Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Grieving (tanka)



Grieving

dampness penetrates
bone-chilling winds pierce the soul
brown leaves fall to mold
heavy darkness lingering
tears falling on a fresh grave



© ACG
29 September 2006

Friday, November 24, 2006

Old Friends


Old Friends

ever-present rays
shining warmly across time
ne'er dimmed though storms blow
battering senselessly harsh
an old lighthouse looms firmly
© ACG
24 November 2006

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Sleep (haiku)



Sleep

easing into sleep
"perchance to dream" peacefully
the nightmares begin


© ACG
22 November 2006

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Transition (tanka)


Transition

pumpkin pies cooling
dry leaves rustle underfoot
harvest moon shines on
first glinting of wet snowflakes
sneaky deceptive beauty

© ACG
05 November 2006

Wind (haiku)



Wind

rattling windows
howling around and about
dry leaves' last journey


© ACG
05 November 2006

Winter


The Winds of Winter

The Winds of Winter
blow coldly past;
landscape changes,
colors revealing
silent sleep like death.

The Winds of Winter
blow coldly through;
breath frosting,
piercing layered
thermal and goosedown.

The Winds of Winter
blow coldly in;
freezing the heart,
hopeless dreariness
stills a sanguine soul.

The Winds of Winter
blow coldly on;
yet a single Star shines,
diamond snow at night
illumines.



© ACG
05 November 2006

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Dreams



Dreams

blowing coldly on
night-time restless howling winds
relentless darkness
across a fearful landscape
one heartbeat haunting my dreams

© ACG
15 October 2006

Friday, October 06, 2006

School (tanka)



School

blistering boredom
history's names and dates drone
children's slack faces
by chance one child’s mind ignites
dying words: “I'm still learning”
© ACG
06 October 2006

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Mirrors

Mirrors

Ancient Prophetress,
what see you
as you gaze pensive
into the scrying bowl?
Sacred water
reflecting portent images,
swirling time and distance;
"Beware!" she cries,
as if struck back,
her prophecy severe.

Four thousand years
pass in a heartbeat;
pensive visage
stares back sadly;
A broken soul
reflecting incident images,
swirling time and distance;
"At last!" she cries
from ages past,
her prophecy complete.


© ACG
30 September 2006

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Tornado (haiku)



Tornado

whirling righteous wrath
nature’s blasphemous sermon
brutal baptism



© ACG
30 September 2006

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Birth (tanka)



Birth

pregnant air crackles
crashing thunderclouds signal
the promise of rain
when thirsty fields await
baby’s face revealed at last


© ACG
24 September 2006

Friday, September 22, 2006

Moonstruck Moment




Moonstruck Moment

still forests filter
a silent dance of shadows
one wolf's serenade



© ACG
22 September 2006

Sunday, September 17, 2006

September's Garden



September's Garden

Golden days breezing,
filtered sunlight streaming through the trees;
the Wind scurries past
like Alice's White Rabbit ~
Late, so late, for a very important date ~

Leaves, browned and tired,
drift down executing their last dance;
Summer's flowers beg,
like last year's sad debutants ~
Pick me, pick me, I am still young, and lovely ~

Through my old garden
I rake, poking about here and there;
crisp'd air, an omen,
Winter's yearly Messenger ~
Hark ye, hark, Persephone abideth below ~

Whence my loveliness?
Shall my dance breathe out frosted, aching;
old bone, joints, muscles,
like Spring's forlorn memory?
Forget not, forget me not, my Entity endures, strong and true.



© ACG
17 September 2006
~ for my father

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Then, and Now (haiku)


Then, and Now

like clouds billowing
obscuring blue New York skies
a haunted skyline


© ACG
11 September 2006

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Castle's Queen



Castle's Queen

The Castle's light
Shone in the night,
A single boat
Cross Castle's moat,
Carries a Lady Fair;

The Castle's King
Stood e'er serene,
From Castle's wall
O'erlooking all,
His gaze on Lady Fair;

The Castle's host
With pleasure most,
Celebrating,
Hail Castle's Queen!
With Love for Lady Fair.


© ACG
06 September 2006

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Honor (tanka)


Honor

"age goes before youth"
rarest thought for today's teen
a door held open
veteran soldier limps through
small courtesy well-deserved


© ACG
05 September 2006

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Leaves (tanka)



Leaves

sunlit gems glitter
rustling yellow orange and red
flashes of color
falling into brown winter
an “affy tapple” crunches

© ACG
29 August 2006
(“affy tapple” is a brand of caramel apples)

Sunday, August 27, 2006

In Dreams



In Dreams

They say “she walks in beauty like the night,”
Something about the cloudless climes,
For me, only nightmares traverse the night
Giving neither reasons nor rhymes;

Beyond my sleep, the Nightman rides alone,
His masked face never revealing,
Motivation nor his destination,
Into my dreams his soul stealing;

Before the dawn, the Nightman envelopes,
Stinging and singing mournful tune,
Like Death, his offer is a strange releasing,
No defense, tossed in nightmare doomed;

With a silent sigh and eyelids trembled,
Fearful heart welcomes him at last,
Surrendering now, our dreams united,
No cloudless clime, darkness holds fast;

Like a hurricane overswept am I,
Helpless now in his arms I lie,
His mask removed, now Death shall fly ~
Unusual Beauty! Nightmares lie.
© ACG
27 August 2006

Scent (haiku)


Scent

sudden storm passes
leaving dankness loitering
scent of lightning hangs


© ACG
27 August 2006

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Life (haiku)



Life

covering like fog
the "what's next" ever obscured
hand-holding comfort


© ACG
16 August 2006