Otiosity

torrid afternoon—

the cat’s otiosity

synchronized with mine

Leaf

In perfect silence

a yellow maple leaf melts

into the river.

In perfect silence

three women bring sunflowers

to adorn the graves.

At dusk in the rain,

even the cricket chorus

is a threnody.

seven cicadas

droning in the orange grove

louder, still louder

One more festival

to cleanse me of every sin—

will it work this time?

seven little boys

at the Gion Festival

shouting at the crows

firecrackers flash-bang

alley cat ducks for cover

behind the dumpster

slicing a mango

beside the green rice paddy—

rivers of juices

Cooling breeze,

why did you leave me

for the stars?