midsummer evening

midsummer evening

the strong smell

of a jogging girl

previously unpublished

plain as porridge

flat as pancakes

grandparents’ home

previously unpublished

oversensitive

I like to be touched

by the summer wind

previously unpublished

flipping a page

flipping a page

of the mazurka score

willow-tree wind

first published in The Heron’s Nest, June 2017

the smell of jazz

in the sounds of cigarettes

July heat

previously unpublished

stewing

in our own juice

fallen leaves

previously unpublished

in a cowboy hat

in a cowboy hat

and a flowery dress

gender scarecrow

previously unpublished

from the grey sky

to the grey earth

strings of rain

previously unpublished

November drizzle

streets smelling of putrescine

and cadaverine

previously unpublished

first days of fall

first days of fall

my shortening

telomeres

first published in Acorn, spring 2017

along an alley

veiled in virgin greenery

wedding retinue

previously unpublished

mournful whistle

of a departing train

eventide

previously unpublished

summer field

summer field

grandfather resting

in the shade of death

previously unpublished

evening rush hour

everyone on their way

to darkness

first published in Chrysanthemum, spring 2017

life after death

gas from the bowels

of the deceased

previously unpublished

as cold

as cold

as your hand

autumn frog

first published in Modern Haiku, winter-spring 2017

blackbird’s song

she carries her great love

in a small urn

first published in Presence, April 2017

keep on knocking

and the door will be opened

black woodpecker

first published in Presence, April 2017

the fool’s gold

the fool’s gold

in afternoon sunlight

late November

first published in Modern Haiku, January 2017

end of September

I wish I could dance

like Zorba the Greek

first published in Bottle Rockets, February 2017

as if nothing

an empty seashore

had happened

first published in Bones, March 2017