After storm catbird
in bush flicks her tail and cries
in Ten Directions

~ written August 2, 2009

Sunday Morning Thunderstorm

Waterfall of rain
Sudden summer thunderstorm 
drenched sparrow on ledge

~ written August 2, 2009

Fourth of July on the Farm

Fourth of July I
love most: comforting scared dogs
fireworks on the farm

~ written July 4, 2009 at Villa del Re, while reading Gary Snyder's "For the Boy Who Was Dodger Point Lookout Fifteen Years Ago" ("In this burning, muddy, lying, blood-drenched world that quiet meeting in the mountains cool and gentle as the muzzles of three elk, helps keep me sane.")

Not Falling Into Causation, Not Ignoring Causation

In afternoon sun
a shadow crosses the room
my dead cat returns

Inspired by the theme at

Joshu's Dog*

In gray BMW
a white dog barks an answer
to evening church bells.

~ written August 24, 2010

*Joshu's Dog, a Zen koan
"A monk asked Joshu, a Chinese Zen master: 'Has a dog Buddha-nature or not?'
"Joshu answered: 'Mu'. ["Mu" is the negative symbol in Chinese meaning "no-thing" or "nay" or, perhaps, "no way"]

"This is the barrier of Zen...If you want to pass this barrier, you must work through every bone in your body, through every pore in your skin, filled with this question: 'What is Mu?' and carry it day and night. Do not believe it is the common negative symbol meaning nothing. It is not nothingness, the opposite of existence."
~ from The Gateless Gate (Wúménguān in Mandarin, Mumonkan in Japanese)

~~~~~~~~~~~ to escape pain, you must go through it ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Winter's Last Bounty

Robins and waxwings
gather at crabapple tree
in the snow - feasting.

~written February 9, 2010

Late August Lunchtime

Small butterfly lights
on grass, black "eyes" on wings fool
predators - Beauty.

~written August 23, 2010

New Life from Old

Squirrels storing nuts for
winter. Leaves falling from trees.
Time to start new life.

~written October 29, 2009