Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect

Apparently, it takes 10,000 hours to master something. If that were true, however, then I would have certainly mastered the art of being human by now.

wingin’ it

the pigeon

and I

*Published in Issue 1 of drifting-sands-haibun

don’t give up

when you freeze

in that all-too common

grip of fear

please remember

no moment

is ever permanent

you will heal

you will survive

*

life on pause

like so many of us

who are forcefully homebound

I have begun to listen

to the birds

who continually voice

their thoughts in song

to the leaves

who sweetly dance

with an ever-present wind

perhaps I would have missed

these beautiful things

had I not slowed down

*

together

I think it’s safe

to assume

that we are all

filled with anxiety

so let’s take

a restful moment

to breathe slowly

just you and me

inhale

exhale

*Published in Cantos: A Literary and Arts Journal, 2020

like magic

I often wonder

if anyone else

has wished

if they could hold

the moon close

then blow it away

with a kiss

*

ouroboros

the wind has stopped the rain has stopped and even

time herself has stopped but I cannot stop

reliving my sins

*

dedication

to the darkness

who unsheathed her sword

perhaps hundreds
or thousands of times

only to miss me

again

and 

again

and

again

*

priorities

no matter

what happens in this life

I can rest assured

that the squirrels

outside my window

will continue to bounce

to and fro

completely blissful with

a mouthful of nuts

*Published in Cantos: A Literary and Arts Journal, 2020 

lullaby...

the wind takes me

through the stars

*Published in the April 2020 issue of Stardust Haiku

lockdown

in theory

there is light

some have called it

golden or warm

you might wonder

why i have not seen it

which is a natural

question to ask

so let’s say

i live in a home

and the walls are

so black and thick

i find myself isolated

thus filling with ache

and let’s say this ache

is quite monster-like

spawning long tentacles

that entomb

my body like a mummy

cloaked in darkest night

*Published in The Ekphrastic Review’s Guillermo Wiedemann’s Writing Challenge on 4/24/20

it’s just the law dividing willows

*Published in the April 2020 edition of is/let

thorn

our last

words

*Published in Wales Haiku Journal, spring 2020

deepening

my faith

storm’s end

*Published in the April 2020 issue of Cattails

dieting

is overrated -

strawberry cupcake

*Published via the Poetry Pea podcast (Series 3, Episode 8: Afternoon Break)

lukewarm rooibos

more news

about COVID

*Published in The Asahi Shimbun (Asahi Haikuist Network) on 4/17/20

I press

my brush to paper

a streak

of dark red paint

says what I cannot

*Published in Chrysanthemum 27 along with a German translation

the scent

of honeysuckle

last night’s dream

*

a twinkling

of stars

the muse returns

*Published in the 2020 issue of Under the Basho (Modern Haiku section)

silent film

clouds move across

my thoughts

*

an Oscar

worthy performance

dying rose

*

brighter days

the chickadee’s call

awakens me

*

spring

your gentle

encouragement

*

all my luggage

packed

road to freedom

*Published in the spring 2020 edition of The Bamboo Hut

contagion

your truth

becomes our lie

*

like any other Tuesday mass shooting

*

your rape a number nothing is holy

*

trending

during the pandemic

#ThingsYouSayWhenYouCum

*

whitewashed the earth continues to bleed

*

the news behind the news our last shards of dignity

*

witch trial

no one ever

believes a prophet

*

kids in cages they say hell doesn’t exist

*

history repeating what bullets never solved

*

clinging to faith night still unfolds

*

hope in darkness a hymn I used to know

*

doomsday

you still act

surprised

*

wherever peace is no crosses burn

*

blackened sky our new normal is death

*

bombs over Aleppo

press that like button

and subscribe

*Published in my second e-chapbook: filth (Proletaria 2020)

pi

making sense

of this life

*Published by Harusame on 4/4/20

dear humans

i beg you

i beg you

i beg you

do not

under any circumstance

forget

your humanity

*Published by Dayton Artist Stream on 4/3/20

change of season, still a night owl

*Published by The Asahi Shimbun (Asahi Haikuist Network) on 4/3/20

When the Earth Stood Still

In regards to this pandemic, I have no idea what the future may hold. However, I do, at least, know this for certain: tonight’s sunset, once again, temporarily righted my soul.

broken

time slips through

my breath

*Published in Issue #52 of Failed Haiku