Thursday, 11 September 2025

Five Sijo Poems by David Jibson

 






Champagne

 
On the night I was born, 
     my father bought two bottles of champagne. 
He drank one and saved one 
     to drink with me when I turned twenty-one. 
He didn’t know that champagne 
     wouldn’t keep that long — nor would he.  

 

 

 

On A Long Drive

 
 

  1. On a long drive I sometimes imagine     

  2. you sitting next to me. 
    I look at you in the passenger seat 

  1.       and you are young again.

  2. Your eyes turn to me and you say, 
       "How long until we’re home?”

  3.  

  1.  

 

The Way of the River 

 

As a young girl my mother learned 
     the way of the river; 

what might cause a ripple, how
  1.      currents and eddies are alive.     

“Don’t fight the current,” she’d say.
  1.      “Let it take you where you want to go.”

  2.  

 

 
Midnight Snow

 

 

  1. It’s been falling since morning,   

  2. weighing down the branches of the trees.  
    I carry in an armload 
        of seasoned oak for the wood stove. 
    The fire flickers and our shadow puppets 
        dance on the ceiling.


  3.  

 

Wire Hangers

  1.  

  1. Two entwine like lovers, a Chinese puzzle,    

  2. or ring of keys. 

  1. When disturbed, empty ones    

  2. clatter with the tone of muted bells. 

  1. My favorite wears a blue dress,     

  2. empire waist, ruffle at the hem.








David Jibson - lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he is the editor of Third Wednesday, an independent quarterly journal of literary and visual arts, a member of the Poetry Society of Michigan and a coordinator of The Crazy Wisdom Poetry Circle. He is retired from a long career in Social Work, most recently with a Hospice agency. His poetry has been published in dozens of journals both in print and online.






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Five Sijo Poems by David Jibson

  Champagne   On the night I was born,        my father bought two bottles of champagne.   He drank one and saved one        to drink with m...