Homophonies (XXXV–LI)

After Basho

Alone on New Year’s Day:        fish scales float like amoebas    in the river.            ~            Balaclava of banana leaves / maze of seeds                in an open purse.            ~Salmon leapt into the snow like a wine            slowly        drying in the mouth.            ~    It’s a new year. It’s spring.The mushrooms shine like brilliant    hair. Come fuck me.            ~            I have a long walk and must listen        in the hail. I take off my clothes.            ~     It’s so attractive being alive! I can even sit in the rain.            ~The butterfly lands on the poppy it leaves its wings for a keepsake            ~How like an orphan: the monkey listeningto autumn in the wind.            ~        Small things eat the horse / rotting            by the roses on / the edge                of the road.            ~You jump toward the moonYou stop on a cloud to rest / Look at me for once!            ~                    We touch the wings                of butterflies under the petals        of pale orchids.            ~Thicket is a sexy word. I leave it    to kiss the field in the wind.            ~         To the frog the pond is an antique, its water creaks hejumps away.            ~        Soon I’ll travel. I set the table.    I align the forks end to end.            ~    Dawn shines like a perchon a short line:          shaking and shaking and shaking.            ~You resemble yourself. You’re narrow.        As for winter, you laugh it off.            ~Look at the horse looking out on another morning snow.    Shit, it says.