Breakfast

 
 
 

Last day of August—
 
a hungry great blue heron
 
spears a breakfast fish.

Map

 
 
 

a map with no towns
 
but all the roads are still there—
 
my journey begins

August

 
 
 

last days of August—
 
looking in vain for blossoms
 
on the cherry tree

Shattered

 
 
 

On a gravel hill
 
a crane with a shattered wing
 
stares into the sun.

Homeless

 
 
 

Midsummer evening—
 
on a street with no flowers
 
a homeless man sleeps.

Wheelchair

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
an old man in his wheelchair
 
scatters crumbs for you.

Train

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
as the night train roars through town
 
you stay fast asleep.

Plaque

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
the marble plaque is empty,
 
waiting for your name.

Stray

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
at the cold-water spigot
 
you sip some stray drops.

Days

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
the days are getting shorter,
 
but your song grows long.