Sunday, May 27, 2007

Of Plums and Snake-Eaters


Mt. Shasta
Photo by Katy Brown, Davis



Mountain path —
sun rising
through plum scent.

***

Violets —
how precious on
a mountain path.

•••

Do not forget the plum,
blooming
in the thicket.

•••

Spring air —
woven moon
and plum scent.

•••

Behind the virgins'
quarters,
one blossoming plum.

•••

How terrible
the pheasant's call —
snake-eater.

•••

Poet grieving over shivering
monkeys, what of this child
cast out in autumn wind?

(Today's poetry was from On Love and Barley: Haiku of Basho, translated by Lucien Stryk)

***

—Medusa


Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their POETRY, PHOTOS and ART, as well as announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com (or snail ‘em to P.O. Box 762, Pollock Pines, CA 95726) for posting on this daily Snake blog. Rights remain with the poets. Previously-published poems are okay for Medusa’s Kitchen, as long as you own the rights. (Please cite publication.)