15 Haiku

Gang of five raccoons
looting neighborhood garbage
in the lamp-lit street

“The fans in the stands
of the team that just lost look
like peed-upon plants”

The cat steps outside
and scrutinizes the world
through its little nose

*

The complications
of these electrical wires
under empty skies

What haunts a house worse
than the heavy tick-tock of
a grandfather clock?

I bother a bug
so I can watch it scurry—
why not let it be?

*

Early evening train—
man staring blankly into
newspaper comics

Plotting and planning
amidst the calm ripe stillness
of a green garden

Dim subway platform—
sudden glint of a wristwatch
on a man who waits

*

Off work, on a train—
an entire car to myself
one sunny Friday

Crisp autumn evening—
warm sweet smell of soap floating
from a laundromat

Swimming like a smile
in autumn skies before dawn—
silver slash of moon

*

For Hazel Dickens:

After the party—
apartment full of phantoms
and leftover wine

Early autumn— I’m not
ready for dark heavy pants
yet, I tell myself

Get up. Work all day.
Go home. Eat and dance and play
guitar and sing! Then sleep.



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Saint Ignominius

Climb on this crowded bus
Ride to your job with us
We’re all aboard on this cruise

And on this morning’s trip
Stare into a comic strip
That shows what you forgot you knew

It’s true
Too true

It shows a clown made of clouds
Floating over busy crowds
That never bother looking above

At that jester there
Hanging in the silly air
A goofy dude adrift on a puff

Enough
To love

Wish it whispered through me
Night by night

My life is light
The world is fine
I’ve got time

I’ve got time

Saint Ignominius
Sketched a funny place for us
Fit us in his little cartoon

What’s he gonna do with us?
Hope he isn’t through with us
Bet we’ll never guess his next move

And who
Is who

But we’re in his comic strip
Our lives inhabit it
That’s what’s got us laughing right now

He peppered the plot with what
We want but haven’t got
Graced us with a place in the crowd

Without
A doubt

Wish it whispered through me
Night by night

My life is light
The world is fine
I’ve got time

I’ve got time

So climb on this crowded bus
Ride to your job with us
The joke isn’t only on you

Our clown is smiling down
Blessing all this battered ground
And he found a place in the news

His truth
Slipped through



.

Rain

based on a song by Free

Rain is falling
Falling all around
I’m a thousand miles from home
Don’t know where I’m bound

I’m out here on the road
Just roaming on my own

The lights in the homes
Glow like gold

I’m cold and alone
And I don’t know a soul

And the rain is here
But soon as it clears
I’m gonna go

Rain is falling
Falling on this town
I’m standing still and listening
To that gentle sound

And I’m dreaming of a day
When I have found a place

Where I’m calm and I’m strong
And I know I belong

Until that day comes
I’ll be roaming on my own

Lonely and rough
Looking for love
But all I’ve got is rain

Rain is drumming
Drumming on the ground
I’m so tired of running
I’ve got to settle down

(Stuck in a moment when you wonder
What it is you’ve got to do
Whatever made you run and wander
Where’s it gonna lead you to?)

Rain is falling
Falling all around
I’m a thousand miles from home
Don’t know where I’m bound



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