dragon fruit and dragons’ eyes

the myths of China

on a plate

restaurant: The west some tea

perhaps Google translate

didn’t

Published (2019) weird laburnum 1 December

in the fields

the dead ones

still watching the crops

notan landscape

in each tree

a crow’s nest

enlightenment

among the pictographs

as Buddha becomes clear

person

no

Published (2019) weird laburnum 1 December

staring at noodles

wondering

where to begin

childish Twitter war

but...

he started it

pulled one way

then the other

the ying and yang

of ice cold beer

and jasmine tea

Published (2020) The Bamboo Hut Number 1

shelling pistachio nuts

surrounded

by empty promises

this Chinese lake

the perfect place

for poetry

I like bananas

bananas are the perfect fruit

they come in their own box

they never run away from you

they never steal your socks

bananas are a tasty food

they taste like...

...well...

...bananas

and science proves beyond all doubt

they’re better than sultanas

bananas are nutritious

they fill you full of glee

and if you find one long enough

there’s some for you and me

but do take care

and please beware

bananas seem quite friendly

but if you are not nice to them

they make your tummy bendy

so if you see one in a bowl

that comes from further south

pick it up

take off its skin

and stuff it in your mouth

my thoughts

like parallel lines

converging

making a point

with chopstick philosophy

Published (2020) The Bamboo Hut Number 1

in the spirit

of Goldstein

in my Hut of the Small Mind

I seek

my tanka road

Published (2020) The Bamboo Hut Number 1

sucking
entrails
of noodles
realising
life is short

in the underpass
the dan dan man
resting his pole

Chinese hotel
in the washbasin
a long black hair

Found haiku:

Five low-flying cormorants
skim
over darkening waves
****

Something pipes*
in the trees,
a regular note

Audrey Dunne (2014) 'Hessle Foreshore at Sunset' in Humberlands: fifteen poems about the Humber & its landscape Wordspin Publications, Hull

Published (2020) Poetry Pea Series 3 Episode 20 Found Poetry

Published (2021) The Poetry Pea Journal of haiku and senryu Winter page 6

inwardly watching
the bird hop, branch to branch

Audrey Dunne (2016) Londesborough Wordspin Publications, Hull

* accepted (2020) Poetry Pea 

high rise clothesline

high rise clothesline

a red thong

swaying

(edited by Su Wai Hlaing)

Published (2020) Kingfisher Journal Issue 1 June page 14

Chinese night

The kitchen clatter. The cackle of Asian voices. What Marco Polo discovered (or did he introduce them?) is being shared. The waiter knows me from previous visits. “Good morning” he says; it is evening. I point to my items on the menu, recognising the pictures. Ramen and fried rice (is it ever ‘ordinary’). The food arrives and I remind myself not to rush. I am alone this evening with nothing to do:

with every mouthful

a long story

this noodle bar

on the wet decking

snails come out

crunch time

once again

packing for a journey

suitcase origami

Chinese nature park

gobbets of sputum 

marking the way

next to me

an old Chinese man

slurping his noodles 

a kingfisher

only

the splash

Published (2021) The Poetry Pea Journal of haiku and senryu Winter page 54

rush hour over

the beggar’s bowl 

falls silent

looking anywhere

except

at the beggar

return to sender
dementia delivers
another blow
****

not known at this address
dementia delivers
another blow

my renmimbi
all the Chairman Maos
facing the same way

honking back
at the geese
in V-formation

tomato soup
and a white shirt
what could go wrong?

Wuhan underpass
the smell
of roasting yams

Published (2020) The Poetry Pea Journal of haiku and senryu Spring page 53

smelling
fresh footprints
in the long grass

early morning traffic
my sleep
goes with it
****

early morning traffic
drifting
into my sleep

ducks in a row
dripping oil
Chinese market

mother duck
her ducklings in a row
squashed flat

the rat-a-tat-tat
of acorns
on car roofs

upstaged
by a cast
of falcons

a congress of eagles
delegates
come and go