SHADOW OF AGE AND OTHER HAIKU SEQUENCES
1
LOVE-MAKING
Lovemaking
he melts into her
time stands still
he melts into her
time stands still
Lovemaking
the sound of orgasm:
LaoTzu*
the sound of orgasm:
LaoTzu*
Making love
she tastes the salt upon
his shoulder
she tastes the salt upon
his shoulder
Candling in vein
leaves marks of teeth on her neck
utters holiness
leaves marks of teeth on her neck
utters holiness
Unclothing
the white night:
lips meeting lips
the white night:
lips meeting lips
Writes with strands of
watery hair on her bare back
a love haiku
watery hair on her bare back
a love haiku
After the tumble
buried between the sheets
leftover passion
buried between the sheets
leftover passion
She departs
leaving behind her clothes
over mine
leaving behind her clothes
over mine
*A great sound is inaudible, and a great image is formless,” said Lao Tzu.
2
FULL MOON
A crescent
in the western horizon –
missing the moon
in the western horizon –
missing the moon
The full moon
behind the bare tree–
branches curve
Squeaking
under the full moon
dry sky
under the full moon
dry sky
Wet bodies
of bathing women:
full moon night
of bathing women:
full moon night
Splendid with the moon
night in silver peace dreams
through folds of light
night in silver peace dreams
through folds of light
Two long hours
under the chinar:
lost full moon
under the chinar:
lost full moon
Aggravating pain
in the legs and sleeplessness:
blue moon
in the legs and sleeplessness:
blue moon
Winter allergies–
staying inside to escape
the wind in full moon
staying inside to escape
the wind in full moon
3
SNAKES
Sunny morning:
a snake slides through the fence
looking for a prey
Sunny morning:
a snake slides through the fence
looking for a prey
Full of silt
the Ganga overflows:
snakes under the waves
the Ganga overflows:
snakes under the waves
Raises its hood
a cobra in water:
algae criss-cross
a cobra in water:
algae criss-cross
Searching reason
in the labyrinthine pattern:
snakes in courtyard
in the labyrinthine pattern:
snakes in courtyard
Avoids searching
mushroom in the crowded green –
snake on the fence
Searches thorn apples
to propitiate lingam:
snake in sanctum
to propitiate lingam:
snake in sanctum
A snake's tail
coils round a sweet
in the box
coils round a sweet
in the box
Smells a snake
in the wet grass –
her smile
in the wet grass –
her smile
Rises with tickles
between the thighs
the dream-serpent
between the thighs
the dream-serpent
A yellow snake
slithers on the grass –
dewy trail of love
slithers on the grass –
dewy trail of love
Climbing high through
rough pathway and stony cold
a green snake
A snake's dead skin
near the fence:
she stands unmoving
near the fence:
she stands unmoving
4
FOG
His presence
among the known faces—
evening fog
among the known faces—
evening fog
A thin fog
hides the wintry moon
rising slowly
hides the wintry moon
rising slowly
Slowly clears
the morning fog
end of the year
the morning fog
end of the year
Hides the sun
a dense fog in the morning:
waning winter
a dense fog in the morning:
waning winter
Stench of burning leaves
mounts with fog in the evening
asthmatic breathing
mounts with fog in the evening
asthmatic breathing
Shrouded in fog
the lone pomegranate
in the backyard
the lone pomegranate
in the backyard
Wrapped in fog
the flying plane
seen by sound
the flying plane
seen by sound
Feels the shadow
with wet fingers on the beach:
sound through the fog
with wet fingers on the beach:
sound through the fog
5
MARITAL TENSION
Years of home
in three suitcases:
deep breathing
in three suitcases:
deep breathing
With his crying baby
he moves in the train's passage:
marital tension
he moves in the train's passage:
marital tension
Smoking woman
under a naked tree:
moon garden
under a naked tree:
moon garden
Night's passage
on the beach with her –
silky sting
on the beach with her –
silky sting
Orange streak
through the clouds –
seat belt fastened
through the clouds –
seat belt fastened
Fortune melting
with change in the wind –
summer-end
with change in the wind –
summer-end
6
SUN
A sweating sun
after the midnight chill—
changing hues of spring
after the midnight chill—
changing hues of spring
The sun conceals
aeons of darkness planets
mirror in the sky
aeons of darkness planets
mirror in the sky
The sun not yet set
but the full moon rises
as if in a hurry
but the full moon rises
as if in a hurry
Two dreamy eyes
await the rising sun
through the fogged window
await the rising sun
through the fogged window
With sunrise
gone to sleep
the morning moon
gone to sleep
the morning moon
Setting sun
leaves behind sparkles
on the waves
leaves behind sparkles
on the waves
A dot
on the sun’s head:
venus
on the sun’s head:
venus
The sun rolls
on the waving Ganges
whitens love-hope
on the waving Ganges
whitens love-hope
Awaits the sunrise
in the chilly Ganges
a nude worshipper
in the chilly Ganges
a nude worshipper
Closing its eyes
in the setting sun—
the Ganges in autumn
in the setting sun—
the Ganges in autumn
Safe from sun
under nascent leaf
a small fish
under nascent leaf
a small fish
In the changing hues
of rainbow in the east:
sun and lightning
of rainbow in the east:
sun and lightning
Puppies groping
for the tits of our doggy
relaxing in sun
for the tits of our doggy
relaxing in sun
Basking in the sun
files nails in garden chair
my wife’s friend
files nails in garden chair
my wife’s friend
7
SPIDER
In their webs
spiders racing to spin
on meatless prey
In their webs
spiders racing to spin
on meatless prey
Too big for its web
between two roses
a yellow spider
Suspended
on the spider's web
a white flower
A tiny spider
on the marigold sucking
its golden hue
Narrowly escape
the midair web of spider
perched on hibiscus
8
MOSQUITOES
Without humming
mosquitoes alight and bite -
all night awake
Leaving the signs
of mosquito menace
on white wall
Lies with her
in freezing cold -
mosquitoes trill
Can't flap a fly
or swat a mosquito -
hands so inept
A mosquito
drifting her attention from
haiku in bath
The long night passes
sleeplessly I deep-breathe -
mosquitoes in bed
Waiting for the train
alone on the platform
swatting mosquitoes
9
SHADOW OF AGE
Enveloping
all of the moon at night –
white chrysanthemums
the half moon
on her neck reminds of love
before departure
on her neck reminds of love
before departure
the sun not yet set
but the full moon rises
as if in a hurry
but the full moon rises
as if in a hurry
a star shines bright
beside the crescent moon
she fakes a smile
beside the crescent moon
she fakes a smile
shadow of age
on the wall –
second full moon
on the wall –
second full moon
whiteness of the moon
and rocks howl with the wind
December in the veins
and rocks howl with the wind
December in the veins
after the party
empty chairs in the lawn –
new moon and I
empty chairs in the lawn –
new moon and I
the sky couldn't retain
all of the moon now entering
my house through the window
all of the moon now entering
my house through the window
setting moon
leaves behind sparkle
on the waves
leaves behind sparkle
on the waves
noisy birds
don't let me sleep:
midnight moon.
don't let me sleep:
midnight moon.
10
HIBISCUS
Red oleander and
hibiscus calling morning
to Kali
hibiscus calling morning
to Kali
The lone hibiscus
waits for the sun to bloom:
morning's first offering
waits for the sun to bloom:
morning's first offering
Without washing hands
he touches the hibiscus for worship:
her frowning glance
he touches the hibiscus for worship:
her frowning glance
Love tickles
with erect pistil:
hibiscus
with erect pistil:
hibiscus
Narrowly escape
the midair web of spider
perched on hibiscus
the midair web of spider
perched on hibiscus
A tiny spider
on the hibiscus sucking
its golden hue
on the hibiscus sucking
its golden hue
Suspended
on the spider's web -
a hibiscus
on the spider's web -
a hibiscus
After little rain
lilies smile with hibiscus -
the sun in May
lilies smile with hibiscus -
the sun in May
Hibiscus
over the mossy roof
deeply rooted
over the mossy roof
deeply rooted
Oleander and
hibiscus blaze with passion -
making love in sun
hibiscus blaze with passion -
making love in sun
11
ALONE
Waiting for the train
alone on the platform
swatting mosquitoes
After the party
empty chairs in the lawn -
new moon and I
empty chairs in the lawn -
new moon and I
All guests gone:
after the late party
night and I
after the late party
night and I
Nothing changes
the night's ugliness
in the lone bed
Alone
in a shrunken bed
aged love
in a shrunken bed
aged love
In the well
studying her image
a woman
studying her image
a woman
Knitting silence
my wife on the bench
after lunch
my wife on the bench
after lunch
A moth
struggling for life
on wire
struggling for life
on wire
Between virgin curves
he deep-breathes evening mist
rests in the hollow
he deep-breathes evening mist
rests in the hollow
Shell-shocked or frozen
he stands in tears on hilltop
craving nirvana
he stands in tears on hilltop
craving nirvana
The lone mushroom -
a pregnant woman
stares out of the window
a pregnant woman
stares out of the window
Facing the sun
the lone flower
dying to bloom
the lone flower
dying to bloom
A dead leaf hangs
by a spider's thread
invisible in sun
by a spider's thread
invisible in sun
Under a tree
in meditation sunken
a lone stone
a lone stone
Alone
on the National Highway
Hanuman
on the National Highway
Hanuman
12
AT WAR…
Night bombing
leaves the garden
white as death
leaves the garden
white as death
Vultures waiting
for the leftovers
of the sacrifice
Whiteness of the moon
and rocks howl with the wind--
fear in the veins
In the ruins
searching her photo:
evening
Standing behind
the window bars observes
darkness in shapes
Awaits his son's
phone call from the border:
dogs and cats wail
A dead voice
calling up at dawn:
drowsy eyes
Alone
on her bed rings
the cell phone
on her bed rings
the cell phone
Unmoved by the wind
he sits on a rock wearing
peace of the lake
13
FOG/MIST
Swollen fogs
ready to make way
for the sun
ready to make way
for the sun
Morning fog:
her face invisible
even the sun
her face invisible
even the sun
Two dreamy eyes
await the rising sun
through the fogged window
await the rising sun
through the fogged window
Standing behind
the window bars observes
shapes in fog
the window bars observes
shapes in fog
The evening fog -
invisible her hand
on my shoulder
invisible her hand
on my shoulder
A film of mist
between my eyes
and her image
between my eyes
and her image
Mist surrounds
the steel statue watches
few visitors
the steel statue watches
few visitors
14
WINTER
Winter chill -
her face grows
more wrinkles
her face grows
more wrinkles
The lone hibiscus
waits for the sun to bloom:
morning's first offering
waits for the sun to bloom:
morning's first offering
Looking for a prey
a snake slides through the fence:
warmth of the sun
a snake slides through the fence:
warmth of the sun
The morning fog rests
on a swathe of pond moss:
the lone fish looks for sun
on a swathe of pond moss:
the lone fish looks for sun
Icy bed:
moving the pillow
closer to hers
moving the pillow
closer to hers
Chilly wind slaps
the window panes closed to keep
cross-legged couple warm
the window panes closed to keep
cross-legged couple warm
Receding
winter leaves behind
allergies
winter leaves behind
allergies
Winter's over:
spring knocking with
mango blossoms
spring knocking with
mango blossoms
15
SUNRISE
Sun rising late
slow arrival of winter
feverish warmth
slow arrival of winter
feverish warmth
Awaits the sunrise
in the chilly Ganges
a nude worshipper
Sunrise
behind the temple:
cloud's edge
Flowers turn
to the rising sun:
greeting
A dense fog
hides the sunrise--
waning winter
Her day begins
before dawn with the lantern
worshipping lingam
Aged with seasons
now seeks sojourn in the west--
no more sunrise
Welcoming sunrise
dew drops on dry leaves--
an epitaph
--R.K. SINGH
Submited by
Monday, March 14, 2011 - 19:11
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