Pat Nolan, Keith Abbott, Maureen Owen, Michael Sowl
PURPLE PETALS RENKU
Morning sun —
the purple petals
four have fallenmorning sun —
the purple petals
four have fallen
the white pines are still dreaming
up to their necks in the mistthe white pines are still dreaming
up to their necks in the mist
red tail hawk banks
out of the shadows
eye-opening silencered tail hawk banks
out of the shadows
eye-opening silence
your car in the curve of road
your face passing out of sight
your car in the curve of road
your face passing out of sight
lukewarm tea in a used glass
smelling faintly of wine
me and the moonlukewarm tea in a used glass
smelling faintly of wine
me and the moon
Quiet! Quiet! too quiet —
my neighbor's ratty muffler brings relief
Quiet! Quiet! too quiet —
my neighbor's ratty muffler brings relief
wheels on wet asphalt?
just a rush of wind through the trees
one drop then two
wheels on wet asphalt?
just a rush of wind through the trees
one drop then two
the couple next door argue
I listen from the pony's stall
the couple next door argue
I listen from the pony's stall
such precise instructions
"Cut that hedge high enough
to piss behind"such precise instructions
"Cut that hedge high enough
to piss behind"
those hands crossed behind your back
name a better place to be
those hands crossed behind your back
name a better place to be
or dialing late night
moon's face on the water's cheek
numbers in the dark
dialing late night
moon's face on the water's cheek
numbers in the dark
tossed about by waves
one mind one minute then not
tossed about by waves
one mind one minute then not
rainy Venice
in a cafe French tourists compare
photos of grand kids
rainy Venice
in a cafe French tourists compare
photos of grandkids
ink brush on a white circle
enough to empty my heartink brush on a white circle
enough to empty my heart
chair pillowed with snow
old vine red in a milk glass
alone toasting stars
chair pillowed with snow
old vine red in a milk glass
alone toasting stars
stepping from the dark hallway
into Ben's bright studio
stepping from the dark hallway
into Ben's bright studio
blazing sunshine but
only hot house flowers here
absurd wind chill temps
blazing sunshine but
only hot house flowers here
absurd wind chill temps
inside the game of waiting
a view of the other game
inside the game of waiting
a view of the other game
neighbor's upper story
window no more
an explosion of new leaves
neighbor's upper story
window no more
an explosion of new leaves
up old streets — seeing houses where
friends once lived — I live twice
up old streets — seeing houses where
friends once lived — I live twice
"getting a leg up"
smoking grass while on acid
Big Sur long agone
"getting a leg up"
smoking grass while on acid
Big Sur long agone
birds rise all of a sudden
flapping above an orange line
birds rise all of a sudden
flapping above an orange line
obsession she said
shattered apart the pieces
still formed the plank's shape
obsession she said
shattered apart the pieces
still formed the plank's shape
her garden seems so calm
in the twilight gnats swarm
her garden seems so calm
in the twilight gnats swarm
how could I forget
at the doorstep picking
burrs off a pant leghow could I forget
at the doorstep picking
burrs off a pant leg
painting the walls a bright white
taking down the old pictures
painting the walls a bright white
taking down the old pictures
"Don't ever ever
(I promise. You promise too.)
forget the flowers.""Don't ever ever
(I promise. You promise too.)
forget the flowers."
broken arm — wind off Lake St. Clair
musty gauze and plaster smell
broken arm — wind off Lake St. Clair
musty gauze and plaster smell
"Can you see the moon?"
but no moon in any window
all angles just night
"Can you see the moon?"
but no moon in any window
all angles just night
out of the darkest valleys
we sing our redemption songs
out of the darkest valleys
we sing our redemption songs
first the rain
then the unmistakable frogs
mail box empty again
first the rain
then the unmistakable frogs
mail box empty again
an ordinary normal morning
a ladder leans
an ordinary normal morning
a ladder leans
on the window pane
the fat winter fly
can't evade the cat
on the window pane
the fat winter fly
can't evade the cat
the image of obstruction
small joining into the large
the image of obstruction
small joining into the large
snow plow fills in
what I just shoveled out
North Country Zen exercise
snow plow fills in
what I just shoveled out
North Country Zen exercise
deep amber of oversteeped tea
these shorter days so very similar
12/30/94
© by Keith Abbott, Maureen Owen, Pat Nolan, Michael Sowl
hokku by Jack Kerouac
