Tanka Collections

Kathryn Coffey

The guitar

I finally hear its call

after years

drowned out

by grief

 

God spelled backwards

is Dog

I want one

but I have

neither time nor money

 

Graceless heart

That taken man said

I matter?!

well, if I count,

shouldn’t I be yours?

 

“Ventura Highway”

 

Ventura Highway

Mom always said

I was born here

           After driving along

                          she’s not wrong

 

Ventura Highway

where my Nana said

I’ll always be a part of her

before driving away

into the sunset

 

Ventura Highway

There aren’t enough

songs in the world

that capture

its hollow core

 

Ventura Highway

where dead trees

and roadkill coyotes

are forever

your only friends  

 

“A Free Bird”

 

Every second

every day

a free bird

held by the cage

that is my house

 

Once or twice

in the great wide open

a free bird

longing to fly

among the poppies

 

Yet today

the door opens

a free bird

finally sings

stronger than ever