling windwater catches sunlight

in white plumes

waterexploded from living rock

falls

tear-wetthe tiny waterfall

no one photographs

canyon wallsslide into the valley

water sounds

water smokerising up the waterfall

rainbows

a shower of lightover the canyon rim

a waterfall

river beda sheet of water

torn to mist

speed-rusha beach waterfall dives

into the sea

mill racespring sunshine

pushing the wheel

waterfallat the top of the hill

Buddha

stone lanterna trickle of lightin the waterfall

water fallingthe crystal parts

of a rock fall

speckled rockdrops from a waterfall

blur

concave rockthe convex bulgeof the waterfall

Spring Livelihood

balloon

a popped balloonbreath

a breeze again

birth

washing the newbornties with rainwater

cloud to earth

newbornwet with the water

unrained

April windsa birth announcementin the wrong mail box

breakfast

flood waters crestsomeone by the river puts water

in a coffee pot

breakfast coffeethe excitement of an ocean

in my cup

threads of smokebreakfast fires of neighbors

tied together

pale spring sunshinespread over breakfast toast

quince jelly

beating egg yolkstwo yellow butterflies

twist in the fog

early morning rainthe dry sound inside the cabin

of oatmeal cooking

building

for sale signsyet nobody can own

the river

a bit of skypushed aside

the new house

wallsof knotty pine

raindrops

sound of rainas a dry roof

arches

archessplashing rainon a tin roof

raindropsflattening the roof

till it shines

running awayfrom four corners of the roof

patter of rain

mashed thumbout of it fliesa purple oath

return of the coldflesh by her thumbnail

splits and bleeds

across the canyonthe neighbor hammers

on an echo

sky bluethe faded quilt warm

in the rain

cloudy daythe pattern in the native rug

looks like rain

change of clothes

spring sunshinewarming the wool

of winter socks

childhood

used clotheschildhood and peanut butter

buying a dress

sun and skinturning cart wheels

a young girl

sliver of moona peeled willow wand

in a boy's hand

flickering shadowsthe way children imitate

ballet dancers on TV

exercise

rain on the roofreading in the novel

of hurrying feet

balance actwith a gust of wind

a crash of bowls

Tai Chi on the beachone gull watches

with outstretched wing

surf sandsinking in

human feet

fasting

fastingthe sunrise brings

nothing to eat

fatherhood

the macho manall of his children

just like him

fishing

on the pierthe old farmer tells us

how to fish

as the tide ebbsfishermen appear

on the sand

ocean fogfishing boats

in the sky

eveningthe river full of fish

fishermen

dusk lakesinking into darkness

fishermen's voices

gone fishingthe fly-specked sign hangs

from one corner

foreignthe fishing boat pushed aside

our familiar kelp

the blue boata hole in the seafilled with fish

Sunday morninga fishing breeze tugs

at his tie

fishinggreen spots in the river

catch the light

river edgedby the squeak of boots

fishermen

surf fishingwhen they saw our catch

beer appeared

tied to the pierthe fishy smellsof empty boats

fishingin the clear pool

a reflected branch

thoughtsdangling in the river

a fishing line

in the fisherman's pailhis gourmet names

for small fry

the childless womanfishes with her man

bracelets of salt

river foguntying the boatfrom a long pier

tarnishedthe silver knife turns red

against fish skin

cleaning her nailsmy husband's lover

sells fish

morning lightcatches fishing boats

far out at sea

scatteredfrom lighthouse to lighthouse

glow of fisherfolk

sunsetdark on the sea

fisher boats

low-tide rockscoast dwellers going home

with a few groceries

fishermenthe one with a pole

watches a gull

fly swatter

no gueststhe fly swatter lies

on the Sunday papers

gather shells

picking up shellsah! there's an old onemoon in a tide pool

hermit crabs click togetherafter my morning hum

applause

looking for shellsabove the dark sand

the sun rose

a box of sea shellsfinding your letters

of long ago

a smooth stonecovered with barnacles

points homeward

low tide weathersalt-stained trouser legs

sandy pockets of air

on the beacha broken sea shell thoughtthe forgotten dentist visit

kites

kite stringa child's name spoken

in a high wind

a kiteraising from sea mists

rainbow colors

watercolor classthe painted blue sky

becomes a kite

beachthe hermit's kite

soaring gulls

flying a kitegulls above the beach stare

at the old couple

a downed kitethe child whispers"sh, it's sleeping"

wind diesas the string goes limp

"wake up kite!"

lovers

driftwood lairlovers hidden from viewdiscovered by the wind

midday nap

beach napplugged into the power

of incoming waves

motherhood

her swollen bellygiving a shapeto baby clothes

her waistlong-gone encircling

a child

flood-swollen streamthe pregnant woman waits

at home

young motherwith a squeaky toy

explains the birthmark

doctor's officethe new mother sings

off key

stars come outcounting baby toes

one by one

a wombhome to a womb

daughter

mountain climbing

mountain climbingpausing in the level place

to dance

music

wind soughsin harp strings

chords

melodyfrom the ocean's surface

a ripple of harp

another songthe drone of a dulcimer

rain on a cedar roof

old melodypicked out of the airone note at a time

a minuetand you

sharpening pencils

singinggentle sounds of rain

silence a voice

water flowingaround the round notes

organ music

out of a dark cloudthe piano solo

arpeggio of rain

cat's cradleall of the strings

of a clarinet

gentle breathingbefore the performance

rhythms of rain

water colorsthe flute concert

steals gray

flute concerttaming the wind storm

with a symphony

newly-weds

hailstormthe bride's first pea soup

uneaten

rain dropsa blanket of gray silk

on the bed

painting

the beachinto watercolors

blowing sand

photographing

bright colorsof her photograph

when he lived

planting

early springonly the hoe handle

is warm to touch

the rockcarried yesterday pulls on

tonight's shoulder

such a spring daydad spades his garden

wherever he is

dark moonsomething moves deep with

a carrot seed

strawberries plantedthe blister on her palm

glows bright red

plowing

April snowblack plowed earth

turned to white

prayers for rain

raindancerfrom his face drops

beads of sweat

with waterbegging the soil soon

for lettuce

repairing fences

nail in a fence postwarming in the sun

for the first time

sailing

foggy yacht harborboats and sailors

still asleep

rocking gentlylate in the morning boats

still asleep

snowmen melting

snowmanbowing down

to spring

as the snowman shrinksthe day is lengthened

by the March wind

spring sunshinethe snowman too

loses his head

spring housecleaning

stove blacksimple life springhouse cleaning

cabin beda blanket of moldgreening spring

a spring stormthe bath brush bristles

bent to one side

freshly washed jeanshaiku in the pocket

are also clean

laundry hung outthe old cat and I

sit together

a day of sunshinecaught on a clothes line

covers the bed

spring cleaningthe last of the lint

in my navel

rotting April snowthe refrigerator defrosts

automatically

fog rolls inbare windows curtained

with sea green silk

seaside housein a sunny cornerwaves of warmth

incoming tidemoving the chairs

to the porch

shopping

scene from the steeplea field of umbrellashas come to market

soap bubbles

breath takingliquid air swirled rainbows

in soap bubbles

faint shadowson the earth at eclipse

soap bubbles

wedding

grandmother's shawlwrapping it about her shoulders

she decides to marry

torn silkblown into a mistBridal Veil Falls

buying a moonstonewith a bogus check

the wedding gift

wedding ceremonyshaping his hand

into a club

weeding

liver of lambtomorrow will weed

hills of potatoes

earth cools the woodof a smooth handled hoe

even song

wild grassesunable to escapethe chopping hoe

wind chimes

dawnwind chimes melody

by a light breeze

SPRING Animals

abalone

shades of art decolying on the beach

abalone shells

mouthsdissolving rock faces

abalone

colors of seafoamin the abalonea cup of fog

anemone

tides turninganemone

open

barnacles

designing barnaclesfoam on the shore

of shells

bees

still stingingyesterday's bee

dead

bees at the oasisbringing desert sun

in to drink

bee linesexciting the airbetween flowers

beetles

a bulldozerthe small black bug

backs up

baby birds

breakfastfat lips of baby birds

open the day

picnic in the woodspapa brings a prize bug

to baby birds

baby rabbits

morning magic shownow you see the baby rabbits

now you don't

the ears of a rabbitaglow in the morning sun

and down a hole

birds

sunriseon the ridge a white ring

around a bird's eye

birdsfilled with air

fly into it

the tempest returnsto a rain puddlea bathing bird

bird feathers

bird feathersin the night sound

spring rain

fading the colorsof a peacock feather

an iris blooms

joined by listeningthe breath of disciples

in baby birds

bird song

above the snowat the level of bird song

spring begins

from afara bird's beak opening

the gentle air

adding scrollworkto a summer morning

bird song

white sparksfrom a bird's beak

the first notes

air of rainfilled with drops

of bird song

bird calltwo notes

of my pulse

between rocksat low tidebird song

first lightin dawn's forest

a bird peeps

geometry of birdsin the clearing a triangle

of call to call

the guru speaksthe microphone picks up

bird song

bird songnights

where you touch me

bird songthe wordless poems

of early morning

sunsetthe last light

bird song

thunder smashingbird song against the earth

petals on the ground

twilightthe calls of birds

growing dark

blackbirds - red-winged

blackbirdstying cattails

to the sky

not yet springa blackbird leaves a branch

shivering

bluebirds

dawn songthe sky lightened

by bluebirds

blue jays

raindropsthe pitter-patter

of blue jays

borderingthe wooded path

blue jay cries

caterpillar

my eyethe spot on the larva's back

where wings emerge

cat

dry scrapingcat paws on a wooden floor

early morning rain

my chairtoo small for the catby a tail and a leg

two feet plus two feetthe cat jumps down

to the chair's four feet

all the edgesof a yellow cat

all cat

free-to-a-good-hometurns out to befull of kittens

in the darkthe young catfull of kittens

a yellow catstalking the coward

in the mirror

pacemakerold puss purrson his chest

toothbrushesthe swish of cat claw

in attack

listening to Mozartwith her tail over her nose

the cat's ears flatten

the kittenless cather uneasiness at dusk

petted by grandma

a radianceclinging to the ends

of cat hair

black and jaggedin the yellow cat's mouth

a mewing bird

curled up asleepthe cat after eating

a snake

paint brushesLilac the cat drinks

rose water

the catwants in and out

April snow

moving tall grasson a wind-rippled hill

cat fur

bird songeaten by the silence

of a cat

the guru speaksa cat climbs a ladder

to sit on the roof

open windowthe cat stares into space

as the guru speaks

the guru murmurstwo cats fight

over a dead bird

violin concertthe cat scratches her tummy

and walks out

Beethoven's Fifththe cat gives birthto another kitten

looking the samethe now-tuned harp

well-fed cat

paw printcatching the morning sun

in wet sand

a sitting cather one eye reading

my book

white whiskersa spray of milk

on a pink tongue

a cat dreamingher striped tail switches

into a snake

the old cattoo sick

to cover it up

a sliver moonsinking into delirium

the sick cat

among the starsunseen planets

the cat dies

cats in love

up and downon wooden stairs

cats in love

howling desert windsin salt cedar trees

mating cats

howling tomcatstwo old guys discussing

impotence

chicks

bulgingwithin an egg the chick's

blind eye

chickadees

sprinklesbetween raindrops

chickadees

cormorant

a black rockthe sea wave explodesa crown of cormorants

cows

leaving cowson a sea cliff meadow

a tiny man

sea cliff meadowsheavy fog lifting

two ... no, ten cows

crab

crab ballson the menu - no wonder

they walk funny

crane

raising his foota crane scatters stars

sunk in the pond

cuckoo

knowing of cuckoosI refuse to send to hera Mother's Day card

eagle

tense neck muscleswatching the eagle

in morning's swift flight

eggs

within this eggfestival of the seventh day

a heart beats

fawn

morningwearing the gentle colors

of baby deer

thunderstormcovered with a caul

the fawn is born

after a thunderstormdrops slide down her flanks

the fawn is born

firefly

lightningfireflies peek at themselves

in a puddle

fish

a waning moonscales of a ling cod

fly from a knife

carp bannersin the slipstream

of spring

youngthe lily pads you can see through

white koi fish

river ripplesin the tiniestfish scales

finches

chirping here and therefinches draw magic diagrams

in the spring air

frogs

a rain barreloverflowing

one frog

ocean's roara sound in the frog's mouth

home again

billowingfrog voices in spring air

damask curtains

scattered cloudsshaped by frogs

croaking

twilightneither night nor day

frogs and bats

abandoned theaterthe moon spotlights

a frog-prince

in the shallowsa child learns to swim

by frog eyes

frogssitting in the river

all of us

creaking voicefrog joints as stiff as mine

rainy days

pond ripplesheartbeat of a frozen frog

warms again

a new puddlefrogs joiningold star light

frog silencepond shadow

in my ear

monks chantingonly at first are they

still temple frogs

frogsnaming the first stars

aloud

quiet watersfrogs all listening

to my shower

leaping into the riverthe frog watches me

still as a rock

grunion

floating the moonthe silver tide of grunion

ride on the beach

gulls

sea gullssoaring above cliffs

freshly painted

morning lightfrom dark rock crevices

gull wings

roundsa sea gull circles

surf songs

high windsblowing gulls

into blue-white

hermit crabs

ebb tideshells walking into the sea

hermit crabs

a hermit crabhaving for breakfast

someone else

borrowed shelltaking home a fluted whelk

and hermit crab

heifers

taste of butterheifers in the meadow

sunshine flowers

hummingbirds

spinning mobilehome to hummingbirds

unmoved

humming bird wingsthe rhododendron blossom

that flutters

killdeer

waiting for the wavethe killdeer practices

his cry of surprise

kitten

curtainscalico

with kittens

lambs

twin lambsnewborn in the wide meadow

stand touching

eveningclimbing a gentle hill

lamb and mother

the crysleet turning to snow

a newborn lamb

sheep foldssqueezing out

a newborn lamb

parting fogon wind barren meadows

birth of a lamb

larks

rivers to the seabending with the songs

of meadow larks

shell-veinedbreast of a lark swelling

sea cliff meadows

soaringthe bird out flies

its name

larva

bubbleslarva in pond scum

fly away

limpets

cold windon the beach only limpets

feel at home

migrating birds' return

whispering welcometo our winter-weary selves

returning geese

milk goats

goats to be milkedlower under heavy skies

bucket cloudy white

minnows

minnowsrippling river sandtwo-year old toes

springminnows patterned

by fallen leaves

a point of landout in the river

a minnow

moth

cloudy dawnon my pillow

moth wing dust

nest

in a mouse nestone pink nose

on a cat

spring floodstiny fishes swimming by

a bird's nest

nestfilled with spring time

eggs

forming eggsthe roundness of a breast

in a nest

silencearound a bird

the nest

lady carpenterby her house the bluebird

builds her nest

within a shelleggs laid warmin a hollow nest

nightingale

shadows hatchednightingales

in morning light

oyster

oyster barbecuea mother of six watches

the pile of shells

pony

moving into the sunthe pony takes with himsome mountain shadow

feeding her poniesall of her stories

the precious hours

the pony's pathgood luck signs

each step

spring windsrunning over the pasture

lift the pony's tail

puppies

free puppies' eyesin dirty store windows

filmy blue

ebb tidea young puppy searching

for place to pee

robin

blushing a bitthe rising spring sunon the robin's breast

at the bird feederrobins fighting

over wives

she doesn't noticea child with the doll carriage

the mother robin

a robin singsas if it was he

who planted the garden

rooster

a rooster crowsby just that muchthe day is longer

salamanders

tiny salamandera look as long and ancient

as your mating

sea shells

silencefrom a sea shella heart's mirror

a whorled shellpale ear pressed in sand

surf sounds

in one skyx-ray photos of sea shells

wet wisps of fog

sea lions

sea lions barkand then turn back

the sea is pink

sea lions barktheir breath comes ashore

as mist

shorn sheep

into the sunny meadowshorn sheep covered

with night cold

after the stormsmall waves on sea meadows

meek sheep

days of the weeksheep enter the fold

of night

white waves splashon the hillside

scattered sheep

slugs

sleeping lateon the doorstep

two slugs

waiting for rainthe slow way slugs

make love

snails - land

a phi-based spiralunwinds a snail's

slippery path

snails - sea

periwinklessigning secret names

in wet sand

snake

following a snakethe river wiggles

down canyon

squatters rightsdebated by the snake

in the lettuce

nervousthe thin weed touched

by a snake

winding the roada snake

into a flat tire

sparrows

a twitternest-building sparrows

a passing shower

spider - spring

door chimesthe spring spider moves

eight legs

rainbowssunlight segmentedby a spring spider

starfish

a day moonon glistening low-tide rocks

golden starfish

lying on the beacharms spread - legs together

a starfish

sailingto dream the dreams

of starfish

curve of the seafitting into the dome of sky

starfish

starfishseeing blue skyfor the first time

stork

storks have returnedsuddenly this old barn roof

brooding

swallows

home againfluttering in the eaves

barn swallows

spotlessly cleanthe swallow's nest

made of mud

from the broken bellthe chatter of swallows

nest building

tadpoles

dark barrelsun in the tadpole's mouth

metamorphosing

on the same daytadpoles get their hind legs

bulging eyes

clouds on the pondpopped by kisses of tadpoles

coming up for air

termites

strange facesin wind-curved cypress

termites

ticks

fresh pickeda bouquet of flowers alive

with ticks

thrush

pouring dropsfrom pitcher to inkstone

a thrush sings

rain fallingthe thrush pulls up a worm

inch by inch

SPRING Plants

apple blossoms

light carried in my armsapple blossoms from a neighbor

on my doorstep

clusters talkingtogether in admiration

apple blossoms

sun transformedinto apple blossomsthe ground is level

the dam is brokenspring cascades into valleys

as apple blossoms

apple trees

apple treesdead white before flowering

fuzzy buds

spring sunshinetoo-early guests waitunder budding trees

abandoned orcharddesert apple trees bloom

pioneer spirits

beans

pea soup lunchout in garden rows

planting beans

beeches

without rainbeech leaves unfolding

slick and shiny

blossoms

knotted fragranceon spring bare branches

blossoms

cloud blossomsbrush strokes between clusters

story-telling branch

silencein the blind wind's dance

blossoms

moonlightamong blossoming trees

a white parasol

silencethe blossoms

dance

bracken

a cascadebracken sprouts unroll

spring

budding birches

snowy mountainsgreen shadows of budding

birches

mountain curvesunfolding in new green

birches

white and thinthe light of springwhere buds dare

budding limbsclouds raked

into new trees

bushes

without a wordeach man goes outdoors

talks to the bushes

late springlawn dwarfs disappearing

into a leafy bush

buds

shapes of spacea flower folded

in a bud

California poppy

expanding the warmththe first poppies

in spring sunshine

calla lily

dizzyat the end of its spiral

calla lily whiteness

late springa dried-up streambed

full of lilies

on all four sidesof the long-gone shack

calla lilies

cherry blossoms

mountain hollowin the radiance of fog

cherry blossoms

hearing bellscherry blossoms shaken

by a breeze

cherry blossomsfirelight comes down

to bare earth

fragrantthe sound of cherry blossoms

rattled by wind

laceon her Sunday dress

cherry blossoms

cherry treesin full bloom he photographs

his fat wife

amidst the cherrieshe photographs his wifethe pimple on her nose

cherry blossomstheir only warmthcool in moonlight

still beautifulthe barren woman admires

flowering cherry

a young beautycherry trees bloomafter transplanting

putting smileson cherry blossoms

photographers

balloon mancherry blooms float

on tree-trunk strings

spring sunshinefloating among cherry trees

gay balloons

ahthe exhaled breath of tourists

cherry flow-ers

shaming the ladiesin bright colored clothes

cherry blossoms

cherry blossomsa truck goes by advertising

"Wonder Bread"

cherry blossomspermitting picnickers

a fragrant lunch

a childoffers the cherry flowers

a bite

after viewing cherrieshe blows up a paper sack

and pops it

a bee alightson a page of poems

cherry blossoms

across the bordersoldiers and a cherry tree

relatives of mine

cherry budding

a spring napdownstream cherry trees

in bud

cherry petals

a long journeysome cherry petals

begin to fall

garden waterfallcherry petals float to earth

in the sound

beacon for beesa pink and white fan

of cherry petals

the fragrancefilling empty lunch boxes

cherry petals

waterfallscherry petals

also

clogging the streamthe scent of cherry petals

in the air

old couple sleepingunder trees twined together

cherry petals

turning to leavecherry petals flutter around

departing guests

in the remote valleyspring arrives with hail

bruised petals

a fireabove sun-warmed bricks

cherry petals

pencil poisednothing on the paper

but cherry petals

evening cloudstinted pink in clusters

of cherry petals

weeping willowsover the stream clogged

with petals

cherry trees

vacant skiescherry trees bloomall the white light

pale skiescherry trees capture

all the white light

tree trunksdark nails hold festival posters

cherry time

scarred trunksof cherry treesa bee walks on

cherry tree trunkstwisted tapers with white light

flower fire

Yoshino cherry treesnodding over a book

borrowed from the library

a cooling breezeYoshino cherry trees

in Santa Rosa

lace on blue skywearing nothing under

cherry trees

daffodils

old man nappingin spring sunshine at noon

daffodils nod too

mile markersdaffodils gone wild

on highway one

rejection slipthe daffodil remains

unmoved

rainy dayspilling out of a pitcher

daffodil sunshine

daisy

sea fogthe far meadow dusted

with daisies

dandelions

spring warmthdandelions bloom

more suns

in the shadea spot of sun

a stray dandelion

ferns

under fernsthe roar of the creek

seeping in

first flowers

bowing on short stemsflowers first day of spring

in the wind

flowers

rain coloredby the light falling

into a flower

bedtimesea winds laid inclosed flowers

footprintsin cracks of granite rocks

flowers

blushed with pollenher nose in a flower

wet on purpose

forget-me-not

tiny blue stonespaving the path to you

forget-me-nots

fuchsias

morning sunfinding the fuchsia

already pink

gardens

garden dreamingthe many shapes and colors

with fragrance

grass - new

March snowfootprints turning back

into grass

new grassechoing from yard to yard

lawn mowers

green

greenthe knowing name

of glen spirits

redwoodwhen one is cutgreen sprouts

spirit dwellingholes in rocks

sprouting green

hawthorn

hawthorn hedgerowon new-ploughed earth

scattered petals

iris

a roundnesspushing outward

the iris opens

this iris opensthe furled flagof other worlds

blooming/witheringon one straight stalk

iris

a ballerinaunfolding the iris

other music

never known to beesthe iris withers in rooms

of a maiden aunt

on a stalkthe butterfly wings

an iris

waiting with itone iris withers

evening

openingthe iris

the poem

iris bloomingthe seventh one opens

differently

skyentering the iris

as it opens

eyesenter the irisopen wide

a breezebumping blossoms

bees

folding paperthe faded iris

withers

shape-changingin the witch's eye

an iris opens

archingthe iris opens

a rainbow

spreading sepalsone more poemopens the iris

windfallthe broken iris blooms

high in a vase

iris bloomsleaving the clear calyx

its purple touch

messages movingwithout muscles

iris fragrance

a blue cupon the table an iris

half open

fading the colorsof a peacock feather

an iris blooms

applausesepals of the iris

unclapping

eyes in secret placesdeep in the purple middle

of an iris

eyeson the purple petals

of iris

eyesentering the iris

half-closed

trinity inblue, gold and purple

iris

listening for purplethe iris opens

with a pop

a shared shapeiris leaves

swollen with buds

purple bluewithout moving a muscle

the iris opens

all maleeven when in bloom

bearded iris

blue irispool rippled water

in the leaves

her angerpainting the iris black

the child in her

lupine

sea side meadowsocean's lupine

a deeper purple

last lightthe brightness of lupine

growing low

lettuce

home-grown lettucethe taste of well water

green

lilac

a hillunder a cloud

of lilac

between the fieldsa break in the evening mist

three lilac bushes

lilies

lightburied in a bulb

lilies

magnolia

snow meltingmagnolia buds

higher

mimosa

sunlighttaking just one spray

of mimosa

miner's lettuce

two sides of a pondhere miner's lettucethere a skim of ice

narcissus

sea cliff meadowsthe bull sneezes

narcissus

new leaves

silencecolumns of earth sprouting

new leaves

springmorning finds a new sign

on every leaf

leafing treesin evening's purple glow

no longer bare

fillinga spring-flooded river

new green leaves

edges of oakextended by new leaves

bright as blossoms

sea windpushing up the mountain

new green leaves

pale lightcool in the dim forest

new leaves

onion sets

planting onion setsthe roar of surf

that much louder

onions plantedpushed into soft earth

bombs in Libya

pansies

pansiesin a canning jar

baby photos

peeping through snowthe folded up faces

of pansies

peas

winter endsa row of peas covered

with earth

plum blossoms

plum blossomsthe smell of white sheets

with white...

plum blossomsa fragrance in the air

star-shaped

plum treeremembering us

that time

plum treethrowing off its bareness

pure white perfume

where sleep the birdswith dry feathers

a white-plum night

primrose

primrosedthe spring sun

among green leaves

days measuredby wild primrose clocks

crocus calendars

radishes

in the mailboxa bunch of radishes

from a neighbor

roots of radishessand caught in tiny hairs

her laughing lips

pussy willows

gone fishingthe only takerspussy willows

redbud

bed springs creakby snow-melt freshets

a redbud branch

rhododendron

far from mallscity women in the woods

pick rhododendron

It's Maythe somber pine forest

pink with rhodies

mountain bouquetthe whole forest full

of rhodies

raindropsopening rhododendrons

at dusk

outdoor showerrhododendrons stare

at my nipples

leave the laundryrhododendrons can be

our bright colors

chattering visitorsfinally silent beforethe rhododendron

fogthe first rhodie

fades

after bloomingthe rhododendron bushessink back into the woods

roots

root circlea pool of water

growing in a tree

dark soilpushed from a seed

a blind root

spring raina dance with tiny stepsof tree roots growing

rose

white rose petalstransparent in the night sky

a not-round moon

fragrancetied in a knot

rosebuds

curlingpainted roses

where the roof leaks

safflower

a field of safflowerthere at the top of the hill

leaning on the sky

saplings

dead cypressin its wind-shadow

saplings

transplantedsaplings from the far ridge

all these thoughts

scotch broom

between rainshowers the slanted rays

of the scotch bloom

sea weed

escaping springtangled in sea weed

a sharp smell

blue sky held bystill wet laver leaves

held by a rock

seeds

under the earthnewly planted seedspart of the moonrise

seedlings

seedlinglarger by a drop of water

caught on its leaf

an arched backthe seedling bursts

into the light

shepherd's purse

shepherd's pursegrowing as highas my hip pocket

strawberries

bending lowa heart leans to the soil

picking strawberries

tendrils

early morningvine tendrils curl and hold

the day still

trees

river veinsand tree root muscles

green leaf skin

trees held togetherupright white pillars

of light

silence in woodbetween the growing

rings

everything greenyet some trees naked

with moss

cold light of dayit makes the trees stop

night whispers

whirlpoolsfrom earth to sky

tree sap

trillium

deep in the woodsthe May month trillium

deep in a dream

tulips

tulip fieldsthe elegance of folk

wearing wooden shoes

standing beforea wide field of flowers

one tulip

bright by the candlethe tulips alsoare burning

wild flowers

picking wild flowersthe early spring sun

in my hand

wild flowersabandoned by the road

a strange car

sea fragrancerising from the cliff

breath of wild flowers

desertwild flower colors

all rock

a meadowmade by a violinwild flower notes

wild lilac

puffs of smokelogging trucks' exhaust

among wild lilac

hillsidesclouds in the bushes

of wild lilac

lost on the mountainthe smell of wild lilac

sickening sweet

wild mustard

sunshinecaught by wild mustard

passed to the gorse

wild plum

ancestorsthe wild plumblooms again

willows

timeunmeasured by willows

swaying

water-dowsingthe willows tremble

in spring floods

slanted sunshinethe river breaks and dapples

beneath the willows

spring rainsthe willow strings

raindrops

long hard rainhanging in the willows

tender new leaves

springhigh in the willows

flood waters

wind murmuringas it spreads pollenthe arched willow

nude beachthe first ones out

pussy willows

spring bare sunby winter's high waters

willows laid low

water witchingwillow wandsbend the river

willow shadowsthe length of a napon the river bank

contrailspussy willows fluff

in spring skies

moraine crevassesa line of willows

winding the creek

river willowheavy drops onglistening wands

willow branchesholding together

raindrops

April stormsgreen willow wands

sweeping snow

young leaves

spring rainyoung leaves the fragrance

of moistened soil

This ends the SPRING section of A Dictionary of Haiku by Jane Reichhold.

SUMMER Moods

being loved

wind perfumedfrom a woman's shoulder

desert night

after loving

leaving the beachonly she has sand

on her back

sandwhere lovers laid

a shallow depression

summer sundrops of sweat mingle

with sperm

eyelids closedthe naked sleepers

curled into fish

lying nakedopen to summer stars

this old couple

the whole bedyet he lays his head

in my hand

sea foghiding morning-mussed hair

places you've kissed

sweeping the floorsunrise on papers

left by lovers

anger

he's angry againalone on the porch

with a red star

hot airhis arguments

on my face

crumpled silenceafter the argument

moth wings

our angry silenceold faithful geyserblows off steam

this heatthe harp tooout of tune

the neighbor ladyscolding her child

is also god

being lazy

picking up sleepwhere you left it at dawn

afternoon nap

sun from the eastocean waves from the west

our entertainment

dancing

dancing on the beachI jab a stick into the sky

to break up the blue

white dancein the beach walk skirt

folds of moonlight

I come to you clothedonly in the dampness of fog

and our dancing

delight in the new

hard glancesthe sun on the sea

a virile man

sheshowing him a sea cave

and more

almond nailspressed into brown skin

a faint perfume

moon lightshouses of hermit crabs

my damp blanket

desire to travel

star pathsthe tender roots

of passion

voicesbridging the stream

stepping stones

your voicetying me to the desert

toast pops up

airport phone callthe heart leaveswithout luggage

flyingthe mountains bend down

to our meeting

dread of autumn

koi dart and hidefrom the net dippedcoming of autumn

departing summerand when it's gone

the river's low

one leaf floatsin the sand castle's moat

end of summer

circus acrobatscome to the end of summer

leaping and falling

dreaming

asleep in a boatto dream the dreams

of water lilies

desert nightsthe clarity of dreams

warm and real

dream dancersleeping without a pillow

on scarred boards

remembering a dreamand then the circus

was over

eyes closedknowing by heart

the rest

– for Virgilio

–

enjoyment

days so completewords become the calls of birds

the high tide wind

only borrowedthis summer day

this beach

wet silkcupping her breast

night river

outdoor showerbathed in sun colors

of hot water

slipping into the poolnaked divides the night

sun-warmed waters

gentle nightsof desert wind

a woman's breast

touching myselfyour nameon my lips

placing the fluteagainst her lips something

slips into place

fickleness

British puban unfaithful man blows

suds from his beer

getting into bedthe stranger

even browner

eating melonbites given on the point

of his knife

fullness

the blood circlemother and daughter wading

in the surf

I'm not oldall night my eyes have held

the ancient stars

with the ocean's roarI climb the hills home

not alone

sweeping bare floorsthe summer empty cabin

very full

happiness

glowinga flag unfurls

native happiness

long summer dayhow many animals

I've been

on a bright sunny daycomes your smiling face

light added to light

just two starsyet our eyes are closed

in ecstasy

high cliffthe heart beats the blue sky

like a flaying stick

kissing

kissingtogether in a glassour toothbrushes

desert kisseshotter

than ever before

morning stars fadewaking a small bird

our lips

laughter

summer nightempty mountain road filled

with our laughter

- for Kenichi Sato

laughter added to the heatmy lover's farts can't kill

mosquitoes

angel wingspropelled through the air

by laughter

loving

tonguetastingpink

shapespure light the face

of a loved one

blue spotstattooed with love

from his teeth

loverspulse of fire godsin bubbling waters

loverscradled in caves

lovers

hot tonguesthe little language

of lovers

loversthe lamplighted lane

a way away

nightsthe grove of little trees

swollen with lovers

moon white waterlovers in the secret cove

Saturday night

just as tangledpaths in the berry patch

lovers

loversheat of a summer night

fill the moon

making lovethe unevenness of boards

on the porch

skintouchingwhispers

a butterflyfrom your finger

light touches

following wet tracksinto the secret garden

he enters

hovering humsmosquitoes watch us

making love

memories

packingbetween unworn shirts

sea sounds

moments of foreverbeach day chitin

fossil in lava

gazing into firesseals in my mind

wind-water pictures

red marksfrom your white teeth

mosquito bites

curving sandstone cliffsthe yellow school buswhere time stands still

memoriesover a river of sunlight

a time bridge

oneness

the narrow bedwe breath each other

all afternoon

on bare armsthe noon-day sun melted

hot metal sweet

before the summer stormrises the close smell

of two skins

after payingthe whore seems to be

someone's sister

applausescenery painted

by a one-armed boy

openness

company's comingover-friendly flies

buzzing at the door

prostitutenow a freeway rest area

her mother's home

outdoor fun

finally it's Fridaythe passion flower bloomswrinkling the bedspread

crawling on the bedtendrils of passion flowers

thick on the porch

shadows of leavescover the open holesher flute forgotten

the sun and hungerwatches without winding

on a summer day

panic

tourist fearthe ocean will ruinLand's End clothes

clasped handsholding the nervousness in

his thumbs

in rain in sunhow do you run from your hours

window box zinnia?

shelling peasthe pregnant woman asks

"Is forty old?"

silencein a knot hole

stares

pride

traveling throughBasho in your town

you in mine

- for Kenichi Sato

relaxed

beach partylosing in the sandher many years

a world closedthe roar of surfplugs my ears

quiet eveningall the wind

back in the flute

on vacationthe summer sun

far out to sea

relief

summer starsfinding all the familiar things

edged with morning

campfire embersall the demons nearly gone

in the morning sun

distance softensand rounds the hills

our relationship

satisfaction

his penis in herlightning strikes

very close

a gentle rainin me

your poems

curve of a waveholding perfecta summer day

satisfactionthe cooling breeze

between lovers

my headresting on the pillow

of your voice

we share these hoursgifts with many small parts

complete together

beaches where no one goestheir share of sand

gentle waves

tiny cabindistant shelter of woods

and sky within me

temptation

caught between rocksseaweed in the rising tide

seems to wave to me

smooth sandfollowing wavesback to the sea

tired

summer wearythe sky leans down an arch

of cypress

asleepholding your breath

in my hand

wanting to be loved

beach-blownmy sea-foam bodyawaits your hand

hot nightlegs spread wide

where sleep should be

neon lights blinkglances pass underneath

dark lashes

hung over the bedthe unpainted painting

mosquito netting

SUMMER Occasions

circus

swirling dustexcitement flickers

within the tent

circusred flags flutter

hearts

acrobatsunfolding the circus tent

first

outdoor circusin the center ring

a butterfly

juggling sunshineon clapping handslittle red hearts

outdoor circussun on the brightest costumes

fading

family circusacrobats lifted high

on joined hands

championon the flying trapeze

a butterfly

hearts flyingon the high trapezea blond young man

trapeze artistscatching the sun

each other

mountain villagein the one-ring circus

a balance act

jugglerthe children's eyes

in his hands

juggling illusionsthe circus manwith many balls

circus bleachersold enemies crowd

close together

circusbackstage the heateveryone squirms

tinsel flashunder shiny sweat

goose bumps

magic actwondering where the scarf went

when the wind blew

high wire acton the ground children dance

arms outstretched

intermissionall the real clowns stand up

and smile

between actsthe quiet musicof bowing trees

clown actwithout a tent

the wind as wild

part of the jokeclapping for stagehands

who fix the pole

empty morning lightthe trampled grass circle

of the circus tent

dog days

dog daysa bitch in heatlaceless shoes

Flag Day

a field of starssquare and curvedthe American flag

sea windscutting into a blue sky

a square of flag

Fourth of July

Independence Dayall the fireworks

in your eyes

sparklersin the night sky

stars

sun burntand from fireworks

star-crazy

patriotsetched in their eyes

sparklers

sea shellsand sky rocketsbeach holiday

another wavethe last sparkler

a bent wire

Independence Daythe empty flagpole

poking stars

Independence Daythe lower road bridge

collapses

two crowsand a sea gull having someone

else's picnic

Independence Daythe county courthouse

blown sky-high

-Point Arena's Hall of Justice

Independence Daythe parade majorettewith the shorter skirt

holidaya marshmallow windon browning bodies

5th of Julythe portable ice chest

drying inside out

school's out

a single momthe paper days until

school is out

summer breezethe shouts out of school

children again

summer skiesthe clearness of children's voices

out of school

school picnicsomeone very young teaches him

to boogie

school picnicthe ticket seller raises her fingers

as she adds

Summer Solstice

Mid-summer's Evelately bracken fern

invisible

mid-summerday and night balanced

no wind

a broken shoe stringsummer begins

barefoot

holes in the hammockthoughts run throughmy mind unfiltered

black pineagainst the never dark sky

Mid-summer's Eve

Midsummer's Eveher brief white gownshortens the night

Tanabata- a Japanese holiday to celebratestars and romance

Tanabataand beside me tonight

an empty pillow

vacation

seaside vacationunwinding the kite string

unwinding

in desert sandcinder temples seem to be

from China

Grand Canyontourists sucked out of California

by a big hole

Grand Canyondeeper with each camera click

the tourists' smile

in the roarof Yosemite Falls photos

kids' scared smiles

under Cathedral Spirestwo ancient Sequoias

and a trash bin

quacking duckson my favorite beach

tourists coming

clouds come and gojust as quickly on the beach

tourists

Lake Tahoetired eyes stare down

at a tiny rivulet

desert povertyeven dirt has been left

in the casino

bare topsDeath Valley tourists

on a hot day

touristsoverlooking Badwater

each with a Coke

tourists in ItalyPan's pipes and the Crucifix

in one museum

out-of-season touristsat San Juan Capistrano

hummingbirds

scenic spotsfull of a centuryof tourists' eyes

mountain gorgebefore the great view falling

asleep

snobbish hotelthe rusty old cars

of employees

around the pooltheir nipples exposed

men!

mountain rivershriveled to harmlessness

summer tourists

surf soundsthen my motel neighbor

turns off the shower

lying on the bedlayered with other lives

motel night

motel morningthe strange bird's songin another migration

vacationfinally relaxingfog dissolves

vacation endsone last splash of a wave

I am gone too

SUMMER Celestial

afternoon

drowsy-coloredthe summer afternoon

weighs nothing

air

desert airinvisible smoke of sagebrush

clear

softnessdesert air flows

through giant rocks

breeze

coming to sea cliffsthe off-shore breeze raises

a flower fragrance

cloud

beach tent billowsin the summer blue

white clouds

desert soundsout of the sun's way

clouds moving

morning downpourraised to new heights

afternoon clouds

dancing lightsclouds sprinkle the sun

across water

cloudscolored by open wall

a driftwood lair

curving with the landa rainbow of cloudsmoves out to sea

ocean cloudshere and therea sailor's wish

sea cloudsfilm long exposed toa white water river

shell-shapedthe highest peaks

swirl clouds

majestic peaksmaking majestic clouds

we shield our eyes

cloudscanyon wallsof Yosemite

thunderrolling up the mountain

great white clouds

after the rainbreathing deeply

white valley clouds

western peaksthe last clouds

set afire

coolness

between boardsshadows on a sunny porch

a slender coolness

lightrippling the lakewith coolness

the August moonrises with the coolness

of a thunderstorm

daylight

daylightin paths of falling stars

flights of birds

day moon

aloneclimbing the afternoon peaks

the day moon

day stars

sparklingon bright water

unseen day stars

dawn

first lightpouring into lava mountains

cloud red

dawnwith the light

winds

dew

morning sunthe twinkle of stars

still in the dew

downpour

sudden downpournow we outdoor folks

own a waterbed

drought

drought whitea withered tree hangs

over the bath tub

unearthlysilence of a drought year

drying

constipationfrom dry desert winds

only farts

rustling on the roofleaves of a drought year

in the rain gutter

fog

behind mefog closes in

the Golden Gate

ocean foghangs in the pine trees

a white hammock

sunrise findsfog in the valleysfingers in sand

fogthe sun and I shout

the morning

evening foga door slams

softly

heat

crackle of paperan afternoon of shopping

the heat

hot nightsleep too

has melted

heat shimmer

vibrating crystalsthe heat

moving mountains

heat waves

heat wavesbringing to the desert

an ocean view

heat wavethe nautilus shell

unwinds

horizon

a high wavebumping the horizon

curled by blue

eveningdrawing a line of pink

mountains

on the horizonwaves by the buoy

bump the sky

hot day

incoming tidecovers sun blackened rocks

with a hot day

sun in a toweldrying a wet body

the hot day

light

summer lightspun into a handmade rug

lambs wool

gazing at sunsetthe dark road home

filled with light

last lightrising out of the cliff

seven gulls

today's lightgoes into the seaan open window

lightning

power lineslacing the skywith electricity

out of darknessthat covers stars

lightning

forked lightningthe river begins

in the sky

car lights curvenights along the coast

flashes of lightning

in a streaklightning across the floor

a scorpion

long day

long daywaiting for the cove

to fill with water

longer daythe sun lingersin the warmth

moonlight

moonlightunfolded from clean sheets

covers the bed

moonlighta child's high voiceabove the darkness

morning

pink and bluebirth of ocean-sky

morning

nearly awakesea-gathered morning

on sleeping faces

morning lightthings of the day

taking shape

morning lightthe open eyes

of basket shadows

springing upinto colorful cliffs

morning sun

morning windseases the slender moon

from the ridge

noon

noon cloudson lava mountains

burned shapes

noon cloudsa dark spirit shape

on lava buttes

noon sunstraight downthe steep cliff

noonturning low hills

into clouds

noon-day sunrolling the fog out to sea

the round ball

night

as nightthe bump and thump

of ocean waves

night lightsin the secret covemoonlit sea foam

nightsshowing us inside

mountains

desert lakenight enters the blue

coolness

evening skiesin a high mountain lake

open to night

nightsa window

to another world

partly cloudy

partly cloudypacking the few things

to leave the ocean

rains

summer rainsthe umbrella also

wet waiting for you

vacationthe weather report

all wet

summer rainsdrumming

your fingers in me

rain stopswe sleep

still dripping

whisper of rainon a sunny day the surf

wets my feet

late summer rainsurprising

an open window

rain lets upcolors come to life

with a breath of wind

rainbow

cloudscurved in sea foam

rainbows

waterfallcompleting the rainbow

a woman's body

waterfallcoming apart

rainbows

rainbow houracross the lake

mountains of sun

out of a waverainbows of high tide

arching wind

rain clouds

under rain cloudsthe far valley full of light

at sunset

broken rain cloudsone sunset slips

into another

broken rain cloudsslanted sunset lightmoving mountains

low cloudsskirting the mountain

a line of white

ragged rain cloudsblurring the sharpness

of lava peaks

rain drops

sweeping the porchbright prints of raindrops

followed by splashes

desert washvariegated stones speckled

with raindrops

hot humid dayin a sudden breeze

raindrops of wind chimes

windin a dry riverbed

raindrops

rising sun

towers of rising sunspread over the dark lake

wispy clouds

short night

short nightcolors of a sighing

in the wind

sky

painting skiessoft hills brush clouds

warm colors

evening colorsfire rock mountains

enter the sky

evening skiesthe pink of hills rises

above them

evening blueshadows from the hills

float to the sky

without starsthe sky eases pink

into the lake

drifting out to seasky colors warmed

in the hills

between the two elmshow that patch of blue changes

in the high wind

south wind

a south windthe yellow cat lies down

under a chair

solar eclipse

fire-white haloat the moment of eclipse

I notice your face

solar dustvisible during eclipse

all over the room

dappled forest floorthe eclipsed sun

in a myriad of leaves

under treesa thousand crescent suns

eclipsed by leaves

stars

spindriftfalling into the sea

stars

between starsharp chords stringing

unearthly lights

sleeplessanother bright star descends

into sea mist

glass in granitetide pools glitter

stars

all the starsat my feet

the flashlight wavers

crossing darknessof deep space

each star

flat sea nightfaint wake of clear eyes

gazing star to star

Venus and the moonin conjunction with

my blankets and me

twinkling with laughterstars

my old flashlight

low desert campfirea shower of sparks

again stars

white waterthe path to the valley

full of stars

a window openson the midnight sea

all the stars

a shower of starsdampened by the roar

of a wave

a rimof wild foaming surf

crab nebula

high windsstars spinning byin perfect circles

Venuswatching you sleep

with me

into the seaa shower of starsdark edge of land

night skyso filled with stars

gulls do sleep

open windowstars drift inon sea mist

starsin a basket broken

on white stones

my staring eyescreating in the night skyone star after another

starsscratched in the night

light wheels

sunsetthe show begins

with stars

velvet nightsthe desert windwarm with stars

a blazeout of the big dipper

a shooting star

sharing the nightatop a remote mountain

the brightest star

extinguisheda candle leaves the night

filled with stars

summer nightevery staralso hot

hot nightall the stars out

naked

counting starsthese two small eyes

close in sleep

night of starson her lips hisstars of night

twinkling starssplashes of lighton dark wet oars

August nightthe melon moon seeding

the stars

riddlesthe starsanswer

woods so stillone can hear the stars

burning close

storm

storm purple hillsgrass green hills pinnedwith a wet blue fence

summer moon

summer moonfeeling our lovewarm the night

summer moonin our eyes

only each other

summer moonlistening to our words

hides in the pines

summer moon-viewingkids squat in a circle

to knuckle-shoot marbles

meeting the moonon ash meadows

summer hiker

melted a holethe moon slipped in

a summer sky

summer moonon the tails of fireflies

fire flies

summer moona jar of fireflies

by a sleeping child

hot weatherthe inflated moon rises

in the heat

sun

seaside sunburnished by waves

salt air

hot tuba blazing sun

enters the ocean

rolling east to westthe desert sun flattens

low hills

cooling shadowsthe curve of rockaround the sun

desert sungreeting the morning

in a hot tub

purple skiesmelting into lava peaks

sun glow

without winddesert sun slides intothe narrowest crack

dark brownthe desert sun tanswooden buildings

golden graniterolls to the horizon

a desert sun

desert sunon leafless things

growing

sunrise

cloudy sunriseall the bird song colorson rounded raindrops

a warm glowover lava mountains

sunrise

morning risethe desert sun comes

cooled

to returnto this place the sun

rises higher

sunset

waiting for sunsetthe eastern hills redden

at our impatience

sunsetfrom below the canyon

night

sunset cloudsGrand Canyon

in the sky

sunsetsbelow the canyon rim

another world

sunsetsnapping twigs

a campfire

warm/coolthe mountain/valley

sunset/moonrise

blood-red skiessweeping out to sea

sunset

sunsetlava mountain

fires again

incoming tideto cover wet rocksthe glare of sunset

sunsetbeyond land's end

fire into water

Pacific rimmedfire explodes into water

sunset sky

sunseta hunter hawk dropsback into his shadow

setting sunon riverside cabinswindows of water

back in their carssunset leaves

in the tourist's eyes

sunsetsinto a valley

a column of light

sunseta vacation ends

in the sea

red hot skiescoming home at sunset

fire gods

on the stairsthe sinking sunclimbs up again

sunseta western range rises

as night sky

sunshine

sunshinea path through mountains

east to west

beach housesblowing bright sunshine

between them

desert salt lakepreserving the last

sunlight

off and onthe message of sunlight

on a calm lake

sunlightthe yellow tablecloth

rumpled by our laughter

sunspots

blown aboutby magnetic stormssun spots draw us

thunder

stutteringrolls from hill to hill

thunder

Yosemite fallsthunderheads gather

more at the top

electricityinto tree roots

thunder

heavy thunderdropping down

of light rain

thunderstorm

thunderstormyet on the far ridge sunset

perfect stillness

thunderstormin the stovepipe

soot falls

old filmon remote mountain TVthunder and lightning

quiet noweveryone talking

about the thunderstorm

twilight

twilightsome of the light underwater

in a white stone

wind

wind timedesert clouds blowlight into sunrise

desert windpale blue shadowmoving slightly

desert windsblowing mountains

into the sun

summer windslined by the appetites

of spiders

rock formationssomeone in the wind

with a fantasy

sunset windsa screen door opens

and closes itself

wind - cool

red rock wallsthe cool wind

as wide as holes

curvedblue side of the rock

of cool winds

wind - warm

warm windchildren's voicesmelt in the night

SUMMER Terrestrial

bay

a quiet baywith seaweed and rocks

the sun at rest

beach

a forest walkending at the beach

roots

morning beachblue sand still quiet

in the tracks

cold windon the beach

foam fans

beach fireflowing into waves

flames

rushing in - rushing outthe wave's mini-vacation

on the beach

darkening beachthe warmth of a person's eyes

for the sinking sun

scattered in sandembers of a saltwood fire

face to face with stars

shell beachwind blowing through

a train whistle

city folksplaying on the beach

board games

city voiceson the beach

the litter

sunny dayblown on the beachclouds of sea foam

damp beach sandwhere a naked witch squats

her heart

lonely beach walklosing in the sand

car keys

trackingthe cliff-bound beach

noon clouds

beach firepale calla liliesflame bright

again on the beachdrifting with dreams

she tracks sand

the beachblowing sand

in water colors

a windless daythe beach colored

sea foam

pocket beachafter the climb back up

sand in mine

gravel beachesthe corners of the river

elbowing

summer fogthe beach wrapped up

in itself

bridge

wooden bridgewords found by a splinter

in bare feet

bridge timbersa rumble in the creekflowing under them

bridge songvocal chordsof the river

brook

meandering brookmy good intentions

melting away

canyon

canyon washclean

and dry

canyonclosing outsea sounds

rain-torncanyon wallscatch the sun

canyon wallsslip into the valley

river gravel

noon cloudsfinding in the canyon

opals

wall by wallthe canyon releases blue rock

deep night sky

box canyonin a dried up washancient river rock

ancient river rockrunning once again

down a muddy canyon

paint box canyonthe river a rainbow

of rocks

oldest rosestone canyon walls

folded in time

caves

cave wallsturning to sand

footprints

translucent wallin the sea cave

a shell

cliff

avalancheblue sky presses

into the cliffs

cliffssloping into the sea

gull wings

sheer beautycliffs drop straight down

raising spirits

taking sunshineinto a secret cove

steepest cliffs

green growingsteeper than seacliff meadows

a lush smell

coastal range

coast rangesdistance spillsinto the sea

cove

leaping upa wave comes into

a secret cove

cupping the eyethe quiet cove

on a rocky coast

crater

Uhebehe Crater*the inverted mountain

made of wind

* in Death Valley, California

crater rimour kissing

with open mouths

creek

taken by a creekboth feet exploring

wet

desert

desertflapping in the wind

the whole town

deserta stretched horizon

of silence

desert towntropical fish store

well stocked

- Twenty-Nine Palms, California

dunes

sandcuring the glare

high noon

sand dunes rimmedcreosote bushes bloom

sunset colors

rain-wet dunesscraped with yellow light

of sunset showers

noon shadowsfollowing the contours

of desert dunes

living in desert dunesthe ups and downs

of curved sand

hot springin desert dunes noon

memory

dunesmountain peaksas hot and dry

retreatingfrom the eastern world

coastal dunes

night dunesin the warm places

ants

dust

droughton the way to churchdust devils in the road

earthquake

earthawakequake

remodeling plansthe whole house sways

earthquake!

tremblingthe earth touches

us all

shoreline highwaymoving over the sea cliff

off shore rocks

earthquakein the Thrifty drug store

prices fall

harbor

beyond the bardancing lights the sun

in the harbor

hills

the hillstouching each other

at the river

-(one of my favorite haiku of mine)

washedhills dribble down

muddy waters

painted hillsmorning freshens

the colors

hillsmounding up a cloud

full of thunder

dirt-poor farmerhigh on the hill

a priceless ocean view

mountain womancadence of rolling hills

in her breast

- for Marlene Mountain

hot springs

desert stormfrom undergroundhot bubbling water

hot springsnot far from the desert sun

fire spirits

bubbling hot springsin dry desert sands

fire opals

between ushot springs salt water

our electricity

hot springssoaking from earth

happy bodies

desert nightsin the hot springs

all the lives

nightsin the hot tub

dreams

soaked in hot springscrystal-filled watershome in the stars

mineral hot springsall day wearing crystals

bare

islandswhite bones

rolled between islands

starssprinkling in the sea

islands

land's end

land's enda rock crumblesin damp sand

sweepingout to the lighthousea long sand beach

landslide

landslideyears slipping away

from the cliffs

landslidethe cliff revealsits other age

lake

leavingthe lake waters

calm

valley lakebelow sea level

dried salt

dark bluecoolness crosses the lake

in ripples

without starsthe sky eases pink

into the lake

meadow

meadow knowledgeby sleeping on the ground

death isn't bad

foaming between rocksfragrance of seaside meadows

at high tide

the stillnessbetween tides

meadow fragrance

midnight meadowlying in moonshadows

poison ivy

mountain

turning the earthas mountains rise

they crumble

riverside cliffsthe current recycles

mountains

jagged blueflames of eveningmountain peaks

lost paint boxmountains have borrowed

all the colors

desert misersin a wide blue skyone low mountain

lying in a meadowkneecap to kneecapwith the mountain

deserthoarding

mountains

morning mountain topmy shadow crosses

Death Valley

jagged mountain peakssharpening my pencilfor another scribble

snow mountain lakedesert river damned

LA toasters toast toast

noon skyred rock mountains

jut into blue

tunnelthrough the mountain's heart

headlights

mountain echoages waitingfor its return

desert mountainsall four seasonsmelt into one

desert mountainall four directions

meet in one

stone mountaina gravel road winds down

the slim edge

mountain pass

mountain passthe setting sunmeets the moon

writingon mountain peaks

tablets of stone

summit warmthwrapped aroundby mountains

between mountainsdesert night windon a full breast

mountain peakswatching a million years

pass by

dizzywobbly line of mountains

at the summit

mountain topsilence slammed

by a car door

mountain stream

mountain streambell tones of rocks

barely wet

oasis

summerat the oasisevening cool

ocean

dawn seasthe ebbing lightleaves shell pink

ocean wavestide sends windshome to the ridge

sea foamblowing from a wild surf

gulls

given depthby a passing cloud

ocean colors

ocean wildno need to see

a whale

summer daythe ocean invents

aquamarine

holding handsa blazing log

-and ocean roar

squirting waterbetween old rocks the ocean

plays with itself

pebble

mighty rivera white line through

this pebble

pond

torchlightinviting rocks by the pond

to dance on water

green round pondlily pads of late summer

mossy pennies

summer departsthe stagnant pondstays right here

reef

alone in the stormanchored to a rocky reef

clang of a buoy bell

river

narrow riveropening just a crack

the wide ocean

white with foamthe ocean entersthe river's mouth

reservoiran ancient river

refilled

river daysa stream of light

flows by

river mouthbridgedby gulls

redwood rootsthe river's coursebends and twists

deep belowrunning in the sea

other rivers

rushing riverbrushes the air

with white ripples

walking the mountainsthe river goes along

with us

mid-morningthe river refreshes itself

with a little breeze

the earth turnsnow and then

the river bends

hot sun presseswater into a river

summer flood

from the riverwinding up the rivera stream of cool air

sleepingvalley river sounds

dream

sleepingbelow the noisy river

the other one

stopping by the riversunlight

a bank of fog

rocky streama dropped feather

dyes it blue

riverbed

dry riverbedcovered in the mornings

with puffy clouds

restingthe riverin its bed

streambedbent to fit the earth

a fallen willow

rocks

face to facewith ancient rocks

the tourist touches hers

sea spraya rock drawn in the air

its water shape

mountain bouldersbreaking up

the light

desert rockslistening to the music

of water

monolithsholding the rosy sunagainst blue night

broken rockhalf hothalf cold

rockslegendsin sand

rocksleaving clearly

sand

rocksin veins of ore

roots

magneticlines in the rockwriting it down

evening reflectedby glowing granitelighted from within

rocksat the foot of the bed

waves splash

water fallson Japanese landscapes

sea rocks

a crackin the monolith

one star

the top of the rockin the bottom of the pool

bright with sun

cracking a smilefaces in sandstone

slanted sun

splashing each othercenturies in the surf

brother rocks

after the rainall the desert colors

in wet rocks

red rock wallsecho

blue rock walls

forces of naturea sense of theater

with rocks

mountain peakstars burned into rocks

glitter all day

high tidelapping the fire

in a rock

salt flats

road to the moonbetween ash meadows

salt ponds

reflectedon the moon

salt flats

Death Valleysalts a bright blue lake

at twilight

earth fissureslacing the pond

dried salt

the linebetween water and hills

a salt sea

desert beachgreen moss white

with salts

lining the hillsedges of the sea

with salt

sand

rolling overinto dry sandthe 7th wave

snow-capped peaksthen the wave spreads

over a sandy beach

sea

dark and growlingfrom land a summer storm

becomes a glass sea

lying lowbefore storm clouds

a smooth sea

distant horizonsea miles markedby different colors

water drawinga straight line between

sea and sky

splashesreturn to the sea

a dance

sea stacks

sea stacksthe white smoke

of spindrift

sky country

two crows landwith sun on their backs

sky country

spindrift

undercurrentsbelow spindrifta mellow flute

spindriftabove the ocean wave

a prayer flag

spindrifta cloud hangs

where a wave broke

stones

night fallyet not one stone

moves

painting stonesa mountain brook moving

tree shadows

alluvial fansthe valley heaton stone fields

shimmeringabove the hot stones

summer sea

one stoneclimbing the mountain

in my shoe

covered with stonesthe stream makes a path

to the river

streets/roads/paths

fire in the mistrushing down the highway

far mountains

mountain paththe roundness of the eartharches between my feet

poem mapsunder summer feet

paths

midnight carlining the coast

with highway one

headlightson a rain-drenched pass

slanted sunlight

yellow lineon a black highway

last sun rays

desert highwaythe poet writes a haiku

on the yellow line

mountainstwisting roads

in us

following the riverfollowing the sun

through mountains

riversbuilding roadsin mountains

desert pathsthe smell of water

paving the way

without movingour road goes from town to town

changing its name

a summer showerthe asphalt roadrising in steam

beach roadsummer smoothfrom sandy feet

a mountainbends in the road

heaped high

mountain roadgoing and going and yet

time stands still

freewaya truckload of art

passing tanks

dustthe road disappears

in itself

roadwinding around the mountain

mountain views

down from the passstill the black road

wiggles

stream

in the streamwaiting for wind ripplesto move the mountain

this beach streamhangs our sandals on two fingers

runs to the sea

surf

an open windowsurf sounds

square

night surfthe bright waves

of flame

surf's boomsun beats into water

sound on metal

earth spinssurf soundsin dry sand

boiling seasinto a wild surf

a hot sun

swamp

black cypressdraining into the swamp

strands of color

tides

home againa pulse of tides

in our blood

tiltedthis side of the ocean

dries in the sun

dry rocksbubbling up between

the incoming tide

incoming tidethe sun-dried rock

wetted

rattle of rocksat high tide the stars

an earthly tone

night tideblack rocks blacker

as a dark moon

freshly washed hairreceding tide leaves

wet rocks

high and lowtides weaving

sand

the tide turnsa whoosh of wave

splashes white

picturesin the burning wood

tide lines

rippling lightnight tide flows back

to a sunlit sea

high tidesharing a small beach

with wet feet

tide pool

meltingin a tide pool

sun on still waters

tremors

deep in the earthtremors in our knees

magnified

after tremorsin the fear and trembling

frog voices

valley

rockscrumble into valleys

evening colors

deepeningthe lowest point in USA

night shadow

jagged mountainsthe wide slope of valley

smoothes the air

mountain shadowstracing valley contours

across the sky

layers of colorthe cliff eases into valleys

blue dusk

San Joaquin valley:sand walking valleyafter all my years

Queen Valley*mother earthfull of gold

* a mining area in Death Valley

empty night skyfills the desert valley

with city lights

the breaking wavecough drop colored

cool mint

between raincloudssunlight slants

deep into valleys

mountain greatnessthe gentle easing

into valleys

raincloudsblowing into the valleysunset's golden light

village

bell tonesof the country side

village names

volcano

eveningssetting the sky on fire

lava mountains

red into blacksummit passes

into sunset

mid-dayheat of volcanoesstill in the rocks

lava rocks flowingwith the river

night-long shadows

lava rocksflowing with the river

dry summer heat

black lavapushing into bloodred

sunset peaks

waves

sunshinethe tops of waves melting

into hard metal

sun in frontof each crested wave

its own radiance

night airbreathing deeply the waves

wet dry sand

walls of waterwaves in rock

a tearing sound

waves crashin the curve of the bay

unbroken by man

wave upon wavesun beats the water

into a hard curve

earth turninga wave roundsthe blue green

elephant rockstomping on the beach

ocean waves

asleepyet waves remember

to come ashore

a wave breaksout in laughter

two people

wavesunrollingseafoam

mounting upa wave rides a rock

ashore

rolling in wavesthe white foam clouds

thunder

solid wavesflowing into the surf

dunes

arching into the skythe wave takes on

more blue

teary eyesseeing with binoculars

salt waves

white laced wavestearing silk

across the sand

each wave curves upwardcatches a gleam of sunlight

then moves on

seas of silkshapes without scissors

waves torn asunder

wavesfeelingtime

waterfall

a womana step downa waterfall

taking to the waterfallthe everyday worries

washed away

mountain waterfallfog flows backwards

into clouds

breath of angelsair of waterfallsup one's nose

foot of the fallstourists stoppedin their tracks

foot of the fallsthe roaring openstourists' mouths

writing its nameon a granite cliff

water falls

quiet riverall of the windout of its falls

water dropsa radiancein the falls

woods

beyond the campfiredarkness draws together

the woods at night

SUMMER Livelihood

airport

airportup in the smoke

faces I've met there

waiting areamom and dad's faces

grounded

airport carpetingthe dizziness

above and below

before boardinga finger on the wingtip

cold and sweaty

among strangerssun rises without a night

flares on metal wings

bare feet

barefoother sweat socks

still do

smooth sandchasing children down the beach

their foot prints

beachcomber

watered silkbright surf catches

her pants leg

a huge waverolling up her pants

still wet

missing the mallson the ocean beachshe gathers shells

the fat childgathers the most sea shells

pockets bulging

high tidethe beach leaves a mark

in her book

afternoon windall the beachcomber's words

blown out to sea

heat waveon the beach crowds

cool fog

cold beach walkon sun-warmed car seats

two sweatshirts

curls of wavesyet on the beach all dayher hair goes straight

smuggler's covestones wash on the beach

the size of skulls

a special beachI put a pebble in my mouth

before leaving

car doors slamessence of starfish comes

home with us

beachcombergift of civilization

a hairbrush

beach bumsat a sermon of gullsone tries to sleep

smelling the lighton her tanned shoulderhome from the beach

biking

cyclistpicking up a nailfrom a crosswalk

flat country lanea man on a bikeslices the sky

boating

touriststoo tipsy to drive

out in a canoe

choppy wavesthe small boat between

two worlds

behind the speedboatwater bent and broken

mends with ripples

streaked with goldsunset in the rich folks' harbor

the tallest mast

in a canoea man eating a banana

peeled

a summer daydrifting byin a canoe

river's bendwave lengths of setting sun

broken by a canoe

rowing on the lakeboats filled

with empty sounds

stopped downby the river's pace

drifting boats

studying waveshe drifts off

to sleep

cabin

cabin closedthe waiting in the woods

as we come

the tiny cabinlistening to pine windits very own planks

early summercabin walls leaking

late night cold

back againin the summer cabin

winter dreams

tin roofhearing the edge of a cloud

wet with rain

warm dry airthe river low in August

a door opening

leaving for homesummer cabin floors

swept bare

building a hut

campingman's first home

a wall of green wind

pillared by pinedriftwood logs

slanted sunlight

a driftwood shackremembering other times

places

fights forgottenneighbor kids building

a club house

the open windowscreened with a web

leaf shadows

camping

remaking the bedthe river flows bythe campground

nearly awakesea-gathered lighton sleeping faces

environmentally soundwiping the new-age camper

with recycled paper

circus

summertimethe way to the circus

childish voices

carouselthe sun goes around

up and down

city life

Berkeley sidewalksthe rest of my education

on the street

selling peace buttonshe buys the mulatto a coffee

room for the night

street womanher tits at home

in T-shirts

city parkhands of the blind

sparrows

cutting grains

home from hayingthe weight of a wooden rake

on sun burnt shoulders

a giving soundwheat leans into

the mowing machine

it is still hottractors coming home

with headlights

fan

sound of a fanblowing a cool holeback into summer

paper and sticksthe coolness of a ocean

painted on a fan

forest fires

dry windthe smell of smoke

bright red

hot moonmarked and spotted gray

by forest fires

plowing a firebreakthe dry earth

a cloud of smoke

clearing a trailit only seems clean

after a shower

fruitstand

fruitstandthe girl-watcher pinches

a peach

garden

your long lettera garden around me

tall white summer skies

gardensvoices among flowers

patterned paths

gardening

evening songthe scythe set a stone

leans on the fence

snapping beansshe doesn't look upwhen the gate slams

garden spiderat home in a hat

dangles at my ear

a new hoechopping the grasses

of last spring

cabbage gardenerseeing white butterflies

in a new light

going home

long walk homethe incoming tiderefills footprints

hot stonesfootprints of swimmers

going home

homeward boundour days of vacation

in brown skin

driving in timerivers flow backwardsas we leave the sea

going homedown the mountain road

sunset

leavingthe ocean waves

come back

tracks on the beachall the feet have returned

to the city

welcome homethe far ridge filled

with thunder

coming hometo the rest of rain

all day long

the way homea scent of open firesclinging to my wrist

ginko * successfinding back home

sand between my toes

*ginko - Japanese for a walk taken with the purpose of writing haiku

the weight of eyelidshome from the beach

full of sand

home againa bath and the towelwith a blue border

hiking

hikers restat the waterfall

coming down to earth

heavy sweatingthe taste of mountain

on a hot day

squeaky knee jointscanyon river soundscoming up the hill

canyon springswhere water rest in light

travelers pause

going down the mountainits rocky river words

still in our ears

tired bonesback-packed ina mountain hike

"the back of my hand"he said

and we were lost

looking downthe tops of trees

rooted in the canyon

hitch hikerleaving the no-camping area

his pack all lumpy

one pathheel to toeand warm

mountain climberstheir voices higher

than the rocks

climberseffortless the assent

of their voices

soft pink hillsthe hiker invited to rest

way over there

in the valleystretched to the setting sun

soles of hiker's feet

hikers restingyet the mountain moves

its morning shadow

humming"Pomp and Circumstances"

mountain hikers

mountain hikersmorning as wideas spirit shapes

Sierra hiketaking John Muir's word

home again

hitch-hiker

hitch-hikeron the picnic basketseveral small bugs

hitch hikersa car full of flies

going to LA

kids

sun on her kneestuck on raspberry jamdripping through toast

August beachesfor moms and crabs

the nitty-gritty

teenagerstumbling on the sands

over-playful waves

afternoon quietthe grandson's crayon

melts on the porch

evening cloudsstretched low on the horizona child's name being called

lace

on her breastbrightness next to shadow

of lace

ocean foamall night the loveliness

of a lace gown

laundry

laundry daythe gardenia blooms

clear white

billowing whitefilled with a summer dayclouds on a clothesline

laundry driesa change of sea wind

dampens it again

bottom of the basketthe sandy beaches

of dirty clothes

home againthe mountain that remains

laundry

lighthouse

land's endthe low star turnsinto a lighthouse

the lighthousemirrors over the sea

a yellow pyramid

lollipop

two lollipopswrapped in cellophane

matching sisters

mid-day nap

a noon naprock shadows

restless

picking up sleepwhere you left it at dawn

afternoon nap

roadside rest stopgetting out of the car

all the tiredness

not really tireda summer day

lays down to rest

beach sandmeasuring a poet

stretched out

wakingshadows from a nap

have moved

mountain climbing

slick rock facesclimbers' strainagainst the rope

dots of shadowclimbing the mountain

flute notes on both sides

to the summitto view the lowest point

in the valley

movies

ridge darkin town

a good movie

outdoor moviesaround the old films

moths

after the showthe smell of rainon hot asphalt

nakedness

summer afternoonthe coolness of white

naked on a quilt

moss-green bankthe woman reclining nude

as is the river

nude beachnothing new

under the sun

nakedon the porch

passion flowers

newbornswimming in the river nude

on your birthday

on the nude beachfrom her tits to her toes

it's Saturday night

outdoor concert

outdoor flute concertthe second movement

the wind

singing lowsea-white fog disappears

in an outdoor concert

following stringsstars hum alongwith the guitar

harpsichordtightened spinal cords

jangle

hot summer nightall that jazz

shared by neighbors

going insaneradio rock

a block away

stop lightmusic from other cars

perfume

pastimes

in her handscoming out of the hills

clay pots

beach clayin her hands palm prints

a vase for flowers

how quietthe cove where divers left

their trash

dune buggiesin the desert night

electric fireflies

dune buggiesnights in valley lights

parked

inspiring vieweating cerealwith a pencil

row upon rowtorn from a notebook

mountain lines

sea paintinga child's water color box

full of sand

watercolor paperstopping a wave

with a brush

sunlighttrying to paint highlights

on tops of waves

wavesfollowing the brushinto a watercolor

watercolor classthe beach giving lessons

in making waves

a Sunday painterthe lighthouse just as big

as a gnarled thumb

dried upin a box of paints

summer sea colors

a hummed tunepainting a wave

realistic

in exchangefor a special rock

flute notes

a gentle breezeriver willows not moving

lost fishing lines

looking upfrom the crime story

passion flowers

as everyone knewpoets who write by the sea

are all wet

emptydesert notebookfills with sand

the book closedyet hearing the poems

thunderstorm

green faded ribbonthe English lute

hangs songs on a nail

sounds of a harpdrifting into the forest

into birdsong

- for Elizabeth Searle Lamb

in rowsbees and his lips

at harmonica holes

- for Jack Stamm

tuning the dulcimerlegs of a spider

crawling out

country marketthe humane society sponsors

a flea market

alonethe world stopsjust to find it

picnic

raspberry jamon a peanut butter sandwich

high noon lips

weathered picnic tablesafter the summer shower

mustard stains wet

photograph

ocean viewtourists taking photos

leaving trash

touriststaken by the view

snapshots

curvedon the ground lensa wind-swept pine

sunsetwhen the show's the best

the lights go out

canyon rim photoafter the click he sees

his toes in space

loaded with camerasdonkeys with a master's degree

in photography

worn smooththe wind-swept cedareveryone photographs

in the deserta sudden whirring

camera's automatic rewind

crumpledsilver sunshine

on a photo

pool

summer afternoonfilling the pool

with neighbor's kids

pregnancy

at the gynecologistknitting a baby blanket

for the seventh grandchild

for Caitlin Steiner

relaxing

restless wavestourists

newly arrived

restless seahouses of folkstaking it easy

night rocksin beach fog

drunken voices

newcomersdigging their toes in sand

cliffs of California

reliving history

playing my fluteIndians

ten thousand years ago

aboriginesmy mind still fitsthe grinding place

desertbare bones

living

roughing it

watering the deserta small yellow stream

between her feet

uphilla load of firewood heats

wheelbarrow handles

mountain lightsthe glow of candles

in jelly glasses

rusty pumpcussing and swearing

it goes again

campfirecooking cloudsin oyster stew

outdoor plumbingshowering with stars

sandy soap

outdoor showerin a path of moonlight

surf sounds

outdoor tubbathing in the scent of pine

still on the trees

city girlhow to brush her teeth

with a wet finger

in the tubheat of the day

goes down the drain

squatting over earthjust as I pee

thunder

droughtthe scorched earth

where he always pees

sleeping on the flooran Indian rug curls up

beside me

wakeful hoursbending a square of moonlight

a rag rug

dried prune facesguests when they hearwe have only a privy

stern childon the wall behind the hippie

her baby picture

sandals

all day outlinesdust on her sandals

where toes were

sleeping outdoors

hot weatherwearing the day

all night

summer moonpatterns on the porch

a crazy quilt

summer eveningthe porch swing moves

a new moon

high tidewaves breaking loud

around my pillow

night bushesthe candle's flamered in animal eyes

lostin the night stars changing

the summer sky

a canopy bedcovered with summer stars

airy blankets

mountain windssleeping all nightwith open mouths

asleeplight from the sea

in her face

dawnstars turning into

mosquitoes

waking upthe itch of bug bites

brand new

sight-seeing

Grand Canyona hole in the groundfilled with mountains

Point Arena lighthousesnags the morning sun

and $3.00 each

unfenced precipicehe remembers as unpaid

life insurance

Japanese journeySacramento rice fields

and Mount Lassen

starscarried into cavestourists' candles

Indian cave:songs still

wind

cave dwellersthe grinding stone

hollow

bringing homememories

of Indian caves

caution:in the petrified forest

no smoking signs

harbor town bellson Saturday night

buoys

rock womanfacing into desert sun

her sky-blue eye

Hollandflattened against the sky

warmed at the edges

Salton seaits blue also covers

the far hills

on every roadcanals with drawbridges

for pictures

country villagesthe sloped roofs huddleagainst green growing

before their doorwaysin the hour before darkness

people as statues

in the museumyellow flowers floatinga glass paperweight

seeing my facein the crowd I bought

the mirror

straw hat

naked breastswearing only the dark laceshadows of her straw hat

her straw hatasleep by the garden

of noon-day sun

sun bathing

eyes closedonly my breast to view

the sea

off-shore breezecoming to landon bikini bodies

cooling the sandthe fat lady's shadow

on a hot day

evening deepensthe tan on her legswith varicose veins

grains of sanddays of a life

lying on a beach

silenceto seek and wrap around

the body nothing

tannedexcept for the places

a fly sits

bodiesgiven to the desert

sun

hot bathed bodydried by desert

stars

sun-bathingconservationists

saving water

sunburn

eveningsdrawing closer to the fire

sun-burnt faces

surfers

green wavesflorescent with surfers

in mod wetsuits

sleeping in the sunonly surfer dreams

ride the bright waves

surfersblack suitedamong seals

sweat

rationed waterin the desert

our wet places

bright blue armpitsthe indigo blouse fades

into a hot day

beach dayevening turning

flesh to fire

summer illness

lumbago's dull paina summer breeze frisks

by the bed

feverishon a hot day defrosting

the refrigerator

summer coldsthe neighbor's dog barks

when we cough

on one handthe liver spots of aging

poison ivy

summer lovemaking

churning seaslove-makingin the hot tub

making loveinto hot tub foam

falling stars

an undriven nailcaught in the lighthouse

at land's end

between our legsdancing flamesin a fire place

log to ashesclocks

our love-making

after the trystthe red candle guttedyet comes sunrise

swimming

ocean waves poundthe tattoo on his arm

blue skin

the rocky riverour knees a buzzwith the current

swimmersafternoon heat

underwater

salt crystal rippleswashing shells on my feet

toenails

sitting in the riverrhythmic waves between my legs

does it for me

taking heatdown from the ridge

into the river

hills and valleysa woman lying flat

in the river

an old womanswimming the August stream

the mossy smell

catching the big onea fat old lady hauls out

on the nude beach

swimming alonethe drag of undertow

mom calls

tea garden

tea housefresh air fills the cup

with green tree

tourist

date grovespalms waving

at single tourists

bound by a bellstrangers in the street

of ancient churches

good for the tonguenames of Norwegianhome-cooked food

sidewalks of Paristhe smell of coffeeon a foreign tongue

nasal toneslong bread under dark blue

elbows

tourists at sunsetin canyon walls

a sea of red eyes

closed in sleepall the eyes

seeing the canyon

touristsstill keeping alive

ghost towns

dry river bedround rocks movinginto tourist's cars

traveling

airport parking lotbubble gum sticking to me

my home town

going homecar doors closeout the river

going down the roadrocky river rhythms

in our legs

losteyes on the map

miss the turn

mid-morning hungerdriving right pastthe chocolate hills

a signat the fork in the road

fine dining

freewayscar motors

cursing

granite bouldersrolling along the roads

tiny tin cars

driving homethe wrecked car

still there

a tripwith maiden aunts

coming apart

after travelingthe hot tub filledwith strangers

sea side darknessleaving the city bright

not-knowing

dancing in bednext to the nightclubmotel sleeplessness

Grand Canyonso very huge

no room in the inn

vacation

desert vacationthe first day back

into a mountain stream

starsin the hot tub

two on vacation

vacation home

for renton the doormagic runes

rented windows190' of ocean viewon Mastercharge

window to windowoceanside vacationers

eyeball to eyeball

roadside bencheveryone drives

right on by

sea escapethe cliff house hangs

out in space

betweentwo views of the sea

a color TV

six o'clock newswe turn to watch the world

of a picture window

my bare legson the strangerlegs of chairs

shutting the doornot shutting out

surf sounds

a cup of coffeethe cruise ship steamsinto another window

by the windowa fireplace joinsthe lighthouse

vacationthe first daywithout rain

seaside summerhearing the foghornthen nothing else

vacation housesitting on the porch

gift-rapted

visiting shrines

Indian caveshadows deep in cracks

from other suns

pepper treeshot as hell

at the mission

circling the missiona flutter of wings

just pigeons?

jet agestill in the ancient mission

an offering of fire

church yardcolors of fallen stones

raised by flowers

mission churcha roof of song in rows

of starlings

at the shrinepine needles crisscross

the holy spot

holy placesitting on sacred rocks

itches

visitors

gueststhe only ones on time

are the stars

sun through fogvisiting children blow

soap bubbles

kids discoverspooky white in beach sand

grandma's ankles

child finally sleepsstars come out singing

a lullaby

signpalm reader

open

Gypsy lipscurve into a smilefuture revealed

all during supperthe city boy sitson the tractor

how he inspects his fieldsthe man with visitorsfrom his wife's family

visitinghow good to see her oven

dirtier than mine

sun cookiesthe kids ate them all up

before the eclipse

companyserving zucchini bread

repeatedly

his relativesserving zucchini breaddisguised as special

visiting relativesthe narrow bed holds

us together

an old albumin the granddaughter's lap

rose petals

summer gueststaking it with them

back to town

deserted roadfirst the tourists leave

and now the geese

three lizardstogether on the mountaintop

- and we talked

wicker chairs

creaking with the weightthe noon-day sun heavy

in wicker chairs

new cushionson the lawn chairs

thick moonlight

wind chimes

windmoonlight in wind chimes

still

zoo

in the zootiger lilies

growing wild

a wild lioncaged in his eyes

small children

children's eyesin the snow leopard's cage

touching his spots

SUMMER Animals

ants

raisinsin the oatmeal

ants

heatcreeping over sand dunes

fire ants

cool desert shademoving across hot sands

fire-biting ants

a stream of touristsmeeting in the desert

ants

a line of ants leadto the body

beginning to crumble

bone whiteants carrying away

the darkness

bats

starscarried into caves

bat eyes

adding ribsto the colors of midnight

a bat

birds

unfolding wingsan up-canyon wind

a bright bird

surf rollspower in the sandlow-flying birds

going homebirds across the lake

in nests

bird tracksfor each line of dust

a short life poem

a house in the woodsmy cage for me

to live among birds

birds fly onstepping stones of a still pond

cloud to cloud

landinga wing spread with light

folds into feathers

what is a branchand what is a bird leg?the answer flies away

bird song

desert soundin the bird's open beak

only the wind

mountain meadowbird call arcs to call

in answers

dawndesert silence an oasis

of bird song

desert morningbubbles in the hot spring

bird song

breakfastcampfire coffee cups

of bird song

one bird callsthe not-yet sunin barren rocks

desert birdsmusic in their beaks

running water

going to sleepsongs of birdsgrowing dark

nightcall of a birdwithout color

blue birds

summer skyin and out of the nest

bluebirds

growing up malecolor flows into his wings

baby bluebird

between pinesthe summer sky sings

bluebird songs

branches benda streak of feather

sky blue

sprinkled breast babieswith cinnamon shoulders

rare bluebirds

blue jays

picnica babbling brook

of blue jays

naptimeblue jays, tooblissfully quiet

up with the birdscountry living with families

of blue jays

winding upthe blue jay alarm clock

early sunrise

bugs

May morningelectric with the hum

hatching bugs

yellow bugs on the lettucesquished

are yellow inside also

these bugs!yesterday I squashed

those bugs

butterfly

clappingpraise without hands

a butterfly

flutteringthe butterfly has no time

for a name

eyelashcurves a glance

teases a butterfly

a flower liftedfrom the stem floats

a butterfly

even while restingbutterflies go on dreaming

of flight

waiting at the corneronly a butterfly

and this lovely girl

walkingwith a butterflyhere I too pause

end of summerfollowing it out of sight

a butterfly

before the hot sunwhite on the butterfly's wing

melted transparent

a face among the flowersthen the butterfly

folds its wings

butterfly colorsthe air wovenwith healing

a broken crayonthe path of a butterfly

drawn by a child

high fashionbutterflies decorate

my garden hat

caterpillar

ignoring the sign:no overnight camping

tent caterpillars

cat - in summer

a yellow catmelting in the August sun

summer days

the cat's milkswimming with ants

hot in August

summer's heatcaged in the stripes

of a ginger kitty

to and froin a hammock

a cat purrs

cicada

buzz of cicadaspushing quicksilverup the thermometer

a shrill cryoverheated the cicada peels

out of its skin

soft morning airthe quiet afterbirth

of the cicada

chipmunks

a showfor the price of peanuts

three chipmunks

chuckwalla

dirt road sign:four-wheeled drive only

chuckwalla tracks

cormorant

buoy bellsfrom rock shadows

cormorants

cows

sea meadowsas rocks and cows

rocks and cows

sunsetthe great bull closes

both eyes

cooling cowsthe tree extends its shadow

over a yellow one

by the bullpena fence has torn off

a red shirt

cuckoo

hearing the cuckoocalling out for a lover

morning seems so young

dogs - summer

dog dayshoping the stray pup

comes back

backyard circusfor the price of a pennythe neighbor's dog barks

doves

morning fogthe calling of dovesmany small circles

cooing doveslengthening the coolness

of shade trees

a hollownesswaiting for the dove

to call again

doveslingering by the dark door

feather light

swing stillthe rope squeak

of a dove

eagle

mountain climbersresting in an eerie

eaglets

mountain peakan eagle leaves it

moonlight

finches

sea cliff homenestled by cypress

house finches

fingerlings

our kisseson our legsfish kisses

salmon fingerlingsswimming by the nude beach

eyes bulging

jumping ina river of fingerlingsour bodies too pale

firefly

lightningfireflies above puddles

peek at themselves

fleas

on my anklesthe cat ignores the bites

of her fleas

fledglings

a little clumsythe scrub jay teaches

fledglings to fly

flies

company's comin'even the flies buzz

at the door

drone of fliescurved as desert sand

around noon

before one's very eyesheatwaves shimmering

flies

if only flies would napamong the cats and books

on wicker chairs

surf rollslife in the sand

beach flies

fly wingsfanning summer

hotter

helping him outthe fly is crushedagainst the door

geese

tucked in bedwarm summer days

of goose down

gnats

sand dunesdrying the wings

of each gnat

shadowed rivertransparent wings of gnats

the only light

goldfish

desert pondin the national park

goldfish

passing summeras shadow nears the pond

koi quickly hide

summer passingthe ripple on the koi pond

an orange fin

grasshopper

here grasshopperat pepper plant restaurant

aphids!

gulls

breaking wavesthe screams of gulls

soft sand

skimming wavesspindrift feathers

a gull

along the cliffwing tips of gulls

at eye level

high tide markgulls searchanother time

before usthe road flown

by two sea gulls

gull wingslifting the lightfrom the sea

gullsplaying with the wind

their shadows

blue whiteswirls in evening skies

gulls

cutting upa cove's high seasthe soaring gull

sea birds homeon shores of booming surf

the unused songs

Sunday beacha sermon of sea gulls

one goes wading

mountain overlooktwinkling above the sea

a flock of gulls

sea gullsover land and water

smoke from fire

tearing togetherfish entrailsgulls' laugh

on rocksthe first sunshine

a gull

hawk

lunchtimeoverlooking the road ahead

a hawk

hornets

fog billowsthe gray streaksof a hornet's nest

herons

end of summerwalking the riverbank

just a heron

hummingbirds

a flutter of flowershovering in the heat

hummingbirds

lady bugs

roof newly shinglednestled under pine cones

lady bugs

larks

surprisingtourists on the beach

meadow larks

above wild flowersthe song of the lark widens

the meadow higher

flowers songswhile looking out to sea

meadow larks

lizard

stonesa patterned shadow moves

on lizard legs

a hot windsecrets of dunes

from a lizard

a patch blue skythe belly of a lizard

filled with flies

flying waterinto desert lizards

gnats

wind echoin round rocks

lizard eyes

eyespainted on cave walls

lizards

ancient eyeson cave walls

lizards

lizard eyesa summer cooled

by the glint

a dry scrapeas the door slams

lizards run

summera brown twig becomes

a lizard

salt cedarsgray moving to touch

lizard skin

heat exchangein a sudden breeze

two lizards

giant bouldersthe lizards arrive latefor the flute concert

mayflies

mayfliesa pair of birdsplaying catch

moles

heart poundingthe tiny animals that scurry

within the earth

mosquito

added to stars swarm of mosquitoes

obscure the view

the stingof a summer alarm clock

mosquitoes

late letterworded with mosquito bodies

my blood

summer meltingmosquitoes' sound

in a harmonica

drowned mosquitoit's dangerous to swim

in my navel

swatting mosquitoeshow lightly goes a life

at sunset

dead mosquitono longer interested

in biting me

moth

braiding in her hairlast night's dream

a tiny moth

Gypsy circusin the tent

moths

against my cheeka touch of powder

moth wing

fog thickeninginto the lampbeam

a moth

a garden lanternattracting a few moths

and all the stars

silver gray wordsa quiver of moth wings

in hard green eyes

nightsa moth at the window

star-crazy

nestlings

up under the roofbetween our legs small birds

fly into nests

osprey

ospreysilver between his talons

spindrift fish

peacock

spreading his tailcorn flung in the flight-fan

draws the peacock

pelican

wave to wavepelicans follow flashes

of lightning

pelicansclowning tops

of waves

rabbits

among chollacactus soft

on the cottontail

seals

soft-eyed sealwatching a lone man

and his daughter

wave within a waveriding one a seal

his heart pumping

curve of wavesleaping seals thicken

translucent waves

barking sealstheir breath comes to the mainland

as mist

slug

waiting for rainthe slow way slugs

make love

snake

winding creekthe snake's tongue

forked

in a trailof manshade shadow

snakeshadow

desert roadsnaking through

low hills

sidewindergetting us off the trail

without a step

a jogin the trail

a sidewinder

unwinding a cobraa ring of round notes

from the flute

curved rockslooped in the trail

a sidewinder

rocky riverin its sound a rattle

snake

rattlesnakecoiled into a spring

of rust

flute concertfor the finale

a rattlesnake claps

downtown Point Arenafrom trash bin to weed patch

a snake

on snake lipstwo kicking frog legs

a snakey smile

skunk

arched overthe skunk's back

stripes of moonlight

spider

spinesin the deserttarantula legs

pathscrisscrossed by appetites

of spiders

wind yo-youp and down a silken thread

breeze-riding spider

a wobbly lineof black writing

a spider walks by

the spider crawlstwo legs to the leftthen three forward

plaid bedspreada small spider playing

hopscotch

the quick broomstrumming the dulcimer

misses a spider

over the mirrorin the angel's white eye

a spider nest

eating insectsat the bird's ankles

spider legs

at homein the spider plant

one

swallows

a rented housefor free the swallows

build a nest

ocean breezesplaying with feathers

cliff swallows

dark waterfallswarms of cliff swallows

follow the stream

swan

at dawnwhite flies into lightthe sky with a swan

tiger

pawing tigershow soft and hairy

grandpa' hand

titmouse

little gray wivesa swarm of titmicecleaning the bushes

ticks

a picnicthe ticks on me also

are fatter

companionstaking a walk

the ticks on me

water ouzel

stream dwellera small gray bird sings

water songs

water hen

nude beacheyes of water hens

floating ahead

desert lakeroosting place darkwith water chickens

warbler

her nest in the eavesin our house we call her

our warbler

whip-poor-will

that hollow soundas the whip-poor-will unfolds

itself from sleep

worms

cabbage leaveswhite worms mate

for life

wren

as little as a wrenalive as friend

the wren is

SUMMER Plants

apricots

devouring apricotsthe fine hairs of her mustache

moist and juicy

azaleas

a huge bowon woody stems

azalea pink

bananas

grabby handsin the picnic basket

bananas

bamboo

bamboowaving candlelight into the night

wind

soap bubblesblooms on bamboobeside the shower

bay trees

trespassersthe scent of bay leaves

down on the beach

sea windsin the mountains

bay trees

beets

thinning beetsfinding now and then

a fat one

bell flowers

Chinese lanternthe brightness within

a bee

blackberry

barbed wirethe best berry bushes

double-thorned

in foggy moonlightblackberries float in cream

her nails are blue

borage

end of the pathborage deep in bloom

quiet thoughts

buckwheat

fan-leafedwhite water surges through rocks

sprays of buckwheat

buttercups

buttercupspeeping through fogopening to the sun

cabbage

a sea of cabbageat the end of each row

ocean waves

hot summer daycabbage leaves grow

in their stillness

cactus

overcoming rocksa stream of cactislowly spreading

desert waysbranching all over

cholla cactus

alone and askingto be touched

teddy bear cholla

writingdesert poemspencil cholla

desert sunsetcholla cactus sticks

to the light

calla lily

beach firepale calla liliesflame bright

carrots

old handspulled carrotslet go of earth

cauliflower

severed and warma head of cauliflower

continues to grow

cedars - red

red cedarin a row before evening hills

deep purple

sunrisein the red cedar

home again

curved wallsa split cedar frames

the gorge

cedars - salt

a breeze fannedout of desert heat

salt cedars

salt cedarscooling desert winds

bird wings

afternoonsturning in salt cedars' sky

gold-green

cherries

red heartswith centers of stoneunder cherry leaves

chinquapin

outdoor tuba chinquapin grovesbathes in the heat

cottonwood

oasisa bird's nest softly lined

in the cottonwood

at the oasiswearing the coolness

of willow and cottonwood

cow parsnip

ocean fronton the most expensive lot

cow parsnip

creosote bushes

creosote bushesafire with morning sun

fuzzy seeds

creosote blossomssunset rain cloudsfamiliar perfume

sun's burning heatgrows green and tall

creosote bushes

daisy

rain coloredthe light circling

a daisy

going aroundyesterday's bath water

today's daisies

one flashlightin the daisy meadow

stars

dill

dill weedhung to dry by the back door

scrapes the windy wall

a sunny porchshaded with an umbrella

drying dill

duckweed flower

river watershaping clouds

duckweed

dune grass

among dune grasssilver bleached logsand a perfect day

wavesdune grass

waves

dunesin knotted grassa perfect star

elm

an arch of elmsso vast something of mine

is carried upward

twilight stormthe heaving dragon

in the old elm

farewell-to-spring

summer visitorsat the cliff's edgefarewell-to-spring

flowers

out of earththe flower shape

of a hole

a swinging gateon both sides the flowers

open - close

windy weathercalling the flowers by name

each nods

flower shapesin dried mud

blooming

desert flowerstheir colors tooare hot today

flowers by the doornameless except for the color

of these blue days

where do they go?these flowers by a path

summer's passing

gathering flowersunexpected guests

come to dinner

daysopening/closing

flowers

depth of a flowerflying away with the bee

some mystery

coming homeflower

byflower

canyon wallscrumbled flowersfloat out to sea

foxglove

magic handeven in the meadows

foxgloves

foxgloveseverything's funny

in this heat

gardenia

night unrollsanother gardenia

more white

gingko leaves

fanning my cheeka gingko tree loans us

its papery leaves

grains

bearded grassesthe same age

as the August sun

the meadow mowedblue sky presses down

ravens in the grain

bales of strawwithout cow curveslying in the meadow

grass

late summer grassesabove their roots the seeds

nearly touching

sheaves of grasswater that does not break

flows in ripples

long grassbending over road rutscurve the valley slope

walking homeafter the circus

how dry the grass

sea promontorywild-winged grass seeds

birds fly up

bending a bitsummer grasses watch me

enter the pool

stalk of grassa thin shadow joining others

for the night

gladiolus

picture takingsuch a lovely day

gladiolus

green apples

green applescrowding on the branch

full of sunshine

green plums

green plumstapering the hardness

swift-passing days

green leaves

silenceof a green leaf

eaten by a worm

silenceof summer leaves

pure laughter

silencein a grove of green leaves

ancient suns watching

silencegreen leaves sly smiles

more knowing

hibiscus

sunshine lightson hibiscus leaves before their

own dark

hollyhock

hollyhockspink light shining

as a cup

cuppingpink light without hands

hollyhocks

Joshua trees

Joshua treeson the ridge flute notes

higher and lower

Sunday morningdesert sermonsof Joshua trees

juniper

juniper shadesleeping with tourists

on cool lava rocks

leaves

smoke shakingfrom its folds leafy trees

along the railroad

summer departsall the warmth left

in leaf fires

out of earththe heart shapes

leaves

lettuce

a giftfor the town gossipa head of lettuce

lily

holy of holiesin the scroll a lily

unrolled

lily

each daycelebrated by lilies

opening

sunsetstill the orange lily

awake

swollen bellythe tiger lily bends its stripes

stretch marks

lunchtimelilies above the book

reading

what to serve for lunchthat matches the lilies

found at the door

lotus

point blankthe whiteness of lotus petals

spinning

left nor rightall sides open

the lotus

live oaks

live oaksrooted in a petrified trees

I have a photograph

rolling downa petrified log

acorns

fitting inwith granite boulders

sacred oaks

marigolds

marigoldsquinting in the summer sun

wrinkled nose smell

marijuana

marijuana leavesmy neighbor's garden

in a stolen car

melon

muskmelonfor desert

the new moon

mesquite

fanning a breezeout of desert stillness

mesquite trees

mesquite greenmoving to touch

lizard skin

desert dinnerdates and honey mesquite

without water

lying downunder mesquite shrubs

shade and I

mesquite treeschoosing the best spots

for shade

desert windfinding voicesin mesquite

mint

mint-pickersstained with fragrance

fingers wave hello

mold

damp windowsillmold writes in the notebook

little black poems

monkey flower

fault lineopening

monkey flowers

morning glory

morning gloryunfolding dewdrops

blue skies

moss flowers

stone Buddhaessence still blooming

in moss flowers

thatched roofgrowing again

moss

musty smellof old furniturea mossy bank

ancient stumpswith faces in the moss

tourists peek inside

palms

desert hillsunfolding coolness

in a fan palm

for desert rainhot winds rattle

dry palms

palm - date

date farmselling coolnessin brown bags

the most ancientpalm-green filtered

dates of light

passion flowers

passion flowersclimbing on the bedlovers on the porch

loverstwining on the porch

passion flowers

peaches

evening orchardwhere the sun sank in

peach sky

ripe peachesthe heaviness tips the days

into summer

peppers

a plate of peppersred warming up

August's afternoon

phlox

stone Buddhahere the phlox too

grows straight

plums

midnightthe dark smellof ripe plums

warm rainpurple in a plum

lips

poppy (California)

hill countrygolden parachutes land here

poppies spread wide

poppy (Oriental)

sleepy gardenred parachutes land here

in the poppy's dream

poison ivy

summer daywith poison ivy

even hotter

raspberry

berry pickingthe stain of lovecolors my cheeks

river moss

painting the riverlow in summer

moss green

heaven on earthlow in river clouds

of moss

up and downon pillows of moss

river ripples

rose

rose gardensjust inhaling deeplyfeels like stealing

rose breezeleaves of a bush

shiver white

a cut rosethat voice spirals

into galaxies

still spinningthe Gypsy's rose falls

in his lap

muskrising from the petaled labia

a red rose

swirled to the centerstillness without moving

rose petals

ruby lightsdarkness in a rose

crisscrossing

ocean cliffdeepening sunset

wild rose

rosemary

bathing outdoorsin the rosemary bees

rubbing buzzing

roots

lightning strikesin the roots of trees

patterns echo

sage

sand sagedunes brushed clean

by spiky flowers

sagebrushedrain

drops

sagebrush raindropsmixing with earth odors

in hot springs

desert airinvisible smoke of sagebrush

clear

sea rockets

surf boomon the meadow

sea rockets

seaweeds

waves washingrocks covered with palm kelp

tropical landscapes

shore pines

coming from the sealight on shore pinesblue-green waves

shore pinessharp shaped by wind

of Point Arena

seasidecurved by shore pines

rounded rock

smoke trees

writhing on hot sandthe meager shade

of smoke trees

heat of the dayon the desert floor

smoke trees

desertfilling the dry river

smoke trees

flowingfrom rock crevices

smoke trees

snapdragon

snapdragonsbowing low before the rain

of the sprinkling can

stonecrop

sheer cliffever-bearingstone crop

strawberry

open fieldson the tip of his tongue

a strawberry

tastingof wild strawberries

your tongue

our tonguesstrawberries tasting

each other

sweet peas

sea fogswirls in the wild

sweet peas

sweet potato

vacation house plantsthe sweet potato vine

in a mason jar

sunflower

a kerosene lampfilling the pitcherwith sunflowers

sunflowerin a month of petalscounting the days

thistle

shiny wetthe sketch of thistle down

in black ink

behind the new fencehis one weed gazes atmy stand of thistles

thorn

wind echothorny trees sough

'round rocks

desert thornsholding sunseton the summit

thornssummer's afternoon

holding still

tomato

tearing offyellowed tomato leavesthe old woman pauses

tomatoes cookingsuddenly it's AugustI'm six and home

trees

guilt tripsummer dead brown trees

driving route twenty

sentinel peakthe best view watched

by the oldest tree

thinking -the oldest trees refuse

to cross the river

vegetables

classical musicvegetables rotting

in a basket

all those tree fruitsand summer vegetables

now this child

- for Julia Johanna Ewerth

wallflowers

sea cliff meadowthick with wallflowers

unable to hold the wind

water lilies

water liliescenters of the pond

close at night

in still ponds - liliesin their centers - silence

the shore - far away

watermelon

summer's heatswallowed up by the gap

in the watermelon

weeds

hill meadowmostly uprightcitizen flowers

wild flowers

wild flower walkgreeting the spiritswith Latin names

wild flowersthe twitter of swallows

passing through

shapingpetals of wild flowers

ocean breezes

yarrow

from the beachthe bottle with a message

yellow yarrow

yucca

root systemof the dried yucca

lizard family

zucchini

green fireszucchini growing

with the heat

summer revengetaking zucchini to the neighbor

whose lettuce we ate

having an old friendfor dinner

the largest zucchini

AUTUMN Moods

abandoned

still standingwhere others livedabandoned cabin

abandoneda photo of someone's eyes

moving in the wind

one birdits cry so human

alone

accepting aging

wrinkling upalong the shore

an old ocean

mom leavesthe door partly open

her many years

cricket shapesarthritic knucklesof shortened days

child's fingerstrace on grandma's hands

the liver spots of aging

an old sea croneremembering mermaid tales

as true

hot flashesblushes of youth

getting old

grandmother squeezingon her driver's licensethe name of many men

arguments

box canyon wallsbeing with someone

you hate

in box canyonthe narrow-mined couple

argue

after the quarrelchewed cheeks

saying the words

belief in spirits

sacred grovea spirit tradeoaks and I

fairy ringall past secretscome to light

spirit circlejourneys from thing to thing

pass-me-not

mountain windthe spirit eye sees

traveling far

sunsetillumination of other worlds

clouds

flute notesin spirit rocks

answers

leavingin a dream soul

in the lizard

morning cliffstwo crows play tagwith spirit shadows

spirit picturesetched in sandstone

the unseen hand

spirit bodieswaving from cacti

plastic sacks

Nevada spirit landsgarbage blowing

in bushes

spirit in retreatcleaning first the black stove

a cup of cold water

mission spiritsin swallows and pigeons

birds of paradise

morning lightstretches down the cliff

its spirit shape

decay

waiting rooma patch of sunlight

wears out the chairs

recycling old glassthe rocky beach

jewel-covered coves

windless surfhow easily the old folks

are entertained

worn-down hillsfolding into earthan old dog sits

elephant paradethe old aunt absently fingers

her throat

clown's old carwhen it falls apartpapa doesn't laugh

surprisedin the dark blood

is black

his hot cheekswhitened by moonlight

the reformed poet

a howling windat the deep achea broken bone

weathered palmsthe scythe well-sharpened

worn in the center

an old womancarrying a balloon

dusk lowers

footstepsa language of cripples

writing

death by deathwith the passing of a friend

my own nears

afternoon sunon grandma's brown hands

star wrinkles

the stable roofshingle for shingle

coming down

Ikebanacentered around the leaf

with worm holes

crackedthe antique china cup fills

a break in my lifeline

rented housewishing my night gown

had all its buttons

autumn patha stick talking to stonethe blind man's way

fears of deception

moonlightingthe thief employedas security guard

petrified forestyou buy a souvenir

for your lover

your liesas many sizes of the moon

I should believe?

heartlessthe moon's bright body

attracts lovers

garlic toesclinging to his voice

the salesman

prayersour feet stuck in sandswhispering about us

casting doubtsclouds on the hills

on her face

used car salesmana banana peel liesthree feet from his

after liesseeing by moonlightwhose who is what

emptiness

cold crescent moonsound of a boat leaving

with the departed

mother's deaththe umbilical cord to earth

empty

emptythe vacation house watches

us drive by

her heateven the ashes

not cool

without themhanging on to things

of parents

seeing the old hometo fill the emptiness

chattering birds

a nestfound in autumnthe empty sky

empty afternooneyes and ears fill

with tears

as empty asSunday afternoon's envelope

your rejection is

filling the washerwith an empty heart

your blue shirts

autumn stormslocking emptiness

into summer cabins

tirednessfilling the emptiness

evenings

used tiresloaded on a truckwithout wheels

sea fogwalking the valleywith empty hands

endings

crossing the roadshadow of a stop sign

stops

fears

shadowsof an upright stone

splashing waves

lifting a shadowthe gull frightened

by waves

grief

stone mountainsaying good-bye to him

was even harder(For Charles B. Dickson)

jealousy

jealous loversat sea storm cloudswith purple waters

slender moonso little fire

yet you go to him

tidessorting beach debris

a jealous woman

leavings

leaving homerain drops in my eyes

for clearer vision

grandkids leavingthe only smiles

on pictures they drew

leaving the low tide beach

fills

facing one anotherthe chairs open and empty

as guests leave

weak fall sunchairs by the café siton each other's lap

leavingdust holds your footprints

and me

walking on rockswhere tears splashed down

dad's farewell

wind-filled raintears at the leavessomeone is going

guests gonethe only starsin the sieve

guests gonehuckleberries ripen

in the silence

noodle soupmemories of your visit

in the left-overs

kissing good-byeshe feels the edge

of his pocket

leaving Germanyraindrops in my eyes

tears

lingering summer thoughts

autumn's summer heaton a white paper you drew

a smiling sun

loneliness

to sleep alonein the light of the moon

madness

lonelinesscrossing the great plains

high tension wires

a lonely dayyet in the afternoona breeze comes by

alonein the desert

wind

on the porchmold-speckled pine needles

my waiting for you

a son's callwhite waves of long distance

returning to shore

kids gonesea waves return to shore

each alone

foggy Saturday nighta woman's whiskey-raw voice

pours from a radio

singing lowsea-white fog disappears

beneath the pines

divorced parentsthe cries of the neighbor kids

deep in the woods

the waitress' tiplying in spilled beersmall brown coins

longing

dreamsburning desire

burning

burning pinesmoke blown about

my longing

deer at the salt lickso my memories of uswill you return too?

loss

fireplace sunshinedark in the burned-out cabin

weeds

too latelovers looking in windows

of closed shops

touching your left sleeveat this moment of parting

how cold is your coat

watercolor classa blue sky pinned to the wall

falls

a deaf childin autumn hearingthe sleep of seeds

lostin hidden valley

the trail

on the gramophonea church in Holland

where you are tonight

passing time

early morning sunon the face of the clock

time change

time wasmy eyes in the empty place

where the clock isn't

golden clock handssunshine slants through leaves

passing time

past life experiences

moon dreamsa spotlight turns on

past lives

fingernailswindows to the past

lives

white waves returningto shore their call

for me to come home

regrets

low-tide walknow deep at sea

my path

at the waterfallsa woman remembering

a love affair

at least the moonwhen it's full

comes to my porch

ribbon knotstighten a lump in the throat

as it was that night...

heavy heartsuch a color evenings

weighs nothing

rest

taking a restI let the city noisesleak out of my ears

sadness

pillar of sorrowthe hours alone

touching it

deep sighingwaves climb the beach

and disappear

earth turnsshadows on a facefade and reappear

stepping stonesgo wobbly and uneven

tears falling

autumn sadnessyet before the leaf falls

the swelling bud

eyelash splashcurve in the folding

a wave of tears

the cutting edgeyour words where the moon

touches night

yet another pineis the moon ever free

of the earth?

unknown

spirit of a placea film

on the photograph

breathing heavilyatop the mountain gorge

a thick cloud

knuckles of nightcold without human flesh

tap along the roof

forcesholding rocks together

apart

mountain topaglow with the unseen

moon

walking pathsthe land fluidwithout feet

after deathnaming the unknown

heaven/earth

voicesfamiliar thingswithout shadow

doorsswinging pendulumsbetween outsiders

moon shadowscoming up the stairs

a creaking sound

between two birdsin bright shapes

a real name

flagstonesthen the border blew away

in colored silk

surf soundssomeone was walking

on trackless sand

bad dreamsthe shapes of dinner

eaten late

night bumpsall around the house

other things

spindrift veilsabove the crashing waves

finer ones

without winda door opens

the candle goes out

a stand of treesin a setting of weedssomeone kneeling

standing ajarfor the passage of souls

a door in October

incensesmoke in the wind chimes

faint tones of blue

boneshearing sea winds of the dead

in flute tones

secret mistson the broad river

lost shadows

lost shadowson the dark river

time curves

a creaking floorthe moonlight goesfrom room to room

moon pathon the water where I walk

a bridge to ...

sunsetthe shadow steps back

into your heel

two foreign stampsfound in a dream book

borrowed

walking on the mountainwithout a step

going inside of it

still alivein knotty pine walls

dragon eyes

without wordsangels' voices return

songs

giant forestmoving between trees

a deeper darkness

giant forestwalking the dark road

night trees

at the passa bright neon-blue bush

the future

the unseen

mineral watersperfume the skin

a bright soul

lizardin the slits of his eyes

my soul window

beach windtaking off her prayer cap

unseen temple

worries

many night thoughtsthe big dipper tilts

spilling over

AUTUMN Occasions

All Saints' Day

All Saints' Daypumpkin-grin fangs

gone with the werewolf

All Saints' Daygoblins and witches baptized

with holy names

All Saints' Daythe Jack-o-lantern

full of gnats

All Saints' Daythe moldy pumpkingrins with a harelip

All Saints' Dayfilling the pumpkin's eyes

with raindrops

All Saints' Dayamong the fall colors

angel food cake

All Souls' Daythe end tablebow-legged

black cats

moon shadowsthe doormat comes alive

with a cat's leap

cemetery

Pleasant Ridgeall the casketsside by side

sleeping peacefullythe Best Western Motel

by the cemetery

grave markeras a cradle headboard

rest in peace

abandoned cemeteryiron keys cross the ground

no one going in

open gravethe iron shovel liftsautumn fragrance

clods from the gravesweet potatoes piled in a field

join at the fence

Death Valleyemigrant tombstones

mountain peaks

end of summer vacations

a blob of catsupon the postcardthe missing kiss

funerals

motherwearing her shoes

to her funeral

up in smokeall those yearsof her anger

the callingof funeral bells

a shoestring breaks

an open mouthfuneral bells fill

earth gap

Funeral Mountainsat sunset a haloof golden clouds

the bell tollsrolling the full moon

out of darkness

burialdriving a car into the trees

behind the barn

ghosts

sundownin ghost town darkness

two crows

ghost townin an abandoned orchard

fresh apples

ghost town roadin a cloud of red dust

a dump truck

windin the waterfallwhite ghosts

wind in the willowsghost of a womanbasket gathering

white moonfilling Death Valley

ghosts

ghostsin the Joshua trees

snake death

ghostsJoshua trees

shape-changing

dark nightold sheets turning into

Halloween ghosts

in the fogghosts by the cliffschange into gulls

godless month

the godless monthbusy with preparations

for Christmas

Halloween

Halloweenbeing scared to sweep

under the bed

thunderstormsthe sky saying "boo"

on Halloween

Halloween weirdnessthe old fence post sprouts

a pumpkin face

haunted houses

deserted housewild roses still have a view

of the remote coast

vacant staresfrom the vacant house

no one looks

Indians

nativesguided through the desert

by water spirits

desert windwhistling through bird bones

Indian breath

Indian countrysign on a winding road

a broken arrow

In Zion Nat'l Park

Navajo sandstoneface of a rock

weeping

emerald poolsin Navajo sandstone

Indian red

Navajo sandstonefissures opening

to heaven

paintedon Indian cave walls

lizard eyes

prayer flags

At Odiyan

prayer flagsground shadowsin weird shapes

prayer flagstinklingbells

vehicles to heavenpray flags surround

the used car lot

lighting candles

remembering momthe same old firein an altar candle

an altar candlelit for your soul journey

warms my hands

pumpkin pie

pumpkin piesremembering with a grin

the Jack-o-lantern

pumpkins/jack o'lanterns

lightfrom the pumpkin's grin

a full moon

moonrisewind blows out the light

in the pumpkin

carved pumpkinadmiring our art the moon

comes on the porch

enlightenedthe jack-o-lanternhas a fat candle

alonegoing to sleep with a grin

on the pumpkin

all the lightinside of a pumpkin

this dark night

light leakingthe grin of pumpkins

growing moldy

togetherlifting the pumpkinthe curved stem

night darkinside the pumpkin

its warm glow

scary Halloweenthe candle in the pumpkin

goes out

watching our bedthe pumpkin's lid

smokes

bedside candleputting it inthe pumpkin

shadows movingon the bedroom wall

a pumpkin's grin

unable to sleepthe Jack-o-lantern watches

us all night

grandpagives the Jack-o-lanternhis snag-toothed grin

school

kite stringtightly rolled

first day of school

just movedthe chill of gigglesin the school yard

backpack of booksthe schoolboy becomes

a deformed monster

first day of schoolher bare foot tracksstill on the beach

mid-Septembershe writes her name for Daddy

in the sand

where we shook handsin front of our old school

a dark bruise

after all these yearsthe high school band

still practices

still an old maidthe high school Latin teacher

on a sentimental journey

first day of schoolon the mountain ridgeclouds without thunder

voices along the roadafter the school bus goes by

only birds

river so lowall the polliwogs gone

school begins

beach afternoonschool girls drinkingfrom a paper bag

souls

sea horizonsthe soul stretchedinto bands of blue

in the headlightsthud of a dark body

a soul rushes by

Thanksgiving

colorful Indian cornfor Thanksgiving dinner

relatives from afar

Thanksgiving Dayan old couple on the pier

fishing

cold turkeyin bed on Thanksgiving

with the sniffles

Thanksgiving Dayseeing an old neighbor

after her surgery

thanks givingthe first cup of watertipped to the earth

Thanksgiving Dayafter the stormbeachcombing

Thanksgiving Daygrapes on an heirloom plate

half-eaten

desert Thanksgivingcold turkey sandwiches

under the one tree

blood relativesfor Thanksgiving dinner

red beets

trick or treating

trick or treatingwith kids only the moon

older than I

without a soulfaces grin in the dark

on Halloween

no one homeyet a face grins on the porch

Halloween

going into dark timeschildren dressed as grown-ups

begging

worship

from Indiathe strange white bird

in a yoga position

banner of belieflace at the edges

crumbling

granite altarwater not winewind flowing

ancient shrinejust a roof

upon the path

chapelhidden on the ceiling

pagan symbols

cloister wallsshutting in

the outer world

holy mountainamong the Bishop pines

bluebirds

late to churchdaylight savingunholy times

back homecovered with dust

magic sparkles

witches

before the covenhow the witches park

their cars

new age witchin her Hondaa whiskbroom

magic symbolsdrawn with bloodthis holy space

eggshells ashbonewhite of the moonin a witch's spell

a little spilled wineageless women in the circle

of a full moon

wreath

falling from the wreathfrost

flowers

a wave curlstumbling over a wreath

buried at sea

Veterans' Day

the Vietnam Vetin his eyesmy debt

AUTUMN Celestial

afternoon

late afternoonwater leaking out

of the cove

afternoon napa visit with angels

how you snore

between fingersthe empty airof afternoon

beginning of autumn

cricket silencebetween scraping sounds

autumn begins

bright blue weather

the skybecause it is that old

that blue

October'sbright blue weather

out to sea

blue skycoming into the tree's shadow

salt winds

blue autumn skiesfolded into mountains

purple shadow

cold night

night winds blowon the cabin bed

another quilt

close of autumn

autumntaking a dirt roadto the end of it

a summer hikein mountain shadows

finding autumn

clouds

cloudsturning off the lightsoutside the house

mountain streamafternoon clouds washed

out to sea

shy before the moonshe too slips behind

autumn clouds

cold

mountain coldgetting under a blanket

to sleep with me

white fish filletthe sky fills upwith cooler air

after the showercool wind in the bathrobe

hangs on a nail

canyon clicknothing on film

like the cold wind

dark rain

in the dark of nightwho would have thought

rain was round

dark castleatop the mountain

rain clouds

one at a timerainclouds fallingdark into the sea

rainy nightthe path home

a black umbrella

drought

the roofleaves in a drought year

in the rain gutter

dusk

dusklast light caught

in tears

darknessthe wideness of things

fills the distance

at duskvoices call out

stars

tangled branchescoming darkness

woven in

a wave breaks whitea gull folds its wingas the sea darkens

autumn windthe way it turns things around

at dusk

duskthe room larger than the persons

filling it

duskshaking out the tablecloth

a whir of wings

eclipse

eclipsewhite rocks in the garden

bright round

evening

just nowwith the incoming tide

supper time

eveningsthe long pale waves

come ashore

evening comeswrapped in sea fog

tied with webs

evening sea fogdescending into sun-dried grass

sweaty lovers

evening ebb tidethe beach widens

into a flat sea

evening glowdark the sea

shot with color

eveningwaves come into the cove

one at a time

dustso fine the evenings

golden air

evening as it isthe light lays hotupon our eyelids

eveningcorners move into the room

blown by dark

eveningin a secret cove

fog bound

evening windcolors of the day

blown away

evening windsthe tiny bay filled

up to the cliff

eventide

somber at eventidefaces in sandstone

approaching autumn

equinox

autumn equinoxcool wind comes scented

sun-hot pine needles

autumn equinoxputting porch furniture away

getting it out again

fall equinox suncoming through cedar box trees

anthology plans

fog

fog movesas children's hands wave good-bye

Sunday evening

whitenessfog erasing the landscape

history

sea fogblowing in the valley

shapes of hills

broken fenceriver valley fog patches

the gaping holes

sadnessfog leaving

the sea

fog shroudeda sky without directions

the unknown way

ocean roarwashing dishes

with fog

gray foggy dayswomb warm with light filtered

through a membrane

closingthe notebook

fog

more fogin the notebook

nothing

alone togetherbehind us fog closed

the Golden Gate

hurricane

the wind's eyeagainst the glass

a hurricane

Indian summer

Indian summerthe cold on my teeth

iced tea

mist

moon spiritsthe face of the deep

lightly misted

November spiritsplaying in the meadow

wisps of mist

rolling hillshiding stars

in autumn mists

moon

left and rightthe moon bounces over

a mountain road

painted hillsthe moon of white

is real

moonfull of blue light

desert cool

into valleysa moon fullof valleys

headed out to seathe tide-pulling moonin the rear view mirror

desert tidesthe moon shapes

sand stone

a little higheranother valley fills

with the moon

quivering branchthe moon climbs higher

in the old pine

opening the doorfor more firewoodthere's the moon

from barren treesshaking wildly

serene moves the moon

fields flat with fogthe radiance of the moonfenced with rough slats

moonskystarlight bends and fades

into a halo

higher from earththe mountain moon

brightens

radiance expandsthe moon blows freeof a rumpled earth

white moonfilling the dry valley

with light

in hot springsthe moon warms itself

between us

gurglingin mineral watersthe moon bathed

each stepup the mountainthe moon whiter

evening mountainsa line of milky blue

round the moon

a rack of cloudsarranged by the moon

in shapes of white

peeking thru pinesbright eye of the moon

my neighbor

crevicesin the face of rock

the moon

full white moonthe colored earth

rolls around

roundingsoft old hills

an ancient moon

moonbeams

moonbeamsthe tender roots of passion

flowers

moon crescent (three-day moon)

a crescent moonearth cut off from heaven

by the fog

crescent moona bowl of brightness

full of night

moon dark

hollowin the dark of the moon

howling

a dark moonthe cold white rimof an enamel pan

close to my moonJupiter with all of hisbrightens the night

face of the moonin the hot tub

a swirl of bubbles

moon cloudscooling the mountain side

a sunless shape

spotlightbetween rocksa bit of moon

white lightburning up rocks

moon magic

dark worldonly rocks bright

where the moon goes

moving rocksmoon rolls over the mountain

none fall

doorknobthe moon looks down

on its tiny self

rockspiled before the moon

drop back to earth

moon - full

the full moonwalking the island road

from sea to sea

full moonripples reflecting

unseen stars

so fullthe moon brightens the room

with poems

all moonfilling the secret cove

with bright water

a full moondrawing down to the sea

a path of stars

faint with dewsthe full moon slides

closer to the sea

full moonholes in stones

echoes

mountaingiving birth to white light

a round moon

full moonsculpting sandstone

with light

full moonletting him inwith the light

full moonrising over ash mountains

alkali dust clouds

from eartha light moon rises

tides

moonrisein the rear-view mirror

sunset

full mooncovering the long dry valley

with light

desert coolrising to the full moon

desert pool

a full mooncutting a lock

from the cowlick

cabin alonethe greater moon waits

our return

a full moonthe crazy neighbor's lights

burn all night

closing a slim bookprint shrinks in the face

of a full moon

bending the pine treewith a windy sound

the full moon

filling the riverthe complete moon covers

the hole in the bridge

touching her facefingerprints on the full moon

clouds

a full moonresting on hoary frost meadows

tundra swans

full moon movesfrom poem to poem

through the pine

round moonrolling from the ridge

gray stones here and there

moon - harvest

harvest moonwatching a mouse hole

the ginger cat

turning out the lightrenting the room to the moon

for a night

moon - hazy

a hazy moonsteam no longer seen

from the hot tub

clear moonrising from a mountain ridge

darkness on its face

smudged moonmarked by mountain fires

soot and smoke

moon - hunters

a hunter's moonthe o's of howling dogs

ring in the mists

moon - late

late risingthe lop-sided moon

half the night

nightwithout poems

then comes the moon

late moonin the poor part of town

second-hand light

the tiny dawnpine mountain releases

the late moon

ripe huckleberriesthe moon comes upstreaked with purple

late moonshivering before mountains

cold knees

a falling starthe nearly round moon

still not full

moonlight

clear nightmoonlight coats

feathers

brushing moonlightacross night skies

wispy clouds

moonlighton the way to dawn

vivid dreams

green watercurls into white foam

moonlight

pale violet sheetsin silver moonlight

native hills

moonlightin the high desert

a river

moonlightfaces in the sandstone cove

laughing

one half a cupof low-fat cottage cheese

in the moonlight

a window slantsfrom a rough stone fireplace

a square of moonlight

dancing aroundin the moonlight

outstretched hands

nothing movesmoonlight touching wind

chimes

containinga dish of moonlight

ritual salt

moonlight radiancebehind clusters of dark pine

white clouds

beach sandwet with moonlight

ebb tide

moonlightfollowing raccoonsacross the porch

alonehow cold the moonlight

on my bed

sitting in moonlightthe empty chair full

of radiance

in my beda spot of moonlightthe empty pillow

out to coolon the porch cakes frosted

with moonlight

promontoryholding up moonlightcrevices of sea caves

moonlightclothes from the dryer

fresh and clean

moonlightslipping from her breasts

the white blanket

covered with moonlightthe face of the mountain

my wrinkles

a rock fantasyshaped by moonlight

fears

moonlight highwayyellow crossing yellow

line of pee

mountain roadwinding road

with a yellow line

mountain roadthe glow in the moonlight

a night snake

moonlightreflected from rocks

into haiku

a little higheranother valley fills

with moonlight

autumn leavesarranging on the earth

silver moonlight

glacier-scarred rockcenturies of moonlight

echo

moonlightin canyon echoes

stars

moonlightyour image on the mountain

echoes forever

eastern peakswithholding moonlight

echo your voice

moonlightin the mountain river

stars echo

moonlightshaped by leaves of gold

silver

mountainsholding up the moonlight

the highest peak

two headlightsfour white eyesof moonlight

moonlightbroken to bits

by fallen leaves

draping moonlightover your imagea leafless tree

rolling to the crestmoonlight touches each

tree black

autumnleaves on the earth

silver moonlight

a black stovewarming a square

of moonlight

moon new

round rocksthe new moon rises

old

water striderson a pale pond

moons

cactus spinesabove the deserta slender moon

moon - quarter

incoming tidecurves of spindrift flung high

a quarter moon

sewing by handslowly it comes together

the half-round moon

quarter moonon the night table

a book face up

quarter moonsuch a face of darkness

yet you go to him

my longingvoices ask the moon

for news of him

awakewaiting for the moon

him

waiting for moonrisethe scribbled haiku

illegible

washing dishesthat half of the moon

makes them shine

mountain windshalf the moonblown away

reflectingon the quarter moon

broken granite

alone in the hot tubthe quarter moon seems

only half there

moon rise

risingabove lava mountains

the cratered moon

sparksabove the rising moon

a plane lands

fire my companiontoo faithful to go outsidesee the cold moon rise

a rising moonher scoop-necked blousemoves with her breath

unable to hold backmoonrise

the cry of pleasure

over mountainsthe moon rises roughly

scarred

moon risewinds from those barren rocks

moving black pines

scratching his backfrom crooked pines

rises the moon

pine needlesradiating light from dark limbs

moon rise

moon risewaiting in darkness

all of us trees

moon rainbows

salty sea fogson closed meadow flowers

moon rainbows

mountain passnight's bright rainbow

a haloed moon

full moonin a veil of cloudsround rainbows

moon shadow

moon shadowswriting letters deep

into the night

in my moon shadowthe neighbor's gray cat

warms itself

moon shadowswhen the wispy clouds

blow free

moon shadowcurving into darkness

fear

moon shadowswriting in a journal

daydreams

moon - sinking

darknesssinking into the seacraters of the moon

stars scattereda few fishing boats gather

by the sinking moon

showers passon each dark stonea tiny round moon

moon setnow it's right - how it fits

Half Moon Bay

full the moonsetting into the sea

earth fragrance

midnightthe full moon shines

a bit flat

going out to seathe moon fills spaces

with my eyes

growing brighta fog bank at seamelts the moon

night cooler nowthe moon has slipped

into the sea

guiding the mooninto the seaboat lights

pulling its pathdown into the seathe sinking moon

a brightnesssmudging the nightthe moon is gone

easing the mooninto gentle seas

your snoring

among starfishthe changing moon sinks

into the sea

moonset at dawnthe sea floor darkand without water

cold moonslipping into the sea

the octopus' eye

damp and dimhalf the moonin the water

scattering bright starsthe spent moon sinks

into the sea

bending downsea clouds slip free

once more the moon

drawn to the porchby the gold of the moon

sinking into the sea

a huge white wavethe foam becomesthe sinking moon

the moon has seta cold smell

in the fireplace

shiveringthe moon sinksinto cold seas

moon seta glass of milkto stay awake

moon snow

Grand Canyoncold to the rim

moon snow

moon valleys

moon valleysshimmering in the shadows

beads of light

moon waning

waningthe moon comes north

enters my window

ebb tidethe moon and anemone

no longer round

moon waxing

down the highwaythe waxing moon comes

to Half Moon Bay

moon winds

risingout of the weight of mountains

moon and cool breeze

flying bythe wind-swept moon

bent pines

spinningout of the mountain's darkness

white moon winds

moon windthe full radiance sailsfrom the rippled ridge

pine-needle clustersredrawing the mooneach gust of wind

morning

autumn morninga torn shoulder muscle

wakes first

eastern peaksautumn stains the morning sky

red and gold

first cold dawnusing my old straw hat

to start the fire

morning dew

morning dewscoming out a cedar house

the whole forest

night

autumn nightsfilling the wind

with other things

nightrocks softendisappear

darknesslight's last rays lose

a name

daylight goesyet we shall stay herewhere the stars are

world thickslat cabin wallson dark nights

nightslight broken into stars

neighbor's lights

shore-line nightsby waves of darkness

the air shaped

sea

river bendsinto the summer sun

autumn's ocean

late afternoongiant boulders dryletting the tide ebb

a line of sea foamthe ocean hesitatesand then recedes

low tidealone on the beach

autumn

a door slamsout in the bay

a wave collapses

sea fog

low cloudspressing the sea

flat

autumn sea fogcoming the same way

sadness

shorter days

shorter daysthe clothesline doesn't reach

the sun

skies

a gust of windearth tosses up a sky

of fallen leaves

starry night

I'm not oldall night my eyes have held

ancient stars

a starry nightsomewhere a windmill creaks

as the earth turns

so loudthe noise of stars one can't hear

the wind

evening starunder the dark wings

of gulls

storm

autumn stormsshaking moonlight

from leaves

thunderneighbor with a leaky roof

nails faster

before the stormsunset clouds too

all mixed up

full storm furythe quarter moon beams down

just quiet

such a storm!on the roof are falling

all the stars

sea-storm cloudsbodies by Michaelanglo

ring the horizon

out of stormheavy clouds letting down

night

moon halokeep us safe

from tomorrow's storm

talk of warunpredicted a storm

blows in

sunset

sun settingin beach sand

blue pits

with the sun ball gonegold pours the horizon wide

sky to sea

sunsetsky and sea dyed golden

from a smallish ball

sea sky linedrawing the sun down

distorted

for tired eyesafter sunset gentle colors

releasing the light

evening sunin that place tomorrow

I won't be

sunsetmoonset leaving alone

low tide

summit peaksscraping a sulfur match

at sunset

sunsetlighting a blaze

in a dark fireplace

stumblingthe sky at dusk

a bruise

sunsetpainting wet sand

purple

wide horizonsspreading the colorsof a long-gone star

munching gingersnapsdesert mountains swallow

the evening sun

sunsetlighting a firein cedar logs

sunset raysstringing masts together

the city skyline

sunsetwarming each incoming wave

a secret cove

sunsetthe cresting wave

catches fire

beyond the mountainthe setting sunother friends

ocean coastbending into a bay

sunset rays

coming ashoreeach wave brings goldfrom the setting sun

sun settinginto broken clouds

shore lights

scattered pastelsthe sun sets its colors

here and there

evening sunblown by sea wind

into an island

the burned placein the skyat sunset

horizonsthe full moon at sunset

circling

tops of thundercloudssharing with us mortals

last rays of the sun

the sun sankinto a bar of clouds

missing the sea

sundownthe unheated ocean

ice blue

light on the seafrom a sunken island

sunset

sunset on a wallthrough uneven stones

starlight

twilight

twilightpurple mountains sink

into purple sky

waiting for the moon

sun-warmedthe smell of earthhides the moon

rolling downhillmoon watchers hike

up the mountain

in the darktwo trees on the ridge

found by the moon

waiting for moonrisethe page darkens

with poems

curved lightcarved out of the hill

moonrise

Venus

hand hiddenin the soul given to others

her Venus pulse

wind

shooting arrowsautumn winds shred

the straw target

windmeasuring time

in her breast

autumn windsthe smell of a fingernail

torn loose

mountainsrocked to sleepby gusty winds

autumn winda river from the evening star

into the sea

windon a starless night

the way home

night windsbinding the house

with darkness

white dew

white dewfrom cinder clouds

moon clouds

white dewrising from cinder peaks

morning clouds

white dewfinding places everywhere

I can't sleep

AUTUMN Terrestrial

ashes

cindersforgottenthoughts

lava hillsashes sparsely covered

with ghost weeds

lava pumicethe part-time cook

recognizes something

canyons

canyon wallscurved enough for clouds'

shadows to climb

desolate canyonwith only one note

a bird calls

desolate canyonthe apple rotten

at the core

canyon rim rocksdwarf pines clingwith every root

canyon rimsomething in me flies

over precipices

canyon rim wallsthe sound of zippers

going up down jackets

canyon silenceskims the wind

a roar at the rim

music box canyonwind in the dry riverlike water running

canyon ledgesstones return the music

to wind

cemetery

cemetery windsounds in the shells

of one's ears

all of their possessionside by side

cemetery plots

out of the cemeterythe first laugha cold wind

thunderknees on graveyard earth

tremble

their eyes closedto a million dollar view

a seaside cemetery

crossroads cemeterythe old man asks

the way home

buried hereautumn woods are full

of ancestors

riverside cemeterylate in autumn

chilled waters still

leaving the cemeterysunrise

on frost-cracked soil

burial groundnaked trees veil

the sunrise

walking the landthat has taken my parents

their years

wheels of the hearsepacking the powdery snow

into useless patterns

dust devils

swirling white cloudson the desert floor

dust devils

neighborson the road in litigation

dust devils

craters

crater windsblowing back in

a thousand years

craterwhere the earth exploded

a couple argue

graves

photographingthe graveswithout film

church bellsa spade cuts through

stony ground

open gravefrosted air penetrates

deep into earth

tending the gravesthe dirt under my nails

is just a beginning

childlessstanding beside a mother

at a child's grave

out of the gravethe sinking casketpushes the light

a frosty nightgravestones rise

the width of a crack

hole in the silencegrave diggers alone

lower the coffin

between the gravesfences between friends

falling apart

visiting gravesthe stone at dusk

warms

visiting gravesstone gardens lengthen

autumn's cool

his gravefilled withhis earth

his gravecovered with

my sky

raincovering his grave

with low clouds

juicy blackberriesunder the tangled vines

a forgotten grave

after visiting gravesa night of fever-chills

their nightmares

late afternoonafraid to take nap

while visiting graves

gravestones

last daughterselling his housesetting a stone

"gone but not forgotten"the white obelisk

in a patch of weeds

forgetting wherethe family stone

sinks in

tombstonesmarking those things

that don't die

deserted beach

deserted beachalone with the waves

of Septemberness

October beachin all the footprintsthe tread of shoes

harvested fields

autumn bloomssoft white cotton balls

a harvest field

brown harvest fieldthe balls of white cotton

polka dots

hills

maple hillsstain the evening sky

autumn

barren hillsyet patches of purple

shadow

home

steps to the cabinwhere you once livedlow in broken grass

selling the housethe scratch of a penin the family name

a chain of old keysin a closed house

unlocking memories

the deed signedtaking down the birdhouse

dad built

bodies buriedand now the house belongs

to someone else

village lightsstretch down the road

draw us home

the afternoon sunslants over a hand-made house

paints it September

selling the houseone last swim in the lake

the water's calm

flying homeat 35,000 feet my folks

are not here either

nights the dripping roofwalks alone around the house

on one leg

hot springs

hot springscool in the rivera jasper stone

desert stormat the resorthot springs

mineral bathsat night the many colors

in dreams

Death Valleythe underground river

a healing spring

moonlightaround the hot springs

dried salt

in healing watersstars

old bodies

soul bathingin hot springsdesert stars

Ley lineslines

drawn into the earth

other times

earth linesconvergingflute tones

walkingthe line withinthe mountain

meadow

a moonlit meadowall the nun are dressed up

as clowns

a moonlit meadowchanting women give a voice

to dark ages

sea meadow ridgethe broken fence moves

when the cows come home

moor

heather moorsrolled r's of wind

between the boulders

patchwork quiltthe rumpled beds

of heather

clouds of foghovering over stems

white heather

voices windingthrough the heather moor

patterned paths

mountains

Death Valleyin a bluish haze

spectral mountains

mountain peaksfolding in prayer

for centuries

desert basinmountains washed

down flat

lightleaving in the mountains

a distance

salt patternsmountain shapes

blue twilight

even mountainsgentle easing into earth

Death Valley

alkali cloudsover lava mountains

moonrise

wind mountaininverted in the crater

invisible

movement of a bushan animal the wind

of mountains moving

white cloudsbury the mountains

in deepest black

mountains between usholding back the dawnhours of my longing

mountain caveswind carving empty

eye sockets

ritual ground

bodieson Indian ritual ground

wrecked cars

where Indians diedthe carcasses of ponies

of old cars

Indian rocksthe night hawk's spiritwith a whir of wings

ridges

pages tornfrom a sketchbookfar mountain ridges

river

autumn rivercovering my feet wetwith golden leaves

quiet eddy poolsswirl at ankles in autumn

the ancient dead

in this lightflowing through the ages

desert river

fallrocks tumble down

a dry river bed

white waterwell-washed river

spirits

white ghost wavesrocky river ripples

roll upstream

wind rushinginto the valley

rockwater

the top of the rockin the bottom of the pool

another stone

winding river roadthe giant forest

approaches night

seas

atop the mountainmammoth rocks stare down

a smooth gray sea

bright sunon the long waves of autumn

end of a day

nightthe horizon sinks into the blue

water

stones

stonesin the desert landscape

my bones

ascending alonethe threshold to heaven

barren rock

dry riverbedin one of its rocksdreamless sleep

monolithsshaping the moonlight

granite

moon brightwhere a rock fell away

shining

streets

strangerson the city side walks

one has his laugh

lamplightstraightening the street

of narrow houses

temples

approaching the templegrasses rub the body

of a snake

logging roadcut trees that never come

to the temple

before the templelizards turn

the grass brown

climbing temple hillleg muscles tighten

in our throats

breathlessatop the steep hill

temple pagoda

breathlessclimbing to the pagoda

wind

sea winds blowfrom temple copper domes

holy sunshine

Tibetan templethe high-pitched hum

of an air plane

to our round eyestemple splendors

a locked gate

temple secretsheld together

a chain link fence

temple fencered and yellow prayer flags

poison ivy

holy smellsfree in the air

between fences

temple dumpfinding something

we could see

Sundaymorning light from high rocks

temples

curvingthe sky dometemple roof

making templesa full moon

on ash mountains

timberline

timberlinegranite rocks outgrowing

the trees

waterfall

red rock waterfallinto emerald pools

cedar incense

water blackened rocksfalling with the waterfall

some of them

chipped rockthe shape of water

falling

white rim on black rock light falling

with the water

woods

old foreston bare paths

moths

valleys

night shadowsthe valley floor rises

into the sky

tiredvalley slopes

sag

the earth turnsin the valleya river bends

Death Valleysaving light at dusk

salt

Death Valleyopen blue skies

clouded

vineyards

pale fogyellow vineyards over

champagne cellars

wine-tastingat the family-run vineyard

a cat too

AUTUMN Livelihood

canning

cloud jeweled dayblackberry jam

on the windowsill

huckleberry jamall the tiredness

up in jars

cooking

old maid's teapouring boiling wateron unopened flowers

soup bubblesthe past lives of vegetables

throbbing with heat

pepper shakerin gathering darkness

a sharp sound

dinner overthe knife is clean and

the cup is empty

autumn rainwalking about in stocking feet

tasting the soup

clothing

old buttonsthreaded on strings

lips closed

a blue coatthe length and width

of a shadow

his old jeanspockets torn to flaps

in full possession

early autumn dayjust right for throwing away

old tennis shoes

cremation

her ashesforgetting

the bad times

cutting wood

morning treesfeeling the woodcutters

coming to work

chain saw stilledthe sound of the ocean

comes into view

old forestcutting across the road

chain saws

clear cuta sign on the stump

no trespassing

the mountain pathbeing drawn through the woods

a sound of saws

chopped kindlingthe axe head warms

scarlet weather

silenceabove a chain saw

a tree bends

going baldthe logger

the mountain

years going outthe rings of a tree

just cut down

puff of exhaustour earth's lungshauled to the mill

fartsthe logging truck

shifts down

sawdustexciting the airwith sunlight

drinking

driftwoodwomen at the bar

bleached and scarred

singing lowsea-white fog disappears

into bar lights

life on the rivermuddy water saloon

mountain still

drinkingin water the colorsof painted canyon

dying

easinginto deathinto earth

angel wingsthe skeleton's feetarranged in bones

edge of the cliffthe old couple discuss

going home

my parentstheir breath goneyet the wind blows

last sipbitter taste of earth

in the water

death rattlethe bookmark in his Bible

does not move

fire starting

morning sunthe basket of fire-starting

twigs white with frost

firing clay

sunset's glowthe heat in clay pots

being fired

harvest

gathering chestnutsin the falla crack

returning year after yearto this one place

chestnuts and harvesters

chestnut burrsopen and defenseless

after harvest

hunting

a hunting dogturning the stones

into quail

pulled tauthis long eyelashes

at the bow

a man with a gungoes alone into the forest

of armless hunters

Indians

almost theresearching the dustfor moccasin tracks

no one homethe Indian villageof house trailers

lace curtains

home from the dentisthe brushes his teeth

by a lace curtain

wearing the lacebehind thin clouds

the moon

lamps

a kerosene lampfilling the pitcherwith sunflowers

making home movies

long deadhe laughs and speaks jerkily

super eight home movie

moon-viewing

watching the moongrandma goes to sleep

with her glasses on

mushroom gathering

carrying umbrellasstrangers in the woods

hunt mushrooms

music

autumn sunin a far cabin corner

a dulcimer

putting the dulcimer awaythe last note lingersdrops to the floor

raking/burning leaves

gusts of windraking leaves in a pile

without hands

autumn's duskthe smell of burning leaves

brings tears to my eyes

rummage sales

rummage saleat the Lutheran church

a rosary

scarecrow

leaning scarecrowreal estate dealers also

are not upright

new ownersthe familiar scarecrow

left his post

writing home

autumn eveningadding a long postscript

to mom's letter

AUTUMN Animals

bats

dim starsin the same sky

bats hiding

hidden in one palmhundreds of bats

at the oasis

last light of dayinto the clearing curves

the first bat

dipped in darkbats streak

twilight skies

blackbird - red winged

flying with himred spots on the shoulders

of the black bird

cat - old

an old yellow catpaws tucked under her chestwaiting for a mouse-moon

cicada

the cicada's cryleaves in the maples

brittle gold

cicadasas if they'd wona poetry contest

red-eyed cicadawet from molting

softer than their cry

cormorant

beached boateach rib extendedby a cormorant

cows coming home

setting sunblocked out by cows

following it home

coyote

cracked stonesa coyote's howlwidens the gap

Joshua treesragged in night skies

a coyote's cry

lightin the coyote's eye

playing tricks

cranes/storks come

cold wind rufflesbreast feathers of a gray bird

rumors of war

cricket

lightning flashinto the sound of rain

a cricket shrills

nightswhere you touched me

a cricket chirps

parental homeseveral cricketskeeping house

slower pulseof an autumn evening

crickets

the candle dimsa creaking door cricket

changes form

crow

a crow's wing tipssweeps from the clouds

dark rain drops

crow wingsroughened by wind

ridged by a cliff

crows landingautumn descends early

in a valley town

two crowschasing each other

twilight

ebb tidesa flock of crows pulled

from sea caves

crow in rocksa crack of black quartz

holds a nest

a light rainnot falling in places

the crow flies

Death Valleythe crow stands beside

his shadow

hard black whitesun on the crow's wingbefore darkening trees

crow cawing

a crow cawingso he too has swallowed

a fish bone

translatingJapanese into English

crows

a calling of crowscrisscrossing the air

dark streaks flap

deer

a bending of leavesas a deer in passing

a sound

steepening the hillsidedeer nibble wild flowersabove the autumn sea

deer hunterssoft brown eyesreflecting blue

in velvetthe deer with his look

of questions

deer huntersguns leaning against the sky

blue eyes

dead grassdeer bones

exposed

from the cabinsmells of supper cooking

a deer nibbles grass

frost and moonlightseparated

a dark deer shape

becominghillside bushes

deer

bronze brackenthe downed deer

not found

a boy watchinga deer dying

turns with a jerk

a stag's crya human voiceechoes in me

lovesickone wild deer

in me

callingthe cry of deerhuman desire

also in meditationto the river bank deercome down to drink

moonlightmaking in her snowy belly

wild-doe milk

evening wind roarsstill the nearby stag

hears my uneven breath

dragonflies

trudging up the pathwhere the hill is the steepest

a dragonfly

bridging worldsthe grass stalk bent

by the dragonfly

dragonfliesgiving to their wings

afternoon skies

insects' cry

lantern lightvoices in the grassring my shadow

at our farewellinsects chirp in the grasses

our lips dry

jackal

a jackal howlsa black mountain opens

moon light doors

monarch butterflies

sun in darknessmonarch butterfliesorange and black

migrating fowl

flight of a birdunmarked

a feather falls

high in autumna dark bird struggles

against the wind

pelicans gatheredready to journey south

my bag is packed

migrating duckschanging colors of the lake

to autumn

desert lakeroosting place

for water chickens

floating on the lakethe human voices

of ducks

duskhorizon drawn by a line

of ducks

owl

an owl hootsthe autumn wind blowing

through the o's

flyingin a dream an owl

leaves a cry

the moon risesday fades into the sound

of owl feathers

peasant

dark treesas a pheasant's call

night fall

liberatedthe peasant henleaves the cock

quail

picking grass seedshow lightly quail go

over the land

the female quailonly there

when she moves

quail crossinghill to hill

a shaft of sunlight

rollinga flock of quail

on the run

eating the quailthat ate the peasplanted for winter

shadows movingthe forest floor turns

to quail

a mother quailfollowed by her fifteen

separate shadows

raccoon

stolen plumsrounding out the tummies

of raccoon

awareraccoons on the porch

in my sleep

a dream of bearsraccoon on the porchpeek in the window

red dragonfly

red upon reddragonflies chasing

autumn

salmon

smoked salmona harvest moon rises

in autumn haze

smoked salmonevening sky invites

the neighbors in

scorpion

middle of the nightwhere scorpions creep

in cracks

knitting needlesthe clack of scorpions

mating

a piece of nightbreaks off to strike

a scorpion

lightning strikesat the door a scorpion

tries to get in

unable to workthe scorpion and I stare

at each other

on his backthe scorpion's mate

dead

wood on woodthe dry scrap of scorpions

crawling between

shadflies

the many feetmyriads of beach flies

a caressing wind

high tidebacks against the cliff

shadflies

newbornflies on the beachdark damp sand

spirit birds

followinga vein of quartz the eye

of a spirit hawk

squirrel

up the treethe squirrel stops at the sign

"vote for supervisor ..."

a gray squirreltire tracks

in his wet fur

termite

termite tunnelcurved by a cypress

long in the wind

rising from rootswinged termites

rusty as redwoods

turkey

wild turkey's cryin the cabin at dusk

a door closes

undulatingbacks of wild turkeys

blown sea oats

vulture

vulture featherwhite downy fluff

at the shaft

nude sun worshipperthe vultures circle

the old woman

a band of sunlighton the vulture's wing

a feather missing

tangled branchesvulture shadowson the darkening

last lightout of the cove

a dark bird

AUTUMN Plants

acorns

oak grove picnicslow sound of our chewing

acorns falling

jokes in an oak groveas acorns fall downover our laughing

apples

dad on highdropping from his trees

apples for lunch

southern sunsetfilling the apple bin

a deeper red

applesaucethe cinnamon glowof a kerosene lamp

windfall applespalaces for worms

American pie

dad gone two yearsstill he cares

with apples/pears

baskets in a rowoverflowing with apples

on one a sweater

straight falling raintiny lakes upon the treestem hollows of apples

asters

broken by the stormthe asters' fragrance rises

out of damp earth

bare bushes

amid bare bushesthe flash of a woman's flanks

squatting to pee

bare trees

darknesswinding the river road

bare trees

roots in the skythe bare tree turnsan upside down day

abandoned orchardbare branchesfull of apples

hidden all summeramong the oak branches

my neighbor's house

autumn stormthe neighbor closer

by a bare tree

from the windthe flute lessonof a bare tree

a frosty nightin all the trees

such a letting go

autumnthe bloodless woundsof farewell and leaves

touching a treein palm the sound

of its bark

berries

picking berriesthe brown bearof a neighbor

brown bracken

autumn sunlying in brown bracken

both of us

mountain springa fall of fernin autumn

leaving new friendsto return home among

dried sword ferns

buckeyes

higher educationfrom the school yardthese two buckeyes

burrs

an old friendchinquapin burrs open

on smooth fruits

cactus

cactus patchenlightenment comes with

getting the point

at the pointof enlightenmentholy cross cholla

chestnuts

chestnuts we gatheredas they warm the memories

of Italian sunshine

meeting an old friendchestnut burrs pressed

in our folded hands

chrysanthemum

falling downthe mums not pickedbecause you are gone

autumn rainabove the dialysis machine

a withered mum

frost-tipped mumsgathered in withered arms

with black sleeves

all in blackshe stoops to savefrost-tipped mums

chrysanthemumswith them in the roomI cannot close my eyes

cotton fields

fall fashionsthe tweedy patterns

in cotton fields

cottonwoods

canyon creviceout of red rock water flows

into a golden tree

cottonwoodin the leafless limbs

starlings

autumn eveningscottonwood trees

seem too cool

cottonwood treesthe dry sound of rain

along the river

at the oasiswearing the coolness

of willow and cottonwood

late rainshigh in a river treeautumn gold leaves

river of goldsunning with cottonwoods

Virgin River

corn

harvest moona bulging corn crib

releases it

dried weeds

small weedsfinding shadows

for the night

autumndown the length

of tall grass

dried weedsa nameless spiderloses his shadow

wild squaw grasswind twining the slenderness

with shafts of sunlight

withered grassa crow stretches his eye

over hanging heads

ridge topburnished grassesthe monk's pate

driftwood

"Dear Mom"her letter on a driftwood stick

washed out to sea

the way! the ocean arranges driftwood logs

on a deserted beach

driftwoodbright with burning

stars

Sunday visitorsadmiring sculptured driftwood

in the town square

high tidethe secret script of driftwood

writing itself

driftwoodsilver sea mists

petrified

on the islandno one goes to

driftwood

fallen leaves

fallingdown all sides of the mountain

leaves

nude in the rivera dirty old leaf

touches my thigh

very drunkbright leaves

fall into a heap

a gust of windtossed back into the sky

fallen leaves

in frozen mudthe imprint of a long leaf

lying somewhere else

on the groundleaves from one tall tree

three inches deep

a swimming holefilled with the cold

of fallen leaves

drawing boatson each leafribs in water

soundfrom the lizard's voiceless throat

dry leaves

among fallen leavesa voice from the neighbor's yard

scraping cement

autumnmountain climbers

one leaf falls

garlic

cloves of garlicarguing voices

braided together

golden leaves

old-timersfinding golden autumn

most lovely

blown leavesturning the sunlightfrom green to gold

riversongwind blown from autumn trees

a stream of gold

autumn leavesalong with with sunset

a blaze of glory

weeping rockin autumn dried leaves

gold

low autumn sunrolling over red rocks

golden trees

late rainshigh in a river treeautumn gold leaves

heather

nearness of hillsundulating in the garden

tufts of heather

patchwork quiltthe rumpled beds

of heather

huckleberry

picking huckleberriesafterwards the lessons

in braille

huckleberriesin her smilepurple teeth

huckleberriesin redwood shadows

round and tart

mountain eveningin a huckleberry sky

the smell of pie

maples

into autumn treesa rain-wet road winds

sky colors

autumn hillsa mountain of leavesdown from maples

Vermont tripmaples color the back roads

of California

maplesbecause they are admired most

when their leaves are old

autumn colorsin a redwood grove

one maple afire

stone lanterndark before the flaming

maple

mushrooms

looking closelyunder the mushrooma desert landscape

woman in the woodstouching mushrooms

touching the base

onions

teary halosround the moon

onion rings

cutting an onionall the halos

fall in the soup

pampas grass plumes

sun from the seaswept up the hillswith pampas grass

pampas grass plumesthe color calls from the west

autumn winds

ribbons of moonlightglowing out of the earth

pampas grass

pear

salt in a cellarat seven the mirror frame

a mottled pear

pearscoloring themselvesthe days of summer

persimmons

persimmonstheir roundness softens

rice stubble

red-breasted birdsamong ripe persimmons

hiding from the cold

plums - fallen

fallen plumsat the end of the dog's nose

cold and wet

potato

under dark earthdusty white potatoes

the moon rises

pumpkins

grinsharvestedpumpkins

redwoods

a redwood fallsthe air of heaven

laid low

giant forestapproaching nightin the redwoods

without a stepgiant redwoods going

up the mountain

redwood rootsthe base thickensenters the earth

redwoodsher inheritancewith wind in it

running up and downthe tallest redwood

only my eye

volcanic ashthree and a half million years old

saving the redwoods

redwoods cathedraldarkening the apse

a circle of trees

in a towerredwoods still growing

shelter

among these redwoodsgrowing old seemsrather honorable

sage

evening stretchesover desert gold

purple sage

Cathedral Canyonunder Christ's picture

wild sage

smoke trees

fire redwithout its flowerthe smoke tree

smoke treesrising to soundin high caves

straw

braided rice strawI find a photoof your lover

sycamores

in back of the schoolyellow leaves of sycamore

an acid burn

tarweeds

tar weedsalong the roadcovered with it

unripe fruit

alonepicking green tomatoes

before the frost

sea oatsbent by the north wind

barely ripens

tree leaves fall

strange landhanging in mid-air I amas leaves in the larch

leaves caughtin cages of limbs

escape

bent grassthe shape of the apple tree

in brown leaves

before fallingdusty yellow leavesfreshened by rain

leaves fallthe air filled

with church bells

vines

fruitless vinesgoing out of their way to repair

the broken wicker chair

driftwoodtaking root in the river

vines

willow leaves fall

autumn sununder willowsa yellow leaf

WINTER Moods

accepting the finite

still standingwhere others livedabandoned cabin

dusting the dressera gown which shared

our passion

deaththe star sailorhome again

as dreamswood in an iron stove

falls into ash

bubbles and branchesice moving

the I Ching hexagram

tree rootsbones of the dead

leaving earth

a carved namesmelling of bone marrow

round and white

last daysas thin as her skin

loose on bones

people who diewhen the sea is full

a law of foam

silencebetween old folks

no longer breathing

tracing the blueveins on her breast

winter

baby's ancient facewrinkled and sexless

grandparents

touchstonethe body arching the abyss

death

antiquemirroring on TV

gone with the wind

boredom

bored by winterwild surf waters knot

sea grass

bored with wintera beach walk findsabandoned toys

another rainy daycleaning out of the toaster

crumbs

silencearound the old couple

all their repeated words

silencefaces at the party

in a mirror

blocked

after hours of conflictwhite waves no longer mount

the black rock

blank bookeyes filled withwaves and wind

cold the roomwhen the last of the ink

has been written

complaints of being old

without a lampthe moonlight turns

my hair white

black inkthe many poems dye

my hair white

spilled winefinger prints on the glass

shaking

young at heartstill the roses fade

on her nightie

a haircutless white

on this old woman

winter roada sharp turn

to the nursing home

gaining weightthe world thicker

with snow

winter leavinganother blue vein

on her leg

first snowI'm not one year older

anymore

gazing at her photographthe glass reflects

an older face

painted silverher wrinkles marthe smooth glass

fifty yearsnot remembering which

toothbrush is his

aging beautytruth lies on the mirror

reversed

complaints of the cold

winter so coldthe sun leaves earlier

each day

midnight roomrays of candlelight

star-cold

night coldsurf's surge and boom

in the bathtub

lying in bedcold beside my sleep

wide awake

delight in company

a new winter friendup the year's steep sloping

our flow of words

- for Brent Partridge

your poemthe brief language

of footsteps

bird songunder winter quilts

bodies touching

togetheryour tip glows

as incense burns

seaweed tied in knotsashore in winter storm

we stick together

neckingthe never-ending story

movie forgotten

telephone callyour smile in a spaceyou've never gone

curved inkthe warmth of your hand

in the letters

charmeda sunny day in winter

a new you

ice meltingher hand touches

his

a glowthe whole candle

a flame

angelsdreams on your face

my eyes

appearingme in your dream

you in my...

upliftinglight hearts

magic

this vowwritten so deep

in dreams

their eyesas a priest raises the wineblood rushes to her cheeks

desire for company

evening aloneonly pine mountain

my guest

northeaster stormyet feelings of longingdare the cross winds

quilt patternsthe full moon's path

of my desire

deep in winterno one comes to say"Look, it's snowing."

desertsilence between us

cold at night

waiting for youthe dull swishof my raincoat

pinesbowed with snow

my longing

sleepingyour image in dreams

awakens

in my dreamyou touch me

awake

it's blackthe road that takes

you from me

waiting for gueststhe corner of the rug

keeps turning up

something's comingin winter's high-water marks

a dry rustle

earth frozen dryleaves behind my wide cape

thus I search for you

wet chalkit's been such a long time

since you've written

grinding more inkthe only thought that comes

tender as the rain

the chalk of her pelvisbeacons for a child's soul

now draws a line

distant daughterhearing her coins drop

into a telephone

driftwood hermitagecold and loneliness

take up the pen

pages filledyet the stamp carries away

unspoken words

sleeping alonethe cold sideof the bed

desire for spring

wild surfshaking the sunny beach

our desire for spring

salt cruststhin skin on a blown beach

this itching

dreams under the tentof the Burpee seed catalog

winter gardens

eaves drippingthe candle flame

flickers

in the back of my braina photo of your eyes

watching my day

blue on the postcardhow far from the sea

we both are

winter daysa heart runs without panting

to the beach

depression

nothing in naturetruly blackmy moods

discipline

breathingunderlining sentences

in a book

unknown keys in a boxshe takes a vow

- no more love affairs

estrangement

after the argumentthe sound of your eyelashes

brushing the pillow

winter coldthe sound of ocean waves

between us in bed

tears not shedat your leaving

a sinus drip

silencebetween your words

anger

silenceafter something falls

a coming apart

silencebetween words

stories

silencebefore the answer

truth

a lover's quarrelthe seamstress triesto patch things up

fears

asleepsurrounded by things

that don't

hard to believethe someone touching the roof

is only rain

panicas rain presses

the window's dark sound

sun on a pine branchlaughing shadow image

a jackeral's face

ghost storiesbeyond the fire circle

old/new noises

bear storiesinterrupted by the clatter

of a garbage can

precipicethe wind blows stronger

my fear of falling

awakenedby the hours of night

an owl's dream

dreamsturning on the lightstaying in the dark

nervousthe whole house shakes

in the wind

three minutesfrom here to eternity

a phone call

flickering candleI'm not the only one

who is scared

moving eyesobjects reproduceda silence of mirrors

fog fearthings so familiar

they have no shadow

from where come ideasnow when frogs are still

as cold stars

last lightglasses comes alive

to watch out the night

feeling childlike

at the airportin the town where I was born

sinking into the mud

by a dormant treesomeone is singingas the scythe rusts

grief for the dead

griefhours alone lift our feet

from the knowing

alivethe dead go walking

in my feet

mind wanderingdragging a heart-spun net

in heavy seas

a branchfallen to the roof

downward and sloping

deadand this morninghe'll never see

helplessness

sea spray climbs sheer cliffon the beach without legs

a man in a wheelchair

for her windowPersian patterns of a rug

wheelchair spokes

isolation

winter moonalone it journeys northward

brightens my doorstep

her facea fold in fabric

smiles

palest butterfliestrapped in paper cages

letters in winter

she saw reflectedin the dampness of his eyes

herself alone

gray paintedthe level landscape

life as a photo

a white roomits walls drawing inthe energy patterns

only the candlereads my poems

wavers in the wind

in my chairlistening to my music

a stranger

silence so profoundit takes the shapeof your inner ear

isolated farmsthe white sky of snowdrifts

outlining the cold

fogclosing the brushwood gate

silences ocean waves

leaving a bookblind hands touch

her own smile

windowa filter of snow

winter blind

stairswhere no one speaks

or rises

alone againwith the wind in the pines

somewhere else

gone -yet the space you left

shines with light

alonebuilding a firefor company

alonein the fire

voices

a strange landsaying I love you

again

the wind diesthe sound in one's own ears

empty

joy of living

enjoying lifefor all the deadthe yet unborn

his face aglowthe deaf childmaking signs

"Come see the sunset?"the old woman too busy

for endings

- for Caroline Sutherland

touching meduring the ballet

his left hand

madness

winter madnessparachuting to earth

pale blue creatures dangle

motionless

written in a dreamall three livesnow forgotten

boxlike silenceafter the grandparents leave

empty rooms

pain

a chalk drawinga piece of ambervery near pain

in my earhurtful blood sounds

of the sea

your wordsthe wind rubs the lake

the wrong way

peace

another tranquillizerthe cat begins to purrmore r's in the room

winter weavesa pile of pillowson a hard chair

comforterbuttoned to the bed

a curled-up cat

curving wavessleep carries away

candlelight

packingarms of the flannel shirt

holding on to peace

smoothed by seasa nearly round rockpoints homeward

home againraking in the Zen garden

the oldest pattern

driftwood hermitagea well-chewed stickwrites in the sand

poor

too poorfor a luxury house

walking a deserted beach

his crooked facepeering into a puddlefor a dropped penny

silencemarked down half-pricethe broken squeak toy

release

cloud-covereda departed soul

sky-blue

wind stillGrandma's afternoon nap

lasts forever

the string cutin death feet go awry

walking labyrinths

no!the grave is not the endwe remember too much

remembering

twilightfinding in an old album

dad is still young

opening her closetsecrets alive in the colors

she has worn

snowpictures of other lands

other lovers

winter colorspassing in sleep

dream zones

measuringthe box once again

inside

undergroundthe Celtic cauldron

a ringing bell

winter dreamslingering on long arms

summer warmed

I touch myselfwith lacquered nails

as you once did

memoriesstored in our muscles

an iron will

without a shadowon bright days

the hand I know

rejection

mailboxa frozen puddle overflows

a rejection slip

bedtime story"I love you." he said

leaving to meet a lover

ebb tideanger and rejectionsucked out to sea

filled by the seathe stony places

of hurting

all my angersinging with the vacuum

cleaner

rows of holesedging the stampof your last letter

after our wordson the lace tablecloth

cut flowers

data processingher letters from New York

in winter

restlessness

gutted candleif only I toocould sleep

sea windsearching me for something

someone I once was

desiring freedomher photos no longer

capture views

misty red daybreaknewly lit fires in the kitchen

wish to be on a train

solitude

sweet coldincense in a winter room

alone

treasurein a seashell serene colors

a day alone

a roof of rainthe sound inside

solitude

silenceafter you've gone

the widening world

silencewhen all alone

a tunnel

a cornerthe shape of solitude

chair and book

deaf childpatterns of a Persian rug

echoing

winterthe hours meltinginto snowflakes

still awakeon top of the comforter

one feather

long damp beachwinter solstice

at ebb tide

walking in a foga solitary person attended

by angels

the shape of windwriting in dunes

loneliness

alone in the housethe flavor of peppermint

cold on the tongue

a journey beginsthe way familiar

to the door

frozen to his feetthe length of a shadow

wanting to sleep

alone in the roomthe gaudy television

and me smiling

empty coffee cupthe face looking at me

gone

tight shut

"origami"she explained folding

up the dollar bills

uselessness

homeless mantied to his sleeping bagshoes going nowhere

art store salethe poet buys erasers

at a discount

an old maidher favorite dancing dress

yellows the attic

warm-breath windwords are helpless

on parted lips

since birth unemployedthe rich manand his navel

weeping

darkness welling upcold waters of the sea

a sob

songs of sorrowthe harp string breaks

the fall of tears

laughterafter the argumentsounds like sobs

a blue waveon the crest

an eyelid closed

WINTER Occasions

baking for Christmas

cloves and nutmeggrandma separated yolks

with one hand

first frostcutting out cookieswith sugared tops

winter airwarmed in the kitchen

toasted bagels

winter dawnall the bright stars

in cookie jars

California Christmas

Mendocino hillsgreen for Christmas

new lambs

Mendocino Christmason spring-green meadows

red jersey cows

deserted beachcouple in driftwood den

trim a flotsam tree

Mendocino Christmasamong snowy egrets

flakes of pussy willows

Christmas carolsin L.A. the air conditioner

hums along

Christmas EveStar of the West

Point Arena Lighthouse

sea side Christmasshore pines bright with mist

at the lighthouse

celebrating the solstice

a solstice moon13 women around a drum

the old circles us

Christmas bazaar

Christmas bazaarthe carefully tied bow

crooked

Christmas bells

Christmas bellspouring excitement

into the air

Christmas carols

in the old folks' homepracticing Christmas carols

children again

howling sea windsChristmas carols

sung by the local choir

Christmas Day

Christmasa sleigh draws homeward

all my thoughts

coming ashoreon Christmas Daypure white waves

Christmasin the driest places

desert holly

Christmas daya waiting at the roots

of pine trees

Christmas dinnerstill warm

two crows by roadkill

covered with icethe picnic table

on Christmas Day

Christmas Eve

Christmas Evea life time of habits

not sleeping

Christmas Eveout of the sea storm

a lighthouse

Christmas Evesea rocks unmoved

by the storm

Christmas Eveout of the dark

hail

Christmas Evehail

"Peace on Earth"

Christmas Evethe batteries left on

all night

Christmas Eveonly stara foghorn

Christmas lights

holiday ridgepoints of candlelight and

stars

Christmas lightsshining in the sun

their unbelief

Christmas lightsin the thick pine forest

a rising moon

Christmas play

Christmas playafterwards all the stars

on the school bus

Christmas shopping

Christmas giftswhat to buy

for someone dying

Christmas tree

cash cropJesuit priests peddle

Christmas trees

Christmas tree outcleaning the room

for spring

in the cornerwhere the Christmas tree gloried

crooked chair shadows

sending/receiving cards

Christmas daynear-by a squirrel poses

on a greeting card

snow fallingthe long awaited letter

on its way

letters writtenwith a thick nubbed pen

storm trees

trimming the tree

Christmas ornamentsbought that year

we didn't come home

Christmas ornamentslast year's dust

wrapped in tissue

Valentine's Day

unwrappingValentine gifts

naked

brand newValentine's gift

herpes

married in the cold monthsea foam freezes

on the rocks

white Christmas

my white Christmasonly under the branchesof the snowberry bush

Winter Solstice

winter solsticethe white night alone

with rolling surf

winter solsticethe sun in the south

with old folks

south sunDecember's horizon

rolled in fog

winter solsticethe sun at its own

birthday party

for winter solsticebumpy as an orange

moonset

winter solsticewarmth of friends

return the sun

winter solsticegreeting like souls

the sun returns

winter solsticea white eve alonewith a wild surf

heavy cloudswinter solstice brightens

lightning

after the solsticecleaning the house

trimming wicks

winter solsticefinding a new point

for acupressure

winter solsticeso low in the trees its return

just stays

wrapping gifts

Christmas giftswrapped in white tissuemist-covered mountains

wrapping giftsa whale swims by

covered with barnacles

WINTER Celestial

air

frost sharp aircut into pieces by sunshine

sparkling on snow

winter airthick as the branches

bare

beginning of winter

winter beginsleaving for me alone

autumn

giving awayautumn kittenswinter begins

clouds

gathering cloudsheavy and dark with holding

unfallen flakes

low cloudspressing out of the sea

huge waves

purple lava peaksrain clouds hovering over

desert sunset

purple peakswith fire-rimmed steam

sunset clouds

winter cloudssummer dreams

turning to ice

night lightthin cloud cover guides me

across the room

dark on the seaa rain cloud brushesthe tops of waves

cloud darkjoined to sea dark

by falling rain

roaring down the beachat the height of winter waves

mist clouds

cold

a curtain pulled backby a south wind

cold

smooth snowdeeper than garden stones

the cold

beach coldtwisting driftwoodinto a windbreak

beach coldfreezing a driftwood

windbreak

winter wavesrolling into sun-warmed sand

driftwood

wavesrolling into frosted sand

winter

winter coldfinding on the beach

an open knife

cosmos

empty handsour holes

in the cosmos

bell-tone circlesas path to meditation

across galaxies

dawn

winter dawnsounds of blowing snow

sleeping birds

sea dawnthe journey of snowflakes

to a parking lot

clouds restingon top of snowdrifts

winter dawn

daybreakglass shatters

the dream

just at daybreaka drift of snow balanced

on each branch

winter dawn comesthe sound of blowing snow

sleeping birds

falling outat the crack of dawn

snowflakes

between mountainsand heavy snow clouds

daybreak

frozen sundawn's cloudsfaint with pink

day in winter

the skin of our teethas thick as a life

a winter day

daybreak

daybreaklight drifting down

in snowflakes

days - shorter

snow by candlelightbrightens the turn

to shorter days

for tall folksthe hours of light

shortened

departing year

slow rainsas if leaves were falling

at winter's end

first light

first lightnudging frozen clouds

snow flakes

star gazingall the familiar things

in morning's light

milky dawnthe world without color

takes form

spots of bluevarying the light to fit

tracks in the snow

morning lighta couple on the cliff

as spirits of a new day

just nowthe moon setand you sleep

fog

timelessin the fog

someone walking

foggy nightfarmlights of a lonely coast

separate

wrapped in fogcolors of the coast

quiet

fogedge of the cliff

edge of the world

ocean fogin the broken sign

"open"

fogthe days go bywithout hours

evening fogin town with dampened

spirits

mistbroken from night waves

sleep

asleepfog extendsthe morning

foggy morningcoming in the door

weak sunlight

thick swirling fognot seeing anythingjust a wing shape

new flannel gownwrapped for the night

in thick sea fog

fogriver mouth

bridged

worldly viewobscured by sea fog

angel wings

fingersinto valleys

sea fog

warmingthick fog

a fire

out of fogfog colorsin waves

into the covefog pours

more secrets

cutting out the worldsounds of the sea

fog

erasing the landthe ocean sends a blanket

of fog

neighborsleaving as

fog

frost

frostdropping a basket

with 12 eggs

lace edgesthe fallen leaf

white with frost

granite patternsfallen to leaves

frosted rust

flowers bloomingon dry sand and pond

frost

ice

water over icefloating among clotted leaves

a face expiring

surf soundscovering the winter porch

a shell of ice

cloudsstill in the mountain brook

ice

hail

before they melthailstones hiding themselves

in the gravel path

spindriftfalling on the hills

hail

veiled moonfragments loosen

hail

silenceafter the hailstorm

cold

moon

jingling coinsdeep in his pocket

the moon slides behind clouds

coldthe winter moon with you

at the window

full-moon skycold high winds blowfrom a bright hole

waning moon watchesa pie put out to cool

eaten away

dark night windsblowing over the seas

the moon sinks in

the full moonslips into its silver path

sea sleep

melting into the seathe full moon

leaves a candle bright

plunging right inthe moon and Icold night seas

timeon a moonless night

a dog barking

releasedfrom snow-capped peaks

a full moon

cold windsrounding snow-capped peaks

a full moon

from the full mooncold summit winds

snow-clad

touching eyesthe whiteness of snow

a full moon

winter moondirecting the winds

around corners

winter's new moonthe cutting coldshines tonight

high on a cliffthe quarter moon finds

dark houses

wolf moonslipping into northern pines

winter

moonlight

winter moonlightthe crystal prism turns

with the tides

surf and seawhite with the sound

of moonlight

morning

morningsthe winter moon leaves

a frosted path

night

cold nightI feed browniesto aching bones

knockingcold comes in unasked

the night house

winter nightsenough warmthto answer letters

nightbreaking waves

rocks

silencein a dark night

an ill-made shape

night the animalthat keeps death in a little space

prowls to the left

nightovertaking the blackness

of molten rock

night - the longest

longest nightfull moon whitens

pure snow

Northern Lights

Northern Lightsa white robed choir sings

to radio static

rain

rattle of rainacross the valley

into my hand

downpoura basket on the porch

fills with rain

raindropsinside

heartbeats

after dinnerso full of soup

it begins to rain

sky

to the rocksthe sky falling free

a bluish glow

pale skieswinter comes from afar

a white foam wave

smoke

blind smoketouching the skywith one finger

wood smokepressed to the porch

by low clouds

snowflakes

lifeof a snowflake

falling

Mono Lakeon salt-crystal pillars

snowflakes

snowing

silencesnowing

light

satisfiedwith toast and cocoa

it stops snowing

porch lightbrilliant with the points

of falling snow

night lightsnow falls

on the porch

rainsilentsnow

the clock ticksback and forth

snowfall

first snowdeep as a fallen leaf

upright

mountain deepa sky covering with snow

our way home

blue cold snowwarmed by fallen leaves

russet brown

tickingeach hour

snow deepens

early snoweven in the hole is white

overturned outhouse

snow - blowing

the world wobblesthe weight of snow

drifting

no trespassingyet thru the split rail fence

snow goes

to touch starsher outstretched handfills with snowflakes

snowdriftsflinging moth wings

across the land

snow - melting

melting snowyour tracks leaving

a dampness

melting snowthe white nets hold down

springing grasses

it meltslast light of afternoon

rest of the snow

cap of snowon the sun-warmed rock

shrinking to fit

snow - new

new-fallen snowscraped by wing tips

leaving the earth

new-fallen snowscreams of children

biting cold

snow - predicted

snow predicteda jar of old buttonsin the top drawer

snow - viewing

giant snowflakesbring to the window

adult faces

stars

crystalsfilling the night window

with stars

glistening coldthe stars bend down

a few flakes

snow tastethe cold fire

of frozen stars

high windsstars moved aboutby swaying tress

cold starsdropping into the ocean

snowflakes

winter starspea soup doesn't taste

without salt

the first starsa farmhouseand a buoy

before one starbeams from the lighthouse

search the sky

into the skynotes from the harp

light stars

earth linesstarpaths light

the fluid landscape

in our bloodbright crystalsstar journeys

wavesin and out of the sea

stars

storm

curving the skystorm clouds arch

into the bay

the winter tempestvisiting the neighbors

how still it is

winter stormspassing the rain rattle

drums on the roof

sea stormblue black clouds sink

salt-water air

after the snowstormnew paths to old places

the skies clear

fire on waterreflecting the sun

after a storm

between winter stormsa fisherman come to bring

poems and primroses

after the snowstormonly wood smoke drifts

into the clearing

snow stormbrings white skies

down to earth

this blizzardblowing about

one small candle

snow stormchildren hanging in a tree

paper flowers

storm windsin all things that don't die

this quivering

winter stormtearing the waves white

low-scudding clouds

storm windsbreeze through a cracked window

our nightly breath

storm waveswinter tides waveto mountain tops

storm cloudsforcing the sun to set

far out to sea

night stormat sea dark things

move closer

winter stormswrapping around the house

the ocean's roar

storm sailscloud evening skies

eyes

sun in winter

winter suncoming in latefor breakfast

low winter suncovered with one waveleaping on the beach

low winter sunwalking the length

of the rock's shadow

mid-winter's daythe sun and mooncombine warmth

mid-winter's sunbreaking the icein a rain barrel

sunset

sunsetstumbling over rocks

shadows

sunsetall the shadows

home

sunsetleaving to the wind

bare rocks

sunsetsblue clouds as land

into pink seas

sunsetall the shadows

going home

night's warmthsucked into the sea

a sinking sun

ocean sunsetstaying by the window

'till the color sinks

twilight

winter twilightgathers in her lapwhite folded hands

blue desert windpushes the hills' shadow

the long walk home

oceantwilight as finalas the last one

alkali flatsin the twilight of evening

snow white

wind

the rain-filled windblowing away the word

a damp newspaper

windbeing massagedby wind chimes

from far at seawaves bring without wind

that sound

winter winda red flag wavesto the whiteness

rock musicthe beach house shaken

by howling winds

windfinding dark places in cliffs

for the night

sea windsnot believing in

the silence

windfrom the mouth of something

dark

a blanket of windwrapping around the house

ocean cold

sea foampulling storm windsacross the beach

night windstouching crested waves

with frost

wind tearssmoke from the chimney

snow flakes

Aeolian harpsrigged for sailing

snowfields

tundra windin an ancient poet's ears

followers' footprints

snowlighting the way

of the wind

across the seawind blows to mestranger's snow

riding white roadsbefore dawn without a steed

winds of winter

crossing the bayfrom island to island

winter winds

unseen windwater touching water

with its roar

windtangling bare air

black trees

homewardwind pushes us across

evening shadows

winter windthe smell of french fries

and cold grease

winter

circus time overnow it begins to be

winter

leaves gold shineholding bright

the wall of winter

scrape of a spoonin the empty bowl

end of winter

WINTER Terrestrial

beach

stony sandcoming and going

winter waves

a crust of snowseaweed flung highby the night tide

storm-tossed wavesedged with foambreaking sand

people who diewhen the sea is full

a row of foam

beach pebbleround with its years

in the making

wavesbreak and foam

yet stars

in and outof the driftwood lair

gull tracks

beach-blownrainbows in sea foam

sand crystals

a winter's daysuddenly the sunat a beach picnic

beach laid darkby low tide now covered

with night waters

high on the hillthe earth smiles

a bay beach

February sunlying on the nude beach

fully clothed

a stickpoking holes in sandthe beach I Ching

the swish of surffalling snowflakes

have a sound

winter beachin thin white cloudsthoughts of snow

brooks

deep in winterthe babbling brook

white as stone

bubbles in iceholding till spring

the voice of the brook

the mountain brookstill with listening

winter winds

canyon

winter warmred canyon walls hold

the low sun

cave

night mirrorthe mouth of a cave

open - pale

cliffs

frozen cliffsswept by lighthouse beams

soft in the dark

giant wavessea cliff rocks

summer sea secure

high tossed mistswarmed in morning sun

above winter cliffs

after the stormsandstone cliffs relax pebbles

into the beach

high tidebrings storm waves

to cliff dwellers

sea spraythe cliff laced

by crystal

north windreducing the cliffs

by a splashed wave

night wheelsthe rolling surfcrashes on cliffs

hill dwellerswinters stormy seas

carving the coast

crater

crater rimwhite with snow

our lips cold

crystal

crystal veinsin the darkest rock

stars

rockscrystallize

sand

living rockin veins of crystal

waterfalls

desert

winter desertforgotten the heat

of cinder paths

desert vistain silence between us

the little heat

windowsin the cinder rocks

wind ohs

dike

the cutting coldpulled up on a dike

a silver canoe

ditches

winter leavesin the ditch a glove

without a hand

dunes

windsong that curves

dunes

fields

a field of snowfenced in by fields

of snow

wind-filled snownow brushing the eaves

now sweeping fields

snowy fieldsin a row of winter trees

veins of leaves

the winter moondiminishing into snowflakes

open fields

fields of bonesbeyond the cemetery

white with snow

dark fencesencircling the snowy field

eyelashes blink

snow and moonlightfill the open field

sky high

snow fieldshalf-melted

a quarter moon

her long thumbnailfallow fields lie empty

with snow

stitching togethernow-covered fields

blackbird wings

warmingthe corner of winter's field

an unattended fire

nunsall old women who work

fenced in fields

forests

a whitenessin and out of the woods

as flakes

frozen ground

froston the granite

gravel

light spillinginto a waterfall

frost

gardens

tiny gardenshuddle together in winter

on the windowsills

glacier

glacier gorgeafter the snowstorm

empty with light

nap timewarm on a granite wall

glacier marks

glacierrounding rocksnow a woman

under low cloudsevening sky glacier

cools the wind

a journey endswhere the glacier melted

a field of stones

granite

granitewithout shadow edges

ice on black water

hills

cloudsleaving their shapes

in hills

winter rainbrushing wild hills

a faint green

low winter lighthoarded in red hills

at sunset

hot springs

crystal waterswarmed with the scent

of earth

ancient earthtiredness of my old body

in hot springs

winter starswarmed in mineral baths

foggy

dreamsfrom hot mineral baths

a bright lava flow

winter nightjoining us in the bath

foggy stars

ice

silenceice all by itself

squeaks

crystalsdesigned in dark cold time

ice cubes

out of a rockwater flows with history

rimmed with frost

icicles

icicles hangyet above my faceher naked breasts

islands

windless dayssurrounding the islands

in deep sleep

winter morning surfbrings to cold sand

a ruddy glow

taperedthe knife lies in the river

an island untouched

jasper

red and blackjasper and obsidian

from a volcano

jaspervolcanic gift of healing

from earth fires

fire spiritsgift

jasper nuggets

lake

a glare of iceto walk without a path

the frozen lake

snowstormdropping white skies

into a lake

the lake thawingan image of a woman

awaking

tufa towersreflecting in the lake

volcanoes

- Mono Lake

sunriseburning in the salt sea

a pillar of light

fire spiritsunderwater architecture

comes to light

mountain

winter-bound peaksthe snow not melted

by our gazing

snow-capped peakssun setting fireswith fog-smoke

out of snowsun sets mountain peaks

a fire

snow-coveredsweet water mountains

rising upward

mountainsfolding in the sky

blue snow shadows

north windguardian of the narrows

bares the trees

without a guardrailthe tumble-down place

where cars go over

faultsfolding mountainsunfolding history

nothing to wearjust clouds

covering mountains

as in the skymountain snowfields

trackless

mountain cabin

mountain cabina wedge of winter sunlight

pushes in the doorway

mountain passes

closing the mindthe sameness of gates

mountain passes

ocean

snow blowingfar from the ocean an aching ear

stuffed with cotton

arctic snowfields blowacross sky-blue waters

white caps

where the sun sanka ship sails cool

on western waters

winter sunwaving the ocean's brightness

a blue-white flag

winter whiteon the ocean's block of blue

melting crust of foam

storm-washed seaeach flat wave

a dirty gray

pounding the beachwith storm wild waves

the foghorn

storm wavesfalling from angel shoulders

sea spray

all nightthe sound of waves

purple silk

cold winter oceanwarms spindrift

in the sun

winter ocean tossingspindrift over the cliff

into morning sun

curving wavessleep carries us away

all night

wave songspound upon eyelids

sleep

dark blue linesin a salt sea

dreams

sea ironed blackstars hang at the edge

of winter

ocean wavesand things that sleep

so words can hold them still

kneading doughsilent in the window

wild surf rolls

sea windsa rush and noise

learned from water

silencebetween crashing waves

white foam

a flow of snowreturning the wave

foaming surf

winter wavesplaying tag

with old folks

winter wavescrowning plumesof white spray

a sunny cornerall the winter winds

in white waves

seaside townemptied at nightby a roaring tide

midnight airpounded seasa throbbing

tearing nightwild surf rolls inmorning light

wild surfon glistening wings

harp rhythms

wild surfsea and earth

singing air

snowfieldswhiteness at high tide

the surf

snowy hillstretches the unbroken field

curving it just a bit

wild seasfootprints fillwith foam

listening to sea wavesthe cup of tea also

tastes cold

surface tensionthe smooth oceana sacred mirror

obsidian

snow-covered peakscovered with blackness

obsidian fields

peninsula

a peninsulathe gulls carry their name

from sea to sea

land's endpushing into the sea

white water

pond

the old pondhow snugly it fits

new ice

winter millpondthe moon cuts wavelets

in silver slivers

in timeoars dippinginto winter

rivers

upstreamthe solstice moon has frozen

the river

sun shinein a drop of melting snow

the river black

rocks frozen in snowa lonely woman stares

at the river's cold

snow-capped rocksabove the river's current

nimbus

surf tonguea whispering roar

in the river's mouth

each day anewriver's mouth finds

the sea

river mouthrushing to the sea

curves a smile

suspension bridgeso narrow my shadow

waits on shore

his days measureda river flowingacross the sky

mouth opendangerous as the river ends

in ocean waves

snow

late leavesskidding over frozen snow

yesterday's news

bright earthfilling to the ceiling

snow-cold

cushionson summer chairs

snow

bright auraeverything covered

with snow

mountain aircrystallized by snow

and granite

snow-capped peakson the desert floor white clouds

of alkali dust

windowsillpiled with snow

far ridges

almost a mountainthe hills grow upwith snowdrifts

dark place in snowthe bag of coalnow white itself

cloud shadowsthe sky's footprintson mountain snow

cold nightstacks on the woodpile

a cover of snow

snowbound

snowboundthe lake alsodisappeared

snowboundfire spirits

in a salt lake

snowboundall the colors

quiet

stones

heart of an agateslivered with polishing

turns to the sun

a quartz crystallight years agokeeping time

facing the seaweathered rocks of age

wrinkled and gray

painted stonestree shadowsnot moving

bubbling out of the searock burned blacka million years ago

soft round mountinga rock the sea leaves

it jagged

curved straighta sea rock spreadswhite spray wing

silence of stonessongs sung low

and slow

unheated seasdark rocks dissolveinto evening mists

high tidewater covers rocks

as sleep

waves breakingthe ragged shore

into sea rocks

whitealone on a dark rock

with small waves

crystal clearthe rainbow colors

of his shining

low winter sunlights a fire

in a stone circle

wind echoin round rocks

crystals

desert washevery sized crystal

clear light

treesscattered in the soil

petrified

massive rockswind sounds pushed

into the pines

shoreline rocksloosening the wind's roar

from each wave

water drippingstories etched on rock

howl in the wind

dragon jawbiting winds clawoff-shore rocks

sun warms rockwinter storms swept bare

of frost flowers

rocksrecord players

of time

old society damea lifetime of facesstudies the rock

long shadowsstumbling over rocks

on the way home

Death Valleyoldest rocks on earth

writer's block

pushing sunshineinto dark seasslanted rocks

ancient riverdraws a white linein the tiniest stone

winter carvesin mountain rocks

deep shadow

centuries of stoneyour voice echoes

forever

resting on a rockby a snow-melt stream

winter-cold butt

low tide rocksbubbling out of the sea

still lava

valley

fogin the valleyscold hands

white windsfrom snowy peakscover the valley

wide desert valleyspush apart peaks

soul bodies

winter shadowa low mountain fills

the wide valley

streets/roads

icy streetstoday of all days

his first steps

half-frozen icehow the idiot fixeshis wayward feet

roadsin winterstream

volcano

snow-cloudsthe cooled fires

of volcanoes

passivean extinct volcanocovered with snow

fire spiritsmaking mountainsout of volcanoes

volcanoescovered with pure clouds

silent fires

jagged peaksswirling their fires

into clouds

cloudsswirling their firesinto jagged peaks

walls

a brick wallsplintered by frostback to the earth

orange winterwindows beginning to dream

night fears awaken

riverstone housewater pushes snow drifts

into walls

river-rock houseat night the wallsa babbling brook

city wallsof no one

sunless dark

waterfalls

noisesthe mossy parts

of a waterfall

snow pondYosemite spring time

a waterfalling

fallinginto water smoke

snow melt

rocks bendingsound paths

of the waterfall

from living rockthe purity of snow

waterrise

sunshinepouring down the canyon wall

snow-melt waterfall

upward spiralwind pushed the waterfall

into a cloud

sunshinecarves the rock

snow-melt waterfall

well

moving upin the falling rainour empty well

WINTER Livelihood

bean soup

cold rainfalling into bean soup

chopped onions

soup cookingin the wood stove too

rain on the roof

out shoutingrain on the roof

bean soup

candles

candlelightopening

shiny doorknobs

not seeingthe candle shorterthe room brighter

red candlesabove a rusty wood stove

leaking light

candlesinto the hot tub

firepath

dimmed lightsdried flowers imbedded in

candles

cheese making

first daylighta bowl of whey

pressed from cheese

children visiting

wrinkled handfists of another grandchild

clasp mine

open mouthedamazement seeing grandma

clean her glasses

winterfolded in grandma's linen closet

pure white

unpainted housea crystal in the window

coloring the walls

chores in winter

after darkthe machine washing

white clothes

winter's colddishwater hardens

white grease

dustingmismatched socks

in hand

silenceafter the dishes are washed

a smell of cabbage

unfinished poembecause it stinks

dumping the trash

holes of winterunseasonable snow

a mended gown

hard flash of lightstabbed by a knifefalling into water

gray dustthe fluffy cat brings something

from under the bed

death in winter

knittingdeath watch

a dropped stitch

freezing rainanother breakdown

in the dialysis machine

death watchone threadunravels

sobsthe oxygen tank

hisses

death morningsnow flakes falling

each alone

windshield wipernot brushing away

the tears

the child that diesbefore its shape is clear

in heartbeat waters

given in marriageand with a child

she dies

sucking bonesthe toothless old man

buried by a crooked pine

drinking tea

boiling waterto make tea

dulcimer tune

morning lightthe taste of snow

in thin tea

heart-shadowhandle of a cup

of herb tea

clear teaholding a calmin the storm

out of the cupcold air giving steam

a shape

farmers in winter

a farmerhow he walks through his meadow

when his boots leak

weathered woodthe old guy leans

on the fence

fishermen in winter

for ships at seathe sun also

sinks

arthritic knuckleswinter fogs untangle

knotted fish nets

a thin manopening a jackknifeleans on his elbow

getting fat

garage salebuying the skinny lady's

old wide pants

foiling hereditymother and daughter

diets

going to church

stone churchthe breath of statues

frosty tonight

mountain villagersa stony church with candles

warming each other

cry of windin chapel walls

chanting mouths

heavy chapel stonesweighed down with bass chanting

a cold apse

Gregorian chantssunlight on stone walls

rounding warmth

monasterypower lines on

crosses

cathedralthe many visitors

polished rocks

crystal glassmonastery bell fills

it with wine

rows of crossesa monastery bell tollsabove the vineyard

a sermonthe deep breathingof a sleeping child

her scarfcovering the sleeping face

a dream soul net

handcrafts

gnarled knucklesknotting rag rugsfor a hope chest

dulcimer chordspatterns of a quilt

fitting together

spittle stringscollecting threadsfrom the new quilt

sunrisestring catches colors

on the loom

a shuttle humsbetween stringsa deep twang

crippled fingersthe forgotten wayof making paper

winter drizzlecrocheting a blue rug

at the door

knittingto farmlandsbare trees

weaving a blanketthis wood stove perfumes

carded wool

knittingto close out the gossip

a stitch snarls

a chalk drawinga piece of ambervery near pain

stained handsa rag rug crocheting

winter's evening

deep in winterthe lady lives aloneunfinished baskets

foggy morning findsa torn book of poemsthe patchwork quilt

black buttonsunder broken baskets

bugs stare

hunting

before the firedeer hunters discussing

cars

old hunterconfined to setting traps

for mice

snapped!caught in a mousetrap

a night's sleep

ice skating

a broken mirrornow the ice breaker pushes apart

the joys of skating

making candy

in the 'fridgethe dark chocolate

with the door closed

making snowmen

the young boyrefusing to build

a snowman

meditation

incense burnsinside a moon shell

whorls of smoke

knots in woodtemple walls echo

a gong

monks slow songof evening chanting

stomachs growl

tantra monk chantsthe mouth nearest mine

breathing

monks chantingthe crooked pinewind straightened

sun movesover rough-sawn planks

monks chanting

one bowl koanZen students laugh

and lap it up

channelsthe balance of chi

in two hands

earth-loosenedascending heaven

monks chant

earth heavychanted prayers ascend

into high humming

lessonsstars during the day

still there

alone in the forestclosing one gate

opening the other

tapered prayera lone pine points

into heaven

Zen gardenpatterns raked by falling rain

still the dust

stiff from sittinghow welcome the fireof crooked branches

Zen studentasked the way home

shows his koan

omthe fog hornhums along

music listening

a flute concertthe cat breathes gentlythrough her whiskers

soprano solomeasures the cathedral's

highest praise

organ recitalloosened soot falls free

in the stove pipe

piano concertby firelight the flickering

of notes

the oilinessof earache medicine

organ music

organ recitalthe cherub over the altar

sways in time

organ musicthe school principal's words

"go to my office"

church organ musicwondering if my tampon

will hold it all

high tenor voicecarries into a vaulted arch

my tears

harp notessewing the hemof winter's robe

madrigalshumming in pine walls

winds

soprano's ariaa cavity in my tooth

fills with pain

flute concertsalt water crashesinto silver spray

flute concertblown from foggy skies

silver drizzle

madrigalsfrom the 15th century

rain continues

music making

Christmas carolsthe Buddhist convert

hums along

in notes from the harpstringing together

evening hours

singing old songsthe surf rolls on the sand

its roar

winter roomwarmth of a string vibrating

old songs

desert windcomposing a flute concert

in pine wood

deep at seawind in the harpof whale songs

with the harpthe whole house hums

a windsong

closing his eyeshis horn findsthe blue note

plucking the stringsfrozen flakes fallfar from the harp

importeda German zither

snowflakes

Saturday nightin the widow's cabin

dulcimer music

rented househarp hollow

cold

lamplightthe room seems empty

without zither notes

outdoor plumbing

going out to peehe gives it a shake

hurries back to the fire

outdoor plumbingwith a shower of snowflakes

soap bubbles

winter nightsthawing pipestaking a leak

stars watchingme shower

with snowflakes

starlightall around the shower

snowflakes

clean feeton redwood steps

a pad of snow

freezingan outdoor showersnow-caked soap

more whitein washed-wet hair

snowflakes

power outage

winter stormsdinner by candlelight

every night

computer softwarereading the new manual

by candlelight

lamplighthow small the room

without power

cheese sandwicheswarmed on the wood stove

where soup cooks

yuppie neighborswith central heating

around the cookstove

without powerthe snap sound working

in a mousetrap

haiku poets toochop wood carry waterwhen the power's off

religion

dog-earedZen Flesh Zen Bonescorners turned down

after the fastingthe bitterness of salt

speaking again

castle of lighta spiritual pattern

on the path

reading

book of poemson each page fingerprints

of a soul

breathingunderlining sentences

in a book

down from bookshelvesancient myths come to life

thick ocean fog

paperback romancesthe eyes of a woman reading

her own story

finger of darknessa forest of black shapes

closes my book

remembering ancestors

whispersmy ancestors turning to larva

under the mounds

smoked glassesin oak wood frames

faces

grandfather nodsportraits on a farmhouse wall

in a wobbly mirror

in a flashnot letting him die

a photograph

retirement

rest homeknitting potholders for the kitchen

she no longer has

laughterin nursing home halls

peeling from the molding

old folks homethe no trespassing sign

faded

sewing

gentle holesin clean underwear filling

the sewing basket

skiing

snow and sunshinepulling cars with skis

into mountains

bouncing from snowso young the sunshine

on childish cheeks

streaks of sunshinesliding down the north slope

laughing children

sledding

putting away the sledthe frayed rope drags

in the mud

snowbound

snowbounddigging out

haiku

snow pictures

catching a chillthe failure to photograph

snowflakes

snow shoveling

shoveling her snowthe parakeet hops behind

glass frost flowers

a chapped lip soundthe neighbor shoveling snow

on a brick path

an old womanthe harshness of winter

in her hands

starting fires

casting snowfrom a bundle of twigs

the first warmth

borrowing twigshis hand outstretched

to the meager fire

cold gathersthe sulphur sparkagainst thin wood

striking a matchdawn flashed inthe oval mirror

cloud mountainsitting around the stove

feet on the fender

above the wood stovethe antique mirrorreflects the warmth

sunsetsin a much-used fireplace

a scratched match

deep in the foresta blazing stovehearts beating

black wood stovethe bright sounds

of warmth

into the clearingwood smokefor pea soup

a rusty wood stovewarmth spreads into the room

star-shaped

silencea log breathing

tongues of flame

the conversationbetween wood and the iron stove

our few words

behind the stovethe old clay demijohn

of firewater

burned outremains of a cabin

a fireplace

dark in darkthen lighting logsin the fireplace

blazing logsgas flowers bloom

red and orange

gas flowerswarm a winter room

blazing logs

embers darkenthe eastern skya warm glow

heavy fogenclosing the hearth fire

gray stones

silencewarmed by a wood stove

winter

runescracks in hearth stones'

messages

polished red eyesin the copper kettle

firelight

worm holesin the blazing log

warm again

hearth stonesaround dark embers

warmth

spiritsforming fire

into logs

quieter nowflames subsidein ashen sleep

rusty irondrawing flames

above logs

punchlinesparks from a log fire

brighten the night

ah! the heatfrom old Playboys

the fire starts

cliff side houseinside ocean spray

a fireplace

picture bookflames from a curved log

warm the heart

unfinished cabininsulated with bookshelves

warm day and night

crash and burnthe sound of surf

in a fireplace

nights something growingwood in the stove

a flame

hummingthe started fire

my chattering teeth

winter clearance sales

winter clearance salethe size of snowflakescoming down together

winter illness

wild with feverdreams come wearing masks

pale at dawn

my back to the floorwalls become slatted trees

wobbly with fever

sick in bed all dayhow the shape of the oak

has entertained me

after the flucups half-filled with tea

very small steps

even when illthe day endswith evening

chewing cough dropsa basket of nose-wet tissues

spill to a sneeze

around the eavesthe wind whistlesinto an earache

in her fevered brainthe patterns in the quilt

solid blocks of light

winter coldsnowdrifts

of damp tissues

coughingthe sky fills with flakes

of hard snow

for grandmawith love at Christmas

- the flu -

sickroom feelingthe fake formica

flooring

ears openthe soul follows

the pain

to smell a splinterlong under the skin

my little finger

rain predictedcalling the doctor

for an appointment

a confused brainunscrambling the diagnosis

renal failure

at your sidethe huge bandagewithout comment

in the hospitalyour house slippers scuffed

by our floors

after the injectionyou smile at my story

and sleep

migrainesitting in a canyon

on a split rock

recuperatingall the electricityback in the lamp

care fullfolding the new stitches

into a chair

a fuzzy bicyclestraddling my nose

bifocals

new reading glassesa black blur

crosses the threshold

a poulticeon my shoulder

dreams of haymaking

two daysseparated by the sameness

a broken bone

castin plasterthrobbing

blue tin cupthe burn on a finger

blistering

steady rainthe dentist's drillturning to snow

snowing againa cold wind bites

the newly capped tooth

junkieveins holding a heartabove dark waters

paina wound without shape

cut-away skin

winter's seclusion

winter rainthe cook eats alonein the dining room

roofa silent sliceinto the sky

broken shellsthe fishing boat pulled ashore

for winter

closed shopsa loose board bangson the winter wind

well-tended gardenshere lies the snow

especially deep

blunt with icethe barge's bowsprit

anchored fast

windbothering the drapesof a closed window

battery cablesgiving winter's morning

a jump start

home againmy lacy white pillow

ocean surf

unpainted porchsea fog comes

to a closed door

clearing his throatthe lawyer plays with the fob

on his watch chain

writing

light heartthe pressure of writing

with lead pencils

ashes of incensea page of poems

hiding words

before the journeymy last poemscopied neatly

winter shadowspoems written on the back

of an electric bill

poetrycovering holes in the wall

with a wide brush

silencewhite paperunmarked

ink blotwhere haiku

sleeps

smudginga page of poems

ashes

sleepwith the poemwritten down

poetry contestmy name misspelled

on the first line

rainy weatheraward propped on the table

sticks to the sugar bowl

rainy daypoems on the page

water spots

pen movingin the dark black ink

of clear images

a chain link fencewriting renga in prison

holds him together

beach poemswritten on driftwood

with charcoal

rough papersnagging ideas

in black

writing down a poemin that time-spacethe fire takes hold

morning's faint lightseeing again the words

in the sent letter

WINTER Animals

barnyard animals

cows in the barnthe wet eye in the meadow

frozen shut

bear

tall talesof bears on the ridgea garbage can tips

winter dayas a hairless bearsleeping sleeping

black birds

flying from the branchsun in a bird's winga shower of snow

blackbirds leavingon bare winter wands

pussy willows

winter birdskicking down fireworks

from snowy twigs

arrangedon bare branches

bird songs

bare branchextended by a bird

in flight

river cloudsclots of black birds

darken the sky

a flutter of wingsyet the bare branch

stays bent

story of a lifein a foreign language

nut hulls on melting snow

drawing cliffsa black birdthe brush

feathered wingtips jagged sea

rocks sharp north wind

birds - caged

mirroredin a bird cagea child's face

birds - sleeping

winter dawn cameas the sound of blowing snow

sleeping birds

cocoon

thin wet snowthe warm wiggle within

a cocoon

cats - old

what dreamsholding on one's lap

a sleeping cat

dreamingher quivering pawsstill catching mice

into a windy nightthe cat takes her cries

to be let in

winter's catall of her wants

in my lap

winter starscat claws in the screen door

desperately cold

storm windin the cat's teeth

meowing

coldcomes to bed at two

the white cat

dog

his dog moves closerthe owner quotes a price

for land and trees

injured dogall of his words

in one eye

the dogscratches as owner

his fleas

only vertebraethe found white flowers

of a pet dog

a barking doglittle bits of night

breaking off

dark voicesof night bushes

a dog barks

a Pekinesebarking at Mozart's aria

then everyone claps

crunch of bonesin the hollow places

between the dog's teeth

retreating wavesa tiny barking doghas them scared

dolphins

dolphinsarching rainbows

of opal light

doves

hands in the lightat peace demonstrations

the flutter of doves

eagle

eagle soarsbeyond boundary lines

a judge on a bench

line of wordsholding the day

we saw the eagle

egret

snow whiteegrets preen their feathers

by cotton fields

nobilitywading in up to their knees

egrets

an egretthe elegance of patience

in a tide pool

fish

salt seathe bones of fish

crystallized

red winter's dawntrout for breakfastslightly smoked

ripples in waterfish spinesand mine

mountain moonpart of the ice-rimmed pond

eyes of trout

scaling fishfrom the waning moon

snowflakes

thawingfrozen fish

caught in summer

geese

shapes of geesecut from the snowy whiteness

nothing lacking

gull

a sneezein the old sea gull's

knobby knees

white surflining the coasta band of gulls

screamingat the booming surf

a band of gulls

silent sea creaturesfeeding

the cries of gulls

passing flockout of a clear blue sky

cry of a lone gull

visiting sea gullson a winter beach

an old couple

winter stormlanding with a sea gullone feather falls free

sea gullsthe sacred script

in blue

sea gullslifting from wild surf

spindrift

shadow on the seaa wave forming

a gull's wing

herons

a blue heronstaring at

a blue heron

horse

deep snowthe horse walks the paths

of summer

a white cloudhanging on the horse's nose

to keep warm

riderless horsesin the high road sky

before the storm

with the thawbuckling the old saddle

on a frisky horse

snowboundblack and white horses

stay in the stall

a white stallionsea fog on snowsuddenly solid

high-tide beachfilling hoof tracks

horses

my new roadviolated by a horseridden by a stranger

after days of rainthe first sunbeam on the road

a galloping horse

riding in waveshorse tracks on wet sand

scalloping

monkey

wet monkey hairorgan grinder's tinkley tunes

in a cold rain

mouse

in winter wallsour own mice hoard

the warmth

wind moving grassesquick as a mouse

stealing seeds

a mouseimmeasurable

in me

the mouse and I shareher nest in the sock drawer

my house in the woods

mussels

high tidemussel soupready to eat

owl

from his tonguewind tears the screech

of a snow owl

sea fog wingsover coastal hills

a white owl

windin the snow owl's wing tips

whoo

movinga handful of moonlight

the owl's wing

your snoringthe owl answerssome dreams

night skieson the owl's breast

dawn

Cathedral Canyonsuddenly an Indian maid says

"See the white owl?"

night skiesunder the owl's wing

mouse hearts

pig

ham and beet topsfor dinner our neighbor's

pet pig

polar bears

solar cellsin polar bear hairs

ice crystals

plover

thawingthe face of the lake

plovers crying

raccoon

raccoon's silenceemptying garbage can fill

the night with sound

rats

waterfront motelfor $125 a nightwatching the rats

salamander

fertilizer sackhiding the salamander dreams

up more magic

sandpipers

sandpipersskimming from the beach

silence

sheep - mother

mother sheepin her mouth meltshoar frost on grass

sparrow

stop signthe sparrow lands with a bug

dead in its mouth

starfish

patternson the starfishsnow crystals

starlings

notes arrangedon telephone poles

starling songs

three-string banjosongs of starlingson telephone wires

tracks in snow

after the dart gamein new fallen snow

deer tracks

on the paththe hop marks of rabbits

wink of snow

thanks for crumbsscattered on the frozen snow

seed hulls with tracks

vultures

circling usvultures sense

a rotting marriage

whale

whale migrationmappedsongs

whale songslong slow straight

grain in wood

quiet seaonly migrating whales

blow

ocean depthssunlight laces history

in whales

south on highway onepassing whalesheaded north

newspaper foldedall eyes drawn seaward

by passing whales

eveningsunsets into the seaa guide for whales

hot tub steamin ocean fogwhale songs

whalesfollowing the quarter moon

with half-closed eyes

whalesdividing the ocean

east and west

a wall of watercurves and crashes

a whale

great earswhale bodies ocean deep

messages

sand and rocksbuilding whales bones

sea stars

sea surpriseplumes of whale breath

bell buoy clanging

small bumpson wide blue seas

whales

starswhales

roadmaps

a high hillcalls to a whale

lighthouse

to sleepwhere whales deepand dolphins play

bones buriedin the backs of whales

their hind legs

floating islandcarrying its own cloud of mist

migrating whale

whistling swansswans winter-over onthe Garcia River delta

whistling swansbirthdeath of a wet year

on a green wing

goose pimplesseeing in winter

many whistling swans

wild duck

the wild duckas if to shake off frost

the moonlight

wintercoming around the bend

wild ducks

dawn even lighterthan snow covered branches

cry of ducks

winter fly

winter flychased by the rainbows

of cut glass

wolf

a night howlfrom deep in a wolf

into the dark

woodpecker

tall dead pinethe tiny holes of the woodpecker's

pantry

wren

a small brown wrentrapped in my house

I in my realm

WINTER Plants

amaryllis

swollenthe amaryllis bud

already red

low-slanted sunin the red amaryllis

turning on lights

bare trees

live oakschanging their shapes

the fog

leaving the lighttrunks of tall trees

sink into roots

in the clearinghovering a circle of trees

their halos

bare treeshidden in purple vapor

swollen buds

German graydecorated with snow

popsicle trees

wood smokeshaping the radiant bodies

of trees in winter

beech

melted snow watertrickling over the veinsof a dried beech leaf

birches

crossed at the anklesher lovely legs

among young birches

birchesin the beveled glass

winter

snow rainthe thin birch branches

so very slender

white birchesblack and white in snow

at lava point

the fire diesamong naked birches

burned bones

Black Forest

black forestnight extinguishes

the snow

sun and snowstill in the pinesthe black forest

bracken - winter

rusty red the brackenits shape lost as the cold

takes the bird's wing

winter brackenfrail hands push aside

a garden path

branch

after the stormrain covers the scar

a branch blown away

whalebone tree limbto rock this childthe sun's passing

winter freezebuds of passion flower

faint with pink

buds

rhododendron parkbuds too

closed till spring

silenceof winter leaves

tightly rolled buds

cedar

bent cedarsfacing north all night

snow-covered

before rice shootsin paddy ponds the tips

of ancient cedars

low cloudsbending cedar tips

rain

mountain windsfrom the unseen temple

cedar incense

cementingthe cedars in place

sea fog

cypress

rooted in rockswinter rains

twist a cypress

sky calligraphythe pruned cypress

grown tall

dried weeds

her tinkling laughdried weeds stiff

with ice

grasses - withered

thin dune grassweaving winter sunshine

warm into the wind

white rimof wild winter seas

withered grass

water musicsea winds scraping

frozen grass

evergreens

seeds scatteredaround the evergreen trees

a complete circle

fir

silver tippedsnow deepening

fir silence

hothouse flowers

well-wateredthe hothouse violet

withers

ice plants

storm seastearing from sea cliff rocks

ice plants

lichens

granite bouldersfootprints from dancing

covered with lichens

manzanita

spaced outtiny manzanita flowers

among snowflakes

bouncingout of manzanita bushes

hail and blossoms

stronger whiteblossoms remainingafter the hailstorm

oaks

resort in winterthe black fountains

of oaks

wrinkles in hillsshadows of crooked branches

of barren oaks

onion

all their halosfalling in the soup

onions

pulling onionssea fog drift apartneighbors come by

oranges

red candleholding a bunch of oranges

for the winter sun

winter sunwet silk foldedin an orange

pampas grass - withered

winter stormsas plumes of surf risepampas grass nods

persimmon

red-breasted birdsamong ripe persimmons

hiding from the cold

plum

north windspinning snow blossoms

into bare plum

pine

snowfieldsblack pine roots twist

a dark stream

scrawny pinesall twigs and branches

in scanty snow

a crowing crowup the canyon a windsharp pine fragrance

cliff hangingin a gnarled pinecrooked sunshine

alive againmorning sun

on the dead pine

snow-bendingpine boughs

drifted

crossing to the islandpines have arrived

before us

deep in the forestthe taper of pines

brightens the clearing

high principlesinner power of pine trees

reaching the sky

pine needlessticking into the fog

raindrops

moving aroundthe wind in the pines

comes home

snow-covered pinesYosemite Falls

in white water plumes

wind furyin its shape

a crooked pine

shadow of a tall pinesweeping an arch

low around the earth

a split rockpine shadow

slips in

sighingwind takes from pines

their history

spindrifthangs in shore pines

moss

wisps of fogwriting Persian poetry

with the pine

poinsettia

bright red leavesheld so high by a winter stem

poinsettia

popcorn

country Christmasunder a sprinkle of stars

stringing popcorn

reeds

rain in the reedsin her mind the river flows

backwards

withered reedsall bent one way

by ice

even colderthe breath of the north wind

between broken reeds

roots

meandering streamdark amidst the snow

twisted roots

winter willowsa vase full of roots

rain runs from

the meeknessof trees with roots exposed

the icy creek

mountain pinesmoving as I walk

these rootless things

sagebrush

sagebrushsweetened with snow

plump flowers

sage brush bloomsfive inches of snow

purified

cleaneron the sagebrush

snow

sedges

sky writingsedges gracefully line

"Mirror Marsh"

sequoia

snow-meltspeaking to noble sequoias

in whispers

giant sequoia rootsrunning away

in a snow-melt stream

fantasyin an old sequoia

a brown bear

standing alonethe elegance of sequoia

balanced

giant sequoiaa finger counting rings

touches history

keeping cameras awaythe imperial height

of sequoias

running watergiant sequoia roots

not moved

sequoiastheir tallness presses

roots in rocks

sequoiastheir roots

rocks

Yosemiteafter all the waterfallsuplifted by sequoias

2000 year old tree"it should live forever"

whispers a child

snow-melt streamthe sound of giant sequoias

growth

cinnamon redthe last rays of sun

in fragrant trees

cinnamon redthe fragrance of sequoia

in the color

on the wooden pathold folks walk slowlyamong ancient trees

straw

on frozen snowstill warm from the cow barn

broken straw

sugar pine

surrounding a treethe puzzling shapesof sugar-pine bark

tumbleweeds

tumbleweedspiled against barbed wire

snow's lacy patterns

tulip spears

winter rainon Holland's tulip spears

empty rooms

vines

vinesagainst a brick schoolhouse

clinging snow

winter bushes

small bushescover the desert floor blue

winter sunset

withered leaves

up to a branchwind took a winter leaf

let it fall again

snowcooling the colorswithered leaves

frost spikesthe growing cold

of withered leaves

Finis