Spring Cleaning

night thaws to morning the clean broom of spring snowfall sweeping cold from stones night thaws to morning a rim of frost on the grass turning to dew the clean broom of spring snowfall biting wind and ice gentled by the sun sweeping cold from stones leaves a wake of greenery a morning bouquet Kim […]

At Dawn

yoake ni arau tsuyude watashino ashisaichoubi at dawn I wash my feet with dew the longest day                              Yozakura at dawn the first pink flush of morning still bleary with sleep I wash my feet with dew cold and refreshing the fragrance of grass the longest day stretching to the horizon suffused with promise at dawn […]

Sketching with Shiki

sketching from life — eggplants are harder to do than pumpkins                                           Masaoka Shiki shapely drops of glossy purple among rotund orange globes                   Kim M. Russell, 19th January 2020 My response to Carpe Diem Weekend Meditation #112 Transformation: sketching from life (Shiki’s Shasei technique) In this weekend’s […]

One Starry Night

one starry night to make that one painting – the rustling leaves                          Chėvrefeuille (2014) silent comets fall to earth illuminating willows leaves and branches blaze bright and silver with starlight under the moon’s eye only trunks lie in shadow holding up the studded sky an owl screeches breaking the starstruck silence sharp talons ready its […]