Tuesday, January 31, 2012

thirtyfirst stone





along the river
where the flowers gather
this dream
of the moment when winter
loosens its stranglehold

Monday, January 30, 2012

thirtieth stone



words spinning
out of control
out of season
winter, having nothing left to say
exits through an open window

twentyninth stone



in a chipped cup
the last of the cocoa
forgotten
but for the sweetness
upon my unkissed lips

Saturday, January 28, 2012

twentyeighth stone



the moment
between dawn and sunrise
a gift
unfurled from the arms of Gaia
her song an offering to the heavens


Happy Birthday Pamela. Thank you for encouraging me to try tanka. :)

Friday, January 27, 2012

twentyseventh stone



rereading Night
safe from the storm
my mind twisted
in the hands of the madman
who thought he could slaughter souls

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. God bless all those who were lost and all those who survived.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

twentysixth stone



after tonight's
thunder and rain
all we have left
is the difference between
loving and being in love

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

twentyfifth stone



the birthday
of this indigo child
celebrated
in all the colors of the sunrise
and the songs of all the birds

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

twentyfourth stone



here and there
the sky so full of stars
to wish upon
but the new moon drawing
only this winter surf closer

Monday, January 23, 2012

twentythird stone



sleeping through
the morning fog
and waking
with it still surrounding me
at the news of another family death

Sunday, January 22, 2012

twentysecond stone




new moon
in deep slumber
I dream
somewhere saving this universe
are dragons like these

Happy Chinese New Year!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

twentyfirst stone



winter winds
the day's snow
now black ice
my mind travels down
a mischievous road

Friday, January 20, 2012

twentieth stone



bare branches
against the blue sky

silently
I forget for a moment
the coldness of the world

nineteenth stone



slack tide
the answer
that never comes
his discomfort with dilemmas
hanging in the air

eighteenth stone



in the peace
of the morning
my dreams
refusing to acknowledge
the authority of the rising sun

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

seventeenth stone



I slept
through the worst of it
that nightmare
when asked now if I remember
I can honestly say I do not

Monday, January 16, 2012

sixteenth stone



sleep
its sometimes wicked
sense of humor
allows slumber through the sublime
yet conscious absurdity

Sunday, January 15, 2012

fifteenth stone



a friend spoke
of the peace in poetry
today
my body and soul resting
within the lines of Dylan

Saturday, January 14, 2012

fourteenth stone



my heart
in the hands of a stranger
beats today
as steady as the path
of the river to the sea

Friday, January 13, 2012

thirteenth stone



cocoa and kirsch
shielding us
from the cold
we speak between scrabble turns
about the loss of our mothers

Thursday, January 12, 2012

twelfth stone



driving rain
and the whistle of the train
at 5 a.m.
I snuggle deeper into the comfort
of knowing I've nowhere to go

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

eleventh stone



so many orchids
with their hot pink petals
and plump centers
when mother would have preferred
the african violets

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

tenth stone



today
the chill keeps me inside
again
the tune I no longer hear him hum
runs nonstop in my head

Monday, January 9, 2012

ninth stone



eyes on the skyline
waiting for the wolf moon
nature's art
begs me to reframe my world
in colors I've yet to imagine

Sunday, January 8, 2012

eighth stone



on this path
where no one walks
the cold sky
so full of piercing jibberish
in the language of crows

Saturday, January 7, 2012

seventh stone




17 days
into winter
the air so warm
through my closed eyes I see
butterflies in the garden

Friday, January 6, 2012

sixth stone



his tail fluffed
a small squirrel perched still
on a bare branch
I wonder would he if he could
complain about the cold

Thursday, January 5, 2012

fifth stone



the warmth
of the won ton soup
and his hug
strong enough to melt away
the chill of last night's snow

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

fourth stone



sleeping through
the meteor shower
comfort in knowing
this eternal universe
will go on without me

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

third stone



its disguise
right from the start
of the new year
this blazing sun masking
the arctic blast

Monday, January 2, 2012