In memory of Lucy Combattente, May 9, 1904 - Nov. 30, 1982

a lone old woman-
dried leaves swirling
around her feet;
she looks in my direction,
and you return from a long way

a bite in the wind-
her hand lifts to secure
her ruffled hair;
from somewhere in memory
you tell me to button up

snow by morning-
the old woman tightens her belt
and shudders;
I move to help her along,
but she's lost in the shadows

Ribbons, Winter 2007

MORNING WALK

A hint of red bleeds through fog shrouded trees.

the drip of moisture
from leaf to leaf-
mist on my glasses

Seeing the lane one tree at a time. The almost silence, just white noise in the distance.

the crack of a branch-
a squirrel down one tree
and up another

Simply Haiku, September 2004

TANKA FOR NOVEMBER


the lanquid nights gone-
chill winds, hinting of winter
chase away lovers;
bare branches let in the sky
and the earth turns brown

Anglo-Japanese Tanka Society Journal, Jan. 2005

November winds
rippling across my back-
your hand on mine;
the feel of each bony knuckle
warms me through

Presence, Sept. 2005
Ash Moon Anthology March 2008

autumn leaves
brightened with mist
like jewels;
mine to borrow
again this year

Ribbons, March 2008