tanka cluster

big-eared dog

passes me by 

somewhere in the dark 

hearing someone's cough 

and a lighter lighting a cigarette

.

another night

at the job...

praying 

things settle down 

and remain peaceful

.

eyes 

behind glasses

have seen 

two World Wars and 

discrimination rise and fall 

.

surreal evening 

a shirtless guest

getting 

a container-full of ice

this hotel life begins 

.

feeling 

strange around

these words...

trying to arrange them 

in slsll according to convention

.

always 

a ringing phone 

and no one 

on the end...

overnight begins sluggishly 

.

under 

the eaves

a wasp's nest

the bee hive in my heart

trembles slightly 

.

for a moment 

standing in front of 

these leaf-like 

electric doors...

night steps in 

.

scrubbing my hands...

the film

of day

clings stubbornly 

to my fingers

.

under 

a dog moon...

strolling the hotel property

this balmy heat

stains the pavement too 

.

as usual

making eyes

at every man 

that passes

summer heat blooms

.

a lone man 

cutting across 

a parking lot

and i in back office

unspooling words

.

it is 

a warm night 

with a full moon 

i am still trying to 

get comfortable at work 

.

coffee-shop talks —

in the interim

remembering 

the beige vest 

daddy wore to work

.

full moon 

popping up in the sky

handsome man 

passes by telling me

"good eve'nin boss."