Ivy golden-green —
leaves are the lined palms of old
autumn's pleading hands

Hoary snow-monster
defending forests of snow —
Nissan Terrano

Tateyama range —
horizon of black peaks, dwarfed
under cloud mountains

Dawn is breaking on
a first ice on the bird bath —
a melting half-moon

New pair of glasses —
the world seems almost too close —
giant sunflower

With first falling leaves
pass shadows of passing birds
on my closed eyelids

Ghostly summer dawn —
street lamps fading now beneath
balustrades of cloud

Mountain slopes ascend
ladders of grey cloud to reach
a first peak in sun

Sword blade blossoming
with drops of blood — opening
buds of the red plum

One wagtail, white-faced,
looks up at me pleadingly,
like an orphan child

After the diver
dives, the springboard still trembles,
dumb with emotion

On sleepless spring nights,
the hiss of an aspirin
is my cradle song

Dark mountains — full moon
blazing white seal of wax — stamped
upon a dawn sky


© James Kirkup, 2008