First sorrow of spring—
 
my mother’s teacup shatters
 
on the kitchen floor.

 
 
 

From a third-floor flat,
 
the fragrance of hot chocolate
 
trickles down the stairs.

Bruise

 
 
 

on the apple skin
 
a bruise from having dropped it
 
on the kitchen floor

Café

 
 
 

shattered wineglasses
 
littering the café floor—
 
terrorist attack

Photograph

 
 

an old photograph
 
drifting to the forest floor
 
with a maple leaf

War

 
 

war in the bedroom—
 
shards of crystal, bits of glass
 
littering the floor

Home

 
 
 

old woman at dusk
 
scrubbing the floor on her knees
 
at home in herself

Valentine

 
 
 

crumpled valentine
 
littering their bedroom floor
 
the morning after

Kimono

 
 
 

autumn kimono
 
she lets it drop to the floor
 
steps into winter