Her eyes were the color of varnished oak,
Shining in the white clarity of youth.
Her first glance, looking up from my query,
Fixed them upon me with her simple charm.
And then – suddenly smiled, easy and pure,
Taking my breath and soul without effort;
I knelt to be closer still as we spoke.
Words long forgotten and forgettable,
They play in my mind as a muted song,
As I still clearly see her soft brown eyes.
This moment is still fixed upon my mind,
A full score gone, since her song stole my soul,
Leaving me empty and forever changed.
A lifetime of memories follow fast,
All wound up in tumbling confusion;
They slow to a stop when I remember,
That one look, followed by a simple smile.
As a small child I began tunneling through the dirt,
digging with my hands
I imagined digging through the world
through miles and miles of dirt until, one day,
I would scoop out one last piece and glimpse
the sunlight from the other side
A boy this age doesn’t consider the question of when
gravity would change and when the digging would
cease to be down, but up
Neither does he worry about water tables, or rocky
crust, much less the molten center of the planet
No, a child’s dream is free from these worries
and I imagined the strange world I might
find on the other side
What new people would I meet and what
would they look like? Would I be able to understand
them when they spoke?
These questions and images raced through my mind
as I dug – I don’t know what it was that compelled me
so, but I knew that was where my soul wanted to be
But one day, I gave up the dream, and as a small
boy does when he becomes a bigger boy and
learns the ways of this harsh world, I knew that
I would never see the sunlight peeking through the dirt
as I scooped that one last handful away
Today I wonder what was there, compelling
me to dig, pulling me from the other side of the
planet – Perhaps I will never know
But I look out the window and see the simple spade
leaning lonely up against the shed, and I wonder
Maybe I should dig again
I
the sun reflects you
smiling in its warm blanket
shedding all your fear
II
in your eyes and body
the light is shining softly
warming all around
III
the dawn enraptures
as light replaces darkness
revelation sings
IV
the sky is clear now
rain and wind are washed away
hopes and dreams endure
V
rising like the sun
your smile is in your eyes
offering a kiss
*Note: Read this poem in it’s larger context in
Rain, Wind and Sun – A Story in Haiku at Troubadour 21
I
a gentle breeze blows
softly through the trees and grass
changing direction
II
dandelion seeds
flutter like snow in the wind
contrasts with the warmth
III
squinted eyes shield gusts
remnants of a storm just passed
waiting for the sun
IV
the wind tells a story
though it’s difficult to hear
patience plays a part
V
sometimes it brings sun
other times a greater storm
expectations reign
VI
shelter scarce to find
it’s havoc wrought with peril
let go of control
VII
calm always returns
yet still we will always know
it will leave again
*Note: Read this poem in it’s larger context in
Rain, Wind and Sun – A Story in Haiku at Troubadour 21
I
A soft summer rain
Falls slowly on the sidewalk
Singing pop and hiss
II
Underside of leaves
Dancing in soft steady beats
Crying with the wind
III
Streaming down your face
I see the rivers empty
Filling distant lakes
IV
A gleam in your eye
And your smile soft and welcome
Guarded by raindrops
V
The rain hides your tears
As you pull closer inward
Accepting a kiss
*Note: Read this poem in it’s larger context in
Rain, Wind and Sun – A Story in Haiku at Troubadour 21
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