no flinch from rhino
oxpecker drops on its back
the guard has alighted.
Rein
a wild horse hungry
prickly pear cactus beyond –
the rein of winter
Gaza
Gaza in red ashes
Goliath merciless war
thunderstorm hailstones
Arbitrary
arbitrary bees
brushing pollen from crocus
delightful saffron
Elude
stick insects elude
the army of hungry frogs
camouflaging moon
Yearn
Clothes moths yearn for silk
eating from a favourite dress,
eggs about to hatch
Jovial
twitcher seeks dunnocks
ruffling hedges at moonrise
jovial: overhead
Shape
she admires herself
notices shape of the figure
smiles to herself
Abject
cool autumn evening
bald eagle seizes the smolt
abject, the osprey
Erratic
an erratic rock
defies the lashing rainfall,
ancient shards withstand
Pummel
two brown bears pummel
vying for powerful mate –
salmon slip upstream
Ladybird
spotted ladybird
swallows dewdrops, chews aphids
– August moon fading
Grumpy
breakfast, grumpy mood
after a night without sleep
August sun rising
I think
the quality of my feelings
determines the quality of my thinking
which determines the taste of my life
– I think?
Hay(na)ku
Cat
Fast asleep
Cool leather couch
Spider
fangs of a spider
ready to strike with venom
– an entangled fly
Charm
Charm defeated me
shut off tap of syllables –
staring at the moon
Mischievous
mischievous raven
tickles tail of dozing cat –
summer sun smiles
Hum
moonlight hum, giraffes
resting together at ease –
lioness hungry
Elm
elm bark beetle bores
into trunk of mighty tree
chewing vital sap
From Bath to Cork with baby Grace 