From Waverley Writers

The following twelve haiku all appeared in Waverley Writers: Celebrating 25 Years, 1981–2005 (Palo Alto, California: Waverley Writers, 2007), edited by Sharon Olson and Palmer Pinney. Read also my short appreciation for Waverley Writers, perhaps the best poetry reading series I’ve ever been a part of.



first star—

a seashell held

to my baby’s ear


scattered petals . . .

the thud of my books

in the book drop +


scent of wisteria—

she finishes translating

the birth certificate


a few pines

tagged with ribbons . . .

winter stillness


meteor shower . . .

a gentle wave

wets our sandals +


Valentine’s Day—

she reminds me

to fasten my seatbelt + +


after the quake

the weathervane

pointing to earth


reading in bed

my pulse flickering

the lightly held bookmark


spring breeze—

the pull of her hand

as we near the pet store


home for Christmas:

my childhood desk drawer +

empty


first snow . . .

the children’s hangers

clatter in the closet


dwindling fire—

our conversation shifts

to death