tanka set

 sudden thought

"what happened 

to moman's 

leopard-print jacket..."

what a queer thing 

/

on a whim

jumping up 

to run down 

this hotel hallway

for no reason

/

wondering 

if i should write my tanka 

in three lines for a few days...

/

three-lined tanka...

thinking of Takuboku and 

wondering what he'd be doing right now 

/

poetically bored today 

taking another quick walk 

outside in this godless heat 

/

sometimes i want wings 

just like that Tinkerbell chick...

'chick' such a disrespectful word 

/

at a hamburger stand 

locking eyes with a stranger 

his girlfriend's piercing scowl 

/

afternoon—

lately there's been this numbness

that won't take a hike 

/

a man quite obsessed—

with the bending of willow trees

an untold story 

/

in this climate 

no belief in 'happily after ever...'

ordering a Caesar salad 

/

took off my glasses 

blinked for a moment and again

i am simply a 'he' 

/

organizing office papers 

brief thought of Sharon Tate...

does anyone still weep for her

/

this numbed heart 

left on the mantle piece—

im headed shopping for salmon

/

colorful cosmos on this property

tonight i simply want 

a long bath and tea

/

too tired to deal with 'me' 

a quick walk around 

the parameter of this hotel