By the Gazebo

A shisan renku by Tadashi Kondō (sabaki), June Hopper Hymas, Patricia Machmiller, Kenneth Tanemura, Kiyoko Tokutomi, and Michael Dylan Welch

morning chat

starts flowing

by the gazebo Tadashi

the silverware’s noise

and music—it is so cool   Kiyoko

lake wind

changing the pages

of my journal Kenneth

brighter than the bonfire

moon in the sand   Michael

pumpkins tumbled

every-which-way

in an open field June

hurrying to Sunday Mass

only to find the church locked   Patricia

grey sky—

the dog’s water dish

iced over Michael

watching him sharpen his awl

the smell of dried leather   Patricia

in the photo

the empty space beside you

I long to fill Kenneth

a gift of balloons for him

with the string in a knot!   June

elderly couple

under cherry blossoms—

a far-off gaze Kiyoko

by-the-wind sailors

the slat spray on my face     Patricia