19. slow & steady

unwavering slug

making its way up the tree

wiggle by wiggle

 

18. full moon

full moon

illuminating the blackness

of a Halloween sky

 

17. wet on wet

wet on wet, these legs

all I really wanted was 

a little fresh air

 

15. if they ask

if they ask about me

after i'm gone, say that i’m out

on a higher trail

(Traditionally, haiku poets in Japan have always written one or more farewell poems to leave behind and be remembered by.  This one is my first.)

14. a little strange

Zen people are

a little strange, but harmless

to animals and family

 

13. ha-ha-ha

ha-ha-ha

back from a twelve-mile hike

bird-shit on his back!

 

12. playing favorites

willey and dan

my two favorite guys

giving me the eyes

 

11. morning meditation

breathing in...i am here

red rose petals and i

breathing out...this is now

 

10. Jack O.

and the Buddha said,

“Be a lamp unto yourself”—

so turn on your light!

 

9. partners

partners together

mating for life and in death—

two mushrooms

 

8. post office

going for the mail

outside the post office door

white daisies nodding

 

7. eight birds

eight birds on a wire

social distancing—some do, some don’t

just like the rest of us 

 

6. counting the days

behind the church

one, two, three, four Christmas trees....

counting the days

 

5. little miracles

little miracles

are all around, take care

not to step on them

 

4. face off

staring out at me

behind the venetian blinds

me staring right back

 

3. morning fog

foggy, foggy the mist

laying low on the window screen

tiny brown butterfly

 

2. trading faces

 

this is menju

face-to-face transmission—

both receiving and giving 

1. pulling the shades

pulling the shades

at 6 o’clock, it’s already dark

the pumpkin smiles