Summer Sequence
Paul, an'ya, McClintock, b'oki, Kigen, Donna
Long past midnight,
the heat of the day remains
caught in the iris--
its purple petals wilted,
bent forward the waning moon./P
into the backyard
came this trembling of finches
for a short while
what was it they all sought
that my garden didn't have/a
Motionless
above the reeds,
a dragonfly--
ah, the wild blues
it vibrates in the sun./Mc
By the dry, weedy ditch
a large snapping turtle rests;
grey clouds roll in...
hope of the first summer rain
to drench more than just a drought./b
so many kinds, herbs,
fresh summer vegetables,
vendors shout, "Buy here!"--
home, loving the green market,
slicing onions, my eyes tear./K
Early summer
Already an onion seeds
In the garden;
Are the fireflies aware
Of how brief their night is/D
deep dry cracks
on aged hands revealing
it's summer
cloudbursts top the ravine
briefly to overflowing/a
The sound of water,
roaring down the curbstones;
afternoon storm--
broad green leaves shake in the wind;
lightning cracks a black sky/P
Stone wall after rain--
a spider perfectly still
glistening in sun:
te hues of insect and stone,
grey-black, speckled, merge as one/K
Brown mountains
hidden in clouds for weeks,
reappearing--
with your dandelions you bring
the end of the monsoon./Mc
Walking the fence-line
Of the unused pasture
At afternoon's end...
The hum of insects invades,
Overpowers these stray thoughts/D
This place of retreat
once built by vineyard monks;
the smallest chapel--
white snow geese congregate
around thoughts of ancient prayer/b
A gentle breeze
sends a rustle through the leaves
this summer dawn-
aura memories arise
here in this mountain home/P
The air becomes still...
in a gorge the sky narrows,
the river changes hue--
a pocket of purple twilight
that has always been there/Mc
clear from Japan
an antique float ball
faded green--
the brilliance of summer
what a fleeting thing/a