Abduction

I can't really remember, describe,

What it was like inside,

After the bright light from

Above, and the upward glide,

Toward the flying saucer

With its tractor beam applied,

Sucking up various forms of

Life to be examined, identified,

Then after god knows what,

The aliens, apparently satisfied,

Dropped me back down to the dirt,

Sore, but alive, and mystified...

Upbringing

Toddlers' meltdowns, cries

Screams and demands,

Best met with patience,

Hugs, holding hands,

Those tiny tantrums

Test parenting skills,

To endure and resolve

The battle of wills...

Despite

Plan or pray to mitigate

Heartless happenstance,

Yet things, more often than not,

Determined by chance...

天気予報

Fed up with the talking heads,

Spouting opinions and views,

I change channels, and take

Refuge in weather news...

Ballot Madness

Expect the unexpected,

When clowns,

Get elected...

紫陽花のつぼみ

Yet to bloom Hydrangeas,

Sprout among the green,

Their pastel pinks, whites,

And blues, soon to be seen,

Delicate, exquisite,

Thrive in Spring showers,

Before the killing heat arrives,

Rainy season flowers...

Near Midnight

City streets now quiet

Under an empty sky,

Dark voodoo stillness,

Night air cool and dry...

Fourth Estate

Despite the outrage and drama,

An unspoken truth abides,

Politicians and media, same

Coin, but different sides...

Midnight Snack

Hunger pains abated,

Temporarily sated,

Insistent appetite,

Done for the night,

Sneak out of the kitchen,

Turn off the light...

Revenge of the Muse

Moment of inspiration,

Stimuli overload,

The act of creation,

Brains explode...

外国人

I am one, who exists outside,

Physically different, exotic,

No place to pause, or hide,

For, as much as they need

Me, they have their pride,

Must defend their culture,

From us foreigners inside...

Infinite

Remarkable, the pall,

Cast by realization of

The enormity of it all...

つばめ

Swallows have returned,

From somewhere far away,

And here, to feed and breed,

For a while, they will stay...

Mid-May

The cool gray days

Will soon be past,

So, enjoy them,

While they last...

My Chair

Quietly, here I sit,

World, the usual chaos,

Doesn't matter a bit...

品川駅

Me and my companion

Android phone,

In a crowded place,

Anonymous and alone,

Surrounded by strangers,

Unnoticed, unbeknown...

Gift Of The Bean

Not awake, or asleep,

Somewhere in between,

Floating in a state

Neither fuzzy nor keen,

Wait for impending

Effects of caffeine...

Stuck

Perplexed, unsettled,

No release,

Until I can find

The missing piece...

満員電車

Headed for Tokyo, morning train,

All kinds of people standing around,

Crushed like canned sardines,

With no one making a sound,

But I managed to get a seat,

And gloat with a silent chuckle,

Face the others, standing,

Stare at random belt buckle...

Hidden In Plain Sight

Ignored, unnoticed,

I've walked by repeatedly,

But now I've stopped,

By chance, quite randomly,

And am amazed by

What is there to see,

What had been waiting

So long for discovery...   

Why?

Homeless, or "un-housed",

Call them what you will,

Unknowing, unable to cope,

Now being culled by fentanyl,

As are the rust belt's dregs,

Coal miners' grandkids,

Popping pain killers

And hitting the skids...

Jerky

Teeth can bite, but more

Practically, chew,

Masticate for a good

Digestive follow-through...