The Transience of New Leaves is Not As Noticeable as Plum Blossoms

The Skins

of the plums she
brought home were the color
of an intimated dawn. The meat,
a bright dusk,
and sour,
pinched her eyebrows
together and
curved her lower lip.

Coming Upon a Street Dog in the Alley Between the Lanes

a full well of animal
fear, giving off the odor of
blind striking back.
His eyes were muddy
sockets of grey jade—

Playing Chess with My Father After His Stroke

Before he moves
the piece to mate me,
his hand— the hand is

the instrument of
the hollow which opens
at our backs— rests

on the crowned figure
almost immaterially
and his eyes move to

meet mine, and I
nearly smack the soapstone
to pieces on the floor.