Wednesday, December 31, 2014

31 December 2014

This year is ending.
But I seem to look ahead.
It's more exciting.

31 December 2014
 
(And this wraps up The Haiku Project 2014.  We'll begin the new year over at The Haiku Project 2015, tomorrow or the next day.)

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

30 December 2014

Cranky back and knees,
I hobble around, waving
My cane at the dog.

30 December 2014

Monday, December 29, 2014

29 December 2014

I must remember,
When waiting in line, patience
Is often needed.

29 December 2014
(After waiting 15 minutes at a drive-through window)
 

Saturday, December 27, 2014

27 December 2014

A quiet, dull day.
A slow drizzle of rain and
A dog at my feet.
27 December 2014

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

24 December 2014

Christmas is, for me,
Difficult; not believing
Can do that to you.

24 December 2014

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

23 December 2014

Sleeping well one night
Would be a wonderful thing.
Think it could happen?

23 December 2014

Monday, December 22, 2014

22 December 2014

Last night, the solstice,
Longest night of the year, but
Still I could not sleep.
22 December 2014

Sunday, December 21, 2014

21 December 2014

Found a ladybug
On the window this morning...
What to do with it?

21 December 2014

Saturday, December 20, 2014

20 December 2014

A night of strange dreams...
Only fragments remembered...
But still disturbing.

20 December 2014

Friday, December 19, 2014

19 December 2014

Even late at night,
I wake to the sounds of trucks
Roaring down the street.

19 December 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

18 December 2014

A bone-chilling wind,
Gray skies, snow like stone pellets...
I think I'll stay home.

18 December 2014

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

17 December 2014

Lights draped on the trees,
Red, green, somehow make the night
Feel even colder.

17 December 2014

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

16 December 2014

Too many good friends,
Too far away, fill my thoughts
As the new year looms.

16 December 2013

Sunday, December 14, 2014

14 December 2014

Fat squirrels out there...
In just a few month, they'll be
Emaciated.

14 December 2014

Saturday, December 13, 2014

13 December 2014

A squirrel in the road,
Rolling around on its back--
An itchy shoulder?

13 December 2014

Friday, December 12, 2014

12 December 2014


Outside this morning,
Four ducks splashing in the pond,
Like it's still summer.

12 December 2014

Thursday, December 11, 2014

11 December 2014

So many sparrows
On the bare maple trees...
They're like tiny leaves.

11 December 2014

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

10 December 2014

Good news from old friends
And I smile, remembering
How we were back then.

10 December 2014

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

9 December 2014

Through a haze of clouds,
The moon seems insubstantial,
Ghostly, not quite there.

9 December 2014
(Taken December 7, 2014)
 

Sunday, December 7, 2014

7 December 2014

Awake too early,
I heard a songbird outside,
Singing in the tree.

7 December 2014

Saturday, December 6, 2014

6 December 2014

A strange, silent night--
No wind, no traffic--nothing--
And, still, I can't sleep.

6 December 2014

Friday, December 5, 2014

5 December 2014

A cold wind, and rain.
A day not to venture out,
And I did just that.

5 December 2014

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

3 December 2014

My favorite month...
Cold, clear nights, bright, sunny days,
And a chance of snow...

3 December 2014

Monday, December 1, 2014

1 December 2014

A night without sleep,
Or almost...And without dreams...
Perhaps not so bad...

1 December 2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014

30 November 2014

I heard the north wind;
On the wall, I saw shadows
Of branches bending.

30 November 2014
(Not a restful night.)


Saturday, November 29, 2014

29 November 2014

I tire more quickly
Than I did when I was young...
Not that long ago.

29 November 2014

Friday, November 28, 2014

28 November 2014

A hawk flew past me,
Landing in a tree near the road,
Set for anything.

28 November 2014

Thursday, November 27, 2014

27 November 2014

Full moons entrance me,
The way they seem to fill the sky,
Their unworldly light.

27 November 2014
(Taken 11/2/14)





Wednesday, November 26, 2014

26 November 2014

I dream about work,
Although I no longer work.
Old habits die hard.

26 November 2014

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Monday, November 24, 2014

24 November 2014

All night, howling winds,
And I do not sleep.  All day,
Leaves blow through the yard.

24 November 2014

Sunday, November 23, 2014

23 November 2014

Today, constant rain,
Dark skies, wind.  I watch the clouds
And doze peacefully.

23 November 2014

Saturday, November 22, 2014

22 November 2014

And I remember...
A voice said the President
Was dead...We all wept...

22 November 2014
(I was 15, and in high school.)


Friday, November 21, 2014

21 November 2014

My eyelids droop, close
As I try to read after
One more sleepless night.

21 November 2014

Thursday, November 20, 2014

20 November 2014

Late night, distantly,
I hear coyotes crying,

Here, in the city.
20 November 2014

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

18 November 2014

Time to sleep, and yet...
My mind jumps from this to that,
And then back again.

18 November 2014

Monday, November 17, 2014

17 November 2014

Walking to my car,
On icy, snowy pavement,
Was an adventure.

17 November 2014

Sunday, November 16, 2014

16 November 2014

Our first snow since spring.
The leafless shrubs are now white.
The night seems silent.

16 November 2014

Saturday, November 15, 2014

15 November 2013

Crystalline patterns
On my windshield; ice refracting
In the morning sun.

15 November 2014

Friday, November 14, 2014

Thursday, November 13, 2014

13 November 2014

Snow hangs in the air,
Drifting on random currents,
Never quite landing.

13 November 203

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

12 November 2014

Frost on my windows,
A north wind shaking the trees...
Waking this morning.
12 November 2014 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

11 November 2014

A cold rain falling,
A cold wind stirring the leaves...
My mood matches that.

11 November 2014

Sunday, November 9, 2014

9 November 2014

Sorting photographs,
Seeing myself grow older...
How strange, how fitting.

9 November 2014


(1965)

(2000)

 

Friday, November 7, 2014

7 November 2014

After cloudy days,
The evening sky displays
Its autumn palette.

7 November 2014
(Taken today.)
 


Thursday, November 6, 2014

6 November 2014

Mostly bare trees now,
A red-yellow-brown carpet
Covering the grass.

6 November 2014

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

5 November 2014

A full moon tonight,
Drifting above the pine trees,
Pale against the sky.
5 November 2014
(Taken tonight.)
 


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

4 November 2014

Rain hangs in the air
Like a mist; walking feels like
Wading through a lake,

4 November 2014

Monday, November 3, 2014

3 November 2014

An early sunset,
Or so it seemed...clouds arrived
And the sky turned black.

3 November 2014

Sunday, November 2, 2014

2 November 2014

Many years ago,
I wanted to hide inside
A Rothko painting.
2 November 2014
(After seeing John Logan's play "Reds"
and remembering two museum visits
(
http://wordsmusic-doc.blogspot.com/2014/11/mark-rothko-john-logans-reds-and-me.html)
 


Saturday, November 1, 2014

1 November 2014

Yesterday, grey skies,
Cold rain, and my mood likewise.
Today--sun and smiles.

1 November 2014

Thursday, October 30, 2014

30 October 2014

Another late night,
And fireworks keep me awake...
Do I deserve this?

30 October 2014

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

28 October 2014

Home from work at last,
Tired, hungry, and aching.
And ready to sleep.

28 October 2014
(What I get for teaching
a late class, I guess

Monday, October 27, 2014

27 October 2014

Just outside our door,
In late autumn, like a flame,
A burst of red leaves...

27 October 2014
(Taken today.)
 

Sunday, October 26, 2014

26 October 2014

First in the sun room,
And then in the yard, the dog
Lying in the sun.

26 October 2014

Saturday, October 25, 2014

25 October 2014

A warm autumn day,
Our dog asleep in the sun
With her paws twitching.

25 October 2014

Friday, October 24, 2014

24 October 2014

My friends have scattered,
Almost none are now near by...
Life is emptier...

24 October 2014

Thursday, October 23, 2014

23 October 2014

Fog over the pond,
Creeping across fallen leaves...
An eerie morning.

23 October 2014

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

21 October 2014

Even a short drive
Has become more difficult...
Getting old's not fun.

21 October 2014

Monday, October 20, 2014

20 October 2014

An October day--
Cold, gray skies, sporadic rain--
And we're staying home.
20 October 2014

Sunday, October 19, 2014

19 October 2014

I sit quietly,
An ice bag strapped to my knee,
Feeling the pain ebb.

19 October 2014

Saturday, October 18, 2014

18 October 2014

I've heard it said that
"Every promise has a price."
And I believe it.

18 October 2014
(A line from an unfinished--and therefore
unrecorded--song by Bob Seger)



Friday, October 17, 2014

17 October 2014

Once again at home,
Tired from a full day's travel,
Unable to sleep.

17 October 2014

Thursday, October 16, 2014

16 October 2014

An eerie landscape,
Created by volcanoes--
Iceland from the sky.

16 October 2014

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

15 October 2014

Indian food shops,
Crowded, busy, line the street
As we're leaving Paris.

15 October 2014

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

14 October 2014

Just a small hotel,
On an undistinguished street,
But we're together.

14 October 2014

Monday, October 13, 2014

13 October 2014

On my love's birthday,
I watch her, across the table,
Smiling back at me.

13 October 2014

Sunday, October 12, 2014

12 October 2014

A slender woman
Running through the station
On stiletto heels.

12 October 2014

Saturday, October 11, 2014

11 October 2014

Paris streets at night,
Impenatrable traffic,
And crowded sidewalks.
11 October 2014

Friday, October 10, 2014

10 October 2014

Sailing from New York,
The lights of the city a
Rainbow of colors.

10 October 2014

Monday, September 22, 2014

22 September 2014

We will be walking
Along unfamiliar streets.
New sights await us.

22 September 2014
(Just before we leave for a trip.)

Sunday, September 21, 2014

21 September 2014

Turtle in the street...
When we took it to the pond,
It scuttled right in.

21 September 2013
(Damned thing was at least 10" long.)
 


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

16 September 2014

The everyday things--
Meals, laundry, playing with the dog--
Make for a good life.

16 September 2014

Monday, September 15, 2014

15 September 2014

Summer has ended,
Nights grow cooler, days shorter.
Moon and stars still shine.

15 September 2014

Saturday, September 13, 2014

13 September

Just a memory...
Our neighbor, gone these three years,
Sitting by the pond.

13 September 2013
(Photo taken today.)
 

Thursday, September 11, 2014

11 September 2014

A difficult day.
Not for obvious reasons.
I hurt all over.

11 September 2014

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

10 September 2014

A gray, cloudy day.
Now, lightning and pouring rain.
But I feel relieved.

10 September 2014

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

9 September 2014

The scent of cut grass
Under a cloudless sky--and
Knowing rain will come.

9 September 2014

Monday, September 8, 2014

8 September 2014

An aching shoulder...
Hard to sit, hard to lie down...
Aspirin tonight...

8 September 2014

Sunday, September 7, 2014

7 September 2014

Clouds drifting slowly
Shifting patterns of color,
Blue, white, gray, and green.

7 September 2014
(Taken today)
 
 


Saturday, September 6, 2014

6 September 2014

Late last night, dreaming...
Incongruous images...
Then, it all made sense.

6 September 2014
(I don't often dream of Magritte
paintings, but when I do...)

 


Monday, September 1, 2014

1 September 2014

Squirrels in the yard,
Chasing each other up trees,
Playing in the sun.

1 September 2014

Saturday, August 30, 2014

30 August 2014

Lyrics in my head...
"...one too many mornings and
A thousand miles behind."

30 August 2014
(With apologies to Bob Dylan)


Friday, August 29, 2014

29 August 2014

We met once again,
Years later, with nothing left
But fragments of dreams.
29 August 2014

Thursday, August 28, 2014

28 August 2014

It's well past midnight,
And I awake, having dreamed
Of friends and lovers.

28 August 2014

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

27 August 2014

Dreams are memories,
I'm told.  But dreams, memories--
Or both--haunt my sleep.

27 August 2014

Monday, August 25, 2014

25 August 2014

August afternoon,
We wait for the storms to come--
The air smells of rain.

25 August 2014

Saturday, August 23, 2014

23 August 2014

The storm has ended,
And the western sky is now
Red, orange, purple.

23 August 2014

Friday, August 22, 2014

22 August 2014

The white ash, dying .
The shade it casts will be gone.
The yard, emptier.

22 August 2014

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

19 August 2014

A brief thunderstorm--
The dog huddles at my feet
Until it's over.

19 August 2014

Monday, August 18, 2014

18 August 2014

Out in the front yard--
A half-eaten crabapple,
A happy rabbit.

18 August 2014

Sunday, August 17, 2014

17 August 2014

A morning shower...
Then the sun breaks through the clouds ,
And the streets sparkle.

17 August 2014

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

13 August 2014

Reading an old book,
Its familiar feel and words
Are like an old friend.

13 August 2014
(The book, is anyone cares,
is Len Deighton's The Ipcress File)


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

12 August 2014

Everywhere I look,
Clouds, dark gray, shading to black,
Desultory rain.

12 August 2014

Monday, August 11, 2014

11 August 2014

Caught in a downpour,
And, at the same time, sunshine, and
A distant rainbow.

11 August 2014

Friday, August 8, 2014

8 August 2014

When I retired,
I thought: "Great! No more meetings!"
That was a mistake.

8 August 2014

Thursday, August 7, 2014

7 August 2014

Our two cardinals,
On the fence and in the tree,
Sing to each other.

7 August 2014

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

6 August 2014

Our yard-rabbit spent
Today eating  crabapples
And dodging the dog.

6 August 2014

Monday, August 4, 2014

4 August 2014

Just after sunset,
The storm hit--torrential rain,
Thunder, frightened dog.

4 August 2014

Sunday, August 3, 2014

3 August 2014

Dozing in my chair,
Waking now and then to see
A blood-red sunset.

3 August 2014

Saturday, August 2, 2014

2 August 2014

Strange dreams through the night,
Fragmentary visions of
A fantasy world.

2 August 2014

Friday, August 1, 2014

1 August 2014

Poems for winter,
Regardless of the season,
As I grow older.

1 August 2014

Thursday, July 31, 2014

31 July 2014

Late afternoon, with
Dragonflies catching the sun,

Small flying jewels.
31 July 2014

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

30 July 2014

Afternoon thunder,
And the dog lies at my feet...
Safe for the moment...

30 July 2014

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

29 July 2014

As I left for home,
The clouds parted, the rain stopped,
And the sky, the sky...

29 July 2014
(Taken tonight, about 8 PM)
 



Monday, July 28, 2014

28 July 2014

An aching shoulder...
Too long at the computer.
Drugs, and then to bed.

28 July 2014

Saturday, July 26, 2014

26 July 2014

Lying at my feet,
The dog believes she is safe...
The storm thunders on.

26 July 2014

Thursday, July 24, 2014

24 July 2014

Driving west tonight,
Straight into the setting sun,

Going on instinct.
24 July 2014

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

23 July 2014

Waking to thunder.
The dog, seeking protection,
 Lies beside the bed.

23 July 2014

Saturday, July 19, 2014

19 July 2014

The computer died...
I felt cut off from the world
For a little while

19 July 2014

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

16 July 2014

Sitting in the sun
With an old book, reading some...
Dozing between lines...

16 July 2014


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

15 July 2014

Clouds lit by the sun
Sky turning purple at dusk
As I head for home

15 July 2014
(My photo this evening)





Monday, July 14, 2014

14 July 2014

Sitting on the porch,
Watching the wind and rain whip
The trees back and forth.

14 July 2014

Saturday, July 12, 2014

12 July 2014

Just as I left home,
Rain began falling.  And I
Had no umbrella.

14 July 2014

Friday, July 11, 2014

11 July 2014

Little yellow finch,
Eating seeds from the bush, why
Did you fly away?

11 July 2014

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

9 July 2014

Our dog is sleeping,
Curled between us in our bed,
Feeling safe with us.

9 July 2014
 




Tuesday, July 8, 2014

8 July 2014

In the southern sky,
Above the trees, past sunset,
The moon floating by...

8 June 2014
 


Saturday, July 5, 2014

5 July 2014

Two bad knees, bad back
Bad shoulders, bad left elbow--
Growing tired of this...

5 July 2014

Friday, July 4, 2014

4 July 2014

A strange, quiet day,
Waiting for distant fireworks
To explode the night.

4 July 2014

Thursday, July 3, 2014

3 July 2014

And now it begins...
Two days of small explosions,
Keeping us awake.

3 July 2014
(And scaring the dog...)


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

2 July 2014

Little mosquito--
Sorry I had to kill you.

It was you or me.
 
2 July 2014



Monday, June 30, 2014

30 June 2014

A late morning storm...
Flashes of lightning, thunder...
The dog is hiding.

30 June 2014

Sunday, June 29, 2014

29 June 2014

The sun shines brightly;
In the west, massive, looming clouds.
Today's metaphor?

29 June 2014


Friday, June 27, 2014

27 June 2014

Rain pours off the roof..
Abruptly, the sun appears,
The thunder continues.

27 June 2014

Thursday, June 26, 2014

26 June 2014

Floating above me,
Clouds, like pillows, beckoning
Me to drift to sleep. 

26 June 2014
(So I took this photo, and then played with it...)
 
 
 
 
(Another version, played with differently.)
 
 


Wednesday, June 25, 2014

25 June 2014

Floating in the pool,
Watching as the sky turns black,
And, yet, no rain falls.

25 June 2014

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

24 June 2014

Perched above the pond,
A hawk, waiting for movement,
Ready, now, to strike.

24 June 2014

Monday, June 23, 2014

23 June 2014

Walking to my house,
Caught by a sudden downpour
And completely soaked.

23 June 2014

Saturday, June 21, 2014

21 June 2014

Noon.  Sun, directly
Overhead, casts no shadows
On this longest day.

21 June 2014
(And a sunrise picture--I did not take this.)
 

Thursday, June 19, 2014

19 June 2014

Just before sunset,
And the sky is much brighter
Than it was at noon.

19 June 2014

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

18 June 2014

Air like a steam bath
Makes walking across the yard
Too much of an effort.

18 June 2013

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

17 June 2014

Barking her head off
At something only she sees...
Strange little watch dog.

17 June 2014

Sunday, June 15, 2014

15 June 2014

Afternoon sunlight
Caught a dragonfly in flight--
Fluttering green wings.

15 July 2014

15 June 2014

It's early morning
As a nearly-full moon shines
Into our bedroom.
15 June 2014

Friday, June 13, 2014

13 June 2014

72 years past...
A young couple, my parents,
Began their journey.

13 June 2014
(And a picture of them,
with my older brother, in late 1946.)
 
 


Thursday, June 12, 2014

12 June 2014

A full moon tonight,
Seen behind a veil of clouds,
A ghostly vision.

12 June 2014

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

10 June 2014

My house is silent.
Outside, water drips gently,
A soft melody.

10 June 2014

Sunday, June 8, 2014

8 June 2014

One thing about it--
A really hard rain causes
The frogs to shut up.

8 June 2014

Friday, June 6, 2014

6 June 2014

The dog goes crazy
When a rabbit hops into
Her view of the yard.

6 June 2014 

Thursday, June 5, 2014

5 June 2014

A crane glides into
Our pond, hidden in the reeds,
When I startle it.

5 June 2013

Sunday, June 1, 2014

1 June 2014

Silence, air dead calm.
The night is a like damp cloak.
Waiting for the storm.

1 June 2014

Thursday, May 29, 2014

29 May 2013

Looking at my home,
I find that I am among
My old friends, my books.

29 May 2013
 


Wednesday, May 28, 2014

28 May 2014

Out in the sun room,
Watching the ducks waddling
Over to the pond.

28 May 2014

Monday, May 26, 2014

26 May 2014

I never sleep well
Any more; all day, I just
Want to close my eyes.

26 May 2014

Thursday, May 22, 2014

22 May 2014

One more sign of spring--
Enormous bees buzzing around
The Rose of Sharon.

22 May 2014

Monday, May 19, 2014

19 May 2015

Going through some files,
I found a poem I wrote
When my life was bleak.
19 May 2014
(And here it is:

The Leap Into the Void

I leapt into the Void,
Figuratively, like Yves Klein.
But literally, figuratively,
What does it matter?
The Void
Is still
The Void.

March 1998)


Sunday, May 18, 2014

18 May 2014

The dog's in the yard,
Stretched out, soaking up some rays
While the neighbors watch.

18 May 2014

Friday, May 16, 2014

16 May 2014

A cold day, for May.
Both of us well bundled up,
Our hands are still cold.

16 May 2014

Thursday, May 15, 2014

15 May 2013

In the east, sunshine.
From the west, black clouds approach.
Sudden, driving rain.

15 May 2014

Monday, May 12, 2014

12 May 2012

I awoke last night
To thunder, distant, drawing
Closer with each growl...

12 May 2014

Saturday, May 10, 2014

10 May 2014

Forty years ago,
Driving through Salisbury Plain,
And, suddenly, this.

10 May 2014
(Not my photo;
source.)
 
 


Friday, May 9, 2014

9 May 2014

May 9th--already
The frogs have begun courting,
Croaking through the night.

9 May 2014

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

7 May 2014

Clear blue skies under
A hot sun...I could believe
Summer has arrived.

7 May 2014

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

6 May 2014

Sitting at my desk,
Eyes closed, arms folded, dreaming,
In late afternoon.

6  May 2014 

Monday, May 5, 2014

5 May 2014

Driving home, watching
The sunset, red and purple,
In my car's mirrors.

5 May 2014

Sunday, May 4, 2014

4 May 2014

Forty-four years ago
Four died...with them, a nation died
Without knowing it.

4 May 2014
("Tin soldiers and Nixon coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are gunning us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her
And saw her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?"
Neil Young)

Friday, May 2, 2014

2 May 2014

Watching the clouds
Drift overhead, solid gray
Matching my dark mood.

2 May 2014

Thursday, May 1, 2014

1 May 2013

What do I see, now,
When looking in the mirror?
A lined face, white hair.
1 May 2014

Sunday, April 27, 2014

27 April 2014

The crabapple tree
Has buds and some flowers and
Will drop fruit this fall.

27 April 2014

 

Saturday, April 26, 2014

26 April 2014

Strange dreams once again,
Of people far away and
Hopes unrealized.

26 April 2014

Friday, April 25, 2014

25 April 2014

Behind the downspout,
A small nest, hidden from view,
Birds flying in, out.

25 April 2014
 

Thursday, April 24, 2014

24 April 2014

An afternoon spent
Dozing with a baseball game
On--that's wonderful.

24 April 2014

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

23 April 2014

A dream of my past...
A group of us late at night,
Talk of our futures...
23 April 2014
(And remembering "
Bob Dylan's Dream.")

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

22 April 2014

At last!  Leaves begin
To appear, red buds, on our
Japanese maple.

22 April 2014

Friday, April 18, 2014

18 April 2014

A long lunch with friends,
Reminiscing, laughing, and
Basking in the sun.

18 April 2014

Thursday, April 17, 2014

17 April 2014

Watching from my chair,
Daylight fading, coloring
The sky red-orange.

17 April 2014
(But the picture didn't come out.)


Tuesday, April 15, 2014

15 April 2014

Freshly fallen snow
Atop the grass, on the trees,
Three weeks into spring.

15 April 2014

Monday, April 14, 2014

14 April 2014

Robins in the yard
Looking for tasty earthworms
Just after the rain.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

13 April 2014

An open window,
And, throughout the night, the sounds
Of traffic passing.

13 April 2014

Saturday, April 12, 2014

12 April 2014

A west wind rattles
Windows, sneaks around the frames,
Keeping me awake.

12  April 2014

Thursday, April 10, 2014

10 April 2014

First real spring-like day,
And I cannot enjoy it.
I'm feeling my age.

10 April 2014

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

9 April 2014

Middle of the night,
Helicopters overhead.
I have a flashback.

9 April 2014
(In May 1970, for four nights in a row,
we didn't sleep because of the helicopters
searching for anti-war demonstrators.)


Monday, April 7, 2014

7 April 2014

Headlights reflecting
From the puddles in the street ...
Like wartime London...

7 April 2014
(I thought I'd driven into a spy novel.)

Saturday, April 5, 2014

5 April 2014

A small, red-head bird,
In the Japanese maple,
The sun its spotlight.

5 April 2014

Friday, April 4, 2014

4 April 2014

Not a wasted day,
But I did very little,
Saving energy...

4 April 2014

Thursday, April 3, 2014

3 April 2014

Two nights in a row...
Lightning, thunder, pouring rain...
Keeping me awake...

3 April 2014

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

2 April 2014

2  A.M.  I wake
To rain pounding on the roof,
Lightning, and thunder.

2 April 2014

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

1 April 2014

There's a tradition in Zen (especially in Japan) of writing a "death poem."  The tradition is that a monk, on his deathbed, spontaneously recites his final poem, which is recorded by his pupils.  I have my own take on what really happens, which is...well, read this one.  (And, you can buy the book, Japanese Death Poems, Yoel Hoffman, trans, and ed,, at Amazon and elsewhere.)

"Writing my death poem."
"But you're not on your death bed."
"But, now, I have time."

1 April 2014

Monday, March 31, 2014

31 March 2014

A sunny day and
Runners in their neon tights--
A beautiful sight.

31 March 2014

Sunday, March 30, 2014

30 March 2014

Sunshine on the pond,
And a goose reflected there.
A  comforting sight.

30 March 2014

Saturday, March 29, 2014

29 March 2014

Feeling old today,
Even older than most days,
Older and worn out.

29 March 2014

Thursday, March 27, 2014

27 March 2014

Is it still winter?
There's a muddy brown river,
And a cold grey sky.

27 March 2013

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

26 March 2014

Another long day.
Tomorrow, early-to-rise.
And too little sleep.

26 March 2014

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

25 March 2014

Spring is here at last...
And yet the trees remain bare...
Snow is still falling.

25 March 2014
(Yes, it snowed--not much--today)
 
 


Monday, March 24, 2014

24 March 2014

Something I just read:
"Circumstances...make actions"--
An ethics lesson?
24 March 2014

Sunday, March 23, 2014

23 March 2014

Two geese patrolling
Around the pond, announcing
Themselves by honking.

23 March 2014

Saturday, March 22, 2014

22 March 2014

Too many late nights,
Too many early mornings.
I'm too tired to work.

22 March 2014

Friday, March 21, 2014

21 March 2014

Sitting in the sun,
Watching the ducks on the pond,
The flowers blooming.

21 March 2014

Thursday, March 20, 2014

20 March 2014

Two geese strutting through
Our yard, heading for the pond
And the cool water.

20 March 2014
(It's the first day of spring!)

Monday, March 17, 2014

17 March 2014

A dead-white full moon,
As cold as the night, rising
In the eastern sky.

17 March 2014

Sunday, March 16, 2014

16 March 2014 (B)

It's nine years today.
A private ceremony
We still celebrate.

16 March 2014

16 March 2014

Two sleepless nights now.
And I'm not ready for bed,
But too tired to move.

16 March 2014

Thursday, March 13, 2014

13 March 2014

The sun is shining
On me and the dog.  We're fat,
Warm, and quite content.

13 March 2014

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

11 March 2014

Felt like spring today,
And the dog loved the sunshine.
But tomorrow--snow.

11 March 2014

Monday, March 10, 2014

10 March 2014

My knees ache tonight.
Tomorrow, my shoulders' turn.
Then, maybe my hip.

10 March 2014
Getting old is not for wimps.)

Saturday, March 8, 2014

8 March 2014

We did not leave home,
Staying inside as rain fell,
Safe, warm, and content.

8 March 2014

Friday, March 7, 2014

7 March 2014

A late winter thaw.
Our walk's icy and submerged--
Treacherous two ways.

7 March 2014

Thursday, March 6, 2014

6 March 2014

"Make of yourself, light."
So said Buddha, nearing death.
But I don't know how.

6 March 2014
(After a poem by Mary Oliver.)


Wednesday, March 5, 2014

5 March 2014

Lying on its back,
A crescent moon seems asleep,
At peace with its world.

5 March 2014

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

4 March 2014

A room with glass walls.
I sit inside, in the light,
Looking at the night.

4 March 2014

Monday, March 3, 2014

3 March 2014

Late night on dark streets,
The moon shines on the canal,
An unearthly light.

3 March 2014

Saturday, March 1, 2014

1 March 2014

Early afternoon,
The dog lying in the sun,
As if it's summer.

1 March 2014

Friday, February 28, 2014

28 February 2014

Another day gone.
Sometimes I feel that I have
Accomplished nothing.

28 February 2014
 




Thursday, February 27, 2014

27 February 2014

A nation explodes.
Soldiers, tanks.  Cities on fire.
And blood in the streets.

27 February 2014
(I don't remember where I found this;
it's a representation of the Ukranian
flag, stained with blood.)
 
 


Wednesday, February 26, 2014

26 February 2014

As I grow older,
Walking becomes a challenge
On the icy steps.

26 February 2014

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

25 February 2014

A dark, chilly night.
No moon or stars.  Just silence.
I must try to sleep.

25 February 2014

Monday, February 24, 2014

24 February 2014

Difficult winter.
Snow piles persist through the thaw.
All the streets have pits.

24 February 2014
(And the thaw seems to be ending...)

Sunday, February 23, 2014

23 February 2014

Certain aromas
Can make me feel very good...
Like garlic roasting.

23 February 2014

Thursday, February 20, 2014

20 February 2014

"Let sleeping dogs lie..."
Or so goes the old adage.
Nina says, "Sounds good."

20 February 2014
(Taken 20 Feb 2014)
 


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

19 February 2014

Once a bakery
In the ghetto.  Even now
A presence remains.

19 February 2014
(Taken in a Tuscan hill town in 2002)
 


Tuesday, February 18, 2014

18 February 2014

A recurring dream...
I walk through the city, but
Can't get there from here...

18 February 2014

Monday, February 17, 2014

17 February 2014

Now, a frozen world.
Tomorrow, the thaw begins.
Parable of life?

17 February 2014

Sunday, February 16, 2014

16 February 2014

Another long day,
And another sleepless night...
Maybe tomorrow...

16 February 2014

Saturday, February 15, 2014

15 February 2014

I want a mirror
That would reflect my life as

I wish it had been.
15 February 2014
(A shop window on a
side street in Paris, in 2000)
 
 


Friday, February 14, 2014

14 February 2014

A small synagogue
In a small Tuscan hill town...
Even I was moved.

14 February 2014
(Taken in October 2002)
 
 


Thursday, February 13, 2014

13 February 2014

A morning in June,
Years ago, a life that's past,
Shrouded in the mist.

13 February 2014
(I was looking through some
old photos and found this
one, of a canal in France)
 
 


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

12 November 2014

Paw prints in the snow..
A critter has passed by here,
As silent as death.

12 February 2014
 
 


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

11 February 2014

When I woke, I saw
A white field, glistening in
The morning sunshine.

11 February 2014

Monday, February 10, 2014

10 February 2014

In the parking lots,
Snow higher than any car,
Any SUV...

10 February 2014

Friday, February 7, 2014

7 February 2014

The news seems stranger
As I grow older; maybe
It's me, not the world.

7 February 2014

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

5 February 2014

Fresh layer of snow,
Six new inches on eight old.
Cold chilling my soul.

5 February 2014 

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

4 February 2014

Now, in months, I am
Seven hundred ninety two.
(Sounds more impressive.)

4 February 2014

Monday, February 3, 2014

3 February 2014

At last, a sunny day.
And, at once, my spirits are,
For a time, revived.

3 February 2014

Sunday, February 2, 2014

2 February 2014

Cold, gray, and gloomy.
A typical winter day.
And I'm sick of it.

2 February

Saturday, February 1, 2014

1 February 2014

Another new month.
It's trivial, but somehow
Strangely exciting.

1 February 2014

Friday, January 31, 2014

31 January 2014

More and more, I am
Conscious of mortality...
Mine, also my friends.

31 January 2014

Thursday, January 30, 2014

30 January 2014

"Be happy and safe."
From a friend who is in pain
And whom I can't help.

30 January 2014

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

28 January 2014

And when I return,
The dog leaps up, hugging me
Welcoming me home.

28 January 2014

Monday, January 27, 2014

27 January 2014

Between gale force winds
And a winter thunderstorm...
One more sleepless night.

27 January 2014

Sunday, January 26, 2014

26 January 2014

When I look outside,
All I see is a sea of white...
Snow driven by wind...
26 January 2014

Saturday, January 25, 2014

25 January 2014

I'm old and tired
And I don't want to be me...
But who else is there?
25 January 2014

Friday, January 24, 2014

24 January 2014

Some nights, I can't sleep.
Other nights, I don't want to...
Because I have dreams.

24 January 2014

Thursday, January 23, 2014

23 January 2014

I feel older and
Less at peace than usual
As I lie awake.

23 January 2014

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

21 January 2014

As my brother says,
"Snow is a four-letter word."
With more on the way.
21 January 2014
 


Monday, January 20, 2014

20 January 2014

A day to reflect.
Too many martyrs have died.
Work still to be done.

20 January 2014
 
 


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

14 January 2014

The snow's almost gone;
In its place, a vast expanse
Of mud and brown grass.

14 January 2014

Monday, January 13, 2014

13 January 2014

Back to work today.
I have often forgotten
How much fun it is.

13 January 2014
(Of course, it's only part-time.)


Saturday, January 11, 2014

11 January 2014

Outside the window,
A soft drip, drip, drip persists--
Snow slowly melting.
11 January 2014

Friday, January 10, 2014

10 January 2014

Dozing in my chair,
Waking to the nightly news,
Nothing I want to hear.

10 January 2014

Thursday, January 9, 2014

9 January 2014

Outside my window,
I see a world that's all in
Shades of black and white.

9 January 2014
(The astute reader will gather
that the first week of the new
year has been cold and snowy.)


 


Tuesday, January 7, 2014

7 January 2014

A strange day.  Silence,
Nothing moving, just the wind
And trees seem alive.
7 January 2014
 
 


Monday, January 6, 2014

6 January 2014

In bed, not sleeping,
I watch shadows on the wall
Dancing with the wind.

6 January 2014

Friday, January 3, 2014

3 January 2014

A north wind, shaking
Snow from the trees, gave our dog
A white winter coat.

3 January 2014

Thursday, January 2, 2014

2 January 2014

Snow drifting around
Our doors, almost weightlessly
Keeping us inside.

2 January 2014