22 58 With a twitching nose of black cherries A dog reads a telegram Glittering with drops of rain On a wet tree trunk. In the evening sun. 24 67 The webs of spiders The day is so long Sticking to my sweaty face That even noisy sparrows In the dusty woods. Fall strangely silent. 30 75 A bloody knife blade Spring begins shyly Is being licked by a cat With one hairpin of green grass At hog-killing time. In a flower pot. 31 78 In the falling snow An apple blossom A laughing boy holds out his palms Trembling on a sunlit branch Until they are white. From the weight of bees. 50 93 One magnolia Leaving its nest, Landed upon another The sparrow sinks a second, In the dew-wet grass. Then opens its wings. 51 95 As the sun goes down, Like a fishhook, a green melon splits open The sunflower's long shadow And juice trickles out. Hovers in the lake. 53 97 A sparrow's feather In the setting sun, On a barb of rusty wire Each tree bud is clinging fast In the sizzling heat. To drying raindrops. 57 101 Sleety rain at night Quickly vanishing, Seasoning swelling turnips The first drops of summer rain With a tangy taste. On an old wood door.
22 With a twitching nose A dog reads a telegram On a wet tree trunk. 24 The webs of spiders Sticking to my sweaty face In the dusty woods. 30 A bloody knife blade Is being licked by a cat At hog-killing time. 31 In the falling snow A laughing boy holds out his palms Until they are white. 50 One magnolia Landed upon another In the dew-wet grass. 51 As the sun goes down, a green melon splits open And juice trickles out. 53 A sparrow's feather On a barb of rusty wire In the sizzling heat. 57 Sleety rain at night Seasoning swelling turnips With a tangy taste. 58 of black cherries Glittering with drops of rain In the evening sun. 67 The day is so long That even noisy sparrows Fall strangely silent. 75 Spring begins shyly With one hairpin of green grass In a flower pot. 78 An apple blossom Trembling on a sunlit branch From the weight of bees. 93 Leaving its nest, The sparrow sinks a second, Then opens its wings. 95 Like a fishhook, The sunflower's long shadow Hovers in the lake. 97 In the setting sun, Each tree bud is clinging fast To drying raindrops. 101 Quickly vanishing, The first drops of summer rain On an old wood door.
richard-wright-haiku.docx