Gender dysphoria A Tanka poem by Kayla

not recognizing

in the mirror

this face of a man

she tries to wipe away

his image

          2

desperately rubbing

at the surface of the mirror

she searches

for the  face

of the women inside

Tanka explained

A tanka poem is a short Japanese poem having only 5 lines.
the following poems ( each having only five lines) are all separate poems.

Tanka poems by Kayla

Spring

a lonely crocus

deep in the woods

I walk this winding path

hoping to see you

above the field

a hawk circles

in her silence

suddenly I am aware

of being alone

early morning

a white skunk

climbing up the creek bank

I follow her

into the farm field

noisy crows

filling up the trees

in the cemetery

the grave stones are quiet

the  balloons are white 

one  grain of sand 

on a vast beach

only a speck

in the universe

this world of ours

white cat

out of the darkness

into the darkness

the moon rises

above the trees

farm field

a cat watches

across our difference

I make my way

toward her

spring robin

nesting in the evergreens

coming home

I also look forward

to have a family

spring

sparrow on sparrow

in the side yard

memories of our honeymoon

and all the love

quiet house

above our roof

the sound of geese

fades into the distance

a part of me follows

mausoleum

through the peep hole

I look into the past

and at the same moment

into the future

night walk

met an old women

sitting on a bench

we talked about health

and about Russia

years fade away

to become the present

and moments ahead the future

becomes the present

then again the past

Tanka poems by Kayla

Like the invisible girl

no one can see except

by the shadow of moonlight

on this walkway

i can see Kayla



i walk the path everyday

through the grassy field

always hoping to see you

and at night

hoping to see a shooting star



the crippled little girl

moves across the floor

our eyes meet

i want to hug her

i want to heal her



pens,paper,

pencils and paint

with inspiration

my expression

my art



she's 3000 years old

and i am fascinated

seeing her eyelashes

how beautiful

how delicate

Tanka poem by Kayla

fashion show

seeing all of these beautiful girls

i imagine i am beautiful

behind closed doors

and in my dreams

haiku poems by Kayla

lonely white cat

in and out

of the darkness



lush green grasses

seeing a box turtle stuck

under an iron gate



creek alive with minnows

a large dead carp floats

near the bank



fishing

dragonflies landing

on reed and rod



my coffee cup

watching a bug swim

across the clouds



hawk overhead

sparrow feathers blow across

the river rocks



dark woodland

mayflies swarm

in bright rays of sunshine



dark woods

the bright flash of fireflies

everywhere



motorcycle girls

seeing girls in skirts and heels

walking down the street



loud argument

hearing the quiet voice

of a chickadee



waiting for you

a full moon rises

above the poplars



sidewalk

a worm's smooth body

wiggles through rough stones



summer afternoon

hearing cicadas

starting and stopping



viewing the stars

bright car lights sweep

across the lawn



summer night

hearing distant traffic noise

and frogs croaking



so silent

party balloons drifting

overhead



through the telescope

the beautiful double star

beta cygni



lonely park bench

a girl watches

the boys hangout



giant oak

beneath huge branches

a tiny acorn



enjoying the quiet

a clap of thunder

shakes the house



break in

a squirrel chewing

a hole in the trash can



radio antenna

ants climb the long wire

some going up some down



not welcomed

the large black hornet

on our white curtains



unexpected

a heavy blanket of rain

floods the street



flower box

a squirrel

taking a dirt bath



big timber creek

the incoming tide

consumes the land



taking a bath

sparrows

in the sand box



behind the reeds

a small pond

of croaking frogs



campfire

snapping and cracking

my thoughts



the campfire out

ashes blow in the wind

my lost sister



pulling and begging

at the end of a leash

the dog's owner



campfire

faces dance around

our circle



low tide

a minnow swims a puddle

left in mud



daily greeting

pulling and jerking a chain

the neighbor's dog

Tanka poems by Kayla

in the front yard

the bikes rest

against the pine tree

all winter the doll

in the pine hay



corner of the yard

the rusted tricycle

overgrown with weeds

only squirrels

play there now



the cabin empty

everything quiet

everything still

the lonely swan drifts on the lake

until the children return



now cold

on the dresser table

my mother's ring

worn thin

from years of giving