Five from Matsuo Kinsaku (1644-94), who changed his name to Basho in honor of a tree given to him by a disciple:
On the dead limb
squats a crow—
autumn night.
***
Yellow rose petals
thunder—
a waterfall.
***
Winter downpour—
even the monkey
needs a raincoat.
***
Butterfly—
wings curve into
white poppy.
***
How quiet—
locust-shrill
pierces rock.
__________________
Snakebytes, the e-newsletter from Rattlesnake Press, will be coming out today and tomorrow. Two releases this week: littlesnake broadside #15 from Todd Cirillo (Another Heart Dancing in the Flames) and Rattlechap #17 from Ron Tranquilla (An Ocean-Front Hotel Room). (Don't forget Ron's reading Wednesday at The Book Collector, 7:30pm.) Snake 7 will "hit the stands" after Labor Day, as will littlesnake broadside #16 from Irene Lipshin. Good Lord—I better hang up here and get to work!
—Medusa
Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their poetry and announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com for posting on this daily Snake blog. Rights remain with the poets.