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...