tanka

breakfast the bowl holds five yolks from three eggs :: suddenly thinking about the lives of the chickens

in the train windowa flock of black birdsagainst the indigo skyand like ghost birdsthe reflections of streetlights

3-0 game  in the blue sky  above the goalkeeper  a turkey vulture  turns and turns

deep night– after the neighbor stops yelling at her children the mockingbird begins to warble Published in A Handful of Stones, September 6, 2010

one petalfrom the princess treeclings to the windshield—I drive awaylooking in the mirror un pétalede l’arbre impérials’accroche au pare-briseje démarreen regardant dans le rétroviseur published in 25 Canadian Tanka Poets in French and English : Atlas Poetica, May, 2010. French translation by Mike M

I’m amazed and honored to see a poem I wrote included in this collection of Canadian tanka. There is even a translation into French (not by me) — a first for me. one petal from the princess tree clings to the windshield— I drive away looking in the mirror un pétale de l’arbre impérial s’accroche […]

clearing sky– cherry petals lying blown upon the asphalt– what have you taught us except to fall, and fall, and fall? published in American Tanka #16