TWO POEMS: WAITING and A MORNING SONG (Yoked Haikus)

Above the treeline/ it flies, little beak a caret marking where/ some buoyancy or joy’s gone missing.*

WAITING

How long would you have gone,
or how far would you have flown
to salve your pain, to ease a burden?

Would those you leave behind know
that one day your flight could finally
be the last one, and must be kinder?

You have all the agility and the grace
of one who has known too many hurts
to plan on a escape and not return.

Fly if you must, to some distant shelter,
but it is your heart’s constancy turns
you back to one who will always wait

by an open window, leaning out to see
if  by sundown you will be back, perch
on the branch at the edge of the woods,

and warble your coming home song
forgiving what needs to be forgotten
and finally fly into these fevered arms.

—Albert B. Casuga
06-05-11

* Poem Prompt: "Proof" by Luisa A. Igloria, Via Negativa, 06-04-11 http://www.vianegativa.us/2011/06/

A MORNING SONG
(Haikus)

Pall falls around trees
in the gathering storm and
a robin hops down.

Out of the forest,
it darts off with a green leaf,
as dark skies clear up.

Twittering robins
sing incessantly on trees,
bringing in sunshine.

Red breasts bask brightly
as the sun-drenched maple trees
sway with the warblers.

On my porch, I sip
my morning tea, gently chirp
with the singing birds.

—Albert B. Casuga
06-04-11

Poetic Prompt: The robin hops down the road at his usual speed despite the cold. Five minutes later he flies out of the woods with a bright green morsel.---Dave Bonta, Morning Porch, 06-04-11 http://www.morningporch.com/2011/06/