Cancer

once it is said:

Head-Smashed-In-

Buffalo-Jump

pitiless blue skies

vultures

But Why Would I?

re: fog

if

necessary

I could

resist

Heat

around

(me)

the fan re-

arranges

June

Re: Enoki

a tiny

stand

of

aspens

Turning North

heavy seas
my heart
lists
and turns
north

Bowl of Milk

not quite

a bowl of milk -

fog

circling the bay

in fog

Unmoored

unmoored
on a winter sea
words form
and fall
in waves

Tsunami Gogyohka

like an oyster

plucked

from the sea

inside

a tiny tsunami

*image courtesy of Emlyn Addison, morguefile.com

Gogyohka Translated into Japanese

How cool is this?! Mr. Enta Kusakabe, the pioneer of Gogyohka, translated my poem I posted on the Gogyohka Junction forum today. I've never seen one of my wee pieces translated into Japanese, so it's exciting. I'm very honored! Apparently he will also publish it in a Japanese magazine that he has. I'm really moved by this. Thank you Enta!

and so
all out of words
I leave
the sea
to itself

そして
言葉なく去る
海
は
海

Sosite
kotobanaku saru
Umi
wa
Umi

To Itself - Gogyohka

and so
all out of words
I leave
the sea
to itself

Gogyohka

I came across a newish form of Japanese verse, pioneered by Enta Kusakabe, that appeals to my rebellious nature called Gogyohka. Pronounced as: go-gee-oh-ka (hard g's).

Beyond the one structural demand of five lines, the poet is freed from the formal constraints of traditional Japanese haiku and tanka verse.

While I love haiku for being, well, haiku, I also have a need to experiment with these minimalist poems and Gogyohka seems like a'spicy meatball...(and are great with noodles!).

the small days

of winter

ghosts

in my own

garden