how quickly

night falls

talk of war

*Published in the April 2018 issue of Stardust Haiku

evening yoga

too much down

in my dog

*Published in Issue #60 of Presence

the moon dips

below the horizon

my mother

fades into a world

I cannot see

*2nd place in the Tanka Time 2018 contest sponsored by Mandy's Pages
**Featured on My Haiku Pond on 4/23/18

support group

in every face

a mirror

*Published in Chrysanthemum 23 along with a German translation

**Selected for inclusion in Haiku 21.2 (a best-of-decade anthology) in 2025

date night

the over-cooked ravioli

still makes him smile

*Published in the first issue of Nourish Poetry

lonely

the road

most travelled

zazen

letting go

of the dream

Bodhi Tree

my breath

takes root

chamomile

a hint of sun

lights the earth

reborn

before I finish

this haiku

*Published in the Spring 2018 Showcase of The Zen Space

#moderation

Sometimes, I have a salad for dinner. Other times, I eat a brownie the size of my head with frosting as deep as my foot.

daylight saving 

I turn my scale back

fifteen pounds

*

Dance, Monkey

"I haven't seen a selfie from you in a while. Are you okay?"

I look at the message for a minute before sending a short but pleasant response, reassuring Random Male that in the past few months since my last selfie, I have not indeed become a leper who has misplaced my eyeballs and developed a cleft palate. 

social media

the sweet sound

of nails on chalkboard

*

The Olive Branch

I struggle with telling people I am a Christian. And, quite frankly, because I am very liberal, many people assume I am not.

crown of thorns

the sting

of labels

Even though I am not interested in converting anyone, I do hope that, at some point, each person will seek out a source higher than themselves for comfort, love, and strength - whether it is the universe, nature or maybe God. 

shadow of death

can you feel

my hand in yours?

But, how do I convey this to someone who has been kicked out of a church for coming out? Or someone who has been beaten to the tune of the Fifth Commandment? 

I don't know. 

So, I just love. 

water to wine

the first sip

belongs to you

*Published in the 2018 issue of Under the Basho (Haibun section)

magnolia bloom

he leans in

for a kiss

*Published by The Mainichi on 4/6/18
**Selected for Haiku in English: Best of 2018 (The Mainichi)

Upside Down

What if the monster in your dream is just you?

same coin

the shadow

and the self

*Published in Issue 15 of Gnarled Oak

record skip

my use

of past tense

*Published in Sonic Boom Issue Eleven
**Nominated for The Haiku Foundation’s Touchstone Individual Poem Award by the editor

no radio 

I listen to

the earth move

*Published in Incense Dreams 2.1

crocus buds...

in each blessing

newfound peace

*Published in the March 2018 issue of Stardust Haiku

warm saffron

his gaze lingers

on my dress

sunset

the thinning veil

of our worlds

*Published in Akitsu Quarterly Spring 2018

stargazing

a moment alone

with my ancestors

the anniversary

of mother's passing

heavy rain

*Published in Wild Voices: an anthology of short poetry & art by women (Volume 2)
**stargazing was a 2019 Dwarf Stars Award Nominee
***stargazing was selected for The Haiku Foundation’s Per Diem on 1/20/20

shades drawn

setting boundaries 

with the News Feed

*Published in Haiku Windows: Window Shade, Window Blind on The Haiku Foundation’s website

June 23rd

I couldn't enter her room without full protective gear. While preparing myself, I told a passing nurse, "She's dying. I just want to hold her hand."

skin to skin

the way you soothed me

as a child

*Published in the February 2018 edition of Seedpods

**2nd place in the UHTS Samurai Haibun Contest 2017
***Selected for the 2018 Red Moon Anthology

fresh vanilla

your arms

around mine

*Published in the February 2018 issue of Stardust Haiku

Slippage

, and it was very surreal, like a dream within a dream

how gently

rain falls

down

the edge

of reason

*

Empty Pockets

I remember the first time my grandmother said she loved me. It was right before she asked if I could buy her some cat food.

wind-swept leaves

what's gone

is gone

*

Ordinary Illusions

before the crash, seconds really do become miles

past

present

future

it's wherever you drop

the needle

*Published by The Other Bunny on 2/19/18

apartment life

the gift of earplugs

on Valentine's

*Published by Haikuniverse (www.haikuniverse.com) on 2/14/18

sub-zero

our exhale

louder than words

*Published in the January 2018 issue of Stardust Haiku

yin and yang

after Chopin

Nine Inch Nails

*Published by Haikuniverse (www.haikuniverse.com) on 1/14/18

This Old Sweater

I don't mind change. A new haircut. A new hobby. Life's short, right? But for whatever reason, my favorite album hasn't changed in 20 years.

every day

the same sun

warms my veins

*Published in Contemporary Haibun Online, vol 13 no 4

rainbow sky

when I forget

life is beautiful 

umbra

the things I hide

from myself 

embers

our friendship 

slowly ends

winter night

my shadow slips

into a dream

*Published in Incense Dreams 1.3

**rainbow sky was inducted into the issue’s Cave of Resilience

octopus

this bed

of nails

mist over moon the blame of rape

what were you saying these tentacles in me

into the mouth of violet burning night

*Published in the December 2017 edition of is/let

office politics

a cheetah licks

the bone clean

*Published in Frameless Sky Issue 7