Tiger Riding for Beginners

Traveling Poet Philosopher & Occasional Wiseacre

after Spring rains,
 puddles throw reflections 
  of light-fringed clouds.

counting ears
 to learn how many cats,
  but how deep 's the pile?

a troop of langurs:
 five monkeys doing five things
  as one family.

bovine brothers?
 or twins? or maybe I'm just
  seeing double?

autumn grasses
 sway to a different rhythm
  than in summer's youth.

butterflies 
 in spastic jinky orbit:
  play or bloom combat?

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.