Issa's Dream

by Michael Dylan Welch, Billie Dee, and Josh Wikoff

Issa’s dream
the village flooded
with poets (Michael)

morning-glory warriors
in the nun’s courtyard (Billie)

Rorschach test
Bashō’s bucket full
of octopi (Josh)

the snail tells me
what’s on his mind (Michael)

road weary
Santōka trades his raincoat
for sake (Billie)

Shiki’s old mitt the color
of dried persimmon (Josh)

Frogpond 47:1, Winter 2024, p76.