Short Poems

Birds singing
in the dark
—Rainy dawn.

sudden showers ~
a rose petal on the sidewalk
drifts away

Young man stretches
for hibiscus flowers
heart-red they grace my bed

scent of plum blossoms
on the misty mountain path
a big rising sun

The winter river;
down it come floating
flowers offered to Buddha.

Flannel-flowers dancing
To the Dawn on the hill-tops ...
The Vision of Spring!

for Sheila Murphy

Kings live in Palaces, and Pigs in sties,
And youth in Expectation. Youth is wise.

Believe not that I have ever loved thee. I have eaten thee as I would a ripe fig, I have drank thee as I would drink hot water, I have carried thee about me like a belt of skin.

I have amused myself with thy body because thou hast short hair and pointed breasts upon thy thin chest, and black nipples like two little dates.

Just as one must have water and fruit, a woman is also necessary, but already I have forgotten thy name, thou, who hast passed between my arms like the shadow of another adored one.

There’s an eyeball in the gumball machine,
Right there between the red and the green,
Lookin’ at me as if to say,
“You don’t need anymore gum today.”