crows

crows skimming

the unbroken snow

nothing more

Shiki Kukai, March 2011; theme: crow

heaven

heavenly days –

Andy Warhol kisses

Liz Taylor's ring

Let perpetual light shine upon them

buds

first buds

the dream fading

as I tell it

First place, Caribbean Kigo Kukai, March 2011

names

all the names

I'm learning to pronounce –

tsunami

shapes

cloud shapes

I cross out

a line

First published in Notes from the Gean.

after: 17

plum blossoms

red! red!

. . . red!

Izen ?-1710

A poem about being rendered inarticulate in his excitement at a natural phenomenon. What's got him so excited? Perhaps these will help to explain:

plum trees flowering

around the countryside

the only sign of spring

Rito 1680-1754

in nooks and crannies

you can still feel the cold –

plum blossoms

Buson 1716-1784

spreading my mat in the field

I contemplate

plum blossoms

Buson

raising my head

to contemplate the vast sky –

the scent of plum blossoms

Soin 1604-1682

for the one whose hand

breaks off a branch

the scent of plum blossoms

Chiyo-ni 1701-1775

after breaking off

a flowering branch –

no more hiccups!

Issa 1763-1827

someone is blowing

his nose with his fingers –

plum blossoms

Basho 1644-1694

The "after" posted Dec. 30, 2010 may cast further light on the issue.

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010

shoreline

shoreline

what winter

has left us

Shiki kukai September 2010

After: 16

the evening bell

fades away . . .

blossoms' scent

Basho 1644-1694

We can use a little spring.

For an explanation of "afters," see the post for Nov. 2, 2010