期待 (kitai, promises)

penned February 2024.

Have I constructed

Narratives with my own hands

And claimed God built them?

香料 (kōryō, incense)

penned June 2023.

Beautiful fragrance

Permeate this flesh and bone

Your temple, not mine

山火事 (yama kaji, wildfire)

penned July 2020

Ruthless energy

Rage, swift and uncontested

Regret in its wake

印象 (inshō, impression)

If only success
Made a bigger impact than
Times I missed the mark.

開放火炎 (Kaihō Kaen, Open Flame)

A dangerous game:
How close to fire can I
Get before it hurts?

嵐のチェーサー (arashi no chēsā, storm chaser)

I have a habit

Of running toward danger

When others have fled

悲しみ (kanashimi, grief)

somewhere among the

memories and well-wishes

perhaps we'll find peace

全体性 (Zentai-sei, wholeness)

Wrote this series of haiku in a card for a friend a few months ago.  

We sometimes assume

That those with the brightest smiles

Have never shed tears

The reality:

Strength often makes itself known

After we've felt weak

But the wisest words

Great poetry and passion

Can come from our pain

And without the night

We would find it harder to

Appreciate day

Always remember:

You're more than your history--

Hospitals, heartbreak--

You're laughter, light, joy

Today, tomorrow, always

Beautifully whole.

苦い (nigai, bitter)

i am pitch black night

glasses all half empty and

vitriolic speech

幽霊睡眠 (Yuurei Suimin, Haunted Sleep)

Consider my luck:

All of my dreams and nightmares

Seem to feature you.

勿忘草 Wasurenagusa (Forget-Me-Not)

i leave little notes
around my house to remind
me of who i am

余震 Yoshin (Aftershock)

trust me, i moved on
ran from the epicenter
my heart, ground zero

but i must admit
inside every pitch-black room
i can still feel you

i hate that it's true
but you were a favorite muse
there lies the fault-line

統一 Touitsu (Unity)

shining together,

even single points of light

can be seen from space.

おつげ Otsuge (oracle)

we exist nowhere
wise oracles unknown, we
sing atop the stars.

そせい Sosei (resurrection)

i seek a savior
for my poor poetic soul;
it's become quite still.

みていぎ Miteigi [undefined] (posted to Facebook on 4/25/09)

i feel lost in this;
define you in terms of me
so i'll know my place.

サイレンス Sairensu [silence] (posted to Facebook on 4/4/09)

my heart is heavy:
the pen in my hand won’t speak
but i’ve much to say.

さとり Satori (posted to Facebook on 1/12/09)

*satori: "understanding" or "realization" (also Buddhist enlightenment, but not what i was going for)*

I finally learned
what should matter most to me;
I see it clearly.

My soul’s better than
even the sweetest nothings,
and I don’t need you.

I have peace of mind
instead of the dark despair
that came with longing.

なさけ Nasake (posted to Facebook 11/16/08)

*nasake: "warmth" or "compassion"*

here, my weary heart,
blanketed by tired dreams,
barely safe from cold,

cries: darling, to be
in the halo of your arms
would be perfect bliss,

your warm embrace would
melt the ice of wintry fate,
causing joyous spring.

きたるあめ Kitaru Ame (posted to Facebook on 10/19/08)

kitaru ame: "approaching rain"

Tonight, my darling,
your eyes were clouds of sorrow.
Now I fear the storm.

Yesterday, I dreamed
That you walked away from me
And said not a word.

Now I am awake
And I see my dream was real--
The tempest is here.