Breath – Page 31 – Iron Haiku

deep meditation-
searching for infinity
by looking within
–
lotus blossoms-
deeply breathing
the forest peace

deafening silence
our civil ramparts falling
amidst the chaos
–
spring rain-
roaring floods muted
underwater

washing and scrubbing
under this scalding water
still I can’t come clean
–
coal smoke-
a cardinal
on the snow

machine oiled blued steel
the weight of it heavier
than I expected
–
ice on the rocks-
another shot
added to my burden

the battle scarred croc
slips into the black water
with hardly a trace
–
biting cold-
reaching for darkness
through the closing door

through all this darkness
the seed of light we planted
finally takes root
–
snow crocus blooms-
the heady smell of
freshly turned earth

looking at myself
amid the twisted wreckage
of my ruined car
–
mourning doves-
lost in the white
of the winter sky

horror on parade
the fires of war march on while
death wields the baton
–
a murder of crows-
five men lower
their rifles

the sounds of fresh snow
falling in the near darkness
sibilant whispers
–
snowfall-
lost in quiet
conversation

lazy curls of steam
glowing in the rays of the
slanting winter sun
–
the north wind-
warming my hands
on a hot cup of tea