I
Tower peaks;
quartet sleeps;
the gull’s braced, as am I –
the lock-gate, leading southward,
bridges o’er.
II
Rice-husk holds
my coffee. Folding up:
the inkless page.
I perch like Giovanni
‘pon his lumber.
III
With nary a wake
it works its way
on through the floating harbour –
a manned-kayak.
Gulls disperse.
IV
In shelt’ring porchway-
entrance to the Arnolfini,
I
re-place myself.
The gull gives up its bracing.
V
Windbreaker は
むらさきです upon
the one half of the pair a-walking.
Shaggy dog:
your fringe ‘n beard match mine.
VI
Elegance…
It strolled on by.
Colour…
It just walked past.
People-watching; people, watching me.
VII
Tanka by the banks-a,
with my notebook near its end –
a sunsome Sunday ‘neath the harbour sky.
I probably look homeless
to these fam’lies…
VIII
As I adore alliteration,
I must muster up
(Assonance, too!)
three tanka more.
Well, now two.
VIIII
I watched the leaves
go sailing by,
as the noon killed off
the morning.
(It just turned 12pm.)
X
The water level stays
e’er as it is, e’en as the rest
of us do rise ‘n fall
while floating
on the Avon…
william altoft 