3
poems by
Elizabeth Switaj
> bio
Mother & Child
a
hundred deep riders
over rice lot
and finger-leaved blooms
charged
with the slap
not
the cries
Okazaki River
hanami lanterns saddened to pink &
sun
on the red bridge
when petaled snow has passed the river pass
but spoiled mallards & carp
don’t bother to change
Otaki
roses dried
twined
in cherry trees with bluescreen lamps
twinned
in the skins
swollen to drive
river current into white caps
under red metal bridge
fireworks lit
fireworks lit
on opposite sands
to jazz flash combo
children
hit
and blowup swords
