Author: cfblack
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Window sill tomatoes
Before autumn killed the last tomatoes on the vine mom would gather in the not-quite-ripe and green set them on her kitchen window sill. She would rotate them everyday until they were ripe enough to eat, but some rebelled against her best intentions, bruised and rotted in the sun and stained the painted sill. 10-13-20
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two haikus for a limb lying in the grass
lichen covered limb to what heights did you attain before you fell here? I will light your pyre your fragrance to scent my clothes free the glow within 10-13-20
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Mother’s knit doilies
She used to knit doilies for living room end tables, to place under lamps and African violets, protecting wood finish or place upon arms and backs of chairs, keeping furniture fabric free of oil from skin and hair. Her mother did the same with well worn sticks, twirling stitches, replicating forms over and over. I…
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How Zappa met Suzy Cream Cheese
You climb out of bed, put on a tee-shirt, sweat pants and a ball cap Walk to the corner store, buy coffee in a styrofoam cup Lady at the counter tells you to zip up Instinctively, you reach down and zip your pants She barks you could have turned around to zip your pants You…
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October rain haikus
October rain comes tambourines the leaves, birds sing uncaged melodies October rain comes summons sleeping moss to wake dress brown dirt in green 10-11-20
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Laughing crow
sea gulls, feathered pickpockets, hover, swoop, dive, steal food and flee crow sneaks behind your back climbs into your carry-all bag chooses what he wants, walks away laughs at gulls and humans, eats supper in the sand 10-10-20
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Intercoastal waterway
above reedy channel birds soar eagle, pelican, gull egret and heron stalk on stilts silver mullet hooked through head cast again and again and again hope bigger fish will take bait at the dock flounder, red and black drum sit on ice Captain Curtis hands you fresh fillets feeds remains to birds and fish leave…
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haiku for my son-in-law
watched pot never boils but an unwatched pan will burn open doors and fan 10-8-20
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view from the top
When you start at the bottom, you will not levitate by wishing or whining, it’s just not fair; stack crates and junk to climb, ask a friend to lower a rope or offer a hand. When you start at the top no ladder is necessary. There’s no where to go but down but you pay…
