Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

winter solstice
only the shakuhachi
offers comfort

Mukaiji reibo (Shakuhachi: Goro Yamaguchi - 山口 五郎)

 

 

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

no fish today
a buddha sits
facing traffic

Marie Bortolotto Art

 

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

today's mantra
thank you thank you thank you thank you




and by Ozaki Hosai (1885-1926)

from behind
the spring mountain
smoke begins to emerge

 

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

December downpour
letting go of
yesterday's dreams

 

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

school recess
lost in reveries
of play




II.

walking and worrying
a buddha sits
facing traffic



III.

construction
everywhere
seeking peace



IV.

walking slowly
unravelling thoughts
in my skull



V.

on the fence
a woodpecker eyes me
and poops

VI.

currency exchange
at the bank
no breathing room

VII.

who to trust?
the cautious cat
takes a chance

1

Happiness in the Morning
by Wen-siang, Chinese refugee poet, 1210
from Sleepless Nights:Verses for the Wakeful
translated by Thomas Cleary

Happy in the morning,
I open my cottage door;
A clear breeze blowing
comes straight in.
The first sun
lights the leafy trees;
the shadows it casts
are crystal clear.
Serene,
in accord with my heart,
Everything merges
in one harmony.
Gain and loss
are not my concern;
this way is enough
to the end of my day

2

Free People

The universe has free people
whom nothing whatever concerns.
Controlling their thoughts,
they stop all illusions
to find one whole reality.
Having forgotten all about glory,
how could they worry about disgrace?
Since they have no riches at all,
how could they dislike poverty?
Although you may say
the green mountains are fine,
Still know they are objects outside.

 

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

open door
seeing the pine
never really looked




II.

being held
the feel of wind
against body



III.

the pine tree
                             and me
 dancing with the wind




IV.

windstorm
howling
trees


V.

sheltering
from the windstorm
a brave bird



VI.

twilight hours
an old wooden gate
creaks

 

 

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

needing hugs
the black cat runs
to greet me




II.

festive lights
opening the heart to
childhood wonder



III.

the old apple tree
no fruit hanging, only
a rainbow of lights

 

 

 

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

train whistle
travelling nowhere
but here




II.

again and again
gazing down the street
a mountain



III.

in and out of time
losing the rhythm
finding the way




IV.

a Buddha
sits
                   facing traffic



V.

a sprig of cedar
smelling the greenness
of now




VI.

afternoon sun
on my eyelashes
watery crystals



VII.

no one living
at the derelict house
only a pink rosebud

Marie Bortolotto

    Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

vast blue sky
above me, a crow
drops twigs




II.

morning frost
on the grass
shimmering emeralds

   Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024


I.

oh, fleeting years!
overhead, geese trumpet
another day

  Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024


I.

walking slower
and deeper
into aliveness




II.

rain puddle
she steps into the clear
blue sky

Marie Bortolotto Art

Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024


I.

white fog
ascending from the treetops
crow chaos



II.

blood work clinic
only the icy christmas tree
offers warmth



III.

young people
how can they possibly understand
the perils of aging?



IV.

kind words
the blood technician returns
a harried smile



V.

the price of healthy food!
who will pick that neglected kale
in the garden?



VI.

how lovely!
classical piano sounds mingle
with birdsong




V.

again, a child
breathing into the strength
of winter memories



VI.

the old apple tree
under twilight's spell, twinkling
with festive lights

Marie Bortolotto Art

 

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024


I.

a woman in white
walking slowly toward me
the fog!




II.

morning reflection
in the mirror, she sees through
an unyoung woman



III.

nowhere to go
nothing to get, just breathing
deeper into aliveness

Marie Bortolotto

Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

 

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024


I.

oh, a late rosebud!
I pick it to bloom
inside

II. 

 

all these years!
the mountains never cease
to delight

 

 

 

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

December morning
a dormant rosebush bears
only dewdrops



II. 

 

cold blue sky
pigeons huddle
on a wire



III.

strolling, slowly
around the Buddhist temple
sunlit blessings



IV. 

 

seeing stars!
dewdrops
on my eyelashes



V. 

 

in the sunlight
a leafless willow flaunts
dewy diamonds



VI. 

 

no longer flying
here and there, a sparrow
finds refuge on a branch

Marie Bortolotto Art

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

bittersweet
she plucks an overripe fig
from the leafless branch



II. 

 

smelling freshly cut grass
in the autumn of life
dad in a wheelchair

 
Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

are you a friend?
the golden-eyed cat
comes out to play

 
Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

how cold it is!
a young woman jogs
in shorts and t-shirt


and ascribed to Basho...

For one who says,
"I am tired of children,"

there are no blossoms.


Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

Marie Bortolotto

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

why rush?
time fades into
a breath of fresh air




II.

the end
of the day
what remains?



III.

reaching
for the stars
twilight silhouettes


Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

 

The Door
by Miroslav Holub
 

Go and open the door.
Maybe outside there’s
a tree, or a wood,
a garden,
or a magic city.

Go and open the door.
Maybe a dog’s rummaging.
Maybe you’ll see a face,
or an eye,
or the picture
of a picture.

Go and open the door.
If there’s a fog
it will clear.

Go and open the door.
Even if there’s only
the darkness ticking,
even if there’s only
the hollow wind,
even if
nothing
is there,
go and open the door.

At least
there’ll be
a draught.

 

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

fading
in November's gloom
fairy lights

 Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

breathing
deeper and deeper into the
lightness of morning


II.

morning meditation
sweeping away
the dead leaves



III.

around the block
a pilgrim
walks home

Marie Bortolotto Art

 
Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

waking up
to a deluge of rain
the cry of a seagull


II.

shivering
in November's wind
bare-branched trees



III.

all the leaves are gone
the traveller ponders
arrivals and departures



IV.

is anything certain?
at the end of autumn
winter comes



V.

dirty laundry
the wash cycle seems
never ending



VI.

gazing upon
the silence of the grave
three old crows



VII.

is anything certain?
even the spy thriller ends
without answers



VIII.

surprise!
the mute panhandler
unleashes his voice

Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

as I age
listening more
than seeing



II.

cold morning
a bush of pink roses
blooms



III.

thoughts of home
throughout the morning
an old Chinese man walks



IV.

walking
a lawnmower cuts
the smell of grass

V.

haiku on fire!
walking into the fumes of
a leaf blower



VI.

ray of sunshine
the little girl opens
a yellow umbrella

poetry in the wordless

Short Verses
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

sudden gust
a weeping willow shimmers
in sound



II.

November shadows
yellow chrysanthemums bloom
at Avalokiteśvara's feet



III.

vacant home
poetry hides from
shuttered eyes

 

 

 

 

Poetic Sketches
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

catastrophic weather jargon
cleaning out the ears



II.

after the storm
raindrops fall from
the weeping willow



III.

windy morning
walking into the smell
of burnt toast



IV.

bus stop
the traveller waits
for poetry



V.

dark cloud
the young woman shelters
under a pink umbrella



VI.

thin air
the wordsmith gathers
haiku



VII.

screen time
a boy with his dog
walk the iphone



VIII.

pigeons on the wire
trying in my way
to be free



Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

Leonard Cohen, Bless you for all the poetic
utterances you left behind for us to hear!

Poetic Sketches
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

children
out for a walk
lots of laughs



II.

the way home
only the traveller
meets children



III.

why does time
seem to fly?
the old woman walks



IV.

what is happiness?
a party of sparrows chitter
in the trees



V.

tired eyes
the traveller's gaze rests upon 
a snowy mountain

and by Basho...

 

 

The moon and sun are travellers through eternity. Even the years wander on.
Whether drifting through life on a boat or climbing toward old age leading a horse,
each day is a journey and the journey itself is home.

Poetic Sketches
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

I.

during the windstorm
clinging leaves lose their grip
a lost glove


II.

Buddhist temple
a sangha of chickadees twitter
Avalokiteśvara



III.

just breathing
on this blustery day
the heart comes alive




IV.
 

tin porch bells
only the traveller hears
a symphony of goats

A symphony of goats!


Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

 

Poetic Utterances
by Marie Bortolotto 2024

Visit "Imaginal Utterances Website"

I.

where are the cats?
a pussy willow sprouts
new buds



II.

no more gloom
a snowy mountain peak
rises above



III.

November's gloom
urban faces look
the other way




IV.

deserted alley
a wind chime
tinkles