water's edge

a gust of wind ruffles

the seagull's feathers

holding my breath

until the cormorant

resurfaces

upside down snail

righting itself on my palm

over and over

humid afternoon

across the wooden floor

our shadows merge

vacation over

the sound of rushing water

in my dreams

ebb tide

turning to look back

at my footprints

seagull

flapping against the wind

then trusting it

late afternoon

these small beach stones

such long shadows

autumn dunes

this smooth gray stone

so far from its river

around the fire

the widening circle

of silence

Peggy Heinrich's haiku have appeared in almost every haiku journal both nationally and internationally and in many anthologies. Among her awards was Top Prize in last year's Yamadera Basho Memorial Museum English Haiku Contest. She's the author of 'Peeling an Orange,' MET Press, 2009.

Poet Robert Sward edits .Local Poets, Local Inspiration,' which appears in this space the first week of each month.

Send letters to the editor here.