Tenth Anniversary Dance

He tries to sneak up,
but she can smell him coming,
his workout complete.

She knows that he's there,
but he likes playing this game,
so she ignores him.

Giving him her back,
she's slowly unbuttoning,
fanning his desire.

Now he's against her,
his maleness encompassing--
he's her entire world.

He kisses her neck,
his prickly whiskers scratching
away her layers.

His hands come forward,
her hands reach backward for him,
all part of their dance.

Family Life

Saluting stiff-armed,
her twelve-year-old son calls her a Nazi,
his words like acid in her face.

Her daughter, seventeen
and bent on going to hell,
keeps still behind her closed door,
making pretty incisions
and humming softly.

Marie sighs and quietly shuts
her own bedroom door.
Curled on the bed,
she reads the crumpled collection
of meaningless words once more--
her husband's terse goodbye.

Five Haiku

Elegant Bandit
Oh Great Kiskadee,
lemon-yellow vest, black mask,
elegant bandit. 
***
Doves
They are not mourning--
sentimental more than sad--
pink-gray wistful doves.
***  
Transformation
Voracious eater
becomes delicate sipper
with rice-paper wings.
***
Pulse
Palm on cool granite,
she feels the earth's steady pulse
and forgets herself.
***
Woodpecker
Red top-knot ablaze,
piliated woodpecker
pounds tamarack tree.
***