harsh glare

bend and stretch
the harsh glare of the sun
on the maple leaves

12 June 2014

time of waiting
my breath slows and
my eyes open

12 July 2014

fountain waterfall
the van pulls slowly
out of the DMV

12 July 2014

wood you like to dance?

summer hair-do
the bare wood of the new gate
in the white picket fence

7 June 2014


empty popsicle stick
waist-high weeds brush
against her hips

7 June 2014


bleached driftwood
the sand on the floor migrates
to the dustpan

10 June 2014

sunspots

pelicans wheel
an abandoned beach ball
at the foot of the cliff

30 May 2014


deep shade
the sound of a distant
baseball game

30 May 2014


cool house
sunspots dance everywhere
she looks

30 May 2014

fluorescent moon

gladioli unfold
she hands the old man
a new prescription

30 May 2014


fluorescent glare
she sings old beach boys songs
as she mops

30 May 2014


no summer moon
she lies awake
head awash with haiku

30 May 2014

three flashes

flash of lightning
hard lines etched
around his eyes

flash of lightning
the salesman's oily manner
slips

flash of lightning
the pit of my belly waits
for the thunder

30 May 2014

banana facade

newly painted facade
a flock of pigeons lands
on the cornice

23 May 2014


morning commute
the calico cat stretches
her front paws

23 May 2014


summer trees
he eats a banana
as he pedals his bike

23 May 2014

the blur of jasmine

summer vacation
three pairs of legs
walk in step

23 May 2014


weathered tub
pelargoniums spill out
along the steps

23 May 2014


blurry stars
the jasmine bloom
fills the air

23 May 2014

deep fog

finals week
the finches chatter softly
as they feed

22 May 2014


deep fog
i wish i had another
cup of tea

22 May 2014


11pm
he starts on the homework
that's due tomorrow

22 May 2014

farewell to quirks

fog-bound coast
i remember when his quirks
were adorable

22 May 2014


farewell to spring
a few more dimples
in her behind

22 May 2014


end of may
the spaced-out look in the eyes
of the fledgling robin

22 May 2014

green plums

raindrops
on the green plums --
loose flagstone

20 May 2014


mosquito hatch
the boys decide to build their fort
another day

20 May 2014


road trip
greasy wrappers
in the back seat

20 May 2014

haiku potato chips

trucks rumble
the hot sun bakes
my belly

13 May 2014


no smoking
an early heat wave
in this time of drought

13 May 2014


haiku potato chips
nobody can write
just one

13 May 2014

early stars

morning meeting
a towhee picks
though the spent seed

13 May 2014


hot breeze
another squabble
in the aviary

13 May 2014


early stars
the weed-choked path
to the compost

13 May 2014

signs of summer

late spring greenery
the faded colors
of the town signs

8 May 2014

globe lilies
an empty place
at the supper table

8 May 2014

heat wave
the cat opens one eye
halfway

12 May 2014

drifts and billows

mercury vapor lamps
students drift out
into the spring air

25 April 2014


billowing curtain
shadows dance
along the wall

25 April 2014


lupine pools
another memory stirs
my nostalgia

25 April 2014

sky fall

lowering skies
the thorny trellis fills my eyes
with roses

21 April 2014


leaden skies --
white wisteria hangs heavy
on the bent bough

25 April 2014


morning dance
a lone cricket chirps
among the weeds

30 April 2014

kiss kiss kiss

taking out the compost
the cat tries to trip me
again

17 April 2014


spring skies
the baby bounces
on my son's knee

11 April 2014


old friend
rushed air kisses
over the spring greens

17 April 2014

another year older

another april
the roses don't show
my age

17 April 2014


slow walk
another party
on the neighbor's deck

17 April 2014


cloudless sky
the old dog pees on the carpet
again

11 April 2014

from the shadows

morning tea
the roar of another jet
just overhead

17 April 2014


soft night
stepping around a shadow
that might be the dog

17 April 2014


shriveled bluebells
the dog marks the spot
anyway

17 April 2014

the human condition

tech layoffs
the finches squabble
over nest boxes

11 April 2014


rippled glass
faint pink signs
of the dawn

17 April 2014


remorseless hunter
the toddler chases
the ducks

17 April 2014

coming home to roost

spring break
all my chicks come home
to roost

28 March 2014


window table
people with laptop cases
get off the apple bus

11 April 2014


bearded irises
young students play
his old piano

11 April 2014

bad penny

This little riff was in response to a haiku about a bad penny.

just like that penny
her nose wrinkles
with laughter

tender shoots
bare feet pick their way along
the garden path

new leaves
the same old face
in the mirror

24 March 2014

sweeping changes

new job opening
her interview blouse
in the wash

17 April 2014


short night
the children gather
around a video game

18 April 2014


sweeping the entry
the cat crouches
over her dead bird

18 April 2014

the life of a plum tree

third year of drought
rain strips the blossoms
from the plum trees

2 March 2014


spent blossoms
the unpaid bills piled
a little higher

24 March 2014


lowering skies
a wind-driven shower
of plum petals

28 March 2014


distant clouds
the plum trees lose
a few more petals

17 April 2014

blues skies

blue skies
he digs a grave
for the last pet rat

warm afternoon
two roosters crow
back and forth

trash day again
a raven lights on the top slat
of the compost bin

12 March 2014

holiday freight charge

holiday freight charge
a little more booty
on the dance floor

18 January 2014


potato sky
a froth of pink blossoms
on the gnarled plum

18 February 2014


year of the horse
the slow thud of my heart
beating

24 February 2014

flipflops

back when thongs
were something you wore on your feet

shower shoes
zorries
sand shoes
flipflops

and they were made out of cheap foam rubber

and the strap that went
between your toes
rubbed a blister
each summer until you got used to them

and the beds of the flipflops
indented in the shape of your dirty feet

and you wore them until you got to the beach
when you kicked them high into the air
caught them in free fall
and burnt the bottoms of your feet on the sand

and when you put them on after swimming
they went squidge squidge squidge
as you walked

and when you ran
they clacked smartly against your heel
with each stride

and as the summer wore on
cracks appeared by the button that held the toe strap to the sole
and the toe strap would pop out
and you'd stand there on one foot
while you carefully worked the button back into the hole

and eventually
the toe strap would rip free spectacularly
and you would have to walk home slowly
on the hot sharp gravel road
carrying the flipflop in your hand

and your mother would say
it's almost the end of summer
and your feet are nice and tough now anyway

and you would have the choice
of going barefoot on the sharp gravel
or taking the time
to put on your sneakers

20 June 2013

warm-up dance

warm-up dance
frost silvers the crowns
of the redwoods

20 December 2012


sun-blown trees
a flock of ravens tilt
up the canyon

18 May 2013


lilies of the nile
a newly-fledged junco
hops unsteadily

12 July 2013