cracked tomatoes
from grandfather’s garden. . .
summers later
the imperfections
grown sweeter in my mind   

 

one hundred degrees
pool all to myself---
I seal my eyes shut
imagine I’m hot hot hot
as a swimsuit model

[and that takes some imagining]

beneath the stream
from the old woman’s hose,
a small smiling girl
limbo-dancing
to summer

janet lynn davis
tanka first appeared in Ribbons (Tanka Cafe), 2006 and 2007, and Simply Haiku, 2005.

 

Comments

[Aurora]

Love this line-up. I remember when the second one was published in Simply Haiku. I knew then that you'd write some winning tanka in the future. :)

[Robert]

Erase the addendum from poem 2. I've seen your photograph, Miss Pretty.

[david giacalone]

Nice combo, Janet.

[kirsty]

These are a delight. Infectious good humor and lightness. Wonderful way to meet the day and took me back to some split tomatoes I was examining yesterday...and the joys of a careless summer.

[shane]

this generates a lot of reminiscent joy.
very much enjoyed

[janet lynn davis]

thank you all for making my day with your comments. i can't believe summer's almost over. it's been a weird summer here.

R - thanks; however, anyone can look decent when they're just 1" x 1" on a PC screen! K - i can still picture just-picked cracked tomatoes sitting on a table in the basement, my grandfather's "man cave." they were pretty ugly but tasted good - good in a way that you just can't seem to come across much anymore.