Ode

Ode (1989)

how often, how too often
do we come out
play a game
moth and flame

how seldom, how too seldom
do we come out
moths to flames

how often, how too often
do we stay within
cocooned
hiding colours

how often, how too often
do we come out
suggesting colours
but grey moths
hairy monsters
singed wings

some say
we should all fly out
circle danger-flames
intense life
exciting life
no time to breathe
carousel of little time

but I
but you
earthbound
by chosen destiny?

here
here in our confinement
we now admire
peaceful beauty
the two children
images of gods

woman
warm firmament
your love a silent blanket
profound peace
we live within you

you are our home

Pictures of some past

Pictures of some past (1982)

Pictures of some past
bring out the beguiled in you;
playful, vivid conquest
recollects the wild in you.
Never wasting time:
Love has settled mild in you

(smiles in you)

Blue light in your mornings,
radiant red afternoons:
no artificial suns
could have killed the child in you.

Twelve haiku: dreams, come true or broken

Twelve haiku: dreams, come true or broken

I

thoughts are wandering 
leave the safety of childhood 
thoughts are wondering

II

future, once a myth 
caught in dreams and secret songs 
starlight blinding eyes

III

how are we feeble 
our strengths absent and hidden 
how are we limping

IV

doors, opened or closed 
voices chanting morning dreams 
rainbow like a dome

V

brittle memories 
crumpled seas of yesteryear 
stations abandoned

VI

people do steal hearts 
seems they do it all the time
 never give ‘m back

VII

face-distorting frown 
shape steps from its tarnished shade 
ugliness revealed

VIII

here in these wetlands 
no way to keep your boots dry 
now it starts to rain

IX

how do evenings speak 
subdued breaths of hurried wings 
never to look back

X

fangs loom over me 
venom shoots into my veins
pain is limitless

XI

homicidal heart 
core of man’s anatomy 
veins network of lies

XII

wishing I could see 
all that’s hidden in the bright
 pain and ache and hurt

Five haiku on beauty

Five haiku on beauty

I

watch the light, she said
I looked at her worn, bare skin 
watching it, I said

II

my eyes can’t see you 
my brow seems tired and heavy 
you surround my heart

III

what beauty is like 
no one alive can reveal 
it must be you then

IV

she said: I’m a rose
then she handed me a thorn
I said: you’re a rose

V

breathing, heaving breast
keeping me awake all night
dream-blurring beauty

Five haiku with animals

Five haiku with animals

I

lions sharing den
alligator water well
roses far away

II

eagle swerving peak
feathered sails embracing wind 
descending summit

III

horses riding out
saddleless and freed of strain 
hills welcome their trot

IV

antelope dashed by
hey, I asked, what’s the hurry? 
just running, she said

V

cheetah crossed my path 
where you going, I wondered 
just running, he said

Four haiku: the four winds II

Four haiku: the four winds II (2022)

they came from the east 
stinging wasps and killer bees 
forecast: scattered clouds

II

they came from the south 
humming drones and blasting dams 
forecast: sun and bright

III

they came from the north 
black birds in formation flight 
forecast: breezy spells

IV

they came from the west 
time to write the musical 
forecast: star careers