six tanka
Paul Conneally
making daisy chains
under an old apple tree
stars above the barn
the sound of a girl's laughter
through a field of ripe barley
2
watching pebbles
move with the stream
distant church bells
the bark of a dog-fox
across the valley
3
nightjars
flashing into the dark
hay on the wind
from fields high above the house
one owl to another
4
a cock's crow
the farmer's son and his girl
walking warm
out of the green stable
two young horses
5
this morning's still heat
children on their way to school
searching for skylarks
in a sky of perfect blue
a couple of small white clouds
6
the half-moon rising
I watch carefree youth
gathered by the pub
swallows preparing to leave
on a long trip south