Snow in my shoe
Abandoned
Sparrow’s nest
—circling cats
~~
I am nobody:
A red sinking autumn sun
Took my name away
—give it back, asshole!
~~
In the falling snow
A laughing boy holds out his palms
Until they are white
—the doctors try to reattach the fingers
~~
The crow took the sky,
brushing the clouds with its wings,
then folded them back,
—mangled in a jet engine.
~~
Empty baseball field
a robin hops along the bench
picking at peanut shells
—the bleachers have seen better days
~~
Office coffee break
we pretend not to notice
the new receptionist
—but welcoming cleavage defies
~~
First date at forty—
she straightens the salt shaker
between us twice
—hiding the damp between her legs
~~
Morning train delay
no one meets each other’s eyes
phone screens fill the car
—modern life really is rubbish
~~
Family reunion
we all share the same bad jokes
and different regrets
—but never speak of Uncle Jim
~~
Wedding reception—
the band plays “Unchained Melody”
for the third time
—give it a rest, guys
I decided to ruin some perfectly good haiku/senryu. All credit to the authors and their italicised original writing – whoever they are.
1994ever 