water laps the rocks
the sun hangs high in the sky
tea cold in his glass
there is sadness in his heart
past and future beyond reach

My mind resembles cabin-lake water
Rippled by stray winds,
Shadowed by flowing clouds.

Someone is throwing stones;
Another is fishing;
Another is singing.

By this shore on a lonely night,
Stars quietly float on the water
And the woods quietly lull the waves.

But each night I cover the lake with my dreams
Lest this shore be untidy
The day the white swan returns.

unknown translator

awake and asleep
my mind goes back to a time
your face before me

bags packed and waiting
the car idling outside
no one left behind
a man in constant motion
running nowhere much too fast

On an ordinary autumn evening
Ordinary fruit is better.
Sometimes ordinary words
With no peculiar savor
Suit me better.
Hearing in memory
The last car depart,
I step over
The membrane of sleep,
And a fruit falls in my dream.
I will ask the wind
That departs in the morning
To what depths the fruit has fallen.

unknown translator

a black and white world
color dissolves into space
ever since you left

so far
it’s pretty far
from what I call
Chinese food
and Rita,
if you think take-out in NY
is junk Chinese food
wait till you try what’s here
it’s almost as bad
as that place outside Denver
remember?
the Silk Road started
or ended here
depending on one’s perspective
but Chinese food
has yet to arrive

Now I want to make it clear from the beginning that I am not a culinary snob or hung up on American cuisine which, as most people born somewhere else, seem to think is exemplified by the hamburger and hot dog (though the hot dog, or frankfurter, is actually German in origin but I must admit I am a bit of a snob when it comes to them but I’ll leave that for some other post). Hamburgers, though, should be judged by an objective panel who understands what constitutes the basic ingredients: ground beef, a bun, and ketchup, pickles and/onions optional.

So anyway, I’ve had 3 hamburgers now in 8 days here, which is a record for me since I didn’t eat 3 hamburgers in 8 days while living in the US, but that’s besides the point. The point here, or at least the one I’m trying to make in…

oft times
there’s just me and a book
who’s an old
or maybe a new
friend
a glass of wine
the ceiling fan turning
the cat sleeping on the back
of my chair
and that’s all I need
that’s enough

days will pass away
change will come with the seasons
time does not stand still
life takes on its own rhythm
and peace will finally reign