little falls sound like big falls

little falls sound like big falls

natural falls sound like artificial

mountain falls like falls from a skyscraper

steppe falls or one long swoosh

falls into the sea like a river or stream

the bigger they are

the harder they fall, it seems

larger falls more thunderous

lowly flows over rocks and vines

irrigate more softly

the land not washed in time

rice paddy water lingers

sustenance grows 

let it flow through me

whichever way i may go

without looking upstream 

without looking down

whether airborne showers

or underground

 let me not be stagnant 

evaporated, molten

 let me not be wasted moisture

frozen frozen

5-2-16

perish the fresh

perish the fresh

in one life long day

nothing comes 

that does not go away

the river's illusion 

passing through

in spite of you

in passing time

does not follow dates

a straight line

in any situation

making hours minutes

excited heartbeat fast 

slow when tired

thirty-two years of teaching

into a forty-six minute lesson

the river surges

pushed by a storm

down mountain slopes

into fountains' water 

in weekend parks

and Old Faithful families

up from the depth of the cauldron 

here in a flash

now gone 

4-21-16

hearing multiple birds calling

hearing multiple birds calling
drowned by the swoosh of vehicles passing
smelling the fragrance of plants and flowers growing
between bursts of exhaust pipes burning
feeling windy breezes freshening
seeing sunny skies enlightening
ringing ear reminding
lunch with wife inviting
lines on my face expressing
pleasure with the human race
mixed feelings 
nothing needs fixing
or commercial twisting 

4-9-16

national Taiwan parks

the roots of Chinese medicine?
a respect for strange formations,
proper spirit interaction,
showering down from trees.
provincial inspiration?
from Japanese intervention,
aboriginal affection.
melange of
Soviet youth corps campers,
and American recreational
gazing at the wonder,
daredevils doing documentaries,
surviving reality shows,
and buying souvenirs.
European's dividing it from culture; 
God's creation serving man's purpose,
the bible's fruitful injunction.  
to harness all for science,
ravaging her for industry,
the pathway to obituary.
through Western Chauvinism
that tells you
"trees cannot in a forest fall
without you there to view it."
unnatural detachment 
from the "qi" energy
that unites us all 

3-22-16

watching youth harvesting Han River

watching youth harvesting Han River
beating the water with sticks
gathering nets of living luck
disturbing the flowing stream
but causing not in wakes a ripple
my reflection upon the surface
as the waters flow below
while potato fields lie fallow behind 
for passing riders to take what may
why did the farmers who planted go
leaving us all here unwanted
no one picking fruit off my branches
i stay put, abundant but unfulfilled
the next generation moving on ahead
shall i fold my hands in my lap
listen to the wind 
the roar of marching wheels 
take evasive action
counting notches on my belt
with a fisherman's patience
knowing waters pass his way
the catch will be passing
if he leaves his line inside

3-8-16

start forgetting

start forgetting
the world bed-wetting
deaf hear talking
behind their backs
forgetting a date is
subliminal aversion
my spouse's nightmare
her provocation

despite our twelve-day wish
without a hitch
i hear she had fun and 
turned off my switch
cannot be too proud
for what she needs
as gnats swarm into 
her mouth i feed

2-12-16

a new year's sun glows on my face

a new year's sun glows on my face
belly pouch with book of art
riding on the bike to dance 
with two red ladies on a beetle-nut bag
that shelters my earphones 
from a pocket full of lint

from delirious Barcelona and France
out with the iPod from my pants
Musica de la Han Palau romance
with nowhere else for now to go 
nor cares or woes for now to know
in her natural landscape

nearby collapsed condominiums 
nature's side of monkey wrath
try sticking to the sunny side
loyal to the winding path
the path that leads to gentle home
where the heart starts throbbing madly

2-8-16