SNAKE AND OTHER HAIKU SEQUENCES FULL MOON A crescent in the western horizon missing the moon The

e full moon behind the bare tree branches curve Squeaking under the full moon dry sky Wet bodies of bathing women: full moon night Splendid with the moon night in silver peace dreams through folds of light Two long hours under the chinar: lost full moon Aggravating pain in the legs and sleeplessness: blue moon Winter allergies staying inside to escape the wind in full moon

SNAKES Sunny morning: a snake slides through the fence looking for a prey Full of silt the Ganga overflows: snakes under the waves

Raises its hood a cobra in water: algae criss-cross Searching reason in the labyrinthine pattern: snakes in courtyard Avoids searching mushroom in the crowded green snake on the fence Searches thorn apples to propitiate lingam: snake in sanctum A snake's tail coils round a sweet in the box Smells a snake in the wet grass her smile Rises with tickles between the thighs the dream-serpent A yellow snake slithers on the grass dewy trail of love Climbing high through rough pathway and stony cold a green snake A snake's dead skin near the fence: she stands unmoving

FOG His presence among the known faces evening fog

A thin fog hides the wintry moon rising slowly Slowly clears the morning fog end of the year Hides the sun a dense fog in the morning: waning winter Stench of burning leaves mounts with fog in the evening asthmatic breathing Shrouded in fog the lone pomegranate in the backyard Wrapped in fog the flying plane seen by sound Feels the shadow with wet fingers on the beach: sound through the fog MARITAL TENSION Years of home in three suitcases: deep breathing With his crying baby he moves in the train's passage: marital tension Smoking woman under a naked tree: moon garden Night's passage on the beach with her silky sting Orange streak through the clouds seat belt fastened

Fortune melting with change in the wind summer-end

SUN A sweating sun after the midnight chill changing hues of spring The sun conceals aeons of darkness planets mirror in the sky The sun not yet set but the full moon rises as if in a hurry Two dreamy eyes await the rising sun through the fogged window With sunrise gone to sleep the morning moon Setting sun leaves behind sparkles on the waves A dot on the suns head: venus The sun rolls on the waving Ganges whitens love-hope Awaits the sunrise in the chilly Ganges a nude worshipper Closing its eyes in the setting sun the Ganges in autumn

Safe from sun under nascent leaf a small fish In the changing hues of rainbow in the east: sun and lightning Puppies groping for the tits of our doggy relaxing in sun Basking in the sun files nails in garden chair my wifes friend

SPIDER In their webs spiders racing to spin on meatless prey Too big for its web between two roses a yellow spider Suspended on the spider s web a white flower A tiny spider on the marigold sucking its golden hue Narrowly escape the midair web of spider perched on hibiscus MOSQUITOES Without humming mosquitoes alight and bite -all night awake Leaving the signs

of mosquito menace on white wall Lies with her in freezing cold -mosquitoes trill Can t flap a fly or swat a mosquito -hands so inept A mosquito drifting her attention from haiku in bath The long night passes sleeplessly I deep-breathe -mosquitoes in bed Waiting for the train alone on the platform swatting mosquitoes

SHADOW OF AGE Enveloping all of the moon at night white chrysanthemums The half moon on her neck reminds of love before departure The sun not yet set but the full moon rises as if in a hurry A star shines bright beside the crescent moon she fakes a smile Shadow of age on the wall second full moon Whiteness of the moon and rocks howl with the wind December in the veins After the party empty chairs in the lawn new moon and I

The sky couldn t retain all of the moon now entering my house through the window Setting moon leaves behind sparkle on the waves Noisy birds don t let me sleep: midnight moon.

HIBISCUS Red oleander and hibiscus calling morning to Kali The lone hibiscus waits for the sun to bloom: morning s first offering Without washing hands he touches the hibiscus for worship: her frowning glance Love tickles with erect pistil: hibiscus Narrowly escape the midair web of spider perched on hibiscus A tiny spider on the hibiscus sucking its golden hue Suspended on the spider s web -a hibiscus After little rain lilies smile with hibiscus -the sun in May

Hibiscus over the mossy roof deeply rooted Oleander and hibiscus blaze with passion -making love in sun ALONE Waiting for the train alone on the platform swatting mosquitoes After the party empty chairs in the lawn -new moon and I All guests gone: after the late party night and I Nothing changes the night s ugliness in the lone bed Alone in a shrunken bed aged love In the well studying her image a woman Knitting silence my wife on the bench after lunch A moth struggling for life on wire Between virgin curves he deep-breathes evening mist rests in the hollow Shell-shocked or frozen he stands in tears on hilltop

craving nirvana The lone mushroom -a pregnant woman stares out of the window Facing the sun the lone flower dying to bloom A dead leaf hangs by a spider s thread invisible in sun Under a tree in meditation sunken a lone stone Alone on the National Highway Hanuman

AT WAR Night bombing leaves the garden white as death Vultures waiting for the leftovers of the sacrifice Whiteness of the moon and rocks howl with the wind-fear in the veins In the ruins searching her photo: evening Standing behind the window bars observes darkness in shapes Awaits his son s phone call from the border: dogs and cats wail

A dead voice calling up at dawn: drowsy eyes

Alone on her bed rings the cell phone Unmoved by the wind he sits on a rock wearing peace of the lake

FOG/MIST Swollen fogs ready to make way for the sun Morning fog: her face invisible even the sun Two dreamy eyes await the rising sun through the fogged window Standing behind the window bars observes shapes in fog The evening fog -invisible her hand on my shoulder A film of mist between my eyes and her image Mist surrounds the steel statue watches few visitors WINTER Winter chill -her face grows more wrinkles

The lone hibiscus waits for the sun to bloom: morning s first offering Looking for a prey a snake slides through the fence: warmth of the sun The morning fog rests on a swathe of pond moss: the lone fish looks for sun Icy bed: moving the pillow closer to hers Chilly wind slaps the window panes closed to keep cross-legged couple warm Receding winter leaves behind allergies Winter s over: spring knocking with mango blossoms SUNRISE Sun rising late slow arrival of winter feverish warmth Awaits the sunrise in the chilly Ganges a nude worshipper Sunrise behind the temple: cloud s edge Flowers turn to the rising sun: greeting A dense fog

hides the sunrise-waning winter Her day begins before dawn with the lantern worshipping lingam Aged with seasons now seeks sojourn in the west-no more sunrise Welcoming sunrise dew drops on dry leaves-an epitaph --Ram Krishna Singh