The Existentialist

New Year's party dance floor,

Counting down on the microphone,

And in the packed crowd of revelers,

He felt strangely apart and alone...

Successful Conversation

Holiday dinner table debate,

She decided to fire for effect,

Then watch where the words

Exploded, and be ready to correct,

And as counter-strikes occurred,

Pour more wine, smile, and deflect... 

End Of The Ox Year

Wind from the north,

Gray snow clouds near,

Hurry through the

Afternoon, cold, dry, clear,

Daylight steadily fading

This last day of the year...

大晦日

Year end at the mall, shopping

Crowds in frantic pace,

Little loose cannon kids

Bouncing all over the place,

Fast forward minutes

Into hours tumble, contend,

Racing to some kind of

Climax, ere the year's end...

Gaseous State

Some days are like

The blind leading the blind,

Searching for something

You cannot find,

Moving forward

While falling behind...

A Piece Of Peace

Pause from the daily grind,

Daydream about nothing,

No problem, never mind...

Gift-wrap Tragedy

Beautiful, lovingly packaged

Presents, under the Christmas tree,

Festive wrapping paper soon

To be destroyed with holiday glee,

What took so long to fold and tape,

Gets torn apart instantaneously...

Too Late

Hot red sports car driven by a geezer

Who has money, because he can,

But the lonely oldster wishes he

Could have owned it as a younger man...

Youth

Smile, or cringe, when recalling

Some of the odd things you did,

Back in the careless days

When you were a kid...

冬至の日没

Remembering, in the cold,

Alone, and standing here,

Watch the sun set on this

Shortest day of the year...

Fairy Tale

They were thrilled to be

Protagonists in a story,

But reality contained no

Drama, let alone glory,

Expectations slipping

Into a diminished category...

Ho Ho Ho

Holiday pop music plays in a loop,

Over and over, without fail,

Sonic torture for the minimum

Wage workers, trapped in retail...

常識

Seems like some are 

Born with common sense,

Others learn it through

Bumps and experience,

Then there's fools who don't,

Dealing with consequence...

Short Days

A week away from the solstice

Not much locally seems amiss

Except for politicians taking the piss

02:38AM

Waiting for the dance of

Memories and dreams to cease,

Whereafter lies the prospect

Of slumber, sweet peace...

Too Late

The declines and
Degradations begin,
And don't realize
The peril we're in,
Until we start running
Out of oxygen...

Reconnaissance

Crow speeding across the morning sky,

Doesn't know the name of this day,

But knows it's cold, and searches for

The spots where edible garbage lay,

The hungry crow patrols, no time for

Relaxation, always been that way...

To Mask, Or Not To Mask

The virus was deadly,

Stealthy and insidious,

Those who survived were

Careful and fastidious...

Blanket Cocoon

Motionless, stressless,

Horizontally hover,

All is well, in bed,

Under cover...

Elmwood Park 1975

Carefree, bare feet,

Running in the park,

Chasing the flying

Frisbee's arc,

And sometimes,

With dramatic flair,

Leaping, at speed,

Catch it in mid-air...

師走

Sending gifts, frenzied

Cleaning, preparing feasts,

Countdown now begun in

This month of running priests...

Twinkle Twinkle

Star shining through the

Light-polluted evening air,

I sensed the infinite void 

As I looked up to stare,

The empty miracle of

Sentience, and being there...

On The Grassy Knoll

We, who were promised,

Are waiting here,

For something, anything,

To appear,

And even if

We are mistaken,

Our faith will

Remain unshaken…

Now And Zen

To meditate,

Is to pray,

Without having

Anything to say…

Omicron

Striving to survive,

It mutates and blends,

Virus stays alive,

Pandemic never ends...

Lost Offerings

Old man in the night, moves

With stealth, like a fox,

Sneaks into the shrine to

Steal money from the votive box...

End Result

The choices you make,

Along with luck, and

The actions you take,

Culminate in a 

Fix or a break...

Day Drink

Attain a mid-morning

Beer buzz,

Once in a while,

Just because...

Siberian High Pressure

November north winds

Are colder,

Or so it seems

As we get older...

False Prophet

He claimed that we

Had to leap and rearrange,

Break things down,

Embrace the change,

Then things got confusing,

And he departed...

Now picking up pieces,

Back where we started...

研究所

Think tank, policy wank,

Declarative, all the time,

Endlessly calling for 

Shifting the paradigm,

Theorizing, for pay,

To explain what it's about,

Publish numerous studies

Until the money runs out...

Story Time

Many of us, every day,

Act, scramble, and live,

All the while unaware of

Being part of someone's narrative...

殉職者供養塔

The gray stone monument

Looms over where I stand,

At a place which was ocean

Before becoming land,

The water pushed back as

Rocks and rubble filled,

The monument a memorial

To workers who were killed...

月食 --11/19/2021

Gaze up at the darkened moon,

Awed and humbled to know,

That the last time this happened

Was 580 years ago...

The Game

It's about how you act,

And what you choose,

Not after winning,

But when you lose...

Political Fable

Attempted evasion

By the wily snail,

Tried to camouflage, 

But to no avail, 

Given away by

Its mucous trail,

Then sensing the

Approach of hell,

It curled up quickly

Inside its shell...

Traffic Report

Cars drive by

At breakneck speeds,

In pursuit of real

Or imagined needs,

Distracted drivers

Impatient, stressed,

Would be better off

Back home, at rest...

Human Pressure Valve

Frustration grows,

Control erodes,

Consequently 

Anger explodes,

Emotional shrapnel 

Wounds and discommodes…

Swamp Dawn

Eerie silence, mist

Rising from the bog,

Prehistoric-looking heron

Stalks a frog…

From Behind A Cloud

Gap in the clouds,

Crescent moon appears,

As if to say good night,

This hour of mist and tears,

All feels good, feels right…

Sensible

Pragmatic,

Works better than

Dogmatic…

Blind Man's Bluff

No telling what mysteries,

Or horrors, lie ahead,

Therefore best to grin and

Ignore it all instead...

They Come At Night

Ghouls and weird spirits,

Sensed, but not seen,

Pumpkins emitting magic,

Spooky Halloween,

Orange, yellow trees,

Glow in the evening air,

Except for the scary one,

Whose branches are bare...

Coping

Life comes at you, constantly,

In pieces and bits,

Sometimes it's crazy,

Sometimes it fits,

And you just try your best,

As time permits...

Opiate Of The Masses

For most of them,

The idea of being free,

Was less desirable

Than peace & stability,

Quiet comfort, however

Boring that might be...

暴走族2021

Bluster, emotional release for

Japanese working-class boys,

Group-riding unmuffled motorcycles,

Unleashing roaring noise,

During the midnight hours

Their frustrations unload,

Slipping gears, twisting throttles,

Small rebellion on the road...

Unexpected

Sunset stroll, during an

Autumn day's aftermath,

A rat runs across

The walking path...

Misadventure

Headed in a strange direction

And I wanted to shout,

Slow down, think twice,

Shift sails, come about,

But as things turned out,

Message never sent,

And off into the maw

Of their fate, they went...

New Tourist Trap

It can all be yours,

For a hefty fee,

Sit on a rocket,

Launched up vertically,

Then you can experience

Zero gravity,

In the void of space,

Albeit momentarily...

Blind Faith

Truth was revealed, right

In front of their eyes,

Yet, it still was something

They could not recognize,

For they can not accept,

Or readily conceive,

Of a reality different

From what they believe...

Risk Management

Endlessly, aimlessly, we amble

Ahead, into the unknown,

Each act and step taken

Like dice which are thrown,

And if risk  is involved 

With the here and there,

That's something of which

We are blissfully unaware,

Content to prevaricate

The gaping abyss of our fate...  

Cogito Ergo Sandwich

I think, therefore I am,

But when I eat,

It's cheese on ham...

Cold Comfort

Outside, the cold rain fell,

But inside, under her blanket,

All warm, dry, and well...

盆栽

The beauty of the Bonsai tree,

Covers up how it was made,

Bound, bent by wires, lost

Freedom the price it paid,

Twisted, trimmed, stunted,

It still grows toward the light,

Life force undaunted but

Trapped for aesthetic delight...

 

After The Curtain Fall

Cleaning up after the big show,

Excitement now gone, its

Memory just a dim glow,

Sweep up performance

Detritus, row after row,

Magic moments produced

By the price of admission,

Now dissolved into nothing

With the quiet's redition...

16 October 2021

Subtle shifts in the light,

And the ambient atmosphere,

With the approach of cold rains,

This last warm day of the year...

Digestive Gas

Grandma's full-throttle fart,

Launched in the waiting room,

Had the psychological impact

Of a sonic boom...

空気を読む

Using all her senses,

She tried to read the air,

And understand what was

Happening there,

Where emotion, duty,

And performances fuse,

She decided stay silent

Based on gestures and clues...

Bureaucracy

Immediately retreat

After firing for effect,

Strive within the limits

Of benign neglect,

A smile is just a frown

Turned upside down,

Classic expression

Of passive aggression...

A Null In The Matrix

Looking at some clouds,

Sun getting set, to set,

Waiting for the colors to

Change, hasn't happened yet,

Me on a park bench

Quietly staring at the sky,

While the all-so-busy

Ones, just hurry on by...

How To Handle It

Some folks overcome,

Others, overthrow,

Don't understand

The difference though,

The point, I suppose,

Is to choose,

To try to win,

Vice not to lose...

事故物件の前

Early morning, dim light,

She makes a pot of tea,

Amidst the empty clutter

Of her room, so-li-ta-ry,

Watching the TV she

Thinks "It's just me",

Alone and waiting

Out her life, at 93,

Someone will discover

Her, eventually...

Transition

Cool north breezes

Flowing everywhere,

Clouds a gray cushion

Floating above in the air,

North winds rearrange,

Hot-to-cold, wet-to-dry,

This day of seasonal change...  

The Looming

Before the typhoon, worried and

Clearing off the storm drain,

Weathered old woman,

With her rake, in the rain... 

現代のアメリカ

2021 America,

Strange time, frenetic pace,

Paranoid patriots,

And billionaires in space,

Out of control influencers

All over the place... 

Getting There

For getting from start to finish,

And through what's in between,

Best to have a helpful hobby,

And stick with a good routine...

Anglers' Zen

Baited lines cast out into the bay,

Hours pass, the day's lights diminish,

Don't catch much, but that's missing

The point, it's not about the fish...

The Way Ahead...

Something in life which needs to be learned,

Is where you best fit, where you belong,

And until you can discover it, own it,

Stay healthy, be patient, be strong...

Mountain Memorial

Climb, slowly, up a volcano slope,

To reach the place where they were lost,

All of them trapped by the eruption,

And killed by the rocks it tossed,

We join hands now and pray,

With aching legs, counting the cost...

Reality Check

A view of things, at 66,

Life still playing

Its various tricks,

Somewhat wiser now on

How to handle, or fix,

But with more aches and

Pains added to the mix,

Day by day,

Toeing the line,

Hoping to make it

To sixty nine...

海釣り公園

Sea wall in the gloaming, fishing

Lines with red and green LEDs.

Cast, hopefully, in the dying light,

Out into the ocean breeze.

And into a nearby bush,

An old man pees...

コロナ時代

Then along came cursed Covid,

Trying to live by killing us all,

But survive we could, and did,

Science and instinct reacting, 

And in patient rooms we hid,

Trading freedom for safety,

Our ultimate quo-pro-quid...

A Watched Pot

IV bottle, drip, drip, drip,

Waiting, watching its level lower,

And, tick, tick, tick, it feels

Like time is moving slower...

Illusion

I know it’s just something

Inside my head,

But the sky looks much bluer 

From my hospital bed...

彼岸の前

Equinox early morning,

Crickets softly trill, 

Noisy cicadas a memory,

All is gray and still...

Bee-like

Our urban existence,

And all those different lives,

Crammed into massive,

High-rise, concrete hives...

The Perfect Food

Off across the parking lot,

And into the calorie store,

Looking to buy fresh

Ground flesh of herbivore,

Then use heat convection 

To burn it to perfection,

Bite, chew, swallow, and

Head out to get some more...

Why?

Feelings of enmity and

Hate having awoken,

Led to attacks leaving

The dead and broken,

But the cause of it all

Unexamined, unspoken...

ワープロ

A S D F, and the

Rest of the keys,

Tap to create

Infinite possibilities...

Essential Workers

End of a working day, 

Awareness of time

Just slipping away,

Apparent to

All of us,

Standing, waiting,

For a bus...

Building Block

Learning can

Begin,

When, it,

Sinks in,

An connects with

A neural place within...

Handheld

Scrolling, bathed in

Blue light,

Sleepless, deep

Into the night...

The Coming Cool

Greens starting to yellow,

And the winds freshen,

Leaves fall with approach 

Of a tropical depression,

Which will swirl, enable,

Autumn’s egression...

Sense Of Humor

A bit of advice,

For what it’s worth,

Always strive to

Maximize your mirth...

Tactical Pause

Sometimes it’s better to 

Shut-up and wait,

Then be alert for the

Chance to negotiate...

Your Retirement Benefits

Gerontic mid-60s reverie,

Full of pathos and purity,

Contemplating the now,

And social security,

So far away gone are 

Thirty, yet alone twenty,

What lies ahead is

Less than more or plenty...

Weekday AM

Morning preparations, myriad micro-actions,

Battling time, execute mental checklist,

Make sure socks match, zippers zipped,

Head for the door, hoping nothing missed...

Transition

The autumnal front,

Slowly coming forth,

Smothers the summer heat

With cool from the north...

Wide Awake

Insomnia, as thoughts

And feelings flurry,

Into a throbbing 

Emotional slurry,

And away the soft

Dreams scurry...

Stay Mobile

Relax, recharge,

And reload,

Life’s short, so keep

Moving down the road...

Ambulatory

Bluetooth on, or something 

Else, the random talkers,

Picking up poop, mom

And pop dog walkers,

Laden with grocery bags

Like long-suffering souls,

All of us out on our

Summer evening strolls...

Sewol

It was later determined 

That most among the dead

Had remained in their 

Cabins, waiting to be led,

While survivors ran to

The upper decks instead,

Ignoring orders, they live

Because they fled...

Inside The Silo

In accordance with

The instruction,

Flip switch, turn key,

Launching destruction,

An act of war

Both insane and absurd,

Pain and extinction 

Mutually assured...

Yasuura Park, End Of August

Insects choir, full voice, at twilight,

Cicadas and crickets emit their songs,

Before turning-in for the night...  

Whoops

The hard luck Hun

Missed pillaging with the Horde

Due to having 

Forgotten  his sword...

Postmortem

It was later determined 

That the cause of the mess

Was not a lack of effort

But a failure to coalesce...

Covid Days

Vaccinated and released,

Slather on the alcohol.

Amble about, in retail joy,

No worries at all,

Doing my laps

At the shopping mall...

Reality Bites

Unheeding and unconvinced and

Unmasked, the choices he made,

Now leaving him bedridden,

Gasping for breath, alone, afraid...

Stunt People

Can't stay put, need to challenge

Death, never mind, take the chance,

Succumb to a never-ending urge,

Jump, join, Darwin's deadly dance...

Downtempo

Lean back, relax,

All is still,

Lost in music

Ambient, chill,

The melody takes

Me where it will...

To Float

Ultimately,

Freedom's gift,

Is permission 

To drift...

Kabul August 16, 2021

The enemies are near, 

Having arrived too soon, 

Now starts the fear, 

Jump in cars, panic begun, 

Then stuck in traffic, 

Nowhere to run, 

Road to the airport 

Savior to none...

Back To Work

Holidays finished,

Money spent,

Happiness missing,

Don’t know where it went,

Failing to

Circumvent...

Flex And Survive

Stand up for your principles,

If you're rich and have the nerve,

Otherwise join the rest of us,

Who duck and swerve...

August Evening

All sultry, now the hot

Day is through,

Sun retreating into

Pink, orange, and blue...   

Good Morning

Welcome to another

Daylight iteration,

Of our planet's

Recurring rotation,

Daylight, being

Relative to one's location...

(Photo: Geoffrey M. Hamilton, 1955-2011)

Random Tuesday AM

Temporary repose,

Gaze across my navel

Contemplate my toes...

Refreshment

Simple pleasures 

Are the best, they say,

Ice-cold drink

On a hot humid day...

恩

As a Japanese,

You always know,

Your relative rank,

And what you owe...

Inflammable

It’s not supposed to happen,

But then it does,

It flared up in an instant,

And then it was...

The Grind

Better off oblivious 

To all the time we spend,

On those micro-tasks

Which never end,

Dressing, cooking,

Bathing and cleaning,

Endless errands

With no particular meaning...

Traveling

Analyze and calculate,

But don’t forget to ponder,

Open up your mind

And just let it wander...

Where it will go,

How it gets there,

You just won’t know...

真夏

Heat, cicadas sing,

And, above us,

Blue, with 

Curling cumulus...

(Photo: Geoffrey M. Hamilton, 1955~2011) 

Space Invaders

Once upon a once upon,

Dog days of summer，

Not much going on,

When aliens quietly landed,

With an option to attack,

But depressed by what they saw,

They left, and never came back...

Misadventure

Start off on the wrong foot

This mad manic Monday,

Things became complicated,

And just stayed that way...

Wallflower Defense

To mitigate risk,

And avoid getting hurt,

Her plan was to be

Passive, pale, inert...

Corona Gloaming

Serene, in the Moonlight, gently glowing 

Orange wands, fluorescent vests,

Quietly, waving and guiding drivers 

Arriving for their PCR tests...

Hidden Treasure

Clear out the junk and 

Clutter from your mind,

What will emerge,

What will you find?

Perhaps a jewel

Of a different kind...

Paid The Cost

Freedom and democracy 

Painfully build,

Over the bones 

Of tyrants killed,

Protected by patriots

And the blood they spilled...

Cold Galaxy

Feeling insignificant 

When viewing the universe,

But at least my belly’s full,

Things could be worse...

1968

That time we rebelled, questioned

What it was all about,

Grew our hair long, 

Tuned in, turned on, dropped out...

Graded

Poor, average, best,

Your rank and value,

Determined by a test...

When It Happens

Inspiration,

Seemingly missing, gone,

But then, it reappears,

Like a light-bulb turned on,

Arriving, almost unbidden,

From the place

Where it was hidden...

たらい回し

Bureaucracy wars,

Duck, stall, avoid defeat,

Then declare victory,

Mission complete...

Equalizer

A device which propels pieces

Of metal at high speed,

Invented to fill a 

Deadly human need...

Weather Report

Sort of funny,

That my head is cloudy,

When the forecast was for sunny...

Indigenous

To them, it was the Wild West,

A new frontier,

Small comfort to us,

Who were already here...

Paradoxical

The pace of vaccinations

Frustratingly slow

The trains all run

On time though...

Collision Avoidance

Making my explanation,

I was forced to elide,

For sometimes, some things,

Are better to hide...

Think Positive

Sure, learn lessons from

The life you've led,

But don't dwell on them,

Your best is yet ahead,

Pull off your hair shirt

And shout for joy instead...

Lie Flat

No excitement, keep things

Sated, satisfied and tame,

As ordered from above,

All is slow, all is the same...

青木ヶ原

Now, far from my troubles, and

Deep into the forest, misty, wet,

I’ve found a good spot, unpacked,

With the tarp and tent set,

All that’s left is to eat, drink,

Then lie back and contemplate,

Fiddle with the bottle of pills,

As I listen to the trees, and wait...

RPG

Suburban subterranean,

Lights flicker dimly

From a computer fantasy,

Mouse and keyboard 

Deployed desperately 

To maneuver, battle,

And kill them, endlessly...

Notification

Ringing telephone, text alert,

What news will be delivered?

Good or bad, happy or hurt...

No choice but to receive,

What’s happened won’t go away,

No escape, no reprieve...

庭園

Rocks, moss, raked sand,

Natural symmetry, peace,

Pause in the temple garden,

Inhale slowly, release...

Intelligence Failure

Despite their methods,

True and tried,

And, exotic

Technology applied,

They can’t find where

Our secrets hide,

The truth, we know,

Deep down inside...

Failed Delivery

It was a dire situation,

Approaching fear,

Certainly frustration,

Caused by disconnection,

Missed communication...

Slow Mover

Old man in the crosswalk,

And his face can’t hide

The grim desperation 

To make it to the other side...

夏至、令和3年

Summer solstice twilight time,

This 21st of June,

And up above, is the ghost

Of the waxing moon...

Out Among The Dog Walkers

Occluded sunset rays produce

A pink-blue rainy season sky,

Underneath it, I, befuddled, walk,

And hear the year’s first crickets cry...

Narcissist Risk

What was inside her head?

Craziness, perhaps a lot,

As she drove at high speed 

Through the crowded parking lot,

She’ll never stop in time,

Even if she bothers to try,

Thrills, conceit, emotions,

And laws of physics apply...

Night Shower

Sheets cool and smooth,

Evening precipitation,

Sound of raindrops sooth...

自動車

All those hours I’ve 

Spent inside a car,

Driving forever,

But never going far,

Near missed crashes,

Stressed but survive,

The journey’s end

Never seems to arrive...

Compound Interest

How is it that time is spent?

As if it were a currency,

But from whom was it lent...

Post Rat Race

Monday morning dysania,

Unwilling to wake or deploy,

Used to make me feel guilty,

Now I just snooze and enjoy...     

All Shook Up

Changes have spouted,

Love's tempest has blown,

Chaos has invaded,

Origin unknown...

Safe Haven

When faced with outside 

Filled with dread,

Best to be quiet,

And just stay in bed...

Dark Lunar

Sunset time and quiet

Spreads, daylight thins,

New Moon invisible,

Again the cycle begins...

Night Of The Flying Ants

Into the leaden air,

In this evening of worry,

The termites disperse

In a gentle winged flurry,

And through their swarming

The harried people hurry...

Departing The Toys Aisle

The parent, stoically 

Leads the way,

With a screaming toddler

Raging against the day...

Seen At The Mall

This is where I’m at,

This is who I am,

With a thousand mile stare,

Pushing a pram...

Memorial Day

My child, raised through my love,

Chases the ball, kick and run,

My dear child, grown older now

Puts on armor, picks up a gun,

Swears to defend a country,

Fight until the war is won,

My child ends up as worm food,

When all is said and done,

Killed in battle, but why can’t 

There be a better way,

To settle quarrels, my poor

Lost child, this Memorial Day...

Meat Grinder

In the heat of battle

It never became clear,

Whether to advance

Forward, or to the rear,

For either direction

Was full of hurt and fear...

Preflight

I long to go to a higher

Altitude, a cleaner atmosphere,

Where the dream clouds float,

Above and away from here...

Jet Fuel

Nighttime buzz,

Sleep not likely for me,

After a few cups

Of Kahlua and coffee...

Mirage

The predicament 

You find yourself in,

Is not as dire

As you imagine,

The door you 

Think is closed,

Is an illusion,

Self-imposed...

Hesitation

She stopped to calculate 

Benefits versus cost

But the moment passed

And the chance was lost...

3:20 AM

Spooky quiet

Before the dawn

Empty sky

The Moon is gone

Cleansed

Sometime toward the end of May

Out onto the sparkling street

This cool damp morning of a day

Everything fresh and washed

By the rains which have blown away

Onset Of Arthritis

Sad and thinking

Back on it again,

We just never saw

The where and when,

Things started turning 

Dystopian...

さようならコロナ

Viral sequestration 

Cancelled by

Vaccination...

The Big Sleep

The long day ending,

Dark, quiet descending,

Decompressing, turning in,

Let the fever dreams begin....

From The Sidewalk

Walking next to the hiss of wet

Pavement, run-over by wheels,

Overwhelmed by the roar and

Speed of countless automobiles,

All controlled by, and carrying,

Those who must not be late,

And therefore burn fossil

Fuel, rather than ambulate,

And so they hurry, in the rain,

Driving down the road amain...

Ultimate Servant

So things are off a bit,

Incomplete, an imperfect fit,

But no need to worry

The robot will take care of it...

Plus Size

Burning craving hunger pangs,

Which you eat to satisfy,

But food can’t put out the fire,

No matter how hard you try,

And the layers of belly fat,

Relentlessly, multiply...

Kabul’s Curse

Where in his heart

Does the true believer keep,

Such feelings of hate 

So cruel, so deep,

What satisfaction

Could he possibly earn,

By blowing-up schoolgirls 

Just trying to learn,

As if educated women are

A blasphemous error,

They must be suppressed 

Through fear and terror,

And poverty, ignorance,

Fundamentalism portend,

That such lethal intolerance 

Will likely never end...

鳥居

Bow, and step through

The torii gate,

Into ancient calmness,

Where gods await...

 

Restless Rest

Spooky imaginings,

Existential dread,

Pretty much harmless 

While lying in bed...

Sport

Sometimes the other

Team wins,

Then lick your wounds

Until the next game begins...

Survival

Need to stay alert,

Keep your eye on the ball,

Wear a mask and

Slather on ethanol,

All part of your

Pandemic protocol...

Cogito Ergo Sum

I think, therefore I am,

Or so I sometimes think,

Or sometimes don’t,

Nudge, nudge, wink, wink...

Unforced Error

The chatroom quickly turned
Chaotic, impolitic,

Ad hominen attacks,

Caused by an errant click... 

Vernal Evasion

The thing about spring

Is that it lulls you into ignoring

The heat that summer will bring...

Treats

She brought the special brownies,

And it was after our ingesting,

That the office party 

Started weirding and zesting,

Things got interesting...

From Point A To Point B

Within the store, take

All the time you need,

But going to another store,

Walk with intent and speed...

Boundary

Light from the Sun's shine,

Enters the Moon's darkness,

Twilight along the Terminator Line,

Moving ahead, 10 miles-per-hour,

Day and night intertwine...

七里ヶ浜

A bit off-shore, the

Surfer patiently waits,

For a wave to ride, and the

Short thrill it generates,

Floating for empty hours,

To fill a need,

To pleasure in the

Water's surge and speed...

Faith In Mechanics

Trusting machines, and

Methods true & tried,

Launching into the sky,

We go along for the ride,

But if something breaks,

There’s no place to hide...

Right Around Sunset

A mystical time

Is twilight,

When, magic seems

Like it might...

Before dissolving

Into the night...

Impropriety

She is affable,

And nice,

Until I offer

Fashion advice...

Business As Usual

Sometimes, things never improve,

Because some folks won’t,

Or, some things, just don’t...

臨機応変

It was a brilliant plan

At the start,

But then it ran into

Reality, and fell apart,

And that, in short,

Is the reason why,

We are frantic, and

Doing things on-the-fly...

B-29

Loaded with bombs, through

The clouds we fly,

While the bullets

And shrapnel try,

To eviscerate us,

Up in the sky,

It doesn’t 

Stop us though,

From dropping death

On those below...

Disconnects

Mistrust, misunderstanding,

Between ours and theirs,

Unfortunate reality 

Of human affairs,

And the bridges

Need constant repairs...

Plains Train

Out from the vanishing point,

Powerful mechanical wondra,

Diesels forward across

The frozen American tundra...

Photo: Geoffrey M. Hamilton, 1955~2011

Point Of View

It doesn't always 

Await ahead,

So, try looking

Behind instead...

Photo: Geoffrey M. Hamilton, 1955~2011 

Inert

Untethered, almost

Paralyzed,

Freedom is

Boredom disguised...

The Middle Of The Night

Oh, for goodness sake,

Cringe dream,

Now I’m awake,

The after effects

Keep,

Me from getting

Back to sleep...

Ancient Meat Memories

Suburban back yard

Barbecue feast,

Blood rare slices

Of roasted beast,

Primal instinct 

Appetites released...

Mission Execution

Tactical maneuvers at

Retail mall location,

Reconnaissance runs,

Command by negation,

Close control via

Cellular communication,

Providing support for

Her shopping operation...

Anti Egg Head

Some members

Of humankind,

Live in a

Red State of mind,

What doesn’t match their

Faith, is simply dismissed,

Science rejected,

Ignorance blissed...

Our Modern Delusion

Eat the bark

Of the fever tree,

Call it all

A conspiracy,

Because we

Always knew,

It came

From Q...

Harbinger

April, wet green,

And replete,

With hints of

The coming heat...

Debate Club

Counter argument offered,

Eyebrow raised, arms crossed,

Firing for effect,

Otherwise completely lost...

Viva Las Vegas

It's like a superstition,

Temporary insanity, oddity,

Trying to control luck

As if it was a commodity,

Paying money, based

On how you feel,

Betting on the number 

Of a Roulette wheel...    

ミスド

Momentarily,

Lost in a pause,

Donut shop, coffee...

Agincourt

Knights shot off

Horses by arrows,

Like eagles 

Killed by sparrows...

To The Other Shore

Divert, ignore, postpone,

But when it’s time, one

Walks across the bridge alone...

How It Happened

Things started changing

Precipitously,

Once monkeys came

Down from the tree,

And into the grass,

Two-legged walking,

And screams of danger

Turned into talking...

Heavy Science

The disgraced guru,

Despite intense meditation,

Failed in attempts

To achieve levitation,

Gravity defying his

Faith in mystic flotation...

宗教

Our need to believe something bigger’s going on,

Sensing holiness in certain rocks or trees,

Books, buildings to house imagined gods,

Created to listen to our prayers and pleas...

御彼岸

Equinox visit to family grave,

Cherry blossoms, quiet hours,

Wash the headstone,

Offer fresh flowers,

Sighs, tears, summoned 

By memories’ powers...

Dead End

Her love, too jealous, brittle,

Broke instead of bending,

Bringing their relations

To a premature ending,

Irreparable, despite 

The desperate spending...

Mea Culpa

Bow, say sorry,

Come clean, confess,

And you will be forgiven,

More or less...

Grinder

Life will always vary,

As it can, as it will,

Slide down into chaos,

Push the noodle uphill...

Crazy Party

The hilarity started

When the hostess farted,

But it also helped a bunch

That there was

Vodka in the punch...  

Hourglass Sand

Seconds into minutes into hours,

Days, weeks, months amass,

Euphoria, tedium, pain,

In no particular order, pass,

And I fight to find my

Footing in time’s morass...

せっかち

“Hurry up! We’re 

Going to be late!”

Always seems to overrule 

“It can wait”...

チーズバーガー

Bacon double cheeseburger,

Fast conflicted food,

Tastebuds rejoice,

While arteries occlude...

Sanctuary

My world, four walls,

Ceiling and floor,

Protects from what’s 

Outside the door...

Sub-Lunar

The moon crescent, a sliver,

Pale against the evening sky,

And its minimal shape moves

Me, but I don’t know why...

啓蟄

Take notice of this lull day,

Cold and warm air mixed,

An in-between day leaving

Us footloose, transfixed,

Mild and motionless,

Winter morphing into spring,

Waiting for the warm wet

Chaos the winds will bring...

Doggedness

Despite the fix you are in,

In spite of the fools you face,

Don’t give up, play to win,

Life is a marathon race...

Momentary

Stop, think, for a bit,

I am now, this is it,

Aware I exist,

An instant

Easily missed...

Loitering

Mall walk, circular holding pattern,

Entering my seventh lap,

Wish she would finish shopping,

Wish I could take a nap...

立ってる釘

In Japan,

The norm,

Is to

Conform...

Ethereal

Mood shift, vaguely aware,

Caused by changes in pressure,

And humidity in the air,

Atmospheric influence

Over here, over there...

Reddit

So much information,

Nonsense nexus,

Insomnia inducing 

Scrolling complexus...

Didn't See It Coming

The reality of the situation

Became apparent, gradually,

People became aware of it,

Only to a certain degree,

As if there was a sense

Of safety in ignorance...

Crossroads Mall, 1974

Escape to the mall

To shop and cavort,

Partake of fine dining 

In the food court,

No signs of impending 

Retail collapse,

Dacron-clad elders 

Steadily walk their laps...

反省

Push or pull, come and go,

We choose, as the minutes flow,

And later, it’s hard to forget,

The things we’ve come to regret...

Rootless

Tent, tarp, car seat sheltering,

Everyday survival on the fringe,

Scrounge for cash, buy the

Wine, thankfully go on a binge,

Wake-up, somehow, and then,

Just start the journey again...

Compartmentalize

Stress, guilt, panic attacks,

Life’s too short, just put them

In a box, and relax...

マムシ

Mamushi viper hunts patiently,

Inside the bamboo grove,

By the blooming plum tree...

Bedtime Futility

When lurid dreams 

Infuse and infest,

Sleeping will not

Result in rest...

中央公園

Gray sky above the city park

Still air, cold dry and clear,

Pigeons rest in a group on the ground,

Old men drink their morning beer...

Delusions

Prophesies and predictions 

From the political cult,

All mistaken, unfulfilled,

A predictable result...

コロナ

Virus trying to survive, 

Searching for bodies to ride,

Which leaves us no choice

But to disinfect, hide,

Anything to keep it from

Coming inside...

Roofless

Survivor on a park bench,

Totally free and homeless,

Well aware that being alone

Is different than loneliness,

Each new day has a

Ragged solitary feel,

Engaged in endless quest

For the next dumpster meal...

Homegrown

Behold the nation

Beset by monsters

Of its own creation...

Intelligent Life

Afternoon pub drunk,

Karaoke singing stars,

Meanwhile we’ve

Landed again on Mars,

Rice wine obliterating

Boredom, lost love,

Never mind the far, far

Away and above...

Cliffhanging

In retrospect, how fragile was

Our media infused bliss,

Clicking and scrolling, while 

Falling into the abyss...

Consequence

Mysterious melt holes

In Siberian permafrost,

Were the initial signs

That all was lost,

Man apes left with

No place to hide,

From the build up

Of carbon dioxide...

Tamed

Suburban man,

Domesticated completely,

Wash dishes, take out trash,

Sit down to pee...

Cold Clear

February winds can be

A clarifying thing,

Coming from the north,

With the cold that they bring...

Gray Zone

It can be plain to see

That some politicians practice 

Ethical elasticity...

Kaleidoscopic

Hurling through the times,

And the days go by,

Can’t explain what happened,

Let alone why,

Overwhelmed, I don’t 

Know whether to laugh or cry...

Why We Drink

No longer able to hunt and chase,

The man-apes are trapped in rooms,

Within which they restlessly pace,

Bored to distraction as the time crawls by,

No other choice but to imbibe and get high...

Stability

Most just want to be left in peace,

Stay away from pain or losing,

Adventure, fine, as long as

It is of one's choosing...

All About Biology

Sex, pleasure, seduction,

Agents in the service of the

Department of reproduction...

Cult Cocoon

Conspiracy theories ignoring:

Truth, too disappointing,

Reality, too boring...

Unsettled

No clue

If it was true...

Immunity of the herd

Actually occurred?

After Midnight

A blurry stage

They dance upon,

Insomniac dreams

Just before dawn,

Toward the light 

The minutes creep,

Gently, cruelly,

Banishing sleep...

Q~Aplomb

Political disarray 

Narrative tired & broke

Story with no ending

Punchline in search of a joke

Fashion

How you dress

Makes a statement 

More or less...

Subterranean

Searching for that which

Will heal and save,

Follow the breadcrumbs 

Dropped in the cave,

Despair held in bay

By pure effort applied,

Push through the dark

To the other side...

Chaos Management

So here’s the thing,

Are politics really

Required for governing?

Managing would be smoother 

Without the drama they bring...

ミスドの朝ボケ

Morning daze,

Momentarily,

Donuts, and

Third cup of coffee...

Missed Signals

It happened suddenly, 

A bolt out of the clear air,

But looking back later,

Signs of its coming were there...

Digital

Immersed in role playing

Games, and video streams,

We float while we sit,

Or so it seems...

An Adage

How to best behave,

Should be based on morals,

Vice simply what you crave...

Apartment Life

Strangers living their lives

On the other side of the wall,

About what they do, I really

Don't know that much at all,

A comfortable anonymity

That all of us live within,

Trading greetings in the

Elevator, at the garbage bin...

Denouncement

Wedge shot from the bunker

Reputation in tatters

Same bully ball cap

Not that it really matters

Temporary Abandonment

Vacated playground, swept clean,

Before arrival of the night,

Hosts a special kind of emptiness,

Gone the screams of fright, delight,

A temporary loneliness,

Not a single child in sight...

The Shepherd

Shopping mall Starbucks, and

An old man a vigil keeps,

Right next to the pram 

Where his granddaughter sleeps...

Floral Curse

Message for humans,

From a plant,

Would add some words,

But it can't...

Avian

The bird’s song at sunrise

Seemed joyful, inspired,

More than something

Simply biologically required...

A Hint Of Spring

January, out on the cold grass,

Look up, and surprised to see,

White flowers bravely blooming

On the gnarled plum tree...

Pre-Internet

Peace of mind,

Simplicity,

Foiled by effects

Of electricity,

Despite the goodness

It gave,

Life was calmer

In the cave...

Food Marketing

Hurry, don’t hesitate,

Do it before

It’s too late,

Consume~consume,

Ere the

Expiration date...

Implacable

Amidst the amusements

And Earthly works

Behind the daze and distractions 

It steadily lurks...

元日

New Year sunshine 

Go out and look ahead

Turn the page

The past is dead