Dharma Pops

Dharma Pops: American Haiku as outlined by Jack Kerouac

(seeking simplicity of expression through compression, 3 lines, no syllable count, 

no seasonal reference, minimal punctuation, indent second line)

Cat in the garden

    decides I am no threat

to his nap

Seat belts and suspenders

    highlight what should

stay hidden

Every language I hear

   sounds more exotic

than my own

OK,  Yeah,  No--

    words that make the leap 

between uncommon tongues

Jazz on the restaurant

    speakers, surprisingly

good for McDonalds

The smell of Doritos

    drifts behind the fat man--

mystery solved

At the train station

    not going anywhere--

bums wave goodbye

Ken Owen   Van Niddy Press   July 2015

Images of Blue

     

Photograph by Dianne Woods

 
        Things are different now
      The old routines are gone
                               Good-bye

   Change must show me how
   To rise and face each dawn
                               Good-bye

The days that saw us through
        Have all come to an end
                               Good-bye

            With memories of you
             New journeys I begin
                               Good-bye

Good-bye
              to all we knew
              images of blue
Good-bye
              to me and you
Good-bye

             New stories everyday
     New lessons to be learned
                               Good-bye

          New joys along the way
         New hearts at every turn
                                Good-bye

    With waves of endless time
                lapping at the shore
                               Good-bye

           I leave the past behind
   and learn to love once more
                                Good-bye

Good-bye
              to all we knew
              images of blue
Good-bye
              to me and you
Good-bye


for b.b.

Ken Owen. Van Niddy Press. July 2015

Drought

California--
carefree mountains sun themselves
we play with buckets


California--
lawns no longer laughing at
rolling golden hills


California--
the front lawn got the message:
brown is the new green




Ken Owen.  Van Niddy Press.  July 2015

Redwood Haiku

Appreciating
each day as a supreme gift,
age brings gratitude.



 Sad reminiscing
 memories of life and love--
 the old man reflects



Open the window--
        in spiriting l shall fly
to your silent heart

for marlene, inspired by the story of
Jeanne Hebuterne and Amedeo Modigliani



When he sang, the leaves
blew down to sit at his feet
and enjoy the tune

for peter




written on the way to 
The Redwood Ramble, Navarro, CA
July 2015

Listens to The Wind

They called him
       Listens to The Wind

       for he heard songs 
delivered from The Great Spirit
through dancing trees and singing 
grass that others did not hear

     and magic in the words 
of those who did not recognize
that the source of great wisdom
spoke directly from their own hearts

He began each day 
     by giving thanks

    and caressing these words gently until  
they took form and grew wings to fly 
back into the world to build a nest 
in an empty soul that needed healing

     so they could teach people that 
The Wind can speak to anyone who
takes the time to quiet their mind 
and listen with their heart

They called him
       Listens to The Wind

       and these were his gifts
to the world

Ken Owen.   Van Niddy Press.   July 2015

High Ho, High Ho (The Rutted Road)

Oh the rutted road
        we trace
Our spirit resigned in
        daily toil
Shoulders bowing from
       the weight
Of hearts without passion
       gone quiet
Souls without seeking
       gone lost
Eyes without visions
       gone dark
Lives without meaning
       the cost

Ken Owen    Van Niddy Press     July 2015