morning kiss
with a little squeeze
fresh juice
wildfire haze
the glowing sky darkens
our garden
bruised and overripe
sweet enough
for oriole song
sunburnt marigolds
the deadheads dripping
autumn rain
cloves poked into
the dimpled skin
mulled wine
caution triangle
behind an Amish buggy
snowy fields
up to her elbow
in a Christmas stocking
a touch of orange
Randy Brooks is Professor of English Emeritus at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, where he teaches courses on haiku and Japanese poetics. He and his wife, Shirley Brooks, are publishers of Brooks Books and co-editors of Mayfly haiku magazine. His most recent books include Walking the Fence: Selected Tanka and The Art of Reading and Writing Haiku: A Reader Response Approach.