Above – Iron Haiku

a whitewashed rowboat-
dark supple fingers lightly
crease the still water
–
concentric rings-
arrhythmic
dripping

lingering aimless-
attempting to cross in vain
the border of death
–
almost free-
weightless and yet
still tied to the earth

approaching daybreak-
the sea air rimed with salt and
the taste of seaweed
–
sand and foam-
the gull’s cry
lingers

a willow’s caress-
snow laden branches reach down
to stroke the water
–
frozen stones-
roiling water
skinned in ice

dark ominous skies-
the grey wolf moon veiled behind
a thin scrim of clouds
–
winter jetty-
snow falls on
the rising tide

opalescent clouds-
shadows on the moonlit snow
cast by trees long dead
–
dying embers-
in the dark I become
the falling snow

the soft eastern sky-
treetops gilded in copper
frame the rising sun
–
daybreak-
the furnace and I
struggle to wake up

cocooned in afghans-
bright remnants of creation
streak across the sky
–
deep desert night-
the great arc of stars
lights the horizon

metal folding chairs-
coffee cans half full of ash
on the fire escape
–
urban jungle-
pole beans climb
my barred windows

pinpoints of silver-
constellations embroidered
on a velvet sky
–
woolen blankets-
meteor spotting
on a winter night