snow

snow after midnight

drifting into a dream

of empty roads

biting

biting wind

a puppy dances

with the leaves

a thought for thanksgiving

if winter comes

can spring be far behind—

well, far enough

I'll be spending the Thanksgiving weekend with family in eastern Massachusetts. To everyone who celebrates the holiday: Have a good one.

Bill

faded photo (tanka)

faded photo

I am the baby

my father holds

. . . on his face

a look I never knew

fall

cold sunlight

the last leaf brushing branches

in its fall

cafe

waiting for you

at the sidewalk cafe

half moon

try a tanka

Tanka is a 5-line form derived, like haiku and senryu, from the Japanese, but now found in many languages. The Japanese form consists of 31 onji (sound units) divided into segments of 5-7-5-7-7. English-language tanka tends to greater freedom in form, while generally observing a 31-syllable limit over a 5-line format. Many also prefer a short-long-short-long-long arrangement of the lines, but this is not a fixed practice. There is generally a turn (a shift of meaning, tone, etc.), often at the end of the second or third line. In this case, I'd place the turn at the end of the second line. Lines 1-2 give information, lines 3-5 reflect on the information.
Anyway, I wrote this tanka last week. It's the first tanka I ever wrote.

the cherry
stands shedding its leaves
what can it know
of blossoms fallen in spring
and blossoms yet to come

alternates

I often revise haiku, but this is a rather different case. Here are two alternate versions of the "same" haiku. My subjective preference is for the first one. The second one, however, follows more closely the traditional haiku form, or at least the dominant form within the tradition. I don't intend to throw either one away.

#1

the old man on the bench

following the drift

of autumn leaves

#2

autumn leaves

the old man on a bench

following their drift

gathering

gathering my thoughts

dry leaves carry the wind

around the courtyard

post coitum

after making love

the draft

from an open window