after the fight
the evening is simple—
the dishes being washed,
the unfolding of sheets,
the laying down
*
what is not said:
well, I guess we are not
exactly sure what
that would be now,
are we
*
on the shelves
stacks of bowls, plates,
the glasses in rows—
so normal they look,
it could be any night
*
I don’t know
I don’t know I don’t
know I
don’t know I don’t—
geese in the pond
*
what do the geese
have to do with anything?
if you have to ask,
you have perhaps not lately
watched the geese
*
all along the path
pussy willows, white and white
and oh! so soft
I forget everything
save willows, willows
On the surface, it seems “just any other night.” But, alas, beneath the facade…
Your use of willows evokes, intentionally or not, “weeping.” Planned, or post facto gift? Either way/case, both subtle and sublime.
Oh(!), and what’s being not-said by, “I forget everything…”
i got lucky with the “weeping” resonance. a gift! thanks for pointing it out to me!
That 4th tanka sponsors the confusion so nicely, the jumble of I don’t knows.
I like the ending too, the willows, but curiously the willows evoked pillows for me, the comfort against the stacks of normal life. Nice.
they were pillow like for me, too … 🙂 maybe because I’m *yawn* …
I don’t know, I forget, but the willows and the geese, the wild geese, know…
Hi Steve, i think the geese do know. more than they are saying. HONK!