Winter Haikus

Winter Scenes, 2010


try dropping from different heights --Annie Dillard

i.
falling snow: gently--
monochromatic sky, earth,
clouds shrugging off dreams.

ii.
apocalyptic
sighs as we hop through muddy
deep snows,together

iii.
the taste of shallow
dust, dirty, earthen, deeply
heart broken; alive

iv.
dropped the lights,
a cold night--coldest--
reflections

v.
like snow, epicycles,
contrived beauty, swirling ash:
the sharpwinter stars.

vi.
there are more coming,
heliocentric husks of
days; mornings like these.

If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would you say?

I want to tell myself to be brave
except for those times when it is okay to be scared
I want to tell myself to speak out
except for those times when I need to listen
I want to tell myself that being a man
is simply being yourself and nothing more
That the mysteries behind every face
are greater than the grains of sand
The moon is peace on a clear blue sky
and the muddied soil is home

I want to teach myself to see
beauty in everything
To make a friend with that old
oak tree and
To listen to momma and remember
the music of the spheres
can be heard if you have ears to hear

Love and peace may be worth fighting for
but can only be won by open arms
The earth is not yours, but you are the earth’s
Nothing cures heartache like
a Beatles’ song and don’t forget to
smile on rainy days when the earth
smells like copper

And yes, I want to tell myself
that everyone deserves
to be truly seen and everyone
deserves a second chance
And Elysium still shines through
broken skies

I want to tell myself that
Bad will happen, but good, too
Yes, good, too.