Magnapoets Japanese Form

pounding rain...

realizing I’m on

   the wrong train

Off-Track Betting parlor -
the ten-year old
hawks dandelion clocks 

That rainy day I was in Padua, taking a bus for the train station. At the bus stop a boy with Down's Syndrome in wheelchair and his young assistant were waiting with me. The bus driver had to pull out a special electrical footboard to let the wheelchair in. Finally we left. The way to the train station is not a long one, but there is quite a lot of traffic and while I am looking out the window, deep in thought, the down guy talks to his young assistant, tells him euphorically about his day in a civic center. He lists the names of all who were present there, describes his friends, tells him how he has been able to study, and many, many other things...

Then he stops talking for a moment which seems interminable. The bus stops at the traffic lights. The boy lowers his head at his knees with a lost look.

Then he looks up smiling at his assistant and starts to speak again...

 

On the bus
a Down's guy says:
"What a beautiful day!"

time for breakfast
my cat's tail
in the headlines

building shadow -

a geranium petal

lands between my feet

***

ombre de l'immeuble -

un pétale de géranium

se pose à mes pieds

 

comparing aches
before the show --
senior organ recital

she collects
rocks, shells, quarters, pennies
. . . also seeds
for her small brother,
to teach him about life

her newborn face
smaller than your open hand;
this daughter
has no idea yet
how safe she is


--janet lynn davis
Simply Haiku, 2006; also Fire Pearls ("her newborn face"), 2006.

horsetail grows

around the paddock fence  .  .  .

my mind at play

Kirsty...who would like opinions on whether the last line takes this out of the haiku category. And, if so, why?

flamenco dancer
the old planks
resonate

turning over
a dead leaf
an earthworm twitches

Previously appeared in Upstate Dim Sum

summer haze

sifting through the hardwoods

bird songs galore

--Kirsty