WHAT LIGHT BRINGS

Under the apple tree
poppies
bleed their colours

__ciabatta, olives, sun-dried tomato
__in a puddle of golden oil

midsummer lights up
blades of grass –
blackbirds scry for worms

__how much I can’t see
__of what’s in front of my eyes

he escapes the damp
for insufficient legroom
and icy cabin crew

__winter nights – mice
__scuffle behind the skirting

pissed teenagers
in stolen cars
crashing the gears

__in the dhammapada the same word
__for house and for heart

he gave her the gift
of a red kimono
wrapped in tissue paper

__sharp pyracanthus
__climbing the gable

they could still hear
the waterfall
from the beer garden

__to cross the threshold
__is to forgive the dark

the butterflies in her belly
told her it was
that time of the month

__for the Saxons –
__only ever one kind of fruit

he ferried
six boxes of books
to the charity shop

__everyone’s wearing their guilt
__in white vinyl on their wrists

she tried them on
for size –
a nun’s vows

__driving past the reservoir
__sky staring into sky

gingko leaves
in his photograph,
the American flag

__no-one can really explain
__what light brings.

a nijuuin renga on the midsummer solstice
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Sandysike, Walton, Cumbria

participants

Linda France (master)
Subhadassi (master)