Blackout

Two, tonight.

white pills

the snow falls

in me

*

Cut & Paste

Every once in a while, I forget I'm steering the ship that is my body.

into nothingness

the clouds

the clouds

*

Nocturne

Yet again, the arms of insomnia hold me awake.

darkness

but only if

you listen

*Published by The Other Bunny on 5/28/18

who's bold enough

to believe

in love or war?

I tell your lies

to the falling rain

*By Gabriel Bates and Tiffany Shaw-Diaz, respectively, and published in Vines #2

improving

my inner dialogue

icicles melt

under the touch

of high sun

*Published in Issue #123 of Hedgerow: a journal of small poems

long shadows

over ripened wheat

the way

you twisted my truth

when I was a child

snow returns

after days of warmth

I drift away

into a dream

that was never mine

*Published in Volume 1, A of Ephemerae

kiss of autumn

one tree

starts to blush

*Selected haiku, Seasons of Haiku Interpretive Trail at The Holden Arboretum

cherry petals...

between gusts of wind

forgiveness

*Selected haiku, NHK World Haiku Masters: May, 2018

sabbath

everyone else was attentive

during song and sermon

but I was too busy

drawing fantastical creatures

on donation slips

*Published in autumn deepens (the cherita book 12)

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