And so ends the year

This is the last post here.  But The Haiku Project 2014 will be live tomorrow, as the new year begins.

31 December 2013

As the old year ends,
My wife asleep, our dog too,
And me, very soon.

31 December 2013
(Right now, it's 9:45 PM EST)

30 December 2013

At this time of day,
The world is just grays and whites,
Like an old photo.

30 December 2013
(Just before sunset)


29 December 2013

Skeletons of trees,
Silouhetted against the clouds,
Moving in the wind.

29 December 2013

27 December 2013

Sitting in the sun,
Desmond, Mulligan playing,
And reading for fun.

27 December 2013

 

 



26 December 2013

Outside our front door,
An empty nest, the birds gone,
Waiting now for spring.

26 December 2013

 

 



24 December 2013

Even Christmas Eve,
Nothing is quiet, peaceful.
Fireworks fill the night.

24 December 2013

22 December 2013

Sitting quietly,
Watching clouds drift past the moon.
I'm hoping to sleep.

22 December 2013

21 December 2013

Puddles in the yard
Large enough for swimming ducks
After two days' rain.

21 December 2013

20 December 2013

First day of winter--
Snow melting in a warm rain,
Mud everywhere.

20 December 2013

14 December 2014

Sitting in the dark,
Volume down low, I listen
To Miles play "All Blues."

14 December 2014

13 December 2013

Snow now fills the air,
White filigrees floating down
Slowly to the ground.

13 December 2013

11 December 2013

A lazy morning,
With my wife, our dog, and me
Dozing together.

11 December 2013

10 December 2013

Out in the sun room--
Comfort and a lovely view,
Even in winter.

10 December 2013

 

 



6 December 2013

Trees, lawns blanketed
By newly-fallen snow. We
Look out on it all.

6 December 2013

 

5 December 2013

Branches sag under
A sheet of ice,  As night falls,
It's safer indoors.

5 December 2013

4 December 2013

Winding 'round the trees,
Lights shining through my window.
Coloring the night.

4 December 2013
(Not that the colors show up
all that well in the dark.) 

 

 



29 November 2013

Reading some poems
About dogs, I look at ours
With new affection.

29 November 2013
(The poems are in Mary Oliver's Dog Songs)

 

 



28 November 2013

Outside the window,
A tree silhouetted as
The sun was setting.

28 November 2013

 

 



26 November 2013

Trees and shrubs are bare;
Our lawn, carpeted with leaves.
Soon, covered with snow.

26 November 2013

23 November 2013

Another late night.
Weary, not able to sleep.
I'll try one more time.

23 November 3013

22 November 2013

Memories today...
High school classroom, listening,
Not quite believing...

22 November 2013

21 November 2013

Squirrel on the lawn,
Dog watching through the window...
She's ready to pounce.

21 November 2013

20 November 2013

Growing old's no fun,
Between my aching back and
My throbbing shoulders.

20 November 2013

18 November 2013

The afternoon light--
And the leaves appear in shades
Of purple and blue.

18 November 2013
(Photo taken today
at about 4:30 PM.)

 

17 November 2013

During thunderstorms,
The dog curls up close to me,
Thinking, "I'm safe here."

17 November 2013
(An afternoon of thunderstorms
and very strong winds.)


16 November 2013

Outside the front door,
Just berries still on the bush...
Odd, for November.

16 November 2013

13 November 2013

Clear skies, stars, half-moon.
A night so silent the city
Seems to have vanished.

13 November 2013

12 November 2013

Cardinals perched in
Snow-capped bushes this morning.
A perfect contrast.

12 November 2013

11 November 2013

Out in the sunroom,
The flag blowing in the wind,
The clouds drifting past.

11 November 2013



10 November 2013

Clouds rising over
Tuscan mountains, promising
Thunder, lightning, rain.

10 November 2013
(The photo was taken on 24 October,
in the village of Colonatta, in the marble-
quarrying district of Carrara.  The rain
didn't make it over the mountain.)

 

 



8 November 2013

Dog sits behind me,
Begging for something to eat..
Oh, but not kibble.

8 November 2013

6 November 2013

Another day of
Constant rain, and leaves falling,
Covering the lawn.

6 November 2013

5 November 2013

Who knows what beauty
Remains hidden in these stones,
On this mountainside.

5 November 2013
(A reflection on having been
to the Carrara marble quarries.)

 

 



4 November 2013

Fall's varied colors
Create a rich tapestry.
But I prefer reds.

4 November 2013

 

 



2 November 2013

Outside my window,
Crimson leaves falling softly,
Covering the walk.

2 November 2013

1 November 2013

Clear, blue skies; bright sun.
Following yesterday's gloom,
A most welcome day.

1 November 2013

31 October 2013

All day, rain falling,
Trees bending in the wind, and
Unbroken grey skies.

31 October 2013

30 October 2013

Frost covers the lawn,
Melting quickly in the sun
As the day begins.

30 October 2013

29 October 2013

Early morning sky.
Crescent moon, Mars and Venus.
Black velvet background.

29 October 2013

28 October 2013

A week away, now
Home.  Familiar surroundings.
At ease, and at peace.

28 October 2013
(And no catch-up posts;
all I wanted to do at

the end of the day was sleep.)

Hiatus

Nothing will happen here for the next week or so, as I'll be away in a place with no internet access.  I'll probably continue to write while I'm gone, and there will be, as a result, some catch-up posting.  Have fun.

18 October 2013

Out running errands,
Long lines of cars everywhere,
No one gets much done.

18 October 2013

17 October 2013

Another cold day,
Gray skies, intermittent rain,
Leaves blown from the trees.

17 October 2013

16 October 2013

A chainsaw roaring,
Slicing up a limb that fell
For no clear reason.

16 October 2013

15 October 2013

A chilly, damp day.
Gray skies, clouds drifting above.
Rain on the windows.

15 October 2013

14 October 2013

Red leaves in the bush
Glow in the afternoon sun
Just outside the door.

14 October 2013

 

 



12 October 2013

Sitting on the porch,
Trying to read, my eyes close,
And nothing exists...

12 October 2013

11 October 2013

Sirens at midnight
Three nights in a row...getting
Back to sleep is hard.

11 October 2013

9 October 2013

Leaves changing colors,
Reflect gold, orange, and red
In our little pond.

9 October 2013

8 October 2013

A squirrel runs across
Our driveway, and up a tree,
Acorn in its mouth.

8 October 2013

6 October 2013

A gloomy morning.
Then, suddenly, sunny skies,
And, yes, a rainbow.

6 October 2013

5 October 2013

Dark the entire day.
Now, after nightfall, thunder,
Lightning fill the sky.

5 October 2013

1 October 2013

As the sun rises
Later and later, I sleep
Later and later.

1 October 2013

30 September 2013

Spider web and rain.
Glistening jewels amid
My yard's greenery.

30 September 2013
(This one's mine, taken earlier today.)

 

 





29 September 2013

Long past sunset, and
The pond reflects moon and stars.
My world is silent.

29 September 2013

28 September 2013

Minor chords ring out
In a bass line...Beethoven
Playing in the night.

28 September 2013
(That's Piano Sonata No. 26)

27 September 2013

With two new CDs
And a book of poetry,
It's a good mail day.

27 September 2013

26 September 2013

Sparrows gathering
In the Japanese maple,
Flying at slight sounds.

26 September 2013

25 September 2013

I walk out the door
And dozens of birds fly off
The crabapple tree.

25 September 2013 

23 September 2013

A two-blanket night,
And not even October.
But, still, I slept well.

23 September 2013

22 September 2013

Clean sheets on the bed,
Clean towels in the bathroom...
Two simple pleasures.

22 September 2013

21 September 2013

As the seasons change,
Birds cluster around a bush

Still producing seeds.

21 September 2013



20 September 2013

Sitting on the porch,
Listening to Beethoven.
A fine afternoon.

20 September 2013

19 September 2013

Dozing on the porch.
Suddenly, a there's downpour.
And then, sun  and steam.

19 September 2013

18 September 2013

The system crashes...
Momentarily, despair.
Internet returns.

18 September 2013

16 September 2013

Bodies in D.C.
Another gunman, more dead.
Grief overwhelms me.

16 September 2013

12 September 2013

Waking this morning
To sheets of rain, and thunder,
And a frightened dog.

12 September 2013

11 September 2013

Clear, blue skies, no wind.
Pavements shimmer from the heat.
But storms will come soon.

11 September 2013

9 September 2013

Listening tonight
"...When I paint my masterpiece..."
Nothing's different.

9 September 2013

Two for 8 September 2013

I'm out on the porch.
Rain is beating a rhythm
On the roof.  I doze.

Then, a lightning flash
Splitting the clouds, and thunder
Booms.  And I awake.

8 September 2013

7 September 2013

Spiders spinning webs
On our porch, setting traps for
Summer mosquitos.

7 September 2013

6 September 2013

Sparrows crowd around
Three unused planters, pecking
At seeds that remain.

6 September 2013

5 September 2013

I just bent over,
But that was enough.  My back
Growls at me all day.

5 September 2013

4 September 2013

Cruising down the street,
Drop-top burgundy Caddy,
Looking real cool, man.

4 September 2013

3 September 2013

On the radio,
"All Blues" is playing softly,
I stop to listen.

3 September 2013

 

 

1 September 2013

Thunder and lightning,
Sheets of rain all through the night,
Kept us awake, thrilled.

1 September 2013
(The dog, on the other hand, was scared to death.)

31 August 2013

Sliver of the moon
Peeking between clouds tonight
Once the storm has passed.

31 August 2013

29 August 2013

Watching the pine tree...
Two cardinals on a branch,
Are they watching me?

29 Auust 2013

28 August 2013

Waking too early,
Spending the day drowsily.
Now...time for some sleep.

28 August 2013

26 August 2013

Doing mundane things--
Laundry, or making the beds--
Seems my life's complete.

26 August 2013

25 August 2013

Clouds filling the sky,
Like tiles, like O'Keefe's painting,
Into the distance.

25 August 2013

 

 

 

(http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/her-art.html)







24 August 2013

Driving, 5 P.M.
Sun suddenly splits the clouds...
Blinded by the light.

24 August 2013

23 August 2013

Walking to my car,
Sweat dripping on my glasses...
Just a summer day.

23 August 2013

22 August 2013

Two for when I'm gone:
First, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy."
Then, "Instant Karma."

22 August 2013

19 August 2013

Sore shoulders, stiff back,
Knees that pop when I stand up--
Price of growing old.

19 August 2013

18 August 2013

Floating on the breeze,
White and yellow moths flutter
From tree to shrub to tree.

18 August 2013

17 August 2017

A little rabbit
Sitting beneath the pine tree
Just before sunset.

17 August 2013
(Every night this week)

15 August 2013

Clear skies, cool breezes,
Flowers blooming in the yard...
It could be late spring.

15 August 2013

14 August 2013

A rabbit munching
On the lawn, looking around
With anxiety.

14 August 2013

13 August 2013

Just after sunset,
A cooling breeze from the north...
Almost like autumn...

13 August 2013

11 August 2013

As I try to read,
My eyes closing on their own,
I drift into sleep.

11 August 2013

9 August 2013

A quiet day shared,
As we played with the dog and
Lazed in the sunshine.

9 August 2013

8 August 2013

When I went outside,
The air was so thick, humid,
That I could not see.

8 August 2013
(Which is what will happen
when you wear glasses.)

6 August 2013

I woke this morning
To the sounds and aromas
Of newly-mown grass.

6 August 2013

5 August 2013

Fog shrouds the streetlights,
And I could be in post-war
Berlin, dodging spies.

5 August 2013

4 August 2013

Drifting in the pool;
My thoughts are also drifting
Without any goal.

4 August 2013

3 August 2013

Sitting in the sun,
Traffic sounds in the distance,
And a bell ringing.

3 August 2013

(That was how I spent this afternoon.)

2 August 2013

No hint of a breeze.
Even the frogs are silent.
And I cannot sleep.

2 August 2013

31 July 2013

All day, gray, cloudy,
Infecting me with sadness...
I could use some sun.

31 July 2013

30 July 2013

In the yard tonight,
A young rabbit sits,waiting,
Not ready to move.

30 July 2013

 

 

 

(Not a good picture, but taken through a window that could stand to be cleaned, shortly before there was too little light for the camera, and without flash.)



 

 

 



29 July 2013

Talking with my friends,
None of whom are really here,
And sipping some wine.

29 July 2013

 

 

(A little reflection on the joys of instantaneous communication with people thousands of miles away.)

27 July 2013

A strange sound outside--
Clustered under the porch light,
Fluttering  of moths.

27 July 2013

26 July 2013

The crabapple fruit,
Scattered across the front lawn,
Attracting huge bees.

26 July 2013

24 July 2013

Late night.  A cool breeze.
Windows open.  A week's heat
Gone.  At last, I sleep.

24 July 2013

23 July 2013

Lee Konitz once said:
"Christ said pray, and Bird said play."
Then there was music.

23 July 2013

 

 

 

(Taken June 1999.  The line from Konitz was on a Tribute to Charlie Parker album that my mother, for some incredibly obscure reason, had in the mid-1960s...but I think I was the only one who listened to it.)

 

 

 

 



21 July 2013

When I was a boy,
We spent the hot summer days
At play.  No longer...

21 July 2013

20 July 2013

Distant thunder, and
Not even the dog noticed.
And no rain, either.

20 July 2013

19 July 2013

In shimmering waves,
Heat rises from the pavement
Even at sunset.

19 July 2013

18 July 2013

Lilypads afloat,
But motionless. Overhead,
A storm-clouded sky.

18 July 2013

 

 

 

(Taken in spring 2004 at the Chicago Botanical Garden.)

 

 

 

 



17 July 2013

Scrollwork in cast iron
Defines the building facades,
Shadows the city street.

17 July 2013

 

 

 

(Fire escapes on turn-of-the-20th century buildings on the lower East Side in NYC.)



16 July 2013

An urban castle
Rises above busy streets...
Early evening.

16 July 2013

 

 

 

(That is, by the way, The Dakota.)



15 July 2013

Forty years ago...
My first job, making new friends...
One still in my thoughts.

15 July 2013

14 July 2013

Walking on Broadway.
Music rises from a basement--
Piano, sax, drums, bass.

14 July 2013

 

 

 

(The sign outside Iridium, one of the many great jazz venues in NYC.)



13 July 2013

I don't need the sun
At night on Broadway; neon
Is more than enough.

13 July 2013

 

 



12 July 2013

Small waves in the pool
Distort lines on the bottom--
They shake, bend, and weave.

12 July 2013

11 July 2013

One line of a song
Playing in my memory--
"Lay your burdens down..."

11 July 2013

 

 

(Of course, I remembered the lyric incorrectly.  It's from a song by Stephen Stills--"Find the Cost of Freedom," and the lyric is:

"Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground.
Mother Earth will swallow you.
Lay your body down."

And repeat as many times as you wish.  I first heard the song in concert, when Still was with Manassas, and, as I recal, the song went about 15 minutes that night.  Updated 12 July 2013.)

10 July 2013

A long day of storms,
Hot, humid air.  The result?
I'm too tired to sleep.

10 July 2013

8 July 2013

In Egypt, bullets
Take the place of arguments,
Death instead of hope.

8 July 2013

 

 



http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/07/08/photos-morsi-clashes-with-military-as-egyptian-protests-escalate/



7 July 2013

A white clay ring and
A black clay dish, found today,
No longer hidden.

7 July 2013

 

 

 

These two pieces are each about 1" in diameter.  It's a small sculpture (which can be arranged in many ways) by the Japanese artist Shoichi Ida.  I acquired it maybe 15 years ago from the Perimeter Gallery in Chicago, and it's been packed away for about 9 months as we sold one condo and moved everything to another...unpacking is taking a while...

6 July 2013

After today's rains,
The ducks paddle peacefully
In the drainage ditch.

6 July 2013

5 July 2013

Sunshine beating down
Making the car a steam-bath
As I return home.

5 July 2013

4 July 2013

Fireworks, not thunder,
Disturbing our dog tonight,
Keeping us awake.

4 July 2013

30 June 2013

Baseball on TV,
And a good book to (re-)read...
A very good night...

30 June 2013

 

 



29 June 2013

Another quiet day
At home, loafing together,
Happy and loving.

29 June 2013

26 June 2013

I'm sitting in the dark,
The moon reflected in the pond,
And sleep does not come,

26 June 2013



23 June 2013

Another late night,
Remembering absent friends
And hearing their voices.

23 June 2013

22 June 2013

A small country church.
Inside, we filled the benches.
Farewell to a friend.

22 June 2013

 

 



21 June 2013

A rainbow of bikes
On a narrow street in Rome
An old memory.

21 June 2013

 



 

 

(Taken on a trip to Rome in October 2002.)

 

 

 

 



19 June 2013

Ghosts dancing across
The TV screen, intruding
As I try to read.

19 June 2013

18 June 2013

Moth at the window,
Sensing the sun's warmth outside,
Trying to escape.

18 June 2013

14 June 2013

Japanese maple
Branches weaving in the wind
Music from the leaves.

14 June 2013

13 June 2013

Rain pelting the roof,
Lightning flashing far away,
And thunder crashing.

13 June 2013

12 June 2013

With storms threatening,
Skies darken, clouds weigh on us,
Trees bend in the wind.

12 June 2013

9 June 2013

Two near-sleepless nights.
Hotel, bad bed, party downstairs.
Home...and I can't sleep.

9 June 2013

6 June 2013

Two frogs in the pond,
Competing to be the loudest.
Makes for a long night.

6 June 2013

1 June 2013

Early this morning,
Watching the half-moon sinking
In the western sky.

1 June 2013

 

 



30 May 2013

A frog in the pond
Singing--croaking--through the night
And I get no sleep.

30 May 2013

28 May 2013

No breath of a wind,
Air heavy with the threat of rain,
I'm too tired to move.

28 May 2013

26 May 2013

Reading late at night,
My eyes closing on their own,
The book on my lap.

26 May 2013

25 May 2013

I'm lazy today,
Reading, playing with the dog,
Walking in the sun.

25 May 2013

23 May 2013

A note from a friend
Came today.  Too long since we
Have been together.

23 May 2013



22 May 2013

Near the Spanish Steps
Vivid flowers scent the air
And arrest my eyes.

22 May 2013

 



 

(Taken in Rome in October 2002.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



21 May 2013

Rain pounds on the roof,
Wind bends the Japanese maple
Outside my bedroom.

21 May 2013

19 May 2013

A weekend away.
I return --hot and humid
And a woeful dog.

19 May 2013

15 May 2013

Heat.  Sweat on my back.
Even the dog lies around.
We wait for a breeze.

15 May 2013

14 May 2013

The house is silent,
Everyone else is asleep.
And I am drifting.

14 May 2013

11 May 2013

Sunny sky turns grey,
Storm clouds building, the dog hides.
And all remains still.

11 May 2013



9 May 2013

Thunder far away...
Our dog hiding at my feet...
Then the lights went out...

9 May 2013

7 May 2013

In a sun-filled room,
The scent of newly-mown grass
As I fall asleep.

7 May 2013

6 May 2013

Driving home tonight--
Masses of black clouds hanging
On the horizon.

6 May 2013

 

 



5 May 2013

Rain scenting the air,
A pot of stew on the stove,
Breathing's nice today.

5 May 2013

2 May 2013

What happened today?
Nothing, but the day has gone,
Before I noticed.

2 May 2013

30 April 2013

A bright, sunny day.
The dog sleeps in the front yard,
Warm, safe, and happy.

30 April 2013

29 April 2013

I have spent this day
Reading, writing, and thinking.
What could be better?

29 April 2013

27 April 2013

No sunset tonight,
Clouds made the sky dark as night
And then came the rain.

27 April 2013

24 April 2013

A full moon tonight,
Pale blue in the blue-black sky
Floating between clouds.

24 April 2013

23 April 2013

Waiting in my car,
The rain pounding on the roof,
I can see nothing.

23 April 2013

22 April 2013

Awake, six A.M.
My mind will not let me sleep.
Thinking of nothing.

22 April 2013

20 April 2013

From across the lake,
The sounds of traffic moving,
Keeping me awake.

20 April 2013

19 April 2013

As we lie in bed,
With rain pounding on the roof,
We barely notice.

19 April 2013

17 April 2013

Dogwoods in the yard,
White blossoms on every branch...
Spring is here at last.

17 April 2013

16 April 2012

Watching the downpour,
Hearing the distant thunder,
Black clouds overhead.

16 April 2013



14 April 2013

I am surrounded
By a blizzard of paper;
Blinded by the white.

14 April 2013

11 April 2013

Raining all day long.
My mood as black as the skies.
Even the dog's glum.

13 April 2013

8 April 2013

A rabbit hiding
In the bushes, quivering,
As our dog watches.

8 April 2013

6 April 2013

Not wanting to sleep,
Afraid of what I might dream,
Lying in the dark.

6 April 2013

5 April 2013

Tulips opening
Under the tree just outside.
I see them as I work.

5 April 2013

4 April 2013

Drifting off to sleep,
Brought back by memories
Of friends far away.

4 April 2013

1 April 2013

Far from city lights,
A sky filled with stars above
I can't look away.

1 April 2013

29 March 2013

Notes from distant friends
On an otherwise dull day
Better than sunshine.

29 March 2013

 

I'm thinking particularly of the martini recipes that use jelly-bean-infused vodka...and, no, I'm not making this up.

28 March 2013

The sun's warmth filling
My room, I drift  into dreams
Instead of reading.

28 March 2013

27 March 2013: Two Days After the Storm

Mud everywhere now.
Melting snow drips from the roof.
And the moon is full.

27 March 2013

24 March 2013

Air completely white,
Blending with trees, shrubs, and ground.
The storm has arrived.

24 March 2013

23 March 2013

Sitting in the dark
Watching the moon in the clouds
Waiting for the storm.

23 March 2013

 

 



22 March 2013

Sitting in the sun,
Perfectly still and alert,
A sentinel dog.

22 March 2013

17 March 2013

Winter nears its end.
Gray skies and cold winds persist.
Spent the day indoors.

17 March 2013

16 March 2013

Eight years have gone by
Since we were married, and yet
It seems just minutes...

16 March 2013

15 March 2013

Late to wake today;
Too much wine last night, as we
Talked and laughed with friends.

15 March 2013

13 March 2013

On the cusp of spring,
Robins under the oak tree,
Snow gently falling.

13 March 2013

11 March 2013

I sleep little now,
Waking much too easily,
Waiting for morning.

11 March 2013

5 March 2013

Inside, I watch as
Falling snow turns the pine tree
Grey-white as dusk comes.

5 March 2013

 

4 March 2013

Driving home tonight
Puddles reflecting moonlight
On the road ahead.

4 March 2013

1 March 2013

Stones found on a beach
Rearranged by unknown hands
To match a vision.

1 March 2013

 

This is a silkscreen by a contemporary Japanese artist, Hideaki Kato.

28 February 2013

At a meal with friends--
Good food, good wine, and good talk...
What could be better?

28 February 2013

24 February 2013

A path in shadows
Can be extremely tricky...
Especially now.

24 February 2013

23 February 2013

Ice on the sidewalk
I move very carefully
Slipping and sliding

23 February 2013

21 February 2013

Ice covers the trees,
Hangs from the branches, glistens
Under the street lights.

21 February 2013

20 February 2013

Making a quiet space
Finding the right book to read
Being still, at peace.

20 February 2013

 

On getting a copy of Mary Oliver's new book of poetry, A Thousand Mornings.  Here's one:


I Go Down To The Shore

 

I go down to the shore in the morning
and depending on the hour the waves

are rolling in or moving out,

and I say, oh, I am miserable,

what shall--

what should I do?  And the sea says

in its lovely voice:

Excuse me, I have work to do.