January in Summer
From the Grey Book
so peaceful -
cicada calls
in the wind 30
pushing through
the blue sky -
summer moon 31
tying her hair back
taking ages to do it -
boys on the beach 33
good luck
in my hands
cricket 37
birds too busy
on the summer grass
bread abandoned 38
climbing the path
to Mt Tanaka -
men and poet fish 39
from the summit -
the toil of man
from afar 40
no time
for dinner and a movie -
flies get busy 41
scent of pine
faces lit up -
what a moon! 42
on the tree
one better than the others -
mountain apple 43
lanterns
of the old sort -
comfort in their glow 45
on the blade
sits a cricket
that I put there 46
Waikato river
quickens to the falls
pine views 47
rising higher
fresh scents on the breeze -
afternoon moths 50
heat wave
resting in the shade -
broken pots 54
how noisy
the silence -
birds, bugs 56
dandelion
through the floor boards -
paler in the sun 58
up up
to nowhere -
autumn bee 59
what sadness -
distant veils of
summer rain 60
blue skies
my eyes ache so
from gazing 61
I am sorry
I think I swallowed you -
bug in my tea cup 65
at ease
in the deck chair
sun bathing cricket 66
scent of rain
above the hills -
thunder clouds 67
early morning -
bugs farewell
the stars 70
day break -
for a moment life
edged in gold 71
on lake Taupo
wiping away mans passage
a cool wind 72
a different moth
discovering the sage bloom -
time passes by 73
falling leaves -
how joyous
it must feel 74
sun light
rides the leaves
as they fall 76
under the eaves
caught in an eddy -
barrel rolling moth 78
the dog
sits a little closer -
autumn breeze 80
summer sun
under the lemon tree -
.... 81
cicadas sing
a breeze stirs the grasses -
another day 83
in the shade
yellower than the sun -
dandelion 84
following left, right
the girl on the scooter -
butterfly 85
from the rise
down to Whakaipo bay -
what a vision 86
skimming the grass
rolling down the hill -
cabbage moth 87
passing
this fine day -
thinking of bees 88
and still
the cicadas
hum 89
cooling its wings
in the shade of the cypress -
butterfly 90
swirling high
swooping low -
a flock of leaves 91
heavenly garden
its rich scent stolen -
summer breeze 94
facing the wind
youngest lily
pokes out its tongue 105
the lily
ripe but unopened
hidden glory 106
a gusty day -
the bugs and I decide
not to fly 108
I am glad
you agree with me -
windy lily 110
families passing
on the path: togs, picnics
nods and grunts 115
summers final call
birds no longer linger -
these cold winds 116
Mapara Road -
through the pass
layers of age 119
gypsophila -
the gardens
milky way 122
in summer
yarrow grass
so soft 129
this world of toil
is nothing -
is everything 133
Or (depending on your philosophy)
this world of toil
is everything -
is nothing 133 variation
the end is nigh
cicadas cry
the end is nigh! 136
poor cicada
no winters to forget
none to remember 137
steam
from the noodle bowl -
lilies wane 140
ah!
a red admiral -
how long I've waited 142
falling leaves -
seeing further
through the forest 145
far away
from the waterfall path -
recalling the sound 150
chandeliers
upside down
agapanthus 159
oh the sky
so lonely
so quiet 161
tipping water
into a pot -
that is the way 163
cool river
flowing flowing
man endures 164
breakfast
prophesising the day
scrambled egg 168
summer winds
gum trees in tatters
leaves leaving 169
from a distance -
all the flowers
beautiful 174
so...cold lily
what sort of dust
will I be 175
colder days -
outside a little longer
with the butterflies 177
behind the leaf -
the shadow dance
of the bumble bee 178
towards the sun
lemon lily's throat
sunburnt 179
alas they last not
the coriander flowers
the cicadas though... 180
deserving the best
cicada eulogy -
summer 181
and then
a breeze
barely felt 182
flies
huddle inside -
autumn winds 183
Buddha's gift
temple silence
for all 185
no longer
interested in me -
courting butterflies 189
through the slats
sunlight strings
tie the bricks 192
dropping
one branch to the next -
sparrows 193
cool winds
warning me
to gather wood 195
dusk
lights slowly stretch
across the bay 197
sparrows pace
hunting crickets -
let them be! 198
the day
so beautiful -
the moon too! 200
leaf dry -
cicada shaking
in the web 202
dirty windows
no difference
in the rain 208
ants emerge
testing their wings -
birds wait 210
ill at ease -
searching for water
herons crane 212
yellow bearded
employee of the month
honey bee 213
swift clouds -
the smell of rain
over the lake 215
oh blue geisha
flutter your eyelashes
agapanthus 216
shaking hands
giving new years greetings -
February friends 217
dust stirs
between brown grass
the road to town 218
ironed flat -
pearly white
summer moon 221
Fujisan -
all paths gather
at your feet 222
breaking pine nuts
the smell of sap
on my hands 228
first swallow
above the grass
reels away 229
by the lake -
morepork call
floating away 232
summer bees
do not tarry -
my poor orchard 234
of what worth -
the poets home
with no name 235
bamboo grove -
night and day
pass unnoticed 236
black sheep
hurrying to the wind break
clouds gather 238
petunia:
a glorious pink sunset -
one disappears 239
when to harvest -
farmers pondering
this heat 240
no sky, no earth
the summer rains
take it all 242
cold rain -
nothing more
to say 244
dreary skies -
grey heron
surveys the lake 249
Manuka scent -
lonely lake
pitted with rain 252
hushed meadow
butterfly spirals
we all watch 256
grasshopper stops
the scent of lilies
on the breeze 257
gloomy views
the lake, the birds -
grey 261
so still the lake -
the consequences of
every raindrop... 262
gloomy shore
my feet crunching
raindrops 263
on this old log
there used to be
a frog 264
Whakaipo bay
odd stones saved -
thrown away 265
summer breezes
waltzing with
blades of grass 267
mother and daughter
arguing mathematics -
I watch bugs 268
no chanting priests
welcome to paradise
my garden 270
long night
darkness in every room
dawn a dream 273
poems
not for the gods
for us 275
All poetry (c) Steven Clarkson 2012-2014
From the Grey Book
so peaceful -
cicada calls
in the wind 30
pushing through
the blue sky -
summer moon 31
tying her hair back
taking ages to do it -
boys on the beach 33
good luck
in my hands
cricket 37
birds too busy
on the summer grass
bread abandoned 38
climbing the path
to Mt Tanaka -
men and poet fish 39
from the summit -
the toil of man
from afar 40
no time
for dinner and a movie -
flies get busy 41
scent of pine
faces lit up -
what a moon! 42
on the tree
one better than the others -
mountain apple 43
lanterns
of the old sort -
comfort in their glow 45
on the blade
sits a cricket
that I put there 46
Waikato river
quickens to the falls
pine views 47
rising higher
fresh scents on the breeze -
afternoon moths 50
heat wave
resting in the shade -
broken pots 54
how noisy
the silence -
birds, bugs 56
dandelion
through the floor boards -
paler in the sun 58
up up
to nowhere -
autumn bee 59
what sadness -
distant veils of
summer rain 60
blue skies
my eyes ache so
from gazing 61
I am sorry
I think I swallowed you -
bug in my tea cup 65
at ease
in the deck chair
sun bathing cricket 66
scent of rain
above the hills -
thunder clouds 67
early morning -
bugs farewell
the stars 70
day break -
for a moment life
edged in gold 71
on lake Taupo
wiping away mans passage
a cool wind 72
a different moth
discovering the sage bloom -
time passes by 73
falling leaves -
how joyous
it must feel 74
sun light
rides the leaves
as they fall 76
under the eaves
caught in an eddy -
barrel rolling moth 78
the dog
sits a little closer -
autumn breeze 80
summer sun
under the lemon tree -
.... 81
cicadas sing
a breeze stirs the grasses -
another day 83
in the shade
yellower than the sun -
dandelion 84
following left, right
the girl on the scooter -
butterfly 85
from the rise
down to Whakaipo bay -
what a vision 86
skimming the grass
rolling down the hill -
cabbage moth 87
passing
this fine day -
thinking of bees 88
and still
the cicadas
hum 89
cooling its wings
in the shade of the cypress -
butterfly 90
swirling high
swooping low -
a flock of leaves 91
heavenly garden
its rich scent stolen -
summer breeze 94
facing the wind
youngest lily
pokes out its tongue 105
the lily
ripe but unopened
hidden glory 106
a gusty day -
the bugs and I decide
not to fly 108
I am glad
you agree with me -
windy lily 110
families passing
on the path: togs, picnics
nods and grunts 115
summers final call
birds no longer linger -
these cold winds 116
Mapara Road -
through the pass
layers of age 119
gypsophila -
the gardens
milky way 122
in summer
yarrow grass
so soft 129
this world of toil
is nothing -
is everything 133
Or (depending on your philosophy)
this world of toil
is everything -
is nothing 133 variation
the end is nigh
cicadas cry
the end is nigh! 136
poor cicada
no winters to forget
none to remember 137
steam
from the noodle bowl -
lilies wane 140
ah!
a red admiral -
how long I've waited 142
falling leaves -
seeing further
through the forest 145
far away
from the waterfall path -
recalling the sound 150
chandeliers
upside down
agapanthus 159
oh the sky
so lonely
so quiet 161
tipping water
into a pot -
that is the way 163
cool river
flowing flowing
man endures 164
breakfast
prophesising the day
scrambled egg 168
summer winds
gum trees in tatters
leaves leaving 169
from a distance -
all the flowers
beautiful 174
so...cold lily
what sort of dust
will I be 175
colder days -
outside a little longer
with the butterflies 177
behind the leaf -
the shadow dance
of the bumble bee 178
towards the sun
lemon lily's throat
sunburnt 179
alas they last not
the coriander flowers
the cicadas though... 180
deserving the best
cicada eulogy -
summer 181
and then
a breeze
barely felt 182
flies
huddle inside -
autumn winds 183
Buddha's gift
temple silence
for all 185
no longer
interested in me -
courting butterflies 189
through the slats
sunlight strings
tie the bricks 192
dropping
one branch to the next -
sparrows 193
cool winds
warning me
to gather wood 195
dusk
lights slowly stretch
across the bay 197
sparrows pace
hunting crickets -
let them be! 198
the day
so beautiful -
the moon too! 200
leaf dry -
cicada shaking
in the web 202
dirty windows
no difference
in the rain 208
ants emerge
testing their wings -
birds wait 210
ill at ease -
searching for water
herons crane 212
yellow bearded
employee of the month
honey bee 213
swift clouds -
the smell of rain
over the lake 215
oh blue geisha
flutter your eyelashes
agapanthus 216
shaking hands
giving new years greetings -
February friends 217
dust stirs
between brown grass
the road to town 218
ironed flat -
pearly white
summer moon 221
Fujisan -
all paths gather
at your feet 222
breaking pine nuts
the smell of sap
on my hands 228
first swallow
above the grass
reels away 229
by the lake -
morepork call
floating away 232
summer bees
do not tarry -
my poor orchard 234
of what worth -
the poets home
with no name 235
bamboo grove -
night and day
pass unnoticed 236
black sheep
hurrying to the wind break
clouds gather 238
petunia:
a glorious pink sunset -
one disappears 239
when to harvest -
farmers pondering
this heat 240
no sky, no earth
the summer rains
take it all 242
cold rain -
nothing more
to say 244
dreary skies -
grey heron
surveys the lake 249
Manuka scent -
lonely lake
pitted with rain 252
hushed meadow
butterfly spirals
we all watch 256
grasshopper stops
the scent of lilies
on the breeze 257
gloomy views
the lake, the birds -
grey 261
so still the lake -
the consequences of
every raindrop... 262
gloomy shore
my feet crunching
raindrops 263
on this old log
there used to be
a frog 264
Whakaipo bay
odd stones saved -
thrown away 265
summer breezes
waltzing with
blades of grass 267
mother and daughter
arguing mathematics -
I watch bugs 268
no chanting priests
welcome to paradise
my garden 270
long night
darkness in every room
dawn a dream 273
poems
not for the gods
for us 275
All poetry (c) Steven Clarkson 2012-2014