Tongues

 
 
 

blackbird and river—
 
their constant conversation
 
in different tongues

Know

 
 
 

How much do you know,
 
blackbird on my garden gate,
 
of the storm to come?

Yearning

 
 
 

midwinter morning—
 
yearning for the first blossom
 
on the backyard plum

Thief

 
 
 

Little mango thief,
 
rivulets of golden juice
 
dribble down your chin.

Snow

 
 
 

Blackbird stops to stare—
 
every branch of the plum tree
 
is covered with snow!

Desire

 
 
 

in a photograph
 
plum blossoms my heart desired
 
forty years ago

Dreams

 
 
 

A blooming plum tree
 
keeps appearing in my dreams
 
on the coldest nights.

Kitten

 
 
 

contented kitten—
 
the space heater at my feet
 
purring and purring

Cemetery

 
 
 

First day of the month—
 
the children’s cemetery
 
sports a fresh, new grave.