ruins
of Tokyo appear
in my dream . . .
a storm coming through
verdant freshness

heat lightning
the faces of those
I love

searching
for my favorite
earring . . .
voices in
an empty shell

volunteer tomatoes
the way my life
used to be

sun whispers
to my wings
where
is the rainbow
after green showers

darker skies
and yet . . . tadpoles
in the puddles

handful
of unfinished lives
we were
born from water
undying melody

distant galaxies
the infinite music
of stars

a comet
brought me
the memory
of blue inlet
before my birth

shaky first steps
              a baby’s
mine after surgery

when and
how many times
reborn anew
swimming
in the Milky Way

a ray of dawn
across my pillow. . .
birdsong

after
the long darkness
prayers
are falling—
resurrection horizon

empty churches
we hold virtual hands
in online meetings

   by Mariko Kitakubo and Deborah P Kolodji