1
Walking the labyrinth in June
Birds sing one onward
Ants see no obstacle in bare feet
2
Two roads to freedom
The beggar and the scholar
One takes the other gives away
3
By the waterfall’s chorus
Orange Kimono butterflies mate
Droopy redwood sapling
4
Fluttering in dappled sunlight
Tender green shoots
We conspire where it is cool
5
The swaying timbers
Wooden temple chimes announce
A loftier breeze
6
Burning sage on Ben Lomond
Each whiff startles the senses
Useless to appease the mountain
7
I found the monkey’s mask
Behind the moss covered gate
The mouth silent and free
A lifelong haiku practitioner, George Schaefer serves Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in support of pastoral care and aging concerns. He is a member of Abington Friends Meeting, PA. His son Colin lives in Santa Clara, CA.