dry throat croaks, "hello"
elevator doors open
PICU floor, wet eyes

-kaa

I.V. pole of tubes
hand on his bandaged belly
small hand holds my thumb

-kaa

full moon in the sky
bare trees reach up silently
peepers sing with joy

-jws

eating cheerios
everything was okay
and then it wasn't

-kaa

----------

flowers grow taller
warm wind blows fresh sunny air~
dead leaves scattering

~jws

breathing evenly
short, deep moans as dawn approached
what were you dreaming?

-kaa

many-colored cars
strewn across the parking lot~
pebbles in the sand

-jws

touching your forehead
i pause to celebrate us
the feel of your cheek

-kaa


----------

wedding remembered
two geese fly over the house
we begin again

-jws

flowers appearing
as snow falls wet and heavy~
vultures overhead

-jws

----------

anniversary
tomorrow, twenty-three years
today, lamp shopping

-kaa

flowers start to show
water runs along the road
birds sing in the mist

-jws

----------

winter frustration
snow on its way, yet again
daffodil greens peek

kaa

hair on her pillow
handfuls, chemotherapy
a flight for freedom

-kaa


----------

trash man in the rain
loading his truck with one hand~
his red umbrella

-jws

breathing gentle air
walking past the sewer drain
rain water gurgles

-jws

cracked lips showing fear
baby boy needs surgery
her eyes become wet

-kaa

snow-covered hilltop
fades to a grassy green slope~
red sled stands, idle

-jws

----------

glowing and dimming
there was a dream of a fire
old, burnt house ruptured

-kaa

gentle morning rain
patches of snow here and there
crows call from the sky

-jws

----------

listen through silence
red lips, missing an eye tooth
lighthouse keeper speaks

-kaa

sauteing onions
charlie parker and miles davis
peaceful evening

-kaa

bare trees pierce the sky
snow melts, revealing wet grass
the world heaves and sighs

-jws

she stares vacantly
deep sigh after a long day
oberlin high school

-kaa

----------

clear sky before dawn
crescent moon and morning star
bird song all around

-jws

rain falls and snow melts
creeks become swollen rivers~
sorrows of the world

-jws

----------

it's a life, his life
the lighthouse keeper holds him
nurtures his sad heart

-kaa

well-worn path of tracks
frozen footprints in the snow
compost pile for lunch

-kaa

somehow time seems still
recalling that denim bag
your photo stares back

-kaa

angsty stomach pain
snowflakes settle like night fall
waiting for your call

-kaa

grateful for this day
ordinary suffering
nothing exotic

-jws

light of the sun's fire
shines on ice in the tree tops~
rainbow shimmerings

-jws

creaking in the wind
delicately-coated tree
branches sheathed in ice

-jws

wakeful dream
ABCs fall from the sky
odd intensity

-kaa

momentary glance
marigold-hued clementine
juice drips from his lips

-kaa

chocolate and sprinkles
cupcakes for her friend's birthday
ramekin of joy

-kaa

warm wind blows dry leaves
sun shines on the swollen creek~
world released from snow

-jws

three straight days of warmth~
the glacier in the front yard
begins to recede

-jws

teaspoon on the floor
reflecting the kitchen lights~
shining like the stars

-jws

----------

cloud cover like lace
february's snowy moon
the self of all selves

-kaa

at parking lot's edge,
here in Ohio's flat land~
mountains of grey snow

-jws

----------

front window at dusk
candle flame gently flickers
dog squats in the snow

-kaa

so tired at day's end~
finding rejuvenation
taking out the trash

~jws

----------

waiting at the light
feeling your hold without touch
honking grows louder

-kaa

nondescript movement
shadows flash at the window
thoughts, sight, or both?

-kaa

patches of blue sky
mild air melts the snow below
clouds melt overhead

-jws

curled up, feeling cold
your side of the bed: empty
thinking about you

-jws

air so cold it stabs
like the icicles which hang
daggers from the roof

-jws

shadow of the trees
on the walk, and the brick wall~
proof there is a sun!

-jws

the air became still
nothing left but his fragrance
our gentle embrace

-kaa

shovel in the snow
at the end of the driveway~
waiting for a job

-jws

----------

dog licking his foot
i watch him quite closely and
wait for a poem

-kaa

woke with contacts in
fuzzy, rainbow-crested world
gift of the mistake

-kaa

-----------

hushed and soft and still~
all the edges of the world
rounded off by snow

-jws

going nowhere fast
buried under snow and ice~
the red plastic sled

-jws

this frigid morning
ice crystals on the car roof
like small white feathers

-jws

----------

police blotter reads
"hungry ghost abducts a man"
both caught shoplifting

-kaa

after the snow storm
melting ice runs like warm tears
in the mild sunshine

-jws

----------

poor, tired, angry
eyes of the disenfranchised
facebook and twitter

-kaa

olive green fleece cap
frames his small cherublike cheeks
bright red snow cherries

-kaa

belted red trench coat
snuggly tucked around her waist
wating for spring rain

-kaa

----------

stars, like shards of ice
frozen, hard, and glittering~
such distant fire

-jws

bundled in winter
separated at the stem
daisies in a vase

-kaa

----------

small birds have been here~
on the surface of the snow
their little footprints

-jws

white snow white sky white
snow white sky brown trees white sky
white snow white sky white

-jws (with das)

----------

water ice water
beautiful simplicity
dripping icicles

-kaa

black cat with arched back~
silhouette in the window
against snow-white world

-jws

----------

i glance longingly
end of its usable life
laptop battery

-kaa

bathroom is littered:
advil, nyquil, sudafed...
debris from a cold

-jws

footsteps crunch loudly
the world made quiet by snow
breathing ice-cold air

-jws

girl in the doorway
she turns towards the warm bright room
behind her, snow swirls

-jws

----------

sunflower night light
pretending to be the sun
under a full moon

-kaa

smell of your t-shirts
we used to breathe together
and you liked ice cream

-kaa


----------

Super 8 Motel
just $35.99~
bright sign, cold dark night

-jws

snow falls in fine flakes
flock of birds calls from the trees~
bunch of cold robins!

~jws

----------

i told her secrets
my snow woman named Lulu
one day she melted

-kaa

between the houses
in this simple neighborhood
deer tracks in the snow

-jws

----------

love comes from within -
ya think so? chips with flaxseed
i smile at my lunch

-kaa

blue swimming pool floor
in the distance, bright-eyed bird
up close, gray fungus

-kaa


----------

napping in the car
kept warm by a brown blanket
raindrops on the roof

-jws

under ice and snow
are the roots of trees nestled
in the moist warm earth?

-jws

in the mornin' sun
cardboard pops from the toaster
gluten-free waffles

-kaa


----------

mournful train whistle~
shadow of the prayer flags
fluttering on snow

-jws

the homeward journey
sits under the Bodhi tree
bird poop on his head

-kaa


----------

motionless grey sky
snowy fields and leafless trees~
flowing stream of cars

-jws

white paper airplane
a catawampus landing
library table

-kaa


----------

snow falling slowly
lazy flakes drifting sideways
riding on a breeze

-jws

he's speed dial 2
and says she's speed dial 3
modern-day romance

-kaa


----------

small brown mouse freezes
on the surface of the snow~
racing to the shed

-jws

night-time parking lot~
snow swirling in a blue light
around the street lamp

-jws

an inch deep in snow
it waits patiently for spring~
frozen bicycle

-jws

quiet house at dawn
except for sounds of breathing
gaggle of teen girls

-kaa

----------

peeling an orange
dark sky shifts slowly towards light
steaming coffee cup

-jws

blue fractal patterns
a snowflake-crystalled window
ice flakes conceal dusk

-kaa


----------

new snow on the trees
new trees underneath the snow~
all things just born now

-jws

"when you lose your spouse,
all you have is God," she said,
"and television."

-jws

forty-eight year old
coffee cup, watches the snow
her mom drank sweet tea

-kaa


----------

sitting quietly
looking at a dresser drawer~
lines in the wood grain

-jws

car in the distance
leaves skittering on the road
now and then, a bird

-jws

----------

she spoke of her day
of scary white kids who cut
pierced tongues sharing pain

-kaa

stars in the night sky
sparkling, crystal clear, and cold
endless web of light

-jws

you’ve made me someone
who won’t sentence you to death
karma is your snitch

-kaa

pumpkin in the yard,
Christmas tree in the window~
holiday build-up

-jws

----------

lost in sleepy dreams
bubbles of thought keep bursting
leaving only this

-jws

tinsel, confetti
washing lip-stained champagne flutes
recalling each guest

-kaa

----------

the cold was bitter
on the day my father died~
now, warm memories

-jws

incense, twinkle lights, spirits
escorting in the new year
time for prayers as well

-kaa


----------

warm air melts the snow
soggy maple leaves revealed
lying in wet grass

-jws

sounds of leaves falling
i remember the colors
winter sky stretches

-kaa


----------

drumming on the roof
waking to the sound of rain
lingering in bed

-jws

icicle shadows
decorate the white curtain
yesterday's snow storm

-kaa


----------

sun setting early
orange sphere through the pine trees
shafts of light and shade

-jws

oscillating time
an ever-changing moment
the motionless now

-kaa


----------

snow swirling upward
enormous muscular forms~
gone as the wind dies

~jws

pine tree silhouette
melting snow on the skylight
oh winter dwellers

-kaa


----------

sleeping by a fire,
awakening to discover
the fire also sleeps

-jws

pemaquid beach
lobster trap stuck in the sand
christmas morning walk

-kaa

view from the airplane
island with a single house
shoreline, crashing waves

-kaa


----------

resting quietly
on the edge of the bathtub~
bottle of shampoo

-jws

immersed in bird seed
stuck in snow-covered feeder
lil' tufted titmouse

greed for a sunflower seed
caught by unwanted cracked corn

inexhaustible
that delusional desire
and pulling of time

yet, tilting the bird feeder
cracked corn slips from the bird's head

quickly flies away
free from egregious error
no, just a fresh start

-kaa/jws

half-hidden in snow
shining, irridescent green~
a soda pop can

~jws

snow, criss-crossed by tracks
frozen comings and goings~
only wind remains

~jws

the morning paper
news of the world's happenings
unread, in a pile

-kaa


----------

shovel in the snow
waiting for another storm
green blade deep in white

-jws

a slow sinking moon
hiding in a safe farewell
watches the night pass

-kaa


----------

the snow is old now
no longer soft and fluffy
stiff and grey with age

-jws

slicing pineapple~
sunlight illuminating
each stroke of the knife

-jws

----------

it seems magical
fueling the snow-covered mound
compost alchemy

-kaa

multi-colored lights
decorate houses and yards~
moon in the clear sky

-jws

in a dream i danced
a sonnet of passing time
with william shakespeare

-kaa


----------

snow melts in sunshine
traces of salt on the road
yellow paperclip

-jws

my heart of longing
empty chair at the table
when will you return?

-kaa


----------

ancient, gnarled pine tree
standing in black silhouette;
deep blue, pink, twilight

-jws

after the blizzard~
tumbling slowly across snow
single brown oak leaf

-jws


----------

biology notes
hallucination of words
exhausted and sick

-kaa

rain falls gently now
making circles on the pond;
the day that it is

-jws


----------

sangha of misfits
folder of tattered sutras
becoming Buddha

-kaa

warm sun melts the snow
cat tracks slowly disappear
where do the cats go?

-jws

sun shining on snow
sparkling in many colors
red orange green blue

-jws

----------

sidewalks are icy
a few birds sing in the cold
feet go crunch, crunch, crunch

-jws


----------
backyard turkey flock
nest, eat, and roost together
maturing gobblers

-kaa

dawn breaks silently
colors of the sky changing
lover at my side


-kaa


----------

snow falls heavily
covering the world in white~
distant tree, red bird

~jws

dissolving thoughts
yet something subtle lingers
bike tracks in the snow

-kaa


----------

so tired, late at night
taking out trash in the snow~
sledding down the hill!

-jws

writhing like a snake
turned by a biting cold wind~
snow on the highway

~jws

spitting out lettuce
he's no vegetarian
cranky lil' turtle

-kaa

green chair in the yard
just where it sat last summer~
snow swirling around

-jws

----------

you shift your posture
ordinary, like breathing
rohatsu zazen

-kaa

bird on the feeder
grabs a seed and quickly flies~
sudden poof! of snow

-jws

late, rushing to work
no time to appreciate
slowly falling snow

-jws


----------


hanukkah candles
menorah of dancing light
remembering Bill

-kaa

koi swimming slowly
cold morning, ice on the pond
i touch my chapped lips

-kaa


----------

white sky, cold as stone
grey landscape, barren and bleak~
leaves circle and dance

-jws

soggy maple leaves
strewn idly in the wet grass~
snowflakes start to fall

-jws