from sleeping with Bashō

Fleabag

Oh great—

a horse just pissed

next to my pillow.

*

Before Air-Conditioning

Here I sit,

on a rock

in this river,

pretending to fish.

*

Marginalized Voice

The toad

under the shed.

*

Cosmetics Counter (1)

These lovely new

safflower blossoms

can be used as

an eyebrow brush.

*

Choosing Your Battles

If I thought it would

do any good, I’d throw

rocks at the cicadas.

*

Those Priests Are Great Shots

All around the temple—

dead cicadas

and stained rocks.

*

And Then There Were None

Silence, at last.

*

Teaching Poetry

I’ll consider myself

successful if

at least one student

surpasses me.

*

Ice Cave

The casket

where the snow

queen keeps

her precious stones.

*

Cosmetics Counter (2)

Would you like to sample

our exciting new fragrance

blowing in from the south—

Summer Wind.

*

Cosmetics Counter (3)

Or this scent

just off the mountain—

Snowdrift.

*

Cosmetics Counter (4)

Or one moving in fast—

Cold Front.

*

Cosmetics Counter (5)

Or one guaranteed

to take him by surprise—

Avalanche.

*

All in Black

Except for her crescent—

sparkling like

a rhinestone pin.

*

Unfinished Business

As surely as

the moon, his soul

will return to

shed light on this mess.

*

Inevitably

Whenever I read poems

about flowers and the moon,

someone in the audience

starts to snore.

*

Highest Peak

As close as

I’ll ever get to

my beloved moon.