rain drips off leaves
diamonds sparkling in sunlight
worms gathered by blackbirds

dawn chorus
a brace of wood pigeons
in conversation

cherry trees bow
for the prevailing wind
green fruit, discarded

trees shiver
in the sudden wind
doors rattle

rain drips from roofs
a sparrow takes a bath
in a blocked gutter

planning the weekend
scoping out a shady tree
to serve as my muse

counting stars
I move round
the galaxy

Credit: The Mainichi Daily News, May 25, 2011

spring fair  -
swifts
helter-skeltering

Geraniums
raise pink flowers to the clouds
London Pride

scent of narcissi
in the night I hear
your beauty

* * *

narsissien tuoksu
yössä kuulen kuinka
kaunis olet

first light
closing the curtains to sleep
enjoying the birdsong

Tanka..the lament

she journeyed afar
and he lamented--listen to
the willows talk
they're wishing for
rosebuds for his lips
-----------
---------
..(C)1986/2011 Spiros Zafiris
..channeled; spirit Ram
..Note: previously, poem
had a staza break after L3
and "listen to" started L3
..and, possibly,
"rosebuds" ended L4
..and it was entitled: The Lament
----------------------
--------------

scavaging ravens
like torn black rags -
scattered by the wind

sparrows in the hedgerow
teaching their young to forage
wood pigeon's call

late night commutes
silvermound glistens
under the half moon

through clouds
a ray pierces
the poppy's head fills with light

oriental poppy
bursts into flower
lupin, shy

Monday, Monday-
coming in not knowing
it's a 13.5 hour day

the vapor
from the river below
reaches the balcony
where he talks to
his tuberculosis

wind swept -
the trees are beckoning us
into the sky

cherries fall
in the unexpected wind
cornflowers fade

buttercups
on Wimbledon Common
distant bagpipes

above the chaos
a red breasted bird
chirps joyfully

trees whipped
by a stiff north-easterly
dark clouds flung

rainwater streams
each with a crouching boy
building dams


(Cross-posted at But Wait, There's More!)

fledgling sparrows
flitting about the fields
white butterflies

all shift-
scrambling for a minute's peace
between the malfunctions


prepping for shift meeting
count to ten in japanese
to reel it in

lavender buds
poking through undergrowth
a cat, basking

red roses
tethered to an anchor
of thorns

May's morning
more calls less pecks
the woodpecker bird

mid shift break
doing the Times crossword
by moonlight

a barn owl hoots
in an urban landscape
gibbous moon, waning

mid shift break-
the sound of pelting rain
comes through a back door

fronds of monkshood
develop flowerbuds
aubretia tires

dared to burst forth
I race raindrops to welcome
the first peony

on the couch
enjoying the garden
through the window

tadpoles lose their tails
to make their first steps on land
thrushes applaud

you ask me
what rhymes
with orange
rainbow deadhead
knew nothing

.

two sparrows
drive off a magpie
brightly hued eggs

neighborhood ginko
the hawk seems to know
what I need

picking lemongrass
for cooking this morning
the first time
i learn not to confuse
me and my alter ego

first roses
a glossy red clot
nodding in the breeze

Photo Red Rose by cheesy42

on the wet grass
the cat with a dead sparrow
subdued chirping

Monday morning
a mom waves to the school bus
and to the hawk

Join in the global ginko! ;-)

http://area17.blogspot.com/2011/05/join-us-in-global-haiku-walk-for-japan.html
.

afternoon commute
beaver sunning himself
in the neighbor's yard

Welsh poppies
open sunshine yellow heads
garden iris

dandelion clocks
to tell the time of year
doves gleaning seeds

radios
blast from passing cars
roadside poppies

late night commute-
double moon
dances on the pond

azalea snakes
its way through the garden
sheds its skin of light

busy with thoughts I bump into a honeysuckle day

sudden growth
brought on by weekend rain
cornflowers occluded

exactly in between
my nightmare and the rain
a door open

tepat di antara
hujan dan mimpi burukku
pintu terbuka

honesty seeds
are bright green pennies
coins tossed in the pond

spring journey
the soldiers talk about
spotty teenagers
.

blue cornflowers
dancing with tutus for the sun
morning rain, drying

14 hour shift
walking outside
to view the day

ladybird
on a stinging nettle leaf
- lotus position


***

une coccinelle
sur une feuille d'ortie
- position du lotus

wood pigeon
calls out the dawn chorus
crow's raucous shout

late night commute-
deer freezes in my headlights
its mate on the curb

morning breeze lifts
white sheets on the line --
gnarled fingers clutching clothes pins

morning rains
freshen the leaves of perennials
ripples on the pond

too tired to sleep-
enjoying the early birsong

lilac twists
in a sudden breeze
sparrow flight falters

new spring outfit
pollen filigree
draping the car

around the dead tree -
a pool of blue bells

sweet peas
scramble upwards
clematis

SFH Day 2
planning tomorrow's gardening
for mental diversion

lightning strikes
i hold my breath for
the afterimage

petir menyambar
aku menahan nafas
silau sesaat

Table manners

I was probably the clumsiest among others in my family at holding the spoon and fork. Unlike Mom, Dad, my sisters and brothers, I held the cutlery like holding a knife, instead of the way I took a grip on a pen. We didn't use a knife to savour a dish.

"Use your bare hands," my Mom said almost each and every evening when we had dinner with the whole family. "Wash them first before you start," my Mom added and moved a ceramic bowl of water towards me for hand washing.

family dinner
chinese dancer dances
in my bowl


Adab di meja makan

Dibanding anak-anak lainnya dalam keluarga kami, mungkin aku yang paling canggung menggunakan sendok dan garpu. Selalu saja aku memegang sepasang alat itu dengan cara yang aneh. Aku memegang sendok dan garpu seperti aku memegang pisau, bukan pena. Padahal, kami tak pernah menggunakan pisau untuk makan.

“Gunakan saja kedua tanganmu, tapi jangan lupa cuci dulu,” kata ibu.

makan malam
penari china menari
di kobokanku

cornflowers
a spot of blue in the green
speedwell

SFH
enjoying the moonlight
walking to the car

a paper kite
colors gargantuan clouds
lonely pilgrim
places where our stories
written and remain untold

layangan kertas
mewarna awan gargantuan
ziarah sendiri
muasal kisah kita yang
ditulis tak dituturkan

honeysuckle
coats a long-dead apple tree
ivy and nightshade

guardians
of the still pond -
mallard and mandarin

Photo Mandarin Duck by paulafunnell

May Day
a blackbird skirts the choice
of blossoms

May Writing Challenge, NaHaiWriMo FB 

strawberry flowers
points of white on green
aphids