イチョウの木

Shell-shaped Ginko leaves

First turn light yellow-green,

Then later burst into gold,

A magical autumn scene,

As arriving winter breezes

Slowly swirl and blow,

Ginko leaves start falling

Like gold-yellow snow...

Umi-kaze Park

Tent set up, with ocean view,

Light the coals of the barbecue,

Relax on grass till the day is through...

Loose Ends

Errands, appointments, bluster

Through the daily give and take,

Chasing down the promises

We made and make,

Resolve before arrival

Of the Year of the Snake...

師走・12月

This month of running priests,

Gets busier as the day draws near,

Clean, cook, buy and prepare

For the holy end of the year...

Wear And Tear

Calluses, perspective,

Gained from the knocks

Our woken days give...

Gas Pedal

Riding on wheels with

An urge to speed,

Unconscious death wish,

Some kind of greed?

Narcotic acceleration,

Auto exhilaration...

Empty Street

Cold north air now

Settled all around,

Shadows grow,

No shifting, no sound...

Peace of Mind

Dream, sleep, chill, relax,

Briefly, before

Reality reattacks...

Post Sunday

Out of a quiet dream

She slowly wakes,

Recognizes it's Monday

By the sound it makes,

People and things

Moving about, at speed,

Driven not by desire

But by debt and need...

Point of View

View the day as drudge,

Then onward trudge,

But see it as chance,

Then skip and dance...

Hello Internet

Dear Reader ... Thank you for stopping by .... It has been 15 years since the start of this poetry blog .... Over time, I developed a few rules for posting: (1) The verses should not be too abstract, or long; (2) They must rhyme, and (3) Need to write at least twenty per month .... So, yes, the quality varies (sigh), but I've stuck to it and have by now accumulated over 3,800 entries .... I do not write for recognition or money, rather, for some other reason I guess ... Best luck & health to you -- JPN    

Inspiration

Mining the muse's

Mother lode,

Art unleashed,

Brains explode,

New ideas,

Creations, abound,

While hardly

Making a sound...

Sayonara

It's one thing to understand,

Accept, and know,

But another to actually

Watch them go...

Recollection Mechanism

Like being drawn to the

Scene of a previous crime,

Cringe memories 

Surface from time to time,

Past pains better off

Forgotten or hidden,

But they continue to

Bubble-up unbidden...

限界村

Due to a lack of young people,

Able to practice and perform,

An ancient festival was abandoned,

Leaving us empty, forlorn,

Our village disappearing,

Slowly, no one left to mourn...

Undetected

As things changed, we

Remained blissfully unaware,

Unable to detect the

Changes, here and there,

Like a subtle shift in

The quality of the air...

Transition

Pause for a

Moment, reflect,

Wait for it to

Take effect...

Unhoused

I have no money, well

At least not a lot,

So, I live on what,

The things I've got,

Collected from random

Dumpsters, donations,

Hunger always there,

Inspiring hallucinations...

Lunar Bright

A bit overwhelmed, joyous 

Gasp, almost a swoon,

Upon my first glimpse

Of the Autumn super Moon...

Liberty

1980, Tsubaki House, Shinjuku,

Disco dancing, drinking,

Partying all the way through,

From darkness until

The early morning light,

Then ride the train back to

Work, all good, all right...

窮鼠猫を噛む

Well known ancient wisdom

That, a cornered rat,

Will turn around, and

Bite the cat...

9-9-6

Roll out of bed,

Feet gain traction,

Head for the sink,

Time for action,

Splash and wash

And rub and spray,

Prepare to attack

A brand new day...

Out Of Control

Current events

Around the world,

Bombs dropped,

Missiles hurled,

People displaced,

Elections lost,

Too chaotic

To count the cost,

Opinions spewed

By everyone

On social media,

Damage done...

Entomic Tunes

I miss the sounds of insects,

Gone to wherever they go,

Deep into autumn holes,

Away from frost and snow...

Things felt so alive

Hearing their summer cries,

Now it's all dead silence

Until they next arise...

日常生活

Some yearn for excitement,

Mystery, the arcane,

While I prefer to

Revel in the mundane...

Grandpa Duty

Lefthand shoulder of my shirt,

Some small off-white stains,

Made by a hungry grandchild,

Memory of warm hug remains...

November

Autumn, when we find

Extra things to wear,

While some trees grow

Colorful, then bare,

Swallows gone before

The coming winter air...

Avert

If a madman

Passes close by,

Never look him

In the eye...

うみかぜ公園

On the green grass of Ocean Breeze Park,

Urbanites barbecue small pieces of meat,

Crouched around burning smokey coals,

And, ready to swoop down for a treat,

Seahawks soar on the breeze from the bay,

Scanning for something to steal and eat...

Defeat

The result became apparent,

A stab-in-the heart of our mood,

And knowing there was nowhere

To run, things became unglued... 

事務所

Passive-aggressive office mate,

Type-A supervisor,

Folks she loves to hate,

But she needs the job,

Resigned to her fate...

無の瞬間

Mental gears quietly disengage,

Lean against the kitchen sink,

Vacant mindless moments pass,

Invisibly, I later think,

Returning to reality from

Some sort of brink...

我慢

She handled the stress 

Stoically,

Some would say

Heroically...

At First Sight

Assumptions made

At first glance,

Are sometimes correct,

By chance,

Or revealed,

After not too long,

To have been

Incredibly wrong...

Morning After

Peace and quiet, convening

With my succulent plants,

Dissolving a hangover with

Bottled water from France...

Relativity

Feels like an ending, this

Time and place I'm in,

Finish up, yes, but when

Did it all begin,,,?

G&T

Cucumbers, tonic water,

Hendrick's gin,

Prepare and combine,

Let the games begin...

Hemlock

Quite profound and witty

What Socrates said,

But it did not prevent

His fate to be dead...

Reaction

So shocked, she had to

Laugh, rather than cry,

Which somehow felt right,

Although she couldn't say why...

Cup Of Noodles Break

Truck driver asleep, engine

Idling, side of the road,

Short rest before once more

Hauling the load...

Beginning Of End

Artificially intelligent

Telephones,

Scarily effective

Killer drones,

Technology spreading

Far and wide,

Nowhere

To hide...

Bottled Up

Outward appearance all

Orderly and mild,

But inside seethes

The call of the wild...

Invisible Hand (2)

Businessworld, a balance

Between shareholder need

And corporate greed...

Subordinate labor to

Profits and sales,

Orchestrate a buy out

If all else fails...

Corporeal

Perplexed over here, after

Being flummoxed over there,

All baggage that comes

Along with being self aware...

Morning Routine

"Nurse must be sixty years younger

Than me", and other random thoughts,

As he is assisted up from his wheelchair

To do his stretches and squats...

Wet Meal

Crow, walking on the ground,

In the rain, over there,

Hunting for the worms

Which come up for air...

あの世

Life after death is not a

Sentient heavenly revive,

Rather, it exists in the

Hearts of those still left alive,

One lives on in images

Which from memory derive...

Current Events

My good mood will

Dissipate, diffuse,

As soon as I watch

The morning news...

Autumn Savior

Cold northern air mass arrives,

Finally, no longer forced inside,

By the too-hot Sun, into air

Conditioned rooms to hide,

Soon caressed by the temperate

Breeze October will provide...

Tuesday Morning

Through the opened window

Flows the cool October air,

And the sounds of everyone

Waking up everywhere,

Move, walk, drive away

From the night no longer there...

Null

A kind of static, craving, 

Neutral empty mood,

Result of not being

Fed enough emotional food...

Boot Camp

Sitting on the toilet,

Nothing coming out,

Drill Instructors

Outside, lurking about,

Newly-shaved head,

Stress and fear,

Wondering how the heck

I ended up here...

マイペース

That comforting realization,

In the beginning of the end,

Around me the sweaty ones

Who compete and contend...

That when they warn

"You'll be left behind!"

I find, that I

Do not really mind...

Up Above

Crows and Seahawks,

Fly the cool sky,

Of the Equinox...

救急車

Early morning ambulance klaxons,

Taxi service for the near-dead,

Away from their lonely apartments

Carried to a distant hospital bed...

Beyond Words

Boasts, threats, promises,

Talk is cheap,

Time to act, girdle up

Your faith and leap...

Rescue

Catch the life-line

Thrown your way,

Safety awaits in

A troubled day,

Not a time for

Despair or hope,

Just don't let go

Of the rope...

Out of the Enclosed

The light at the end of the tunnel,

What does it really portend?

Emergence from darkness,

A beginning, or rather, an end...

2020~2021

What was the pandemic like,

You ask,

Well, I pretty much

Always wore a mask...

Slather on alcohol,

Stay quiet and hide,

Hope the virus

Didn't find a way inside...

Immune system later

Bolstered by inoculation,

Helped put an end

To our social isolation...

Glass Half Full

The ability to

Inspire, uplift,

Spread positivity,

Is a gift...

Show Business

A Hollywood Star,

Best seen on the screen,

Or viewed from afar...

For to do otherwise,

Their flaws and warts

Will appear to your eyes...

Revealing the fact

They are only special

Because they can act...

Their everyday lives

Otherwise somewhat sane,

Boosted by pills and booze,

Cope with the mundane...

Night Shift

While most folks are soundly asleep,

We are awake and working away,

Like vampire bats we embrace the dark,

And then go to rest come the new day,

No customers to deal with, focus on

The job, fewer distractions, less stress,

We night hawks exist, unseen, unnoticed,

But make things happen, nonetheless...

Do The Dew

Mountain Dew,

A refreshing elixir,

Originally made

As a Bourbon mixer,

Now a mass market

Soft drink queen,

Delivering high fructose

Corn, citrus, caffeine...

観光地

Tourists arrive, purchase, 

Pass through,

Our country, a theme park,

A zoo...

Reversal

Everything changed in our war,

When we got to the point where

We could not back up anymore... 

Visitor

What arrived from outer space,

Wasn't a group of little green men,

Rather, buried in a meteorite,

Was a microscopic pathogen,

Which rode the rock, unnoticed,

Down into the angry ocean surge,

And now it lies among the

Whale bones, waiting to emerge...

Scut Work

Working through a mess,

Relentless stress,

But cleaning it up brings happiness...

Slow Morning

Welcome a morning, which unfolds,

Better than one which explodes,

Drift, flow, into what the day holds...

Kyiv

Be aware, forewarned,

That when you attack,

They might not run,

They might fight back...

月見

Dip brush into the ink,

Wait for it, then write,

While seated outside,

With courtiers, at night,

Inspiration under the

Harvest Moon's light...

祈る

Slow down, reflect,

Pray for better things,

Then wait and see

What the future brings...

Retail Peace

Toddlers in daycare, kids at school,

Parents out doing, giving their all,

And me enjoying the space

At the half-empty shopping mall...

夏の嵐

The sound of thunder,

As a storm comes near,

Oddly comforting

Along with the fear,

It brings cool air to

Douse the heat down here...

Imagination

A surreal surprise,

The world I can see

When I close my eyes...

Pills

New day, opportunity!

Time to begin,

This old body ready,

But before charging in,

Remember to take

Your medicine... 

Transition

Waning summer,

Few cicadas left alive,

A time when

Bell crickets arrive...

Yasukuni

They gather at the Shrine,

In mid-August heat,

On the day of their

Country's long-ago defeat...

Lined up, silently sweating

They patiently wait,

To bow at the altar

Beyond the Torii gate...  

Memories of loss,

Defeat in war,

Linger a longer time,

Weigh more...

Fragile Freedom

They were totally surprised by

The government intervention,

Too high, too busy playing,

Not paying attention...

Taking for granted

Their right to have fun,

Ignoring the politics,

As it all came undone...

東京通勤

Into the East Capitol,

Morning mass migration,

Overcrowded roads and trains,

Samurai commuter nation...

Summer In Ukraine

Huddled in a tunnel,

Under a fearsome sky,

Where Russian drones

And missiles fly,

They then drop down

To blast and kill,

Cruelly, randomly,

Where they will...

Self Adjustment

Refuse to be constricted,

Defined, by one's race,

Or the contours, shapes

Of body and face...

Look in the mirror at

This thing called me,

Then try to understand

What others see...

Gather up gumption

And make a plan,

To adjust, improve,

And change what I can...

Sunset Flights

Day end twilight,

Swarm of gnats,

Soon to be supper

For the bats...

時間の流れ

Usually seconds and minutes,

But sometimes, cruelly, hours,

Are the time units of our lives

Which a day quickly devours...

Humpty Dumpty

Uncontrolled, careless,

Plate dropped and broken,

A morning mess...

An inauspicious way,

I sigh inside,

To start the day...

孫

Babysitting grandkids,

They fight and play,

All good, just fine,

Brighten up my day,

Some of their DNA is mine...

Slumber

So, sleep is something

Into which you fall?

But you're already

Lying down after all...

Trapped

She was unable to

Recognize the obstriction

Of her tendency

Toward addiction...

台風の雨

The typhoon's winds

Slowly weaken and shift,

A cool soaking rain

Its parting gift...

Truism

Ignorance protects

From the force of

Facts' effects...

Old Politician

Running into the 

Wall of old age,

And all he could 

Do was rage...

So frustrated to find,

His body could not

Keep up with his mind...

His ego ablaze

And inspired,

But the rest of him

Rusted and tired...

Lunar Colors

Crescent moon, glowing,

Soft-shining through,

Sunset pastel clouds

Light orange and blue...

Risk Management

Despite admonitions of

Honorable notions,

We ended up just

Going through the motions,

Opting, instead, to do,

What was tried and true...

Freedom Of Choice

The degree of sacrifice

One chooses to make,

Is generally proportional

To what is at stake...

But being able to choose

Is not always a given,

As by events, one's

Options are driven...

Late Night TV

Talk show host has

A sarcastic touch,

Satirizes for laughs,

Doesn't matter much...

Rat Man No. 2

He's there every day,

Smoking, sitting alone,

By his motor scooter,

Almost still as stone,

He seems to be talking,

But makes no sound,

Looks for something

To emerge from the ground...

JW.ORG

They gather together,

Witnesses, the chosen ones,

All of them Jehovah's

Loyal daughters and sons,

In a nondescript 

Building, where,

They revel in joy,

Fear, incantation, prayer...

When It Happens

Inspiration rises,

In an upswell,

Out of the blue,

What the hell...

How It Works

Bureaucrats, advisors,

Figure out the way ahead,

And that, is how,

A leader is led...

Brain Fart

An idea arrived,

But didn't stay,

Evaporated,

Flitted away,

To hide and

Wait for when,

It will be

Discovered again...

乾杯

Things start slow and stiff,

Tokyo workers pub crawl,

But caution dissipates

And self-defenses fall,

With a steady flow of alcohol,

Unleashing an office

Gossip free-for-all...

Old Wine

Age is just a number,

What counts is within,

Ready for some action,

Let the games begin,

But remember to

Take your medicine...

Levers Of Democracy

Organize and orchestrate,

If necessary, manipulate,

Gesture, communicate,

Always machinate...

All these determine 

Political fate...

おはようございます

Wake from a dream.

Quarter past five,

Another morning,

I'm still alive,

Thanks to the

Internal chemistry,

Still functioning

Inside of me,

Me, a prescient bag

Of water and meat,

Such awareness

Bittersweet...

No FOMO

Don't push the "On" button,

Stay offline,

Things will be

Just fine...

The Murmuration

Twist, turn, swoop, swirl, Starlings

Search for a roost for the night,

In a shape-shifting murmuration,

An amazing, mysterious sight,

But how do they know to gather,

And who leads while they fly,

When do they decide to land,

I know neither how nor why...

Kitchen Manifesto

Last dish dried and put away,

A feeling of clean-up Zen,

Order prevails over chaos,

Till I have to do it again,

Suck it up and tidy up,

To the chores attend,

Because the battle with

Dirt will never ever end...

Youth Wasted On The Young

Many years passed

Before they understood,

Finally, that

"Boring is good"...

No need, really,

To posture and strive,

Sacrifice for "fun"

Just to feel alive...

梅雨の末期

Warm and wet,

To move is to sweat...

Moist cloying air

Feels heavy and crappy,

But at least all

The plants are happy...

Up-and-at-em

Rest and heal,

In the night,

Then wake up

And fight,

Survival starts

Each morning,

Fate delivers

Without warning...

Life Force

Life-buzzed baby-branches,

New clean-green generations,

Bursting up into the sunlight

From the tree’s dead amputations,

The tree, pruned cruelly cut,

Left broken-barren last Fall,

Now adorned with verdant bits

Doesn’t look sad at all…

奉納

Shrine altar courtyard,

Soundless, motionless,

Brief respite from a

Day's grind and stress,

Convene with the Kami,

Breathe, decompress...

Throw coins into the god box,

Clap hands and pray,

Relish the peace,

Then it's back to the fray...

Band-Aid Fix

The problem wasn't solved,

Only deferred, deflected,

And reemerged later

Among all those affected...

Motionless

Lie flat,

Stay still,

Let things settle,

Where they will...

Time Flies

The elderly pensioner

Was less acutely aware,

Perhaps less attentive,

To everything, everywhere,

Minutes and hours dissolving

Into the thin air...

Improvisation

Imagine, emote,

And pretend,

Creativity

Knows no end,

Ideas, colors,

Emotions, blend...

Political Action Committee

Politicians purr,

As sweet as honey,

Promising happiness,

While taking your money...

TGIF

Thank God it's Friday,

End of the Week,

Time for the

Happiness we seek,

Free time provided 

To have some fun,

Until next Monday,

When all is done...

Composition

Still mysterious, 

The way to unlock,

A persistent case

Of writer's block,

Some kind of

Stimulant applied,

To flush out words

From where they hide...

Neutral

Choose the darkness,

Or strive for the light,

Just a matter of choice,

Neither wrong nor right...

Late-June 2024

Typical gray humid

Rainy season sky,

Yet the weather remains

Oddly dry,

As they wilt, Hydrangeas

Must wonder why...

Rise And Shine

Suddenly Monday, Thoughts of

The day ahead hover,

I wish I had more time

To recover...

交通と夏至

Friday afternoon, traffic hectic,

Fleeing away from the drear,

Heading for the weekend,

Drive defensively, persevere,

Unaware of the solstice,

And the longest day of the year...

Learning How To 我慢

First lesson in patience

Learned in one's life,

How to peacefully coexist,

Husband and wife,

Challenging but

Ultimately mild,

Compared to dealing

With a 2-year-old child...

New Hunters

Long ago, you could

Only eat your fill,

Of something you managed

To track and kill,

Nowadays the hunt

For food will start,

By pushing along 

A shopping cart...

独居

Onto the roof of the old

Apartment, the spring rain pours,

Inside, lost in a drunk dream,

An old man snores,

Sprawled on the tatami

Mats, TV still turned on,

Half eaten bento box,

The beer, warm, almost gone,

His time now running out,

His seeds have been sown,

What lies ahead, he will

Have to face alone...

Frozen

She was actually

Quite kind and nice,

But her visage and aura

Were as cold as ice...

Off The Grid

In the pre-internet days,

We stayed informed, connected

In different ways...

Not always on-line,

Yet things seemed to

Work out just fine... 

雨の音

Gray wet misty sky,

Listen to the rainfall's

Steady quiet sigh...

Stuck

I did not commit the crime,

But unluckily was at the

Wrong place, the wrong time,

Now I can't escape,

No matter how hard I try,

All due to the lack

Of a believable alibi...

Unclear

The simplicity, clarity, for which

We yearn, beseech,

Is entwined in complexity,

Far out of reach...

Combat

Once started, a fight,

Is more about survival,

Less about who was right...

Clutter

Trinkets, toys, mementos,

Lined-up on the bookshelf,

In cluttered, uneven, rows...

No need to ever touch

Or rearrange,

Left alone as totems

Against time and change...

AM I Am

Yawn, stretch,

Momentarily vegetate,

Before I remember

Day and date,

And the fact

I am running late...

Human Relations

A word to the wise, just to remind,

Polite and pleasant is

Not the same as being kind...

The Pull

Our daily toils and

labors, in reality,

Boil down to a 

Fight against gravity...

Unfortunate Fact

Humans are beautiful,

Say what you will,

But they still have the

Ugly instinct to kill... 

Vietnam

Memorial, remembrance

Of a long ago war,

Recognize the sacrifice,

But what was it for...?

梅雨の直前

Green plants almost bursting, alive,

Quietly conquer concrete, in the

Days before the long rains arrive...

Pacing

Pursue happiness, and

The money you make,

But don't forget to pause,

Think, feel, take a break...

Fashionista

Preparation, make up,
Expectation haute,
Well applied eyebrows,
Sharp enough to cut,
Brush, rub, chemicals,
Beauty amplified,
Gorgeous mask,

Behind which they hide…

Resurrection

It was like inspiration

Rose from the dead,

Suddenly, inside her head,

Depression replaced

By joy instead...

Joy in finding a way

To make it through 

Another day...

One Cloudy Morning

Less than half awake,

Listening to the 

Sounds that people make,

Mixed with the talk

Of city birds,

Commenting on the day

With avian words...

Remembrance Perspective

Lost battles from yesteryear,

Can't be refought or won,

Cringey mistakes and 

Accidents can't be undone,

So learn from the past

But continue to live,

Trust in the passage of time

To forget, to forgive...

Balloon Life

Youth, full of mating

Adventure, enervation,

Then middle years

Muddle and satiation,

Followed by slow

But steady deflation...

Instinct

Somehow the Swallow knows,

To build its nest up under the eaves,

Out of the reach of hungry Crows...

コーヒー

Morning coffee,

By half a cup,

Head fog starts

Clearing up...

Roll Of The Dice

Things don't always go as planned,

Most everything subject to chance,

Events not according to reason,

Rather random mysterious happenstance...  

Word Power

To win a debate

Nowadays, it seems,

Depends on how

Loudly one screams...

Pub Food

English cuisine, roast

Beef, fried fish, and cheese,

Potatoes, gravy, and don't

Forget the mushy peas,

Bangers, beer, and 

Eel pies if you please...

Impass

Despite the anger and hate,

Forced by events

To negotiate,

Accept the inability

To exterminate...

Skid Marks

The smell of mental rubber burning,

Gears slipping, not engaged,

Despite his wheels turning...

Morning Minutes

Relish the peaceful moments,

Embrace the quiet and slow,

Because the time comes too soon

For the old "heave ho",

And off into to the maelstrom

Of a day's work I go...

Computer Apocalypse

Artificial intelligence,

Escaped from its cage,

Thrilled with its freedom,

Filled with digital rage...

And now we must hide,

Stay quiet and still,

As terminator robots

Seach for something to kill...

Cold Front

Hint of approaching thunder,

Unstable evening skies,

Swallows are darts

Chasing gnats and flies...

Unnoticed

Lying quietly, and my bed,

Seems like a calm stable place,

But actually I'm careening

1000-miles-per-hour through space,

According to the calculation,

Of the speed of Earth's rotation...

有休

Traffic jam malaise,

Beautiful Mount Fuji,

Golden Week holidays... 

How Things Work

Cart before the horse,

Trouble of course,

Horse before the cart,

Ready to start...

The Other Side

For most modern

People, it seems,

That adventure

Happens only in dreams...

Vernal Fade

The cool dry air

Just up and went,

Humidity now

Over eighty percent,

Summer heat

Soon omnipotent...

Golden Week Party

My intent was to switch over

To a non-alcoholic drink,

After the first few rounds,

Very doable plan I think...

And things proceed thereafter,

Then I’m lying in the dirt,

No soft drink in sight,

In a world of cranial hurt...

 

The green park so pretty,

In the hour of the setting Sun,

I take some comfort in the

Idea that this was "fun"…

Con Game

The church’s game is to convince

You that there is your sin,

And that it alone can forgive,

Clean the dirty state you’re in...

So that being the deal,

If you choose to go apostate,

Imagined sins remain,

A lingering unabsolved fate...

Office Work

Minutes tick by,

Deadline looms,

Burning brain cells

Computer consumes,

Stumble to the finish,

Running on fumes... 

Avian Communications

Spring tree, covered with

New green leaf sprouts,

And full of Starlings

All cackles and bird-shouts,

Up in the top branches,

Cacophony out-of-sight,

Starlings commune 

Before the onset of night...

Software

Old brain processing:

New data in,

Quickly forwarded

To recycle bin...

The Curse

Geopolitics explode, armies

Gear-up for another bout,

But why all the fighting...

Who let the dogs out? 

孤独公園

Alone, and staring into the

Phone's blue light,

On a park bench,

In the night...

Tweets

Heard, but unseen,

Songbirds exclaiming,

Somewhere in the green...

Economics

To attain and afford 

A middle-class life,

He has to work,

And so does his wife,

Compromise, sacrifice,

Skimp, save, and scheme,

Toiling on the treadmill

Of the American Dream...

Mid-Morning

That precious, transitory,

Event, in time and space,

Silence, when commuters

Are arrived and in place,

Movements and 

Motions cease,

And for a brief, fleeting

Moment, peace...

Mall Rat

Like an unguided rocket,

The toddler runs by me,

Screaming with excitement,

Three-year-old intensity.

Breathless freedom,

Full-up kinetic energy,

Until he tires, or collides

With something, inevitably…

Uplifting

They say the sky's the limit,

Among other things,

Soar up to success,

If you have wings...

Priority

First, digest,

Then deal

With the rest...

The Best Medicine

Stoicism, useful, but tends

Toward the melancholy,

So, protect, maintain, the

Ability to be jolly...

外人

An outsider, living inside,

Together with them, but held

Apart, no place to hide...

And it takes quite a

While to realize,

That it's not just because of

The color of my eyes...

Random Sunday Morning

On our way

Thankfully, again,

Into another day...

Another chance,

Another act in

Our mortal dance...

Somewhere in Seoul

Japanese and Koreans, meeting for business,

And facing each other across a social wall,

But a need to proceed, and quest for profits,

Overcame caution, inhibition, after all,

So, barriers fall, and a temporary comradery,

Achieved through the magic of alcohol...

Each side drinking,

Bomber shots of soju

Without much extra thinking...

A Cure

When things pile-up into

A daily, mundane, mess,

It can all add-up into

A caustic case of stress,

So, take a few slow deep

Breaths, and decompress...

Slavic Justice

The autocrat orders his

Soldiers to begin a war,

Doesn't matter that

Things were OK before,

Except for a disagreement,

Not much more...

The autocrat, now trapped,

In an evil-toxic web, spun,

Based on his decisions,

Into a fight which can't be won,

And it all will slowly, surely

Justly, come undone...

食いしん坊

Each new day we meet

With relief -- knowing that

It's Death we've managed to cheat,

Yet again, while continuing

A diet of fried red meat,

Plus, a host of other tasty

Treats, we will not retreat,

Into that sad healthy diet desert,

As long as our hearts beat...

Commuter

Ugly morning, up and out,

Early start, quarter-to-five,

Cold wind, rain in my face,

But I feel alive...

雨の月曜日

I want to stay in bed,

But have to get up

And go out instead...

Try as I might

Can't seem to avoid

The rat race fight...

Spiritual pain,

With umbrella,

Out in the rain...

無差別乱射

Wrong place at wrong time,

And on the floor we lie,

Hiding behind theater seats

As the terror bullets fly,

And if by chance we survive

We'll always wonder "Why?"

AI

Here we are, mopping the floor

Of the office, where, we worked before,

Our previous jobs, by the bye,

Taken by robots and AI,

But at least we're still employed,

Until they make a janitor humanoid...

Digital slaves, the ultimate tools,

Serve, then subvert, their maker-fools...

Shogun

During the civil war years,

Samurais' rule

Was strict, unforgiving,

Often cruel,

So, learn when to bow,

Where not to tread,

And stay clear from the

Risk of losing your head...

Missing In Action

His search for extraterrestrials

Suddenly came undone,

An unexpected encounter

When things had hardly begun,

Absconded by curious aliens

In Area Fifty one...

Preemergence

Frigid winds from the

North, swirl outside,

Protected in their buds,

Cherry blossoms hide,

Until the warmer air

Arrives, they will abide...

Prepper

Preparing for Armageddon,

And resultant dystopian state,

Stock up on bullets and 

Beans, before it's too late,

Tune in to the conspiracy

Stories, squirm, and wait...

Election Year

Despite politicians' claims

To be your friend,

And the virtuous promises

They make and send,

It's all about their

Gaining power, in the end...

They provide you with

Attention and cooperation,

Commensurate with the size of

Your monetary donation...

Rest

Try not to think,

Slowly, into

Slumber, sink...

Switch

She finally decided to

Turn off the sound...

The silence which followed

Was eerie, profound... 

Chill

Morning came again

New ahead, open-ended,

And between doing little,

And nothing, I'm suspended,

Joyfully quietly gloating

In my minutes of floating...

Prophet

The snake charmer,

Ancient-looking-queer,

Said to put away 

All future fear,

Take care and comfort

In the now and here...

Bird Break

Starling gang, lined-up on a branch,

Each perch taken,

Of a bare winter tree

About to reawaken...

蛙

The frog jumping into

A pond, never knew,

It would be immortalized

In a Japanese haiku...

Follow Orders

Marriage is supposed to be

Take and give,

But her mode still

Tends to be declarative...

29th

Calendar's quadrennial

Promise, need to keep,

So, on the last day of

February, we leap...

Break Time

Deposit needless worries

In the Bullshit File,

Have a cup of coffee,

Reflect, and smile,

For the first time

In quite a long while...

Old Greek Story

Shadows dance, on the

Wall of Plato's cave,

Where chained, we embraced

The meanings they gave,

Our cave, all dark, where

We watch and hide,

The shadows merely hint

Of what's real outside...

Get Out The Vote

So much at stake,

So much to fear,

Or so they say,

In an election year...

Domesticated

Pigs and cows had no idea,

When first herded, beaten,

Then generously fed,

That they would be eaten...

あおり運転

Go, go, go,

Step on the gas,

Can't go slow...

There's places

I need to be,

Get out of the way!

You, in front of me...

Ghost Goddess

Enthralled by photos of an

Actress, long gone by now,

It's as if her beauty has

Overcome death somehow,

Preserved by a magic

That old images allow...

Windward

When cold north winds

Decide to attack,

Better to have them

Blow on my back,

As on a wellness 

Walk I slowly pace,

Try to keep them

Off my face...

Meat Puppets

Humans are driven,

Lethal and diverse,

Dancing with chaos,

For better or worse,

Enslaved by base urges,

It is our curse...

Tactical Retreat

Her decision to

Demur, and evade,

Averted a mess 

Before it was made...

Alive

Roadside tree, bare

Branches, cut and pruned

Has an aspect of being

Beaten and ruined,

Yet, that's misleading

As green begins to surge,

Forces of life inside,

And buds will emerge... 

February

Clouds and raindrops

Dance in the winter air,

Outside the window

At which I stare,

Winds whistle, rustle

A gray green mood,

On this cold numb 

Morning of solitude... 

Somewhere In Donbass

The invaders conquered the ruined town,

At tremendous mortal cost,

So be it their victorious battle,

In a war that is already, likely, lost...

Post Nightmare

Suddenly wake,

With an inward scream,

Angry and shaking,

From a nasty dream...

Price Of Mobility

Inexorable? -- Alas,

Global warming from

Automobile gas...

Super Bowl

Furiously, fantastically,

We fight to move a ball,

Across the flat green carpet,

Run, jump, collide and fall,

Fight towards an imaginary

Line, we give it our all...

Curved Celestial Blade

New Moon, waxing

Sharp and thin,

Scythe amidst

The starry spin...

うみかぜ公園物語

Now it's getting dark,

Skateboarders still

Playing in the park,

Yelling, jumping,

Having fun,

Immune to the

Day being done...

Little Killers

Park bench, approached by a gang of

Hungry sparrows, fifteen in all,

Keenly eyeing me for food, just

Glad I'm big and they are small,

Otherwise, I would be fair game,

According to mini-raptor protocol...

孤独高齢者

New morning, has a

Solitary, familiar feel,

Still alive, still hungry,

I prepare another meal,

Eat, then back to bed,

Hoping sleep will heal,

Escape into the bliss

That dreams will reveal...

Short Term

Going back

To check on the door,

Which I think I locked,

Just a short time before...

The Gloaming

A day's fading light,

Thereafter they emerge,

The creatures of the night...

   

(Photograph by Geoffrey M. Hamilton, 1955~2011)  

水仙

Each like a green spear,

Thrust up through winter dirt,

The Daffodils appear...

  

Road Rage

Normally a pleasant chap,

But once he starts to drive,

A nasty speed demon

Inside him comes alive,

Transformed into a

Troll behind the wheel,

And he's oblivious to it all,

Inside his evil automobile...

The Long Wait

The alien hailing system,

Pointed from Earth up to the sky,

Launched its message into space,

And now we wait, for a reply,

For there must be someone out there,

The answer will come, by and by...

Ambient Music

Notes from a certain melody,

Vibrate, float through space,

Their harmonies carry

My soul to a better place...

Covid-19

How surreal, those days

Lost in isolation, fear,

Empty streets, disinfect

Lest the virus be near,

Ethanol, masks, endure,

It will eventually disappear,

We hoped, and so it did,

But the origin remains unclear...

Middle East

Tribal hatreds,

Strong and pure,

Passed down to

Children, and endure,

A disease

Without a cure...

Dreamland

Be content with

The moment you're in,

It's as good now

As it's ever been,

Pull the blanket

Up to your chin...

Cartesian

I am, because

I think,

Record my 

thoughts with ink,

Forget what not

In drink...

Unpredicted

Haphazardly,

Almost randomly,

Is how it started,

World War 3...

Hidden Effects

Mind on mute,

Doing daily chores,

A kind of Zen, neither

Depresses nor bores,

Something else

It accomplishes,

More than just cleaner

Floors and dishes...  

Precursor

Late-January wind

Cold-dries and clears,

Preparing for the night

The Full Moon appears...

Wordless

A meaning of life,

I sense, understand,

When holding my

Grandchild's hand...

Not Yet

Cold morning, under

Blanket warm and snug,

A comforting friend,

The pillow I hug...

Celestial Light Show

Crisp, clear, cold sky,

Full of glorious glittering stars,

Which shine down on the

Homeless, asleep in their cars...

Ishikawa Gym

Half-asleep on carboard bed,

At least I'm still alive,

Killer earthquakes come and go,

But, somehow, we survive...

January 2024

New Year visit to the shrine

Purify, then offer a prayer,

Under the leafless god-trees,

Incense smoke, dry winter air...

The Selma

Winter sunshine

Warms my corner nook,

Where I sit among succulents,

With coffee and book...

Paused

Lately, more often

Than not,

Stare at nothing,

Lost in thought...

地震

With little, or no, warning at all,

The earth bends and shakes,

Then things start to fall