puppy guards
a stolen garment
it hopes owner
will attempt to retrieve,
so that play can ensue.
Playful Thief [Kyōka]
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Tag Archives: tanka
Chinese Painting [Tanka]
sunlight washes out
the distant mountains;
they look like
an old Chinese painting --
ink faded with age.
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Stalker [Kyōka]
stealthy raccoon
stalks up on trashcans -
as lion to gazelle.
having reached its target,
sends lid clattering down.
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Guardian [Kyōka]
some swear guardians
come to life -- dancing through
the temple yard...
but only Autumn nights, and
after a calabash of wine.
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Red Maple [Tanka]
early Spring seed pods
of Red Maple hold tight
- patiently —
til one day in late Spring:
they’ll drop, spin, and fly.
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Foot-tapping Seagull [Kyōka]
a Seagull stands
at a respectful distance
from a fish stall,
waiting for the fishmonger
to do the right thing.
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Baby Monkey Wisdom [Kyōka]
the fixed boulder
makes great shelter;
rolling boulders
make monkey paste:
how do baby monkeys know?
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Disappointed Sparrow [Kyōka]
birdbath grows from
fungus on a dead log;
flitting sparrow
is disappointed to find
no water remains within.
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False Heralds [Tanka]
city landscapers
find year-round blooms for planters,
but I'll await
the wildflowers that grow
way up on the hillside.
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Stump Gator [Kyōka]
Gator rests on stump.
but my mind cannot rest.
it's not "gator"
and "stump" in the same place,
but in the same sentence.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 