Leisure

      on the patio

the afternoon drifts along

    with the butterfly

Patricia J. Machmiller

————————————————

I am taken back

To that Sunday, or was it that Saturday

Afternoon

On the decking by the pond

Indeed it was the official

Opening of the pond

When friends came around

With warm smiles

And happy conversations

And to celebrate

The slow roast pork was cooked

All morning through

It was early evening before all dispersed

A time for the moths

To replace the butterflies 

haiku mind

108 poems to

cultivate awareness 

& open your heart

is by Patricia Donegan

Relationships

  a petal falls

    you

across the table

Steve Sanfield

————————————————

Across the table

At work

At play

In negotiation

In love

In fallout

Across the table

Hands together

Hands apart

Hands raised

Hands fallen

Hands wrapped inside themselves

Across the table

Secret glances

Feet furtively touching

Hoping beyond hope

That the explosions

Will put you back together

haiku mind

108 poems to

cultivate awareness 

& open your heart

is by Patricia Donegan

Dignity

the homeless man

takes off his shoes before

his cardboard house

Penny Harter

————————————————

I almost was that man

With his Paper House

Which the sea and the sand

Did their best to destroy

I took off my shoes

To wade through the water

In search of the dignity

So securely hidden there

haiku mind

108 poems to

cultivate awareness 

& open your heart

is by Patricia Donegan

Greed

disgusting—

people arguing over

the price of orchids

Shiki Masaoka

————————————————

What value to put

On the bouquet

From your friend

A kindness

To remind

You, and those around you

Of the victories of love

Offered by the scents

From the blue vase roses

I will find

Your droplets of ink

Though I maybe already have

But first to love

It was the grace of love

Of which my meditation singer sang

Little purpose then

In going towards those unkind

Less favourable words

haiku mind

108 poems to

cultivate awareness 

& open your heart

is by Patricia Donegan

Dealing with Emotions

letting go

of a slanderous heart—

while shelling the beans

Hosai Ozaki

————————————————

How often to write

Of letting go

How easy to have the thought

Of letting go

Yet how strong

The restraining force

More tricky

Than shelling a bean

The idea, the ideal

Of hanging on

Always to argue:

As a part of my life

The substance

Is worthy of preservation

But yes

No more slander

Open the pods to kindness

Shell the beans of love 

haiku mind

108 poems to

cultivate awareness 

& open your heart

is by Patricia Donegan