Single dad tanka

you'll never know
how hard it is to be
a single dad
think about the sparrows
hold up the winging

Dandelion seed haiku

dandelion seed
my dad used to be
afraid of flying


Notes from The Gean, No. 15, January 2013

The birds and the tree tanka

1/
too much argument
to win about loyalty
and love? what love?
ah, look! the pine we planted
welcoming the birds to nest

2/
how long the drought
will it be in our marriage?
before the first rain
we know the baby birds
flying off the bare tree

Veterans day haiku

veterans day
a fly dies
a week old

hari veteran
seekor lalat mati
umur sepekan

Geriatric ward tanka chain

1/
how boring it is
to be here in G-ward
i make myself busy
with watching baby birds
learning to fly

sungguh membosankan
tinggal di klinik jompo
aku menyibukkan diri
memperhatikan anak-anak burung
belajar terbang

2/
same meal
same taste
dear chef,
does your recipe
read like a poetry?

menu yang sama
citarasa yang sama
wahai juru masak
apakah resepmu terbaca
seperti puisi?

3/
please, don't hesitate
to reach me
you spend too much time
trickling down thru'
the infuse line

jangan ragu
untuk menyentuhku
kau habiskan terlalu banyak waktu
menetes, mengalir lewat
selang infus

Lonesome dinner tanka

so wide is the sky
as those cranes fly home
quietly
i catch minnows
for a lonesome dinner


oh luasnya langit
saat burung bangau pulang
dengan diam
aku menangkap ikan-ikan kecil
untuk makan malam sendirian

Hiding shadows haiku

eagles flew away
their shadows hide
under the dust

elang menjauh
bayangan mereka sembunyi
di bawah debu

Kite's eyes haiku

fly high--
i wish i had the eyes
of a kite

terbang tinggi--
andai saja aku punya mata
layang-layang

Flight of an albatross tanka

tears
roll down on your cheek
and evaporate
an albatross spreads its wings
and flies west

Wedomartani, March 18,2010