Category Archives: Haiku 2017

BLACK PHOEBE

 

 

Neither trust nor fear
of us inhibits a hawk’s
delight on the lawn.

 ~

The Sharp Shinned Hawk has been making a living around the house for over two months and become our coffee and cocktail entertainment. We do all but applaud its low flap and glide aerobatics in pursuit of startled quail. Though probably only a temporary guest, we’ve become comfortable with one another’s tastes and habits. Not too persnickety, the Sharp Shinned Hawk taunts us with ground squirrels (dead or alive) quail and ringnecked dove. Last night, a Black Phoebe was the casualty.

 

METAMORPHOSIS

 

 

Bullfrog pollywogs
leap to gasp warm July air
prior to croaking.

 

PARTNERS

 

 

On and off the trail
they’ve learned to work together
and with us as well.

 

TWINING BRODIAEA

 

 

Our native feed germinated early at the end of October, and by Thanksgiving the rains came, six days at a time spaced with six days of gray. A fairly warm winter with few days below freezing, the grass grew, and by March, there was little room for wildflower bloom to compete for sunlight.

Exceptions are the yellow cascades of Bush Monkeyflowers and the purple Winecups or Farewell to Spring, both now showing spectacularly around Lake Kaweah. While looking for strays yesterday, this Twining Brodiaea caught my eye.

 

Rising from the earth,
heavy head climbing for light,
no two knots the same.

 

MOVING COWS 3

 

 

We dream of coasting
into a ripe green pasture
that wants for nothing.

 

MOVING COWS 2

 

 

Ripe April grasses
bellyhigh on the leaders
blind below their knees.

 

MOVING COWS

 

 

Mothers and babies,
pastoral dreams cross the green
with girls a horseback.

 

PLASTIC WATERGAP

 

 

Stretched across the creek
for looks like herding humans,
not stampedes or floods.

 

TREE FROG POLLYWOGS

 

 

Bowl full of croakers
deafening some dark spring night
with endless love songs.

 

EVENING MOONSET

 

 

No babysitter,
black night ours to navigate
like coyotes and owls.