Paiku

Behind
The cornfields
The neatly folded storms

Night rain
Fumbles with the leaves
On the holly tree

Trimmed hedge
Already feeling its way
Towards shapelessness

The bridge has gone
But the foaming water
Isn't going anywhere

Morning’s blue distance
Turned out to be

This afternoon’s parched hill

Somewhere behind
The buzzing, cut-grass-smelling day
The moon is waiting

Big blue morning;
Forget-me-nots
Fade in a cornfield

The caterpillars
Are already
Eating summer

Slow river
Losing its sparkle
To the midges

Clear blue
Marbled
With lark song

Cow
Cow
Cow
Bull

Different words
But always
The same poem

Bees sing
October's apples
Into the tree

Farmer and crow:
Same face
Same job

I tumble
Out of my head
Into the sunshine

Living in the here and now?
I tried that
Yesterday

Blackbird waiting
For idea of cat
To go away

Tail lights
Shuffle
Under the red moon

Stray cat -
Monk puts down his broom
To play

A perfect camellia
Perfectly
Fading