John Daleiden, US

 

 

Dialouge of an Old Sot and a Leprechaun A Sequence of Tetractys   Lo, spirit, why do you knock so loudly on my window before the sun is up? Oh! ye' be the funny green leprechaun celebratin' Paddy's Day before dawn. Off, varmi't— I'll shoot 'ye in your cocked-hat ye' red coated critter come to do harm! I be needin' me sleep, I do, old sport— so leave me dream yet awhile— I'm tired, see! I'll meet ye' in an hour at rainbow's end— later we'll share a bit of your old gold. And with that I sat up in my warm bed wishin' I'd said more kind words to this sprite.     Farewell to Winter A Haiku Sequence   night fall— withered chrysanthemums buried in show last frost etched on my window pane mountains and valleys icy moon— the stillness of winter on White Mountain warmer—clear skies, sunny weather forecast— a touch of Spring strains of Mozart— from a heated balcony we watch winter stars drip drip, drip, drip of icicles at dawn— the stop light changes at noon one crocus blooms in melting snow— a brave new world cherry blossoms next week in my garden a Spring Soirée     Cinquain Sequence Reflections on Tranquility   When fears overwhelm me like a fierce hurricane, then I picture grandpa's pasture of cows. Sublime, cows sit and chew or stand and graze all day— at dusk they trail back to the gate content. We milk them in the stalls, talking with gentle hands, coaxing the white gold from udders brim full. Later, in solitude Daisy leads the whole herd back to pasture, nibbling grass all night. Secure in their safe world, the meadow and the barn— they escape our moments of fear and doubt. Could we achieve the calm, deliberate life of cows? Or are we condemned to suffer from fears?     Haiku   our rendezvous— beside a steaming tea pot white narcissus     icicle reflections on a late winter day— red sunset     blue skies— laundry on the clothesline fills with the breeze     serene Spring pool— caressing ancient rocks the crash of water     river sandbar— in a fragrant breeze sandpipers pecking     we stand together in falling cherry blossoms sweet birdsong     evening mist— green tea in porcelain cups to warm our hands     Three Renhai on a Theme   Duplicity # 1 Gillena Cox, TT (gc) and John Daleiden, US (jd)   Choosing tomatoes at the street market— the smell of pineapples   /gc A steady flow of traffic   /gc mid-spring, a sudden snow storm   /jd A farewell note with the dozen roses— the song of a lark   /jd   Notes     Duplicity #2   The toasty crunch Of breakfast cereal— Spilt milk   /gc Rain clouds more and more greying   /gc counterfeit tens in the cash   /jd on Main Street only empty store fronts— Hollywood USA   /jd Notes     Duplicity #3   Gillena Cox, TT (gc) and John Daleiden, US (jd)   the hooker works her street corner— a five o'clock shadow   /jd street sweepers' voices at dawn   /gc flatulence of "corpse flowers"   /jd she melts in his arms— one teaspoon of sugar stirred into the coffee   /gc   Notes     Solo Renhai   Tipping the Scales   cherry blossoms fall on kissing lovers— a twilight breeze    La donna è mobile—    rainfall on her wedding day    divorce court— the judge slams his gavel on the man's rude talk      Notes