burned out bulb
on the Christmas tree
California sunset

a year later
still the blackened trees
November sunset

harvest moon ::
the black cat
in the window












harvest moon ::
the reflection
on the spider web

so much to learn
so little time..
reincarnation

Bailout or Investment?

crossroads ::

    the bullet holes

in 700 billion

autumn leaves ::
the wing span
of the Blue Jay

the smooth flight
of the blue jay
I make a reservation

shadows darken
just before sunset
autumn dusk

First Day of School

first day of school

her doll
waits by the door



first day of school
she wears the dress
I made for her mother



new games
in the playground ::
cell phones

sunset on the lake ::
do not feed
the ducks

summer's end

pelicans
skimming the waves
summer's end

the warmth

of the sand on my feet
tsunami

the night so long
I type 'bored'
into the search box

Morning Bath

morning bath ::
I watch the blue jay
instead

The 4th of JULY

4th of July
the red, white
and blue of it

fireworks ::
even the bats
are screeching

fireworks over the lake
the red reflection
on the dry pines

Baseball Season

extra innings—
three sparrows perched
on the empty seat

bottom of the twelfth
the umpire
wipes his brow

empty stadium
the plastic bag tumbling
towards home plate

Daffodils

field of daffodils
the smiling faces
of the kindergarten class

Kiki the Cat

paw prints
in the garden ::
two months after her death

January 2008

waiting two hours
in the return line
...the donation barrel

January blizzard
she paints flowers
on the wall

December 2007

Christmas Eve night
the silence
of the snow

morning chill
the mountain chickadee bathing
in the half-frozen stream

September 2006

I spent the whole week at a beach cafe, on a hill looking east towards the mountains at sunset, and in my own backyard garden. Here is what I came up with. The season is deciding when it would be best to let the sun cool down and puff the clouds up with moisture that is so badly needed.

* * * * *

the autumn leaves
begin to fall
piano needs tuning


seaside cafe
desperate not to be noticed
the pigeon relieves himself
by my foot


fall in the air ::
the sun tilts the shadows
further north


curious eyes
as I write in my book
his coffee spills


hour after hour
the dog watches the door
I anxiously go to the gym


magnolia blossom
in full bloom
her first date

* * *

gas shortage
the fourth night
of grandma's navy beans

double rainbow
the unopened letter
on her desk

August 2006

sunflowers
a crowd of spectators
wearing yellow hats

driving to Los Angeles
bumper to bumper
stickers