Shadow World

She looks up from
Fingering her phone,
It’s not the same place,
She’s all alone,
A voice whispers: “Welcome
To the Twilight Zone”...

Difference Of Elevation

Up in the tree,
The happy bird sings,
Down below, we
Try to make the best of things...

Retail Reality

Customer service counter
She pauses in place
A totally empty
Look on her face
Staring blankly
Off into space...

Solitary End

Stroke in the toilet
Away from her phone
She never had a chance
She died alone...

Imperial Succession

The ceremonies proceed
In a measured flow,
Each move and gesture
Conducted “just so”,
Ancient processes
Dignified and slow...

Destination

It’s not the where,
Rather, who you’re with,
While you’re there...

Man Made Shift

No matter who you are
Or what you believe
Change is impending
On a new era’s eve

Gerontology

I can amble around
With the help of my cane
And drink down pills
To dull the pain
All part of the process
Of falling apart
Can’t fuck anymore
But I can fart
And eating provides
A small measure
Of otherwise
Diminished pleasure...

平成の終

Gentle rain, a morning
Mild and gray,
This last day of Heisei...

Clickbait

A modern day
Manipulator
Is the fake news
Content creator...

Democracy

See the politician
Run and emote
Promise anything
To get your vote...

Being Held

Putting the baby to rest,
It occurs to me as
I hug him to my chest,
That there was a day
When someone did the
Same thing, same way,
To me, way back when,
Those infant memories
Now beyond my ken...

Sidewalk Tactics

Adults avoid puddles,
It’s what they do,
Kids, on the other hand,
Just splash right through...

Biomass Mugging

Weeds burst from the ground,
As Spring is renewed,
Their corner lot now
Covered and subdued,
The green invaders
Grow wild and tall,
Until they get chopped
Down, come Fall...

Indescribable

A moment words can’t capture
Only surround
When utter relief
Is uncorked, unbound...

Driftable

A body’s mind

Is just like air

Free to wander

Anywhere...

Law Enforcer

Japanese policeman
Patient and polite
Until he is
Challenged to fight
At which point
He uses judo and more
To flip you over
And onto the floor...

Doesn't Even Realize

Watching the wave-less waters,
The old idiot sits with a grin
Pasted on his face, oblivious
To the moment he is in,
Ignorant of the news
Of this cursed Earthly day,
Good, bad, and absurd,
But he's all OK...

海風公園 (2)

Ending of a day,
Dusk approaching
Turning things gray,
Time to depart, but
We still want to stay,
Ignore it, and extend
The moment of joy,
Don't let it end...

Forgotten Warship

Battleship MIKASA,
Cemented to the pier,
Carried heroes of a war
None remember anymore,
Fought long ago
And far away from here,
Its empty deadly guns
Evoke no fear...

海風公園

Lazy day, in the park,
Flying a kite, kicking a ball,
Not a care in the world,
It is Spring after all...

BMI

Seems obvious that
“Plus-sized”, “curvy”
Simply mean “fat”

Energy

Burst out from the
Azaleas, like arrows
And into the camphor
Tree, fly the sparrows...

Java Java Java

On an office morning
When all is busy-new,
Only a hot cup of
Coffee will do...

Death From Under

A submarine is a ninja,
It dives to disappear,
And all the ships above
Are left to navigate in fear...