First published in Haiku Canada Review 9:2, October 2015. First four verses written 23 July 2012 on Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Malahat Drive and Victoria), and on the ferry from Sidney, British Columbia to Anacortes, Washington. Last two verses written 12 December 2012 in Sammamish, Washington.


visiting mother—
only one
of the Monopoly dice

            a soapstone bookend
            without its mate

a bald eagle
on the rocky beach
nudging some feathers

            the ace of spades
            missing from the deck

school play—
Juliet raises
the rubber knife

            granny’s salt and pepper set
            has lost its pepper