Between – Page 27 – Iron Haiku

years of my life spent
in the futile pursuit of
bubbe’s chicken soup
–
easy rain-
sandwiches and
tomato soup

a stash of acorns
squirreled away for safekeeping
in a hollow tree
–
bird feeder-
spring daffodils
seek the sun

a silver quarter
rolling between my fingers-
practice makes perfect
–
trafalgar square-
the red queen
hiding

these nameless corpses
stacked upon one another
bear witness to war
–
cobalt sky-
birds nest in
the shattered roof

sawdust on the floor-
the earthy aroma of
horse manure and hay
–
a saddle blanket-
riding bareback
in the tall grass

dusty fountain pens-
drawers full of love letters she
never meant to send
–
in the stacks-
quietly I try
to catch your eye

fingers intertwined
your slippered feet atop mine
before the fire
–
two dozen years-
still waking up
next to you

a once proud lighthouse
wind battered, cracked and aging
still stands defiant
–
chalk cliffs-
scoured by
an angry sea

downtown abandoned-
sickly yellow light leaks from
a single street lamp
–
moths-
the guttering
porch light

a cold waiting room-
absolutely terrified
of what will come next
–
eyes closed-
the taste of salt
in my veins