tanka cluster

-

dozing off

holding a Palestinian woman 

in my arms 

our bodies heaving 

with silent tears

.

adjusting 

to this uncomfortable 

seat...

slight headache 

behind my eyes

.

squeezing 

a pre-morning scream 

from a tight throat—

i want to remain 

untouched 

.

reading 
of the
Nakba
warm tears fall
down my face


*Nakba the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians during the 1948 war (and even today)
.

approaching 6 am
reading and re-reading
the history
of Israeli-Palestinian conflict
in silence

.

the wild climb
of some 
kind of ivy—
muggy morning 
in the parkinglot
.

having to wake up 
and 
escort 
a homeless man out of
the hotel lobby

.

so quiet
feeling 
a bit queasy 
from this 
strong coffee

.

someones
aged banjo
how will i move
through 
falling leaves

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

tanka 7/23

-
nothing so gay as an exotic dance or the turning of leaves on tired branches ** on the southern side an empty parking lot - i can  think of nothing but being in bed ** after dashing off a few anti-ghazals the cute one calls the front desk asking for my help ** my ol' man is insular... he's to himself and then  there's me searching for my skin ** after work enjoying a cigarette (though i don't smoke) and a small cup of vodka ** have i become  a drunk? these days it is Crown n' Coke that satisfy me ** tonight... i secretly hope  or not so secretly hope that i don't have to  greet another person ** these days  i am doing the work excavating  my own self for the authentic me **
Read more

Description of ´Anti Ghazal´

-
the last poem was a ghazal, a 'bastard' ghazal in the tradition of Adrienne Rich. According to Adrienne Rich, her ghazals utilize only 5 couplets; with each couplet being an autonomous whole; independent of the other one's. 
Read more