Tiger Riding for Beginners

Traveling Poet Philosopher & Occasional Wiseacre

in Summer grass,
 resides the remnants 
  of warrior dreams.

Japanese: 夏草や兵共がゆめの跡; natsugusa ya // tsuwamonodomo ga // yume no ato

from old stone ruins
 grow hardy weeds, raising
  flowery heads skyward.

gray autumn skies
 show in liquid metal
  creek pools.

first snowy morn.
 the only signs of life:
  plodding footprints.

sunlight shines
 through the butterfly's wing:
  yet, it seems sluggish.

sinuous limbs
 of a sprawling tree look 
  like wriggling squid.

the flowing river
 looks still as glass, until
  fallen leaf ripples.

the foggy valley
 looks like a depthless painting
  through fall foliage.

dry and yellow,
 fall leaves hang on like a thick
  head of gray hair.