# still silence. poems. volume I

cyril ioutsen

A collection of short poems in the style of modern haiku and senryu. Volume I comprises impressions upon nature and cityscapes.

> Dark again.

> Over trees —

> a nightfall.


> Beneath —

> the starry skies.


> Looking at

> the silence

> of things

> we cannot hear.


> Listening to

> the silence

> of things

> we cannot see.

Photograph anna lenina


© cyril ioutsen, 2021

© anna lenina, photos, 2021


ISBN 978-5-0053-2048-3 (т. 1)

ISBN 978-5-0053-2049-0

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

## Poems


### “abandoned railway…”

abandoned railway
still going
somewhere

### “abating storm…”

abating storm
leftover rain
abandoned
on the grass

### “         above…”

above
the summit
the sun
keeps
rising

### “above the sea…”

above the sea
the seagulls
carry the rain

### “         absorbed…”

absorbed
in a daydream
a young frog
alone by
the leaf

### “across the fog…”

across the fog
silence drifts
to the forest

### “adjusting…”

adjusting
a pebble
on a beach
looks out
of place

### “after dark…”

after dark
returning
with a catch
of moonlight

### “after dusk…”

after dusk
darkness
goes too


### “after the rain…”

after the rain
too much sky
on the streets

### “after rainfall…”

after rainfall
flooded
by sunlight

### “after the snowfall…”

after the snowfall
left on the ground
the clouds

### “all of the sky…”

all of the sky
in a tiny pond
still summer

### “alone…”

alone
among
others
forest
trees

### “already gone…”

already gone
before I saw it
a perfect view

### “         always…”

always
summer
far away
somewhere

### “ancient ruins…”

ancient ruins
outlasting them
modern garbage

### “another spring…”

another spring
or perhaps
the last one
again


### “as if never…”

as if never
before and
yet again
autumn

### “at cliff edge…”

at cliff edge
a butterfly
and me
it goes
farther

### “         at dusk…”

at dusk
colors fading
one by one…
wary to be seen?

### “at the edge…”

at the edge
of the leaf
the snail
is lost

### “at the window…”

at the window
on the dry side
of the rainstorm

### “autumn…”

autumn
afterglow
of spring

### “autumn…”

autumn
at last
so soon

### “autumn…”

autumn
forest
bright
shades
of decay

### “autumn…”

autumn
the last
leaf falls
and then
another


### “autumn…”

autumn
seeing it
for what
it is

### “autumn forest…”

autumn forest
and beyond
all there is

### “autumn rain…”

autumn rain
sound of drops
still in the air

### “an autumn leaf…”

an autumn leaf
in my mailbox
some message

### “         awaiting…”

awaiting
the dusk
the snow
lingers
still winter

### “awash with…”

awash with
the sound
of waves
waterfront

### “         Bach…”

Bach
by the pond
frogs wait
for the cue

### “back and forth…”

back and forth
on a forest floor
restless shadows

### “balance…”

balance
nightfall
moonrise


### “bare branches…”

bare branches
few leaves
free to share
dark skies
with stars

### “Beethoven…”

Beethoven
in the storm
thunderclap
steps in
for timpani

### “between stars…”

between stars
and beyond
looks the same

### “         beyond…”

beyond
the silence
beyond
still silence

### “a bird…”

a bird
a tree
sharing
solitude

### “birds in the sky…”

birds in the sky
never lost
in thought

### “birdsong…”

birdsong
leaving
no echo

### “bitter cold…”

bitter cold
a sentinel
for a pine
an old raven

### “         bizarre…”

bizarre
when up close
fire in
the fog


### “         bonfire…”

bonfire
in its midst
a shape of
something

### “both black…”

both black
and white
the snow
in the dark

### “a breeze…”

a breeze
a breath
a breadth
dreaming
of a beach

### “briefly…”

briefly
before sunrise
silence

### “bright sun…”

bright sun
city shadows
almost dark

### “brightest of all…”

brightest of all
on a forest floor
a beer can

### “budding flower…”

budding flower
without a thought
sweet fragrance

### “burning leaves…”

burning leaves
smell of autumn
on my clothes

### “bus stop…”

bus stop
rainstorm
arrives first


### “a butterfly…”

a butterfly
a blossom
almost one

### “by the fire…”

by the fire
under the stars
fiery sunrise

### “a canvas of time…”

a canvas of time
brush strokes
sunrise bit by bit

### “change of season…”

change of season
never the same
and yet again

### “children’s…”

children’s
voices
playing on
the grass
tree shadows

### “city fog…”

city fog
no more
skyscrapers

### “city into sky…”

city into sky
starry night
without end

### “city park…”

city park
a lamp post
among trees

### “         city park…”

city park
my ringtone
a bird
answers


### “city stars…”

city stars
below more
than above

### “clear water…”

clear water
all the junk
I can see

### “         cliff edge…”

cliff edge
beyond the sea
falling stars

### “cold autumn…”

cold autumn
the leaves
trembling
in the wind

### “the color of fire…”

the color of fire
in the dark
of night
embers in the storm
fireflies

### “colors into…”

colors into
shapes into
shadows is
darkness

### “cooling…”

cooling
in the heat
birdsong

### “         coolness…”

coolness
in the air
nothing else
across the dark
meadow

### “countless…”

countless
stars and
one lamp
dimming
them all


### “country road…”

country road
a dog growls
when I stare

### “crescent moon…”

crescent moon
wondering about
the rest of it

### “crickets…”

crickets
fall silent
the night
remains

### “crossroads…”

crossroads
everywhere
evening
one way
sunset

### “a crow…”

a crow
in the sky
trapped
in a poem

### “crusted snow…”

crusted snow
the crow
the tree
one shadow

### “dancing…”

dancing
to a tune
I cannot
hear still
the snow

### “dark again…”

dark again
over trees
a nightfall

### “dark night…”

dark night
deep inside
emptiness


### “         dark skyline…”

dark skyline
dark clouds
sunset in-between

### “darkness…”

darkness
between
the stars
night sky

### “dawn…”

dawn
mist
takes
shape

### “         dawn…”

dawn
one bird
is all

### “dawn…”

dawn
stars
into
mist

### “dawn and dusk…”

dawn and dusk
late spring
early fall
nearly the same
yet not quite

### “daybreak…”

daybreak
amidst
the echoes
stillness

### “daylight and dew…”

daylight and dew
luminous within
the spider’s web

### “deep breath…”

deep breath
trying to inhale
the forest


### “deep down…”

deep down
for the day
dawn stars

### “deep winter…”

deep winter
frozen still
the sounds

### “descending…”

descending
shade by shade
winter sunset

### “         a desert…”

a desert
above my head
starry skies

### “different…”

different
yet not
so much
twilight
and rain

### “disentangling…”

disentangling
from the night
the raven

### “distance…”

distance
specters
dim in
the rain

### “distant…”

distant
smoke
its scent
much
closer

### “distant…”

distant
voices
the night
quieter


### “         downcast…”

downcast
from heavens
a broken kite

### “dragonfly…”

dragonfly
at its back
the field

### “dreaming of snow…”

dreaming of snow
arrested in flight
a lone raven

### “drowned…”

drowned
in rain
a brook
is now
a river

### “dusk…”

dusk
down
the road
dances
the leaf

### “         each moon…”

each moon
same wind
from somewhere

### “each morning…”

each morning
the same city
the new sky

### “eclipsed…”

eclipsed
the sun
sunflower

### “embraced…”

embraced
by the wind
old willow


### “embracing…”

embracing
the wood
it burns
the fire

### “empty…”

empty
street
not even
empty
enough

### “empty forest…”

empty forest
full of light
wind echoes
as if distant
waterfall

### “empty sky…”

empty sky
more empty
with stars

### “the end of it…”

the end of it
like all things
autumn

### “endless meadow…”

endless meadow
skylark’s song
everywhere

### “enhancing…”

enhancing
the bloom
sun beams
rain drops
butterflies

### “         entangled…”

entangled
in the branches
crescent moon

### “exploring…”

exploring
the leaves
the wind


### “fading light…”

fading light
everything
fades too

### “fallen leaves…”

fallen leaves
heavy with
summer
long gone

### “fallen leaves…”

fallen leaves
the tree and I
are at peace

### “far away…”

far away
headlights
close by
the stars

### “         far from…”

far from
its tree
scarlet leaf

### “         fireflies…”

fireflies
snowflakes
how come
they never
meet?

### “         the first…”

the first
on his last
journey
autumn leaf

### “         flatlands…”

flatlands
looking sharp
grass spears

### “flourishing…”

flourishing
with frost
winter
window