River Meets Sea [Tanka]

wide mouth river,
its chocolate-colored waters
smashed by breakers /
the battle is ceaseless;
no winner is declared

Grazing Horse Tanka

grazing horses
approach a cliff:
not watching
where they are going,
but knowing where they are

Dragon Spine [Tanka]

riding the ridge,
the dragon-spine wall
stretches beyond sight --
some say it ends there;
some say it never ends

Seed of Ambition [Tanka]

over the river,
a seed pod twirls toward
the creeping waters,
and thus a lazy seed
will hitch a thousand miles

Sky Burial [Tanka]

circling raptors
sweep down onto the platform;
they peck and tear;
when sun-bleached bones remain,
nature's hard work begins

The Perils of Watching One’s Step [Tanka]

looking down
from blue skies and sparse clouds 
my next look up
the ceiling has lowered
and rain is on its way

Evergreen Lullaby [Tanka]

evergreens --
their pointy tips sway
with wind gusts,
and the swishy sound
sooths my drifting mind

Sleeping Puppy Tanka

the outstretched limbs
of the sleeping puppy
hold the world at bay,
but, if he wishes others away,
he should be less adorable

Cloud Town [Tanka]

across the valley,
i see clouds pour into town;
like a blanket
dragged over a mattress,
the buildings are smothered

Belly Wisdom [Kyōka]

the snake 
feels my footfalls
through its belly,
and i, too, feel its 
movement in my belly