Peter Newton

Contemplation

older
than I think
first firefly

The topography of the human brain is hills and valleys. Not the Big Sky sprawling landscape of the northern plains. More like a snow globe’s heft of compact scenery. A woodland place with old growth hemlocks whose offspring embrace the mossy banks of a stream. The stream that waterfalls its way into a series of graduated pools. Closer still, branching off on its own, a tiny tributary continues its steady drip of thoughts, half-thoughts, glimpses of things.

all day rain
the window seat
where I grew up

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About the Author

Peter Newton is the author of several books in the Japanese short form traditions of haiku, haibun, and tan renga. His newest book of haiku is The Space We Open To (Red Moon Press, 2020).