Patrick Sweeney: Ten Haiku

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi - from 100 Aspects of the Moon

I've corresponded with, and published the work of, Patrick Sweeney for many years, going all the way back to issue #28 of Lilliput Review, which came out in February 1992. He is one of the poets I admire most working in the short form today, specifically haiku.

We went back and forth many months in the selection of the poems that follow. Serendipity entered into that selection: some unintended negligence on the part of the editor and an understandably natural reluctance on the part of the poet.

It seems to me that the balance of all these factors makes for a very fine set of poems, indeed. I'm going to abstain from my usual commentary and let the works speak for themselves, except to say, thank you, Patrick, very much.

My ecclesia
blue pine shadow
fused to snow

Infinite kalpas
of bone and flesh alleles
the dew drenched clover

Scent of burning leaves
the four chambers
of my heart

Half her face scorched
the Nagasaki Virgin
only stone

Sweet vernal grasses
what it has taken
to kneel

Shadows of mimosa
the Himalayan blue
probabilities of ×

Smithy of beaten stars
in the amalgams
of his haw-haw

House mosquito
blood-kin
to my only son

Lime tree
in the field
of one shoe

Green light on new snow
the short wavelength
of the divine

Photo by Norah Sweeney

cicada in the pine
listening to the sutra
is born

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don 

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