My backyard garden—
 
the melons haven’t ripened,
 
neither has the corn.

 
 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
to help the melons ripen,
 
warm them with your song.

 
 
 

Rainy winter day—
 
the melons not yet planted
 
ripen in my dream.

Longing

 
 
 

last day of July—
 
longing for all the melons
 
that I did not plant

Melons

 
 
 

First day of summer—
 
melons near the garden wall
 
fatten in the sun.

Prank

 
 
 

first morning glories
 
where the melons should have been—
 
my granddaughter’s prank

Enticing

 
 
 

To the passing thief
 
how enticing the melons
 
cooling in the stream!

Weeds

 
 

seven rows of weeds
 
stealing light from the melons—
 
my tangled garden