Age – Page 65 – Iron Haiku

old creases deepen
as a smile comes unbidden
to his weathered face
–
morning glory
blossom opens
to greet the sun

hatred is poison
turning ignorance and fear
into pure evil
–
meandering river
crocodiles wait
just below the surface

slipping off toward
an indifferent future
full of the unknown
–
the future
ruthlessly becoming
the past

no matter how far
the vanishing road takes me
I always return
–
nirvana awaits
yet I’m not
quite ready

twisted roots reach out
from the dappled forest floor
to steal my footing
–
mangroves
arise from the bayou
on tangled bones

nervously sitting
in the theatre next to him
thighs almost touching
–
peacocks
dancing in the
monsoon rains

lacy wings dry while
the husk of its former self
tumbles to the ground
–
an oak seedling
seeks purchase
in the leaf litter

after the bowl sings
so peacefully sits the monk
in meditation
–
calm water
reflective of
inner peace

unable to sleep
in what used to be our home
Feeling your echo
–
labyrinthine walls
reflecting back
your hollow voice

eroding mountains
pushing back against the wind
resistant to change
–
warm breezes-
paisley dancing
in the wheat fields