one on one

by hazy moonlight
one on one basketball
on the cul de sac

unwinding the day

last letter written

digits sent across the pond 

unwinding the day.

kissing

excuse me while I 
kiss clouds packed with rain and shade.
breezes kiss me back

wave

you leave
a piece of your heart
on every wave

he is risen

HE is risen
death unlocked
from prison

tigger anniversary

puppy love
we gather at his grave
to say hello

reflections

granite reflections
~a dusting of cherry blossoms
~slow motion clouds

blood moon

blood moon
the dogwood blossoms
turn pink

hope chest

at the bottom 
of her hope chest
the final dress

sand piper

sand piper
dodging the chilly edges
of the sea.
‪#‎haiku‬

nursing home

rocking chairs
sitting still on the porch
nursing home chill.

white caps
from shore to horizon.
a dolpfin breaks

male and female

Main Beach: a study in diversity

six benches
six men
one per bench

six benches
six women
five empty benches

just a smile
changes in muscles really
lights the world.

blue waters
(dreams of) bright blue skies
smurfs invisible

using a few calories
as part of my resolutions
i say hello

light

as a candlestick
softening down till one day
vanished
~the memory of the light
~it is enough

divided

divided by 
race, creed, and hate
i choose the spirit

expert

he was an expert
on death and dying having
done neither
#haiku

lights out

in my nightmares
I close my eyes; light fades out
eternal darkness

journey

death is a moment
of interruption along
the journey

over the shoulder

glancing back
life's turbulence seems smoother
over the shoulder

crows by the pond

crows gather
the vacant seat by the pond
speaks of life's seasons.

colors

yellow pansies bow
above a box of white bones
under a blue sky
my favorite colors
bid me good morning

cookie jar

an empty cookie jar
a reminder that grandma 
has passed

finches

finches
on the arms of his granite
angel
#haiku

crossing the jordan

crossing the jordan
~the allure of gentleness
~the final sunrise 
~there, over my left shoulder
sand washes between my toes
#tanka

low tide

miles of low tide
shared with a few gulls
not a dream

veil

his voice was angry
smashing through the veil 
like a wrecking ball.

resting

resting 
at the surf's edge at low tide
so tired.
#haiku

crows

#haiku
crows return
with thank you gifts
a final farewell

feeders

empty feeders
birds tapping on the window
in vain.

regrets

a light load
his duffle bag
of regrets

fading light

fading light
the magenta sky is not
what he expected

dizzy

political spin
the fraud and lies are making 
me dizzy

moon glow

moon glow
on the lily pads
last light
#haiku

empty cup

grandchild's endless
questions about how i feel
an empty cup
#haiku

open wound

black asphalt ribbon
snaking between the head stones
an open wound.
#haiku

obits

nothing in print yet
the obits blew downs the street
onto a chain link fence

final farewell

so much yet to say
finger writing in the sand
a final farewell
#haiku

feasting in color

feasting in color

toddler loves the living room

more than his thumb

life without parole

sentence
life, without parole.
paid in full
# haiku

smiling dragon

he listens to see

the oft smiling dragon

of his dreams

frog sound

closing my eyes
i see the spring moon
serenading frogs

in your face

she was in your face
from early to late
missing her breath. 

final summit

climbing a steep path
over dark slippery earth
the final summit
#haiku

the mist clears

closing his eyes
the waves of a string quartet
the mist clears
#haiku

less is more

"less is more"
~ludwig mies van der rohe
teachers disciplne
please write your name on
board one hundred times.

a gate opens

confined
solitary days 
a gate opens

spring toast

wine glasses 
filled with capri sun
spring toast

last day of winter

how peaceful he looks
gazing at the snow fall 
his last day of winter
#haiku

virtual gathering

virtual gathering
for the dearly departed
server dies.
#haiku

tulips

tulips limp and longing
arching toward the earth
a final bow.
#haiku

true

laughter pulls
away like the surf 
late in the day
moon's pull
ancient and true.
#tanka

no bitterness

tears speaking softly
wiped on grandma's sleeve
no bitterness.
#haiku

blue mist

a dress of blue mist
for the ridge of crosses
a fresh beginning
#haiku

the feet of the moon

the feet of the moon
lighting the approach 
a fog moving in.
#haiku

listening to the moon (c)opyright

listening to the moon
cicadas in slow motion
as the light withdraws. 

blossom falls.

black clouds
unyielding rain
blossom falls
#haiku

my feathers crossed (C)

my feathers crossed
in hope of eternal life's
first flight.
#haiku

listening to sunshine (tanka)

listening to sunshine
ice cracks on the walkway
drip in the gutter
as my senses peak
so alive so weak.
#tanka

by michael rehling

five below zero
the neighbor covers
his virgin mary

rebel

his rebel flag waving
wheel chair at full throttle 
nursing home escapee
not ready or willing to take
it laying down.
#tanka

the last dogwood

the last dogwood

sheds the final bit of snow

from its gnarled branches.

last petal

last petal

son closing his

father's eyes

hospice 7

hospice
the inkwell is still full
with unwritten thoughts.
#hospice
#haiku

chest pain

chest pain
the nurse says not to worry
with a smile
#haiku
#hospice

IS THERE NO SHAME?

is there no shame?

bombs strapped to children

setting others on fire

selling your children

is there no shame?

attacking hospitals

raping school girls

sawing off heads

is there no shame?

turning truth into lies

turning lies into truth

flogging his back 

with a hundred lashes

is there no shame?

is there no shame?

is there no shame?

questions

questions.
i claim to have answers but
you can easily stump me.
#haiku

best buds

old, feeble, blind, deaf

he hears with his nose and 

my tender touch.

#haiku

#furbuddy

#bestbuds

lyrics out of tune

lyrics out of tune

the moldy piano keys

clunk in time.

#haiku

relections on Tigger, my furbuddy.

that tug on the leash

reminds me of her willfulness

buried memories.

#haiku

soft tracks

the sound

of the train

is muted by

the fat of

spring gnats.

for kathy

happy bamboo plant
moving roots to a new home
chinese new year

ridges of blue 1

ridges of blue

changing and changeless 

i will lift up 

my eyes unto the hills

from whence cometh my help.

instincts

one morsel to hide
under the blankets and sheets
furbuddy's  ancient  instincts. 

too common

finding me to common
a place of great satisfaction
comes to a close

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VirtualHaiku/

sorry michael.  I do not count them, I simply share them.

virtual haiku

glad i saved 
all of the haiku 
posted to virtual haiku 
(facebook page),
since i cannot 
copy them now. 

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/VirtualHaiku/

furbuddy fellowship

furbuddy fellowship
a depth of affection and
unconditional

(if you do not consider provided him with food and water as a condition.)

northern lights

winter sky
her neck adorned with 
mother of pearl light.
#haiku

prompted by a comment from


Johannes S. H. Bjerg

pharisee

christian pharisee

the old torah still rules

his new life.

the blind

blind wood duck
wanders the backyard pond
cat taken indoors.

merganser

merganser
peacefully floating
explosive dives.

black hole

death stare
like a black hole
gator eyes.
#haiku

lonely poet

even my friends
are hard put to read the poet
in me.

trail

wooded trail
i follow with nary a choice
my fellow travelers.

pond scum

pond scum
gator dressed
in green dots

pride

heart of stone
judging others a constant refrain
lost in his pride.

virgin snow

virgin snow
getting old each day
honeymoon over. 
#haiku

stroking

stroking her back
soothing at least one of them
hospice.
#haiku

left lane

left lane
the sheep follow
single file.

hospice reflection

on the window
a vision of a young woman
hospice reflection
#haiku

old dog

crouched down low
the old dog waters the roots
of the cherry tree
#haiku

the old dog warms the roots

last leaf

last leaf falls
only trees undress 
for winter
#haiku

snow moon 2015

sunlight on a plate
sliding into the twilight
snow moon
#haiku

posted in virtual haiku

she told me too

i am wearing a 
mickey mouse hat because
she told me too.

adult conversation

crossing my feathers
sharing a bench facing the sea
adult conversation
#haiku

not yet posted to virtual haiku

ice glare

ice glare 
crows provide relief
from the strain.
#haiku 

not yet posted on Virtual Haiku

hospice

a guinness
would not be a burden
hospice
#haiku

posted on virtual haiku

winter sun

listening to the sun
ice cracks on the walk way
drip in the gutter.
#haiku

posted on virtual haiku

climate change (adult)

climate change
burrowing through a drift
of cloud shit.
#haiku

post it notes

an·thro-pooh-mor·phic

pooh

an·thro-pooh-mor·phic

chest pain

chest pain
worried and told to relax
graph and pressure cuff
picture of good pump
sharp pain continues
#tanka

dutch cauliflower

nutmeg
milk white sauce
missing mom

grave

moving away
i leave a furbuddy buried
in the sand.
#haiku

XLIX

portable television
choir director keeps time
to the play by play.
#XLIX

XLIX

tongue tied
i can only spell it
XLIX
#xlix

his view

eagle floats
rising with the thermals
i envy his view

rain shine

bright sunshine
and diamonds falling from the
one cloud above.
‪#‎haiku‬

pelicans

floating north
what causes the pelicans
to change directions?
‪#‎haiku‬

jazz

listening to jazz
melodies rise and fall
with the surf
‪#‎haiku‬

sea oats

sea oats
clumped at dune fencing
keeping nothing out.
‪#‎haiku‬

marsh bunnies

nocturnal bunnies
eating their weight in greens
even when the sun shines.
‪#‎haiku‬

yarn

ball of yellow yarn
baby blanket by morning.
empty coffee mug.

arbolado

arbolado
pointing to the wooded creekside
a spanish smile

mimosas

mimosas
sweeping
west
a
path
of
blossoms
a
playful
cat

burney park, amelia island

winter rose bud

whispers
of warm breezes
rose buds unfurl

gates

gates swinging left
asks for global government
windows crack.

Bill Gates wants a global government to fight global warming.

library

binding proposition
take a book, leave a book
truth in lending

shivers

furbuddy shivers
nature's call leads him
into the frosted grass

twilight

twilight
the shadows of the palms
linger on the marsh.

shiny bottoms

corduroy white caps
he remembers his youth
shiny bottom.

open your eyes

four shots of espresso
she wants to open your eyes
bossy mama

gull race

bag of bread crumbs
frantic gulls jockey for
first place.

solitude

empty beach
strolling beside the surf.
solitude. 

whataburger

corner table
watching dinners mingle, chat
lonely burger, fries

window table
he stares at the parking lot
never her eyes

lighthouse

the twirling beam
atop the old white tower
puts friday to bed.

transferring nature

cross legged,
the beach sticks to him all the
way to iowa

knitting

knitting a scarf
she will never wear
needles a blur

saturday

cartoons in the den
moans from the master suite
saturday

loss of tender memory

I drove by the grave
and missed that pang of regret.
healing comes with time
so they say but i fear that
loss of tender memory.

taste of loss

my heart is jumbled -
sorrow moves up my throat -
the taste of loss.

tigger

in my teardrop
i see her running the field
ears back and happy

Easter Morning @ Sunrise

when a furbuddy is
buried in the hole you provide
part of you stays there too.

tigger's field

passing tigger's field
i tell her she was a good girl.
tight throat and a tear

furbuddy

my furbuddy
chasing rabbits when asleep
deep yawn at dawn