Poems along the path

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Plotting mischief

Plotting mischief
two cats sit
by the water bowl

Two thoughts from the zendo

Sitting in the zendo
I am just a shadow
on the wall

***

Going on a journey
leaving behind everything
even myself

Journey of a lifetime

I've been expecting you
but not eagerly
Won't you have some tea?

Jisei

Winter is here

a trudging old man

who finally has arrived

Getting clean

Washing machine
baptizes my clothes
in a fresh start

Untitled

Hawk-faced waitress scowls
"Who is this foreigner
ordering in Japanese?"

In the X-ray lab

In the X-ray lab
they peek
at the inner man
while my spirit finds
a hiding place
amid all those bones

Lying on the exam table

Lying on the exam table
as the IV medication
drips ...
drips...
drips ...
I know how I got here
but where am I going?

Thursday, November 08, 2007

That's progress, Part II

I was immortal
when I was younger
fooling time, fate
and myself
with a parlor trick
long since forgotten

About Me

Name: Michael

Location: New Jersey, United States

I work as a copy editor on the news desk of a big daily newspaper. That means I correct other people's grammar and spelling, and write headlines for their articles. I love to write, I love to read. My photography fills the gaps when words fail (as they often do). I've lived in England and Japan, and consider myself more of a wanderer than someone with roots, even if I don't get to travel as much as I would like. My primary interest is Japan -- its religions, history and culture. In 2002, I was diagnosed with an extremely rare cancer, and my perspective on everything was changed permanently. My blog provides the details but tries not to dwell upon them. (If you would like to purchase gallery-quality prints of some of my photographs, please click the "View my complete profile" link below and then click on the blue e-mail link that will appear to your left.)