Poems for a Small Place to Rest - Poetry by Michael Mayo

Page V

My door unlocked for the evening:
I have made this allowance
for the burglar and his wife

Simply trust:
When the footsteps pass
the cricket will begin singing again

Heart that breaks so easily -
Now, where was it
I put those old photographs?

Stretching out its limbs -
autumn maple
and one lone kite

Mad love taken root, one flower of spring

The field of dandelions on my grandmother's grave
just moved by the wind
floats away...

The bones of your hand in mine
that hold the worlds in place, oh yes!

Palomino comes close by -
it's the sugar
from the morning coffee he's after

On it's little hinge, the heart admits loneliness, one
sorrow at a time

First snowfall of the new year:
Even the sparrows under my eaves
have been caught unawares

Afternoon passes -
No one comes to ask
where are you going?

Reading alone, sleeping
alone - watched over
by the flowering sword plant

Moonlit waves
slap the boat's side -
lovers cry out

The one who continues to walk faithfully
by your side:
You'll catch a glimpse of him
in the mirror

Orange sun going red, and gone
behind the next rooftop -
Maybe I'll be back tomorrow

Why should we sleep with one
master the rest of our lives:
you poets, get out of bed
and make some decent tea

The tide goes out, and leaves the rest of us behind

Mosquito and I play hide n seek all night long

Spring breeze -
handful
of apple blossoms

For my sadness,
one stick of cherry incense -
a window is open

Morning frost -
fallen
elm leaf's pillow

Sleeping alone
for months at a time -
the gods are cruel, cruel, cruel

It remains
at the grave site:
white handkerchief on green grass

Things we want to say to each other
come so easily
when we are alone

The spider's fine web, fly's clumsy big feet

Old fisherwoman - line enough for more than
one dream

Two friends along the shore at
midnight -
flashlight in her hand, moon up above

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