Yerry Hill Road Haiku

All Light and Fury

2012-01-30T19:56:00.006-05:00

Gray, blue, wintry morn;
Sun rise over snow patches;
Slight quiver in trees.

Weed in flower pot
No longer blooms on the porch;
Will it wait 'til Spring?

Large dancing snow flakes
Billow through the frigid air.
Still, the rooster crows.

While puddles turn ice
The stream still flows on bubbling;
Then more snow flickers.

Broken tree branches
In the middle of the road
From last night's wind storm.

Sun beams touch the woods,
Leaving patches of bright light
And glowing pine trees.

Something stirs in woods;
Dry leaves race across the road;
Giant is coming!

The wind is roaring
Even as the sun breaks out--
All light and fury.

Keeping Their Secret

2012-01-26T18:51:00.000-05:00

Gray, white and orange--
The colors of this morning;

Shifting each second.

Against the window
Under the steely blue sky
Crows soar through the air.

Woodpecker rattles
Under the steely blue sky
Crows soar through the air.

Blank windows of shack
Stare blindly into the sun
Keeping their secret.

Under the ice sky
Green patches appear in woods;
Stream bed rises up.

Sun touches the trees;
Then, in a second, is gone,
Only to return.

A turkey gobble
Echoes out of the forest.
(Late for Thanksgiving?)

Garland of brown leaves
Crowning the prostrate dead log.
Triumph! Of the past.

Igniting the Woods

2012-01-24T22:25:00.003-05:00

01/21/2012

The blank afternoon--
Snow plows have become silent;
Entire world is white.

Inside is cozy--
Whirring electrical sounds;
Outside--just whispers.

01/22/2012

Bare tree is grasping;
Its naked limbs touched by white,
Doesn't reach the sky.

Fence shadows on snow;
Black slats lie across the white;
Rifle echoes far.

Two gloves on the road
Displaying their unique story,
Hold on the punch line.

Footprints in the snow
Disappear without a trace
As does their owner.

Belle carries the shoe
She never wants me to throw,
Just to admire.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch;
Crunch, thud, thud, crunch crunch, thud crunch;
Click, thud, crunch, thud, thud.

01/24/2012

Snow is washed away;
White still is on the fields and lawn;
Cars zip on clear road.

Sun breaks over hill;
Lights up brown patch on the lawn;
Gray light on table.

Dirty snow boulder
Lies by the side of the road;
Rooster crows at sun.

Across the snow field
Two roosters keep on crowing;
Olivia moos.

Moving in dark barn
A shadow across the door--
Laurie feeds chickens.

Under the whiteness
Spreading dark patches emerge:
Short winter roll back.

On top of the hill
Puff of warm air cuts the cold
Just for an instant.

Shining through the mist
Sun makes shadows of the trees
Igniting the woods.

It's All Black and White

2012-01-20T14:13:00.002-05:00

Vast cover of white--
First real snowfall of the year;
January's end.

Lone figure on road;
Silhouette against the snow.
It's all black and white.

My boots are crunching;
The snow plows have gone ahead;
Sky is crystal blue.

Sound of snow shovel
Scraping against the driveway--
Winter serenade.

The old dead blossoms
With the help of the snow storm
Have turned white again.

My old stump buddies,
Their dry mouths filled with snow
Have little to say.

The sign is faceless;
Message is covered with snow.
(Perhaps it's blank verse).

The Color of Cold

2012-01-19T17:53:00.002-05:00

Frigid cold outside;
Snow crystallized on the lawn.
What am I doing?

Gray tinge in the trees;
A frosty touch of winter--
The color of cold.

Two furry buddies
Exploring the cold white field;
Small one stops to bark.

So perfectly stacked--
Each piece of wood in its place,
Only to be burned.

A sorrowful sign:
Has anyone seen my cat?
Now it's curled with age.

Wood smoke rises straight;
Not the slightest breath of a breeze.
Wind comes through my mouth.

The stubborn dead leaves
Refuse to fall from the branch.
What is their problem?

Hot rage in the snow;
My angry thoughts keep me warm;
Woods are so silent.

The World Reflected

2012-01-13T18:45:00.000-05:00

Sun shines through rain drops;
Snow melting on the ground;
A "wintery mix".

Shining birch tree trunks
Glisten in the morning sun;
Drips fall from the eaves.

In a single drop
Hanging from the branch's tip--
The world reflected.

In the snow white field
The solar reflector stands
Waiting hungrily.

Bent by last year's snow
Fence stands for this year's onslaught--
Seasonal jousting.

Mirrors in the snow--
Ice puddles shimmer in the woods
Alive with motion.

The old stumps are white,
Their dark cracks covered with white--
Transformed familiar.

My chattering mind
Never says anything new.
Squirrel races ahead.

Sun, Rocks, Leaves--and Me

2012-01-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

Sun rises over trees:

Sky is muted blue gray;

There is just silence.

Furnace starts to hum:

Not a breeze stirs the pine trees.

It's going to be cold.

Olivia moos,

She knows that Susan is near.

Breakfast is coming.

Dog with high pitched bark

Sounds like angry little girl--

Not too threatening.

Shadows get longer

As sun rises through the woods;

Tall tree tops are brightest.

Still no sign of snow

Half way through January.

(Me complaining? Yes!)

Brown leafed tree in woods

Looks just like the others;

But it's on its side.

When the cars have passed

Road belongs to us again:

Sun, rocks, leaves--and me.

As I Return Home

2012-01-10T19:16:00.003-05:00

Sun breaks through the gray;
(Isn't it always this way?)
And the gray returns.

The snow is waiting;
Hidden in the gray clouds--
Imminent presence.

White horns in dark barn--
Olivia tosses head
Munching on her hay.

Walker with cell phone
Passes trees, fields and chickens
Focused on her ear.

Under muted skies
Stream mirrors become clearer;
Dimness makes brightness.

Patches of blue
Give an instant of sunlight.
Just a reminder.

Soft old mullein plant
Grows next to the Stump Buddies--
Winter settlement.

My tread is lighter
Climbing the upward road bend
As I return home

Turning Back Towards Home

2012-01-08T23:46:00.001-05:00

Pine trees slowly bend;

Pick up swishes past the house--

All silent motion.

Bird in the bushes--

Silhouette in bare branches,

Flutters limb to limb.

Patiently they wait,

My two trusty garbage pails

For my weekly crap.

Nothing is stranger

Than the view from my side lawn.

(I rarely see it.)

The former white blooms

Hang round and full from the bush.

Now they are dried brown.

A log with mushrooms

Lies across the dry stream bed;

Beyond it, water.

Wind often whispers

As I round the same corner

Turning back towards home.

When I stand stock still

Only the wind is speaking,

In sibilant tones.

With Just A Whisper

2012-01-07T19:27:00.003-05:00

A balmy Spring day--
First week of January.
(Do pigs really fly?)

I have no excuse
To avoid the sun and warmth.
Rooster keeps crowing.

Rhododendron bud
Swells, anticipating Spring.
We are all confused.

Stump, charred black with age;
Burnt by the wind and the sun;
Weathers it again.

Letters on the ground
Surrounded by dead brown leaves--
Mystery message.

Gentle rustling wind
Shakes the slender pine sapling
With just a whisper.

A distant walker
Rounds the road bend far ahead
And then she is gone.

Yawning blank windows
Stare out from the ancient shack
Reflecting darkness.

Puffs of Green Sunlight

2012-01-06T17:48:00.001-05:00

Puffs of green sunlight;
Pine trees turn into cloud puffs
In magic morning.

A slight darkening--
Instant of a passing cloud;
Becomes memory.

It's almost balmy;
I've lost track of the season--
Winter, Spring or Fall?

Frost has disappeared;
Still the hens peck at the ground.
Must be something there.

Through the brown blanket
Translucent green leaves poke up.
Plane hums in blue sky.

Labyrinth of green:
Pine needles glisten in sun.
Even steel fence shines.

Trees turn into light;
The sun alchemizes them:
Poof! Transformation.

In the roadside shade
The long stream remains frozen;
Different universe.

Wind's Hollow Whisper

2012-01-03T15:57:00.000-05:00

Below freezing now;
The grass is covered with frost;
The sky is snowfull.

Sun lights up the trees;
Even the frost seems warmer;
(It's just illusion).

Olivia and Alfred
Chow down in the open barn.
It's bovine breakfast.

A stiff frigid breeze
Whips around trees and bushes.
Hens peck at the snow.

Below the blue sky
Mirrored stream flows gently;
Ice is in the air.

Men smoke cigarettes,
Their breath and smoke combine.
We chat just briefly.

Above "Posted" sign
Rambling spider limbs reach over--
Trespassers Beware!

Wind's hollow whisper
Billows softly in the woods
Reaching crescendo.

Old gray Mercedes
Parked under bare brambles
Has seen better days.

Wind Sweeps Sun Away

2012-01-02T18:00:00.000-05:00

Blue sky and puffed clouds
On this sunny new year's day,
My father's birthday.

Now the sky is gray;
Thick snow flakes flutter around;
Black chicken scampers.

How loud the rooster;

Another rooster answers
From across the field.

Pregnant gray filled clouds
Float, awaiting their release.
Wind sweeps sun away.

Dead trees in the stream;
Cold wind blowing up the road;
More moss on the rocks.

Car driving strangely,
Slow but in middle of road;
New Jersey license.

In imprisoned woods
A large sphere lies on the ground;
Perhaps a land mine.

The stripped dead tree trunk
Riddled with a thousand holes--
Happy woodpeckers.

The Stillness Outside

2011-12-17T12:09:00.001-05:00

The stillness outside;
This December Saturday;
The humming inside.

Where are the cars now,
As I sit at my window?
They don't want to come.

Olivia's hay
Must be supremely gourmet
As she savors it.

Sun vies with dark clouds;
A chill wind blows up the road;
The streams are quiet.

Fallen shelf fungus
Lies next to moss covered rock;
Stream whispers nearby.

The wood pile has changed;
There's a sense my neighbor's gone;
New car in driveway.

Snow is not far off;
It waits in the thick dark clouds;
The earth takes a breath.

Everything is brown;
Fir trees are only background;
Sky is just lighting.

It's All Memory

2011-12-16T14:45:00.006-05:00

Pine trees swirl and bend;
Suddenly the wind dies down;
It's all memory.

Sharp through the tree tops
A patch of sunlight breaks through--
Morning has risen.

Out of the clear blue
Two fungi on the tree trunk.
Where do they come from?

Leash does not matter
When there's a smell in the leaves.
Just ask these two guys.

Ready to be launched
Dead tree lies in sapling's arms,
Waiting for right time.

Cyclops of the woods
Stares with red eye at the road.
It will never blink.

Cars do drive faster
When the temperature is low;
Running from the cold.

Only evergreens
Can block the glaring sun's rays;
Still the wind is cold.

Still, the Rooster Crows

2011-12-09T10:30:00.004-05:00

Cool morning sun;
Frost is on the porch again;
Still, the rooster crows.

Mirrors in kitchen
Stare into their reflections,
Yet they see nothing.

Sun spreads over field
Lighting up distant shack;
Rooster crows loudly.

Smoke from the chimney
Billows lazily upward
To be blown away.

Different ball this time;
Immobile on the side lawn,
Waiting for action.

Tall trees face the sun,
Half in darkness, half in light.
Lone turtledove coos.

My fuzzy friend, Belle
Comes down the path to greet me
Wiggling her behind.

On edge of freezing
Roadside stream still flows swiftly
Tinkling its presence.

Deluge While I Slept

2011-12-08T16:54:00.003-05:00

Lawn covered with white;
Sun mixes with sprinkled snow
Then it disappears.

Drops of water fell;
Sparkled shine on my front porch
Freezing and melting.

he wood fence is down;
Will some farm creatures escape?
Beckoning freedom.

Sweeping up the road;
Now the wind has winter's chill;
The stream is roaring.

Rough tumbling water;
Raw wind gusting in the trees;
These, the only sounds.

Deluge while I slept
Brought river roars to the woods
Creating new lakes.

Since below the sea
Ancient rock disintegrates,
Small chip at a time.

Stream by the roadside
Makes shifting musical notes:
Liquid symphony.

Hiding All Distance

2011-12-07T10:28:00.002-05:00

Mist surrounds the tree;
A mystical gauze of gray
Hiding all distance.

On the shiny porch
Mirror memories of rain;
Trees are tinged with gray.

I walk through moisture
Surrounded by a thick cloud
Absorbing all sounds.

Out of the gray mist
Three phantom forms emerging--
Laurie and the dogs.

There is No Distance

2011-12-06T18:08:00.004-05:00

Mysterious Fog
Does not envelope the geese--
Silent silhouettes.

Drops of rainwater
Hanging from my porch's eaves
Magnify the light.

There is no distance
Beyond the trees, only mist
Shrouding the mountains.

On a wooden pole
Strange numbers are imprinted:
Roadside Kabbalah.

Forever leaning,
Ladder and barn together;
Both too old to work.

Thinking it's a cat
I call to a flower pot.
(It does not respond.)

An impromptu hut
Built of ferns, leaves and dried grass.
No human hands here.

Darkened tree stump lies
Charred by snow, rain and bright sun--
Seasonal blasting.

Forest Percussion

2011-12-05T17:00:00.004-05:00

Will it snow or rain?
Everything seems dull and brown
In the morning gray.

An old spider web
Hangs between screen and window--
Occupant absent.

Alfred checks me out;
Then he goes back to his bales--
Prepares for bullshit.

Curious rooster
Comes strutting proudly to me
Feathered face hidden.

Gray, blue, white layers
Shifting steadily high above.
Below, there is no sun.

Far back in the trees
Woodpecker's hollow rattle:
Forest percussion.

Hiding under leaves,
Discarded Budweiser can;
Ashamed to be seen.

Tiny shelf fungi
Climb the trunk of the dead tree,
Pale, white and ghostly.

Spider Silhouettes

2011-12-05T11:48:00.004-05:00

Crows cry in gray sky;
The house is filled with silence;
No shadows on lawn.

Blue spots in the sky;
Still, the sun seems to have gone;
Slight breeze shakes the bush.

On the bare tree top
A giant nest is exposed
Black against the sky.

Spider silhouettes;
Bare dark tree limbs line the sky
Covering the clouds.

Slow chilled breeze today
Sweeps imperceptibly;
Following the road.

Ghost shadow appears;
A sunlit second on the road--
Instant memory.

An old rotten stump,
Moss broken in four parts
Shelters a dead leaf.

The sun has returned
As if it had never left--
This moment of light!

He's King of This Air

2011-12-03T18:04:00.003-05:00

Old tree in my yard
Stretches out is bared gnarled limbs
Enjoying the sun.

Why does the house hum,
Urging me to go and sleep?
Lazy Saturday.

Forsythia blooms
Burst into vibrant yellow
Amid the dead husks.

Rooster crows and crows
Shouting at the bright new sun;
Billy goat says "hi."

One glowing green leaf
Framed in the tangled bare bush
Inherits the sun.

Towering evergreens
Ensure that the woods stay dark;
Sun does not give up.

On the return walk
Bright sunshine enveloped me.
It's a different trip.

Sitting on a wire
Resting hawk pays me no mind.
He's king of this air.

Season of Tree Stumps

2011-12-02T17:06:00.003-05:00

Frost is on the grass;
Pale winter whitens outside;
Still, the cars hum by.

Coffee roaster whirrs;
Kitchen fills with the thick smell;
Morning aroma.

Mornings white and pale;
Frost on the windows of cars
Parked next to the barn.

Forsythia branch
Frosted in the morning chill;
Curled brown leaves are pale.

Solitary bloom
Still glowing on the bare branches;
The others have fled.

Pick up truck passes;
Driver gives "v" sign through roof.
(That's Woodstock for you.)

Season of tree stumps,
No longer concealed by trees
With green bushy leaves.

A blinding second:
Sun crashes through tree limbs;
Then clouds take over.

Purple Fragrant Memory

2011-12-01T19:29:00.003-05:00

Crisp the bright blue sky;
Bright bare branches in the sun;
Porch plant is frozen.

Sunlight through the trees
Paints the distant yellow field.
Here, the lawn is dim.

Lilac bush is bare;
Purple fragrant memory;
Crisp December morn.

Forest is so still;
Flat bed truck purrs in the background.
Is the world waiting?

A thin shaft of light
Slicing darkness to the tree
Illuminates it.

New froth in the stream;
Water sounds drowns out the birds;
Sun kisses dead leaves.

Spider filament
On desiccated brown plant
Glistens and then fades.

Sunlight falls softly
On leaves and forest patches
Spreading quietly.

Rippling Liquid Mirrors

2011-11-30T17:20:00.003-05:00

November's last day,
Then December--Winter's month;
Sun breaks on the lawn.

Sun rises swiftly
Lighting me up in mirror--
Dappled reflection.

Puddles in barnyard;
Gentle wind blows up the road;
Rooster crows in sun.

White froth in the stream;
Still, in the rushing water,
Serenely stable.

Sharp shadow surface
Lies across fences and trees--
Flattening darkness.

Green pine and brown leaves
Nestled in each other's arms.
Cardinal in the bushes.

I love mud puddles:
Rippling liquid mirrors
That reflect the sky.

Pain across my leg;
Slender barbed stem bounces back,
Warns me of trespass.

In Their Disjunction

2011-11-21T17:30:00.003-05:00

A bright cold morning;
The sun is taking its time;
Cat crosses the lawn.

With every second
The sunlight becomes brighter;
Stripes appear on lawn.

With roar and rattle
Peter's pick up truck wakes up
Winks one good rear light.

The broken fence posts--
Last winter's snow recorded
In their disjunction.

I talk to myself
But receive no new insights--
Persistent babble.

Among the dead leaves
Bright green in the morning sun:
Fern and glowing moss.

Closest to the sun
Treetops are painted by the light;
A brilliant starkness.

Pet Watch car passes--
My Stella's not in their care.
Just where has she gone?

Even the Bull Laughs

2011-11-20T18:21:00.002-05:00

Squirrel in the dead leaves
Searches with frantic purpose;
Digs for God knows what.

Only one dead leaf
On top of rhododendron;
Comes from some place else.

This balmy Sunday
At the end of November;
Even the bull laughs.

Smell of fresh baking
Drifts slowly across the road;
Kisses my nostrils.

Popping of rifles
Breaking through the soft warm air
Like armed intruders.

Suspended from gate
Faded ornaments hang on.
They know no season.

Incessant shooting;
Big old boys with louder guns.
Some things never change.

Windows in window,
Facing in and facing out;
With no one inside.

Does It Think It's Spring?

2011-11-19T10:42:00.002-05:00

It's below freezing;
There's a white sheen on the lawn.
No sandals today.

Bare forsythia
Stands behind the green pine tree;
Few yellow leaves hang.

Does it think it's Spring:
Swelling rhododendron bulb
Aiming at the sky?

Dull patches glisten,
Lying at the side of road,
Mud puddles no more.

In a silent race
Young deer floats across the road.
Was it ever there?

Slowly, stripes of sun
Touch the ground of the jailed woods;
Then swiftly move on.

Without a whisper
The screw in my glasses fled-=-
Mechanical joke.

No gloves--no option;
Dead brown leaves fill the stream bed
That flowed by the road.

The School Bus Has Gone

2011-11-18T19:09:00.005-05:00

Blue light breaks slowly,
Then it's here as if always.
(Was it always so?)

Light grows in the trees;
I see it through the stark limbs
Ever growing brighter.

Skeleton tree limbs
Bend over the sunlit road.
The school bus has gone.

Morning of shadows;
Moon high n the cold blue sky;
Bright sun sheds no warmth.

Hidden from the sun:
Somber patches of dark woods;
No warmth and no light.

Naked and revealed,
The slender tree is twisted;
Will be forever

They are living ghosts:
Seed puffs among red berries.
Loud crack from the woods.

Focused Nonchalance

2011-11-17T11:04:00.003-05:00

Staring me in the face,
Squirrel on branch outside window
Wobbles uncertainly.

A few scattered leaves
Dot the green on my front lawn--
Just the hint of Fall.

Dark against the sky
Hawk glides smoothly through the air--
Focused nonchalance.

Sharpness in the wind
On this blue gray dark morning,
Trees are silhouettes.

Two girls come running
Down the path to the bus stop;
Morning adventure.

School bus then silence;
Always a quiet return;
Wood smoke makes no noise.

Two friends chat walking;
Their words float up the mountain,
Sliding past the trees.

How many trees passed;
How many leaves overlooked,
In my reverie?

Just Bidiing Their Time

2011-11-16T14:01:00.003-05:00

Gray sky threatens rain;
Sun has fled into the clouds;
No shadows at all.

The trees are stock still;
The earth is holding its breath.
What a time to walk!

Pile of pine needles,
Turning brown before winter.
Moisture all around.

Cow moos, rooster crows,
Plane rumbling in the clouds;
School bus passes by.

How many behinds
Have filled this ancient chair
Now set out for trash?

Sprinkled in the trees
A few leaves are hanging on--
Just biding their time.

Whiff of tobacco
As the sports care whooshes by;
Then pungent Fall returns.

Sixty-two per cent:
The forecasted chance of rain.
(I walk the one third).

Liquid Reflection

2011-11-10T11:26:00.003-05:00

Early morning mist;
Sun is trying to break through;
Not a breath of wind.

All is humming now;
How silent the house can be;
Everything is sleeping.

Sky is equal parts:
Still whiteness and bright blueness.
Rooster crows loudly.

From forsythia
Red berries burst into life.
Ripping chain saw sounds.

Ripples on water
Shiver the solid tree trunk.
Liquid reflection.

Lichen and moss clumps
Inhabit the barren tree trunk;
Its leaves have fallen.

Sun breaks through the trees
Shedding a tawny color;
This tan and beige Fall.

"No Trespassing" sign
In front of the imprisoned woods.
(The squirrels cannot read).

The Sound of Sunlight

2011-11-09T13:35:00.002-05:00

Shadow of the house
Paints darkness on the bright lawn;
Breeze shimmers the leaves.

Green, yellow and brown--
colors of outdoors today.
No red this season.

Shadow of a squirrel
Scampers up the phantom tree
Laid upon the road.

The bright stream water
Sparkles forward noisily:
The sound of sunlight.

Shadows through the leaves;
Dark echo of bright sunshine.
Warm hush in the air.

Leaves fall silently,
Slipping, sliding on the road;
Whisked by passing car.

Brown on evergreen--
Dead dry leaves caught in mid air;
Cradled in the pine.

They are like snowflakes,
These leaves falling from the trees--
First one, then millions.

Snow Memories Have Melted

2011-11-08T13:04:00.002-05:00

A light grayish haze
Seems to float down from the sky,
Invisible, warm.

Car hums by outside,
Its swish muted in the house--
Silence magnified.

Chocolate M and M's?
No. Shiny pile of deer shit.
Deer flee the hunters.

Creatures on the lawn--
Wicker monsters open mouths
To catch tired behinds.

Last Autumn's wood pile
Scattered where it had fallen
Three seasons ago.

Chain saw is humming;
Back packed hiker walks ahead;
High above, plane drones.

It's suddenly warm;
Snow memories have melted;
Sun lights up the woods.

They Have Their Own Time

2011-11-06T12:23:00.002-05:00

Outside, the world's still;
Inside, appliances hum.
My thoughts are neither.

Four bags of coffee
Sit in the sunshine and shade
Waiting to be ground.

Snow shovel on porch
Waiting for the next blizzard
Through Spring, Summer, Fall.

Tree top crow again
Surveys the world below him.
No one is higher.

Gurgling stream
From other side of the road.
This side gentle flow.

Dry leaves on the road;
For now, no breeze disturbs them;
Sharp shadows are still.

It is difficult
To photograph falling leaves.
They have their own time.

Dry leaves on dead tree;
Branch is bent over sharply;
Still, the ferns are green.

Outside is Inside

2011-11-05T20:37:00.005-04:00

Sun through the window
Lights up patches on the floor.
Liz hums a folk song.

Mirror of the trees
Hanging passive on the wall.
Outside is inside.

The whiteness has fled--
Queen Anne's Lace cluster is dry.
How blue is the sky.

On top of the tree
Fat squirrel ponders his next move;
Birds swirl around him.

Brown tree with brown leaves;
Sunlight falling on the stream;
Wave from passing car.

Shadows of bare trees
Dappled road around the bend;
One translucent leaf.

Far off rifle booms
Shaking the sunlit stillness.
Man jogs through shadows.

Refurbished wood bench
That no one eve sits on--
Roadside ornament.

Leaves Rocketing Through the Air

2011-11-04T16:16:00.004-04:00

Brisk wind and bright sun;
Leaves rocketing through the air;
Shadows sharp on trees.

Purifier hums,
A sleepy sound in the house.
I nod and then leave.

Alfred eats a branch,
Then looks quizzically at me:
"You got a problem?"

Crossing overhead,
A grid against the sky--
Telephone wires meet.

Lying near the steam
A brilliant flash of orange;
Strange backdrop in Fall.

A leafless forest
Casts shadows on the brown ground.
What's that? A snow patch!

This hanging branch
Has been suspended in air
For over three years.

Dead trees and living
Merge in a barren starkness--
Deception of Fall.

A Savory Mix

2011-11-03T08:53:00.005-04:00

Warm sun, snow patches;
Alfred prances with delight;
I walk joyously.

Are these trees barren?
Their strong limbs reach skyward;
The goats keep eating.

Are these green sprouts now
That surround the dark stuck leaves
A Fall illusion?

Halloween mailbox--
Witches' hat joins Christmas bells;
Summer's forgotten.

Plane snores above;
Lazy breeze shakes the pine bows;
I walk through shadows.

Aseema walks, too;
Silence and conversation--
A savory mix.

Solitary Leaf

2011-10-27T12:08:00.003-04:00

Light shines through the leaves;
Pine trees bow in the cool breeze;
The road is silent.

Gauzy clouds move quick
Racing across my window,
Whisking by tree tops.

Shadows on shadows;
Sunlight tries to break through leaves
And leaves its absence.

Billowing blue green--
Tall tree flashes its brilliance
Before it turns bare.

Squirrel on a phone wire
Is atypically exposed--
Just sits and ponders.

Magic lawn no more--
Grass has replaced the soft moss;
Whirl of lawn mower.

Solitary leaf
Hangs from the naked tree's limb.
The wind does its best.

Car rushes past me;
Hand in window is waving;
Unknown friend is gone.

Gray Sky and Crow Cry

2011-10-24T17:21:00.004-04:00

Gray sky, falling leaves;
I go to my road again.
The joy of return.

Brown spots on green lawn;
Yellow leaves shake in tree limbs;
It's happened before.

Hardy chicory
Standing at the roadside
Dares winter to come.

Gray sky and crow cry;
Gentle breeze sweeps up the road;
Goats keep on eating.

Swirling dark waters
Ebb around the mossy rock,
Topped by a dry leaf.

Green on brown blanket;
Summer slides into winter;
What season is this?

Black shoe in the leaves;
Tread holds firmly to the sky.
But where is the foot?

Echo of faint breeze--
Dry leaves float above the road;
Then distant bird sounds.

A Silent Leaf Falls

2011-09-23T13:04:00.004-04:00

Gray, damp day today;
Not a shaft of sunlight comes;
Weeds bloom on the porch.

Above the green bush
The leaves of the tree are brown.
Summer's really gone.

Last walk for a month;
How strange--comings and goings;
Goats watch my sadness.

Light brown protuberance--
New pine cones appear on tree.
They will rule winter.

Beyond the link fence,
A cluster of blue flowers.
Are they imprisoned?

They're no longer white--
Clusters of blooms on the bush;
Still, they're hanging on.

A gray soft blanket,
Above the trees and mountain,
Covering the sky.

Murmur in the sky:
Plane rumbles above the clouds;
A silent leaf falls.

Clouds Over Mountain

2011-09-22T18:37:00.002-04:00

Sun and clouds play tag,
Vying for light of the sky
And ruler of moods.

In the old garage
Blank windows stare at the trees
Who stare back at them.

How quiet my stream
That raged a few days ago.
Now it just eddies.

Clouds over mountain
Billow in the last day's light,
Bright, soft and fleeting.

Just two russet leaves
Spring from the trunk of the tree.
They are born dying.

Quiet sunlit road--
New Volkswagon races by
Thumping its music.

Top of the dry stalk
New yellow flowers burst forth.
(They are late bloomers).

Clouds pull together;
The road loses its sunlight;
Soft darkness descends.

Woods are Exhaling

2011-09-21T17:27:00.006-04:00

First day of Autumn;
Sun plays lightly on the leaves;
Glowing hints of brown.

Shadows of flowers
Sitting on my porch table,
Mocking the sunshine.

Climbing the tree trunk,
Ivy reaches to the sky.
(Never will get there).

Brown leaf in myrtle;
Where did this stranger come from?
Autumn oracle.

Long past her mailbox
Which I forgot to notice.
Is this time special?

Spicy, musty smell
Touches me, then disappears.
Woods are exhaling.

Congress of mushrooms
Meeting below the dead tree,
Mute in the faint light.

They are everywhere:
Leaves suspended in their fall,
Their plunges at rest.

A slow steady pace
Takes the jogger up the hill.
Is he having fun?

Pet Watch car passes--
They took care of my Stella.
Presence of absence.

Now they're raining down:
The leaves from the still green trees,
To land silently.

Where Does This Time Go?

2011-09-18T19:04:00.003-04:00

Box glares in sunlight;
Outside a pink flower glows.
Ain't life wonderful?

Roasted coffee smell
Before I go out the door
To cool Fall morning.

Dead branch, blue flowers;
Sharp shadows on the old barn;
Not a sound is heard.

A faded half moon
Hangs in a crystal blue sky,
Over the tree tops.

Moving from shadows--
Two women and dog emerge;
Which of them came first?

The woods are silent,
Not even a bird chirping.
Where does this time go?

Caught in yellow leaves
The sunlight cannot escape,
But sings its freedom.

Mushroom on the road,
Strangely standing on its head.
Wait! It's an apple!.

Where's the Miracle?

2011-09-13T16:22:00.004-04:00

Kath with me today;
Company on haiku walk;
Always something new.

It's late afternoon--
Sun has moved over the lawn;
Now casts soft shadows.

On tips of the grass
Sun spreads the last light of day--
Glowing, pointy peaks.

In the wood's deep gloom
White flowers give off their light.
Thunder far away.

Now the sun has gone;
The road is covered with gray;
I hear our footsteps.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Bright morning sunshine
Touches the old spider web;
Blotches on the lawn.

Air purifier
Humming in the living room
Makes me want to sleep.

Dark timothy grass
Rises spectral from the field;
Absorbs the sunshine.

Dark and sunlit stream
Courses into the forest;
Its sound is muted.

Too fast for camera,
Leaves keep falling from the sky;
I will catch one yet.

Where's the miracle
On this sunny Fall morning?
It must be ahead.

Liquid Sounds are All Around

2011-09-08T17:01:00.010-04:00

This walk is with tears--
Not from the sun or rain's end
But from my full heart.

My stream is raging;
Welling up with white water,
Roaring down the hill.

On the other side
A lake has formed in the woods
Where there were just trees.

Slow caw of a hen
Cautious in the breaking sun,
Between the two rains.

Gentle stream no more;
It obliterates the road
While jewel weed watches.

Waterfall in woods;
Liquid sounds are all around;
Road is glistening.

My furry cat friend
Comes down the road to greet me.
We meet so rarely.

Not Even Bees are Working

2011-09-05T18:27:00.002-04:00

A gray Labor Day;
Not even bees are working
Under the thick sky.

Cobweb on window
But not a sign of spider;
She's yesterday's news.

Sun breaks through the clouds
And the insects get busy
All around my face.

Blue before the brown:
Chicory rules the road for now.
Still the dead leaves fall.

Black Eyed Susans smile
Demurely by the road side;
They keep their secret.

Patches of sunlight
Dapple the darkened forest,
Then just fade away.

Puddle reflects sky
(Or does sky reflect puddle?)
It's so confusing.

An ear on the hill
Cups its soft, blank mushroom flesh
White and unhearing.

Red Leaves and Brown Ferns

2011-09-03T16:19:00.012-04:00

Chicken on my lawn,
Pecking away like it's hers;
(Well, maybe it is.)

Wooden chimes, long still,
Soundless on the empty porch;
No breezes help it.

Mushroom and a leaf--
Strange companions on the lawn.
Girl sings on the road.

Warm smell of manure
Floats out from the busy barn.
Where there's shit, there's life.

It's the same old fence,
Not made worse by hurricane,
But not made better.

Red leaves and brown ferns--
Anomalies in the woods
Just for the moment.

Two cars race past me
In opposite directions;
A strong jolt of fear.

Abandoned no longer
House has a new guardian
Who pays attention.

It's Off Its Rocker

2011-09-02T17:10:00.003-04:00

With a trash bundle
I step into the sunlight
And sparkling green leaves.

Through kitchen windows
Sun rays fall on the tall grass
Dappling shadows.

Sitting near the porch
Stella's friend waits patiently.
Does he miss her, too?

Old wooden chair sits;
Something isn't right with it.
It's off its rocker.

Sound of buzzing bee
Hums up from the chicory;
Fall honey harvest.

Leaves float gently down;
A few slide along the road.
Still the woods are green.

Hiding behind leaves,
Tree monster stretches its limbs
Frozen in horror.

Muffled radio
Hums from the parked pickup truck;
There's no one in sight

Frog jumps into stream--
No "plop", water's rushing fast;
More of a "splash--whoosh".
(with apologies to Basho)

A Truly Soft Day

2011-09-01T16:01:00.011-04:00

After hurricane
I take my first haiku walk.
What will be out there?

Sun has disappeared;
White flowers grow in my yard.
Winds did not kill them.

Chickory survives
With Queen Anne's Lace by the road;
So does goldenrod.

Distant dog barking;
Insistent bubbling of stream;
Child shouts from house.

Stray broken tree limbs
Swept to the side of the road:
Memory of storm.

In sphinx position
Cat watches me from driveway;
What is it thinking?

Small brown leaf on green,
Resting there and moribund
Whispering future.

A truly soft day;
Even the cars seem subdued--
Ride on faint shadows.

Morning Dove's Soft Coo

2011-08-26T12:38:00.009-04:00

One second there's sun;
The next second there's just gloom.
Hurricane coming?

Dark slats of sunlight
Wedged between the light shadows--
Morning on my porch.

Small, dark shadowed cove
Nestled mysteriously
Hides in my front yard.

Alfred and chickens
Graze across the well kept lawn.
Who needs the gardener?

Clusters of white balls
Burst brilliantly on the bush;
Now it's their season.

Shining orange tongue--
Mushroom glistens in dark woods.
Where are the fairies?

Morning dove's soft coo
Seems to float from the mountain,
To join the cool breeze.

Sumac has returned
After missing a whole year;
Violet cones stand up.

With Liquid Bells

2011-08-24T16:36:00.011-04:00

After a summer of constant contact and artistic stimulation from both adults and younger folks, I return to the solitude of Yerry Hill Road. What a wondrous balance.

I wait to go out--
It's almost been a season
Since I took this walk.

Is the sun the same
As it bounces off the leaves?
Or am I different?

Now there's chicory,
Feathered plants and Queen Anne's Lace
In a summer's blink.

With liquid bells
Irrepressible stream flows
Into the dark woods.

Soccer ball on grass
Is waiting for the next kick.
Some things never change.

Decomposing log
Spawns a lush tiny forest
As it's receding.

Milkweed stalks swaying;
Gentle wind billows from woods;
A few leaves skitter.

Almost reached the top--
Ivy up the tall pole;
Will it stop and rest?

This Year a Woodchuck

2011-06-15T14:48:00.016-04:00

Once again I take a break from my beloved Yerry Hill Road to go to Appel Farm Arts Camp in southern New Jersey. This will be my twenty-fifth summer as resident old fart, head counselor and theater director. So I exchange the rolling wonder of my neighborhood for the flat lands of New Jersey. I bid all who come here a lovely and peaceful summer, and thanks for visiting.

Warm mid-June morn;
Sun shines off green bushes.
Last walk before camp.

New flowers--new pot;
New caretaker of my house.
The old road beckons.

Tall dandelions
Populating my front lawn
Seem to crane their necks.

Fluttering its wings,
Bird settles in the long grass--
Disappears, rises.

How often I've walked,
Transcending the familiar
With my routine mind.

Old lady on porch
Allows sun to caress her;
We smile together.

Pop blooms by the road;
Path of shadows in the woods;
Endless mysteries.

I watch the dark woods
As a friend drives by and waves
Bringing his own light.

Last year a bear came
To say goodbye on my walk;
This year a woodchuck

Pulling Me Forward

2011-06-08T17:19:00.014-04:00

Even as they wilt,
These pink flowers exude life.
What is their secret?

Lone dandelion
By the side of my slate path
Glows in solitude.

Fields of buttercups
Transform green fields to yellow;
Twinkling the eye.

A small truck drives past
Leaving a breeze in its wake.
Welcome, pickup wind!

St. Francis in Spring
Surrounded by bright flowers;
(Not drowning in snow).

A faery blue haze
Lights up a patch in the woods.
Where does it come from?

The familiar bend
Snakes down hill in all seasons
Pulling me forward.

A warm musty smell
Comes from the rundown old shack--
Scents of memories.