catalpas whiten

catalpas whiten
long catkins droop toward earth
the beards of fathers

            — Jeff Burt, USA

The first snowflakes

The first snowflakes
On fallen leaves
Winter is starting

            — Amitha Padmakumari, Sri Lanka

an era’s end

            — an’ya, USA

winter solitude

winter solitude
follow this year as well
her smile

            — Refika Dedić, Bosnia and Herzegovina / Zdenka Mlinar, Croatia

Tapping the Void

ink dark moon
thumbing through the pages
of another’s mind                 — RK

what use to magnify
the ant that just bit me         — LI

as if
the world could end
her first zit                              — RK

circling
the scarecrow’s
black turban                          — LI

the boom in his laughter
stilling the room                    — RK

dressed as Santa
dad opens
his sack                                  — LI

            — Robert Kingston, UK / Lakshmi Iyer, India

museum skylight

museum skylight
the red glow
of a lacquerware bowl

            — Jay Friedenberg, USA

the smell of wood

            — Steliana Cristina Voicu, Romania

Starry sky

Starry sky
Searching for meaning
Foreign street sign

            — Nicola Schaum, UK

water lily

water lily
your face
spring fed

            — Sherry Reniker, USA

A lonely effigy

A lonely effigy
in a fallow field
waiting for rain

            — Crishanthie Sumanasekera, Sri Lanka