™Square Three™

mountain asleep --
the tips of the branches
a bit red

the first call
of a bushwarbler
beside the castle

fallen leaves fill up
the mountain side, a path,
even a waterfall

glittering ripples
in the high tide river:
immense golden scales

shadow of a butterfly
moves across
the shade of trees

dewdrops on the twigs
expand endlessly absorbing
songs of cicadas

far up
a starling's straight flight:
thin autumn clouds

in the rapids
night herons so patient
they wait

students in black uniforms
hurrying to school in silence
a grey starling crosses above

tortoise-like
hunchbacked old woman --
fallen leaves rustle

far behind
leafless branch silhouettes
cloud much whiter

the sunny blotch
bird's shadow
fluttering

wall of clouds
before snow-streaked mountains
extraordinary brightness

a fern palm stirs
above
the sea of oranges

cockscombs
really red:
graveyard

country fires
smoke in the city --
ever closer
Mykel Board in Ulaanbaatar, MONGOLIA

mountain side--
above temple ruins
the temple

a single green stalk
breaks through
the roadside granite

Pulling and begging
at the end of his leash
the dog's owner

on a pavement
folding its wings
the shadow of a butterfly

twisting around each other
arrowroot vines support
the weight of life

flying off shore
with the sun on its wings
a seagull

shrill of a shrike
interrupts
old mother's reminiscences

winter pavement
keeperless dog wandering
with her long shadow

snowy mountains
crimson sky reflected darkly
on the car window

May breeze
sways a loquat leaf and
a dozing frog

sound of oars
flapping off a misty lake
two wild ducks