2023 AWAKENING xxxix

  1. breast milk
    these circles of
    snowdrops
  2. summer snow—
    i pay attention to
    dribbling breast milk
  3. twisting
    a sweat-stained chemise—
    summer rain
  4. breast milk
    falls but fails to linger…
    summer snow
  5. breast-feeding snow is still a’falling
  6. summer avalanche—
    breast milk
    weighs heavily
  7. summer snow—
    bare breast covered
    with breast milk
  8. breast milk…
    departing winter’s
    very tracks
  9. breast milk…
    snow dribbles
    about the breast
  10. breast milk…
    white-waves marked in
    gravity
  11. breast milk…
    white threads
    twined from droplets

2023 AWAKENING xxviii

  1. feeding breast
    pale cherry blossoms
    in bloom today
  2. the morning moon’s pale light feeding breast
  3. yellow chrysanthemum
    now, how many layers
    do i seem to have piled on atop the other?
    sunshine
  4. sunshine
    however many petals has
    the yellow chrysanthemum
  5. sunshine
    in countless kinds
    yellow chrysanthemums
    bloom
  6. summer suns
    O, sweet canary
    in how many months
    have you come to meet me?
  7. goldfinches–
    sunshine
    does never seem to end
  8. summer goldfinches
    are pale, yet
    in a moment, i sweat
  9. goldfinches —
    the ever-continuing
    summer damp heat
  10. daybreak sunrise
    is gone from view–
    soaring finch
  11. daybreak sunrise
    how charming are
    soaring finches

2023 AWAKENING xxvii

  1. sadness—
    seeds inside this body
    withering
  2. mum’s belly is now in full flower
  3. mum’s belly
    where amongst the clouds
    does the baby find lodging?
  4. exposed breasts buds swell while i gaze from afar
  5. silver dewdrops
    when might they dry?
    this river of my tears
  6. bellies swell
    and become phases
    of the moon
  7. hungry baby
    sucking the moonlight…
    breastfeeding
  8. wandering from my breast
    not in a trickle, but
    in a milky torrent
    breast-milk
  9. expectant belly
    oh, that the moon tonight
    droops down and down
  10. swollen breast dreaming on my pillow
  11. swollen breasts
    pillowed by white clouds
    am i

2023 AWAKENING xxvi

  1. mum’s swollen belly
    touched with color, most confusing
    the heaven-shining moon
  2. mum’s belly
    why does the moon
    seem so near?
  3. expectant bellies…
    heaven’s moon
    halt in their course
  4. mum’s belly my gaze is on the moon
  5. swollen belly
    long have i gaze upon it!
    full moon
  6. mum’s belly…
    even when the day does dim
    the moonlight shines
  7. swollen breasts–
    do i see, today, at the last
    twin moons
  8. full moon–
    what am i do about
    this drooping belly?
  9. summer sun announcing the birth of a baby
  10. summer sun
    i briefly glimpse
    mum’s swelling belly
  11. summer sun–
    it will not remain
    i know to well
    mum’s due date
  12. full moon
    may fall, or not,
    lifting my heavy
    belly
  13. full moon
    round and round
    mum’s belly

2023 AWAKENING xxv

  1. plastic rain…
    a bundle of pregnancy tests
    falling straight down
  2. hard rain
    her pregnancy test
    reads positive
  3. trying to read
    the pregnancy test
    tears are fogged and
    blinded
  4. plastic snowflakes
    i do count them out…
    pregnancy tests
  5. hard snow pregnancy tests keep on falling
  6. hard rain
    i did weep and weep again
    at the doctor’s office
  7. pregnancy tests a sprinkling of snowflakes
  8. pregnancy test
    has such a glow, that
    the blossoms fail to shine
  9. pregnancy tests
    the fallen, scattered snow—
    how do i sweep it away?
  10. pregnancy tests…
    white snow
    has fallen, drifted high around
    my feet

2023 AWAKENING xxiii

  1. sleeping babe
    a number of views
    hazy moon
  2. full moon
    against mum’s breast
    sleeping baby
  3. waking baby
    with an open mouth…
    full moon
  4. hazy moon
    baby’s mouth
    opens
  5. clumps of snow —
    whatever becomes
    of baby’s blanket
  6. morning avalanche —
    breastmilk settles
    in baby’s mouth
  7. mouth of milk
    who’s that coming
    to view a full moon?
  8. hazy moon
    seasoned father
    blows smoke
    out from his lips
  9. a clear view
    of a full moon…
    baby bottle
  10. hazy moon–
    the view blocked
    by the boiling pot
  11. pink avalanche–
    anxious teens stumble onto
    positive pregnancy tests

2023 AWAKENING xviii

  1. twinkling stars
    from the bottle
    baby powder
  2. twinkling stars
    poof!
    goes the baby powder
  3. full moon
    mum’s growing belly
    nicely plump
  4. a clear view
    of a hazy moon…
    mum’s swollen breast(s)
  5. spring moon–
    where the baby
    grows
  6. watching the baby rise
    from mum’s belly…
    summer moon
  7. mum’s belly
    month by month swells…
    moon phases
  8. moon phases
    mum describes the position
    of the growing baby
  9. day moon
    mum’s belly
    refusing to droop
  10. hazy moon
    a glass of milk reaches
    full volume
  11. hazy moon
    mum’s belly
    in full glory

2023 AWAKENING xvii

*a bit late, but i just finally found some time after a 54 work-week(end) 😉

  1. spring moon —
    milk in the bottle
    motionless
  2. waning moon
    mum slowly unfolds
    new nappy
  3. crescent moon
    folded nappy
    slightly open
  4. slight wind—
    the rush of wind
    through the toddler’s teeth
  5. feverish baby
    crying for hours—
    heavy drizzle
  6. tears
    meander down baby’s cheek
    like a river
  7. wanting to touch
    ripe strawberry—
    super blood moon
  8. laundry hamper
    filled with soiled nappies…
    dirty snowballs
  9. dry snowflakes–
    a flurry of nappies
    under mum’s feet
  10. straight gaze
    of cleaned nappies…
    full moon
  11. wispy fog…
    tea steam rises
    fading slowly

2023 AWAKENING xv

  1. rolling thunder
    a flurry of baby farts
    felt in my arms
  2. full moon
    under sleeping blanket
    snoring baby
  3. folded nappies
    in neat piles
    snowy peaks
  4. squatting baby
    its butt prints hardening…
    mud dumplings
  5. spring leaves —
    baby’s handprints
    is something to cherish
  6. evening breeze
    baby and mother exchange
    yawns
  7. baby rolls
    towards my feet
    worm moon
  8. wiping baby drool
    from its mouth…
    melting icicles
  9. sinking moon—
    sleeping baby sinks
    then disappears
  10. crescent moon
    newborn curls upon
    my knees
  11. excited baby
    summons his mummy
    clapping thunder

2023 AWAKENING xiv

  1. spring moon —
    full baby bottle rolling
    on the kitchen floor
  2. hellish heat
    feverish baby
    gets swiped
  3. spring mudslide–
    cranky baby
    poops on mum
  4. sleeping baby
    strapped tight into mum’s shoulders
    full moon
  5. full moon–
    newborn strolls
    through the living room
  6. NICU concert–
    newborns
    are crying

*NICU neonatal intensive care unit

  1. baby farts
    flying with gusto…
    spring breeze
  2. scarlet baby
    bathed in tears
    red sun
  3. hot sunrise
    enjoying
    baby’s warmth
  4. dying without
    ever taking a breath…
    blue baby

*Blue Baby Syndrome

  1. day thunder
    the sound of baby farts
    not seen