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SNAKE AND OTHER HAIKU SEQUENCES

FULL MOON

A crescentin the western horizon missing the moon

The full moonbehind the bare treebranches curve

Squeakingunder the full moondry sky

Wet bodiesof bathing women:full moon night

Splendid with the moonnight in silver peace dreamsthrough folds of light

Two long hoursunder the chinar:lost full moon

Aggravating painin the legs and sleeplessness:blue moon

Winter allergiesstaying inside to escapethe wind in full moon

SNAKES

Sunny morning:a snake slides through the fencelooking for a prey

Full of silt

the Ganga overflows:snakes under the waves

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Raises its hooda cobra in water:algae criss-cross

Searching reason

in the labyrinthine pattern:snakes in courtyard

Avoids searchingmushroom in the crowded green snake on the fence

Searches thorn applesto propitiate lingam:snake in sanctum

A snake's tailcoils round a sweetin the box

Smells a snakein the wet grass her smile

Rises with ticklesbetween the thighs

the dream-serpent

A yellow snakeslithers on the grass dewy trail of love

Climbing high throughrough pathway and stony colda green snake

A snake's dead skinnear the fence:she stands unmoving

FOG

His presenceamong the known faces

evening fog

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A thin foghides the wintry moonrising slowly

Slowly clearsthe morning fog

end of the year

Hides the suna dense fog in the morning:waning winter

Stench of burning leavesmounts with fog in the eveningasthmatic breathing

Shrouded in fogthe lone pomegranatein the backyard

Wrapped in fogthe flying planeseen by sound

Feels the shadowwith wet fingers on the beach:

sound through the fog

MARITAL TENSION

Years of homein three suitcases:deep breathing

With his crying babyhe moves in the train's passage:marital tension

Smoking womanunder a naked tree:moon garden

Night's passageon the beach with her silky sting

Orange streakthrough the clouds seat belt fastened

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Fortune meltingwith change in the wind summer-end

SUN

A sweating sunafter the midnight chillchanging hues of spring

The sun concealsaeons of darkness planetsmirror in the sky

The sun not yet setbut the full moon risesas if in a hurry

Two dreamy eyesawait the rising sunthrough the fogged window

With sunrise

gone to sleepthe morning moon

Setting sunleaves behind sparkleson the waves

A doton the suns head:venus

The sun rollson the waving Gangeswhitens love-hope

Awaits the sunrisein the chilly Gangesa nude worshipper

Closing its eyes

in the setting sunthe Ganges in autumn

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Safe from sununder nascent leafa small fish

In the changing hues

of rainbow in the east:sun and lightning

Puppies gropingfor the tits of our doggyrelaxing in sun

Basking in the sunfiles nails in garden chairmy wifes friend

SPIDER

In their websspiders racing to spinon meatless prey

Too big for its webbetween two rosesa yellow spider

Suspendedon the spider

s weba white flower

A tiny spideron the marigold suckingits golden hue

Narrowly escapethe midair web of spiderperched on hibiscus

MOSQUITOES

Without hummingmosquitoes alight and bite --

all night awake

Leaving the signs

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of mosquito menaceon white wall

Lies with herin freezing cold --mosquitoes trill

Can

t flap a flyor swat a mosquito --hands so inept

A mosquitodrifting her attention fromhaiku in bath

The long night passessleeplessly I deep-breathe --mosquitoes in bed

Waiting for the trainalone on the platformswatting mosquitoes

SHADOW OF AGE

Envelopingall of the moon at night white chrysanthemums

The half moonon her neck reminds of lovebefore departure

The sun not yet setbut the full moon risesas if in a hurry

A star shines brightbeside the crescent moonshe fakes a smile

Shadow of ageon the wall second full moon

Whiteness of the moonand rocks howl with the windDecember in the veins

After the partyempty chairs in the lawn new moon and I

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The sky couldn

t retainall of the moon now enteringmy house through the window

Setting moonleaves behind sparkleon the waves

Noisy birdsdon

t let me sleep:midnight moon.

HIBISCUS

Red oleander andhibiscus calling morningto Kali

The lone hibiscuswaits for the sun to bloom:morning

s first offering

Without washing hands

he touches the hibiscus for worship:her frowning glance

Love tickleswith erect pistil:hibiscus

Narrowly escapethe midair web of spiderperched on hibiscus

A tiny spideron the hibiscus suckingits golden hue

Suspendedon the spider

s web --a hibiscus

After little rain

lilies smile with hibiscus --the sun in May

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Hibiscusover the mossy roofdeeply rooted

Oleander and

hibiscus blaze with passion --making love in sun

ALONE

Waiting for the trainalone on the platformswatting mosquitoes

After the party

empty chairs in the lawn --new moon and I

All guests gone:after the late partynight and I

Nothing changesthe night

s uglinessin the lone bed

Alonein a shrunken bedaged love

In the wellstudying her imagea woman

Knitting silencemy wife on the benchafter lunch

A mothstruggling for lifeon wire

Between virgin curveshe deep-breathes evening mistrests in the hollow

Shell-shocked or frozenhe stands in tears on hilltop

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craving nirvana

The lone mushroom --a pregnant womanstares out of the window

Facing the sunthe lone flowerdying to bloom

A dead leaf hangsby a spider

s threadinvisible in sun

Under a tree

in meditation sunkena lone stone

Aloneon the National HighwayHanuman

AT WAR

Night bombing

leaves the gardenwhite as death

Vultures waitingfor the leftoversof the sacrifice

Whiteness of the moonand rocks howl with the wind--fear in the veins

In the ruinssearching her photo:evening

Standing behindthe window bars observesdarkness in shapes

Awaits his son

s

phone call from the border:dogs and cats wail

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A dead voicecalling up at dawn:drowsy eyes

Aloneon her bed ringsthe cell phone

Unmoved by the windhe sits on a rock wearingpeace of the lake

FOG/MIST

Swollen fogsready to make wayfor the sun

Morning fog:her face invisibleeven the sun

Two dreamy eyesawait the rising sun

through the fogged window

Standing behindthe window bars observesshapes in fog

The evening fog --invisible her handon my shoulder

A film of mistbetween my eyesand her image

Mist surroundsthe steel statue watchesfew visitors

WINTER

Winter chill --her face growsmore wrinkles

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The lone hibiscuswaits for the sun to bloom:morning

s first offering

Looking for a preya snake slides through the fence:warmth of the sun

The morning fog restson a swathe of pond moss:the lone fish looks for sun

Icy bed:moving the pillow

closer to hers

Chilly wind slapsthe window panes closed to keepcross-legged couple warm

Recedingwinter leaves behindallergies

Winter

s over:spring knocking withmango blossoms

SUNRISE

Sun rising lateslow arrival of winterfeverish warmth

Awaits the sunrisein the chilly Gangesa nude worshipper

Sunrisebehind the temple:cloud

s edge

Flowers turnto the rising sun:greeting

A dense fog

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hides the sunrise--waning winter

Her day beginsbefore dawn with the lanternworshipping lingam

Aged with seasonsnow seeks sojourn in the west--no more sunrise

Welcoming sunrisedew drops on dry leaves--an epitaph

--Ram Krishna Singh