HAIBUN (In Response to One Deep Breath's Nov. 6, 2006 Prompt)
[Eight of Wands in the Tarot of the Trance deck]
CHANGES
It’s now 22 years I have lived in this apartment. The hedges in the front yard have been a constant presence. Sometimes a chore to trim, or walk around when heavy with rain. At other times a joy to see bowing slightly under a sparkling new snow fall, or lush with gold green buds. But always there, always defining the entrance to my home. This year our landlord decided to make home improvements. The hedges' days as a tall fence between his yard and next door’s were numbered. They were cut down within inches of the ground.
the neighbor's smile
where hedges used to be
summer sunlight
where hedges used to be
summer sunlight
* * * *
Very briefly put, a haibun is a poetic prose paragraph with a capping haiku, or a series of related poetic prose paragraphs each capped by a haiku. Click here to see the prompt and other responses to it on One Deep Breath.
‘til next time, keep dreaming,
Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)****My other blog: ROSWILA’S TAROT GALLERY & JOURNAL.
posted by Roswila @ 8:10 AM
12 Comments:
As a tree lover I think its sad to see the hedge trimmed so far back but your lovely haiku entirely summed up the positive side of things!
Such a lovely piece! Reminds me of Devon, England, where one can drive for miles and miles on narrow roads between hedges - planted to give farmers' privacy. But now it feels claustrophobic to drivers, who rarely get to glimpse anything but the hedges (much less sunlight).
Glad you like it, Paris Parfait, and that it raised such a striking memory for you. I just got back from shopping and noticed how much, in spite of it being fall, the cut back hedges have been filling out green again. Low down but definitely green. :-)
Yes, crafty green poet, I too was very sad to see them cut so far back. (I adore trees; I am only half joking when I say I must have been a Druid in a former life.)We'd not expected that much of a "slaughter." However, as I say in a comment above, they are already filling out green again. And we get to not only see our neighbors' smiles, but their beautiful little garden.
Great haibun, but oh, I'm so sorry for the loss!!
Sad about the hedge, but sun and smiles make up for it!
Yes, that's for sure, Sandy. And they are going to be taller in no time, if how green they are already is any indication. :-)
Hi jzr,
Thanks for the sympathy. Fortunately, with this loss there was an immediate gain (my neighbor's smiles and a clear view of their lovely garden). And now the slower gain of watching the hedges grow again.
I like this. It tells a good story well.
Thanks, Pearl. A never ending story, it seems. During these last few days here of almost summer weather, those hedges have really been putting out growing edges. :-)
That's a lovely description, and I'm glad the hedges are growing again. We once lived in a place with a pohutukawa tree (New Zealand Christmas tree) which had been cut down to a stump, and it grew back thick and tall by the time we left there.
I'm so glad you mentioned the pohutukawa tree (New Zealand Christmas tree) as I'd not heard of it. So I googled and it's fabulous! Here's a link to only one of several pages I came across with gorgeous photos.
http://tinyurl.com/ycnlj4
One photo (not on the page above) was called a tunnel of pohutukawa trees because the trees heavily lined both sides of the road. Wow. I also read that this tree loves beaches. :-) So do I.
Thanks again, Catherine.
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