keyhole—
the sun lets itself
in

8-31

**

**

winter chill
a love song my father wrote
not to my mother

8-30

mountain hike
a cairn
a rock higher

Johnette Downing

midsummer—
the boat tips
toward the whale

-Johnette Downing

polka dots
farther apart
at the hips

-Johnette Downing

roller coaster
leaving my voice
at the top

-Johnette Downing

tears of a stranger
leave their mark
on me

-Johnette Downing

tide pool –
children
come and go


**

**


slice of moon
he says he likes
to miss me


**

**

coffin
in the curves
of the tuba


**

**

Zen garden
a single
chime


-Johnette Downing

dry riverbed
she moves on
with her life

-Johnette Downing

a field of flowers
where the houses
were

-Johnette Downing