Tuesday, May 28, 2013

28 may water dream

rain
rain
again

the wet bridge flags
           
as the old man
lifts wood
in his sleep

I regret wine
he sighs

he
places feet
on cloud cumulus

spans solid ground?


thin
waves of


to

bow
is
as
1
0
8
is



Monday, May 20, 2013

adrift

copper hulled
safe from sea worms
float
above
cold fish fjords
ice lipped, strange tree,  there
young squirrel's nest of pear
blossom and branches
spring ahead
but the
the sky
the sky
freezes this
adrift
a sparrow
a warbler
a strange black bird
upon the sea



Friday, May 17, 2013

prairie grass burns quick and hot
high as, higher than a woman

thought of Nebraska
an endless sea of green







Thursday, May 16, 2013

I live
insular
3-6 months a year.
So many days and nights away
among strangers and friends.
New streams found,
unfamiliar fields
of light and darkness.

Yesterday, looking out
the studio, I saw a
song sparrow.

She clung to the screen,
looking in.

It's spring.

Am I digging up roots
or planting them?


Monday, May 13, 2013

1000 boats

losing you
as 1000 boats
float
away.

3 thrown holy things


3 holy things thrown together
the fern curl of an Irish crozier
Egyptian baptismal ladle
a buddha from Swat

not

unexpected

this
desire to reinvent
another's sacredness


linguistic numbers

13000 years BCE
24?
swadesh says
241
215
or
206.
Then taken down
pared to
100.
Lately screened, scrimmed
to
35,
perhaps even an odd 23.

23?
24?
No more?



a common language


we
I
you
know what fire
words give

bury
spit
in ashes

bury
man woman
child
under
them

those ashes.
those words.
so many, so many.


bell beakers

this
sings
rings

sound
bowl
cup

up
from earth




Sunday, May 12, 2013

vessel

The hand hollowed clay makes.
The hand hollowed clay breaks.

Fullness past,
emptiness last.


sunday

sun
sun
white

frost
tonight

dream - mother's day


twice seen

Slender trees walking in bright water. 

invisible voice:

"These produce swimming lions and boats."

dream - buddha's birthday

dream


Candles, in night water,
call to lanterns, rising.


Once light floats,
darkness flies.







take away

once done
given
take
away


Thursday, May 2, 2013

Sijo

3 lines
14 syllables

in English

5 or
6 lines

from 9 Songs of Ko San 16th century

7
7
11
9
8

5 lines
14 syllables





till

turned soil twice
first spade
then sparrow

thought crimes

what language
last in the mind
Yi Sang
as you lay dying
in Fukuoka Prison?
giving up
me
to make things.

he said
true.