Spring

arrives with a cartful of optimism,
to begin her work on the canvas;
fields of brown and blue.

New born calf moos; his first vocal practice;
old cowboy sings to his apprentice young,
to praise him for the calf he helped born;
mountain brook cheers the lad, proud,
what a good job he has done;
hawks dance round the sky.
Wrens return to the old nest;
move to the tree home, high and safe.

She takes a step back, to assess her work,
smiles; plans for the coming summer,
thinks that can wait;
for now, she’d enjoy what she has done;
dazzling hues; pink and green.

©Byung A. Fallgren

From Japanese Hokku
by Lewis Grandison Alexander

VIII

O moon of to-night
Let me rest my head on you
And hear my life sing.

X

Look at the white moon
The sphinx does not question more.
Turn away your eyes.

XI

The thought is no thought
Poem buried in my heart
Song that is no song…

XVII

You are life’s fountain
Spring from eternity
Flow not recklessly.

XIX

No works speak louder
Than the tragic look of eyes
Close yours out of love.

Above poems are chosen from the original works of “From Japanese Hokku”
by Lewis G. Alexander. He was born in 1900 in Washington D.C., an editor,
actor, and play write. His poems appeared in the magazines, The Crisis,
Opportunity, and Fire!! and the anthelogis The Negro (Albert and Charles
Bon, 1925), Caroling Dusk (Harper and Brothers, 1927), and Ebony and
Topaz, 1927. He died in 1945.

Roundness

is not selfish
not self-centered,

not intrusive,
nor manipulative,

is an endeavor to connect
the broken words,

to get the two ends bloom.

©Byung A. Fallgren

 

Woodpecker

The lonely and mad wife
wants to drill
in his head,
to see what dwells
in it;
dru-r-r-r.
She cackles,
peeping in the hole
in the roof
of the playhouse–
a dead wood pecker;
she sees another
in her heart.

©Byung A. Fallgren

Wicked Husband

After struggle through the sea of
sand dune, finds an oasis–the job.
“Now, we can divorce.” He grinds.
“I no longer need your help.”
Her mouth forms O,
eyes overflow;
the door slams,
followed by cry;
“Selfish, rotten fish,
just don’t take my child away.”
He laughs like devil.
“You can’t afford the burden,
and the high rent, ” he sneers.
“I found a shack for you. Come see.”
He shoves her into the car,
heads to the place.
“See that?” He points it.
Her eyes flutter, nostril flare, seeing
the new dwelling. Confusion.
“No kidding!” Her anger and fear
evaporate. Big sigh. Her eyes overflow.
He pulls her closer to him.
“It’s real. You and I can afford it.”
“It is beautiful!” She cries. Her eyes dot
on their new home.
“You and I can afford it,” she says.
leans on him.

©Byung A. Fallgren

At the Point of Conclusion

we dream
sweat
bloom
leave fruits behind
or nothing at all
then exhale a big sigh
amazed by our bareness
within
appearance
abundance or what is
a matter of past
passing wind tolerable
evening pensive
morning sun seem
more profound

©Byung A. Fallgren

Near the end of April
William Stanley Braithwaite

Near the end of April
     On the verge of May–
and O my heart, the word were dusk 
     At the close of day.
Half a word was spoken
     Out of half a dream,
And God looked in my soul and saw
     A dawn rise and gleam.
Near the end of April
     Twenty Mays have met,
And half a word and half a dream
     Remember and forget. 

Near the end of April appeared in Lyrics of Life 
and Love, H.B. Turner & Co, 1904. William Stanley
Braithwaite was born December 6, 1878, was a poet,
Editor. His books include Selected Poems, The House
of Falling Leaves with Other Poems. He died in 
Harlem, New York on January 8, 1962. 

Photo by Charmel Herinckx–charmel44@hotmail.com

the sunlit icicle
brightens up for a few moment
ice-dancing of fairy

©Byung A. Fallgren

Sounds of Spring, 2021

Drip, drip, frozen soul in the melting snow
Descends from the eve,
Coo-coo-r-coo, pigeon cheers the blues,
Singing sparrows in the tree still asleep,
Ah–me, rebound from the ordeal of
the second dose of COVID vaccine,

My heart flies to the lake I used to go;
Envision the boat swoosh by;
Splash and churn; or a fish peeks out of the
Fishing hole in the frozen lake;
Go it, go it, admonition of the unseen bird;
I didn’t go for it, often than not, I know
But don’t know which;
When was the last time
I checked on my old friend?

From the horizon, whispers; ghosts of
Perished ones, dance with the birds,
Vanish into the clouds.
O, I must see them before the end of this spring;

At least for now, sounds
Of new born of the earth;
Drip, drip, coo-coo-r-coo-, Ah-h–

©Byung A. Fallgren

*

As I expected at some point, I had a hard time with the second dose
COVID vaccine. Only one day with flue-like symptom, followed by
three days of recuperation. : )
They say that, now, Moderna and Pfizer are testing on the third dose
of the vaccine for mutated viruses.