Artist

A willow bends down,
Drawing gentle green ripples
In the pond below.

Goaltender

A pine tree stands guard
Over a basketball goal,
Dunking its needles.

Dogwood at night

A warm full moon night.
Spots against the indigo:
Pale dogwood blossoms.

Clover

Along the roadside —
Clover blooming in a field:
Green speckled with white.

Phew

Behind a fence,
Portable outhouses sprout
Like stinky flowers.

Cash crop

The cattle are gone.
Now a crop of houses grow
In the old pasture.

Pollen

Gusty morning winds,
Lift yellow clouds of pollen
From a row of pines.

Snooze

An overweight cat
Sleeping soundly in my lap —
Purring or snoring?

The Longest Yard

Highway median,
An endless strip of green grass —
The longest yard.

Wakeup call

Bright morning sunshine —
Pushing through the window blinds,
Lifts me out of bed.

Barefoot

Barefoot in the grass,
Celebrating the new spring —
The bugs dance with me.

Moving day

A string of warm days!
The potted herbs come outside,
For sun and fresh air.

Yard work

Some weeds try a bribe,
Offer flowers or berries...
Pull up or mow down?

Before the robin

A late-winter night:
The sound of young frogs peeping
From a distant pond.

Progress?

A highway work site.
Orange construction barrels
instead of flowers.

State of the Union

State of the Union:
Saying it’s all wonderful,
Doesn’t make it so.

Separation anxiety

The Boy has left home,
A year before he should have.
We have to let go.

Payback

Sitting on a stump —
Pine sap sticks to seat of pants!
Set the stump on fire!

One-sided

A January night,
Standing before a bonfire:
Hot front, chilly back.

Abandoned house

Standing forgotten:
A dilapidated house
Awaits the ’dozer.