Outside Stockholm it is close to eight o’clock in the evening. The sun shines through the living room windows and I hear the loud singing from a party of students graduating. Solstice is a time of endings and beginnings; it is a transition to full summer that begins with midsummer this weekend with new potatoes, herring and fresh strawberries.
In a few weeks we will leave for the north to where the sun never sets, and winter has just ended and we will meet spring again.
just past midnight —
as dusk settles into dawn
the blackbird still sings
Today Frank hosts dVerse Haibun monday and the prompt is solstice. This is of course Midsummer here in Sweden and this is when the magic happens for us up here in the far north.
June 17, 2024
Björn Rudbergs writings 
What a lively picture of a Swedish summer evening, Björn. I love new potatoes, pickled herring and fresh strawberries! Your haiku is perfect, with the blackbird still singing. I’m still waiting to hear a nightingale.
Me too, we need to go for an evening walk during the weekend (I know where we may here the nightingale)
I like your idea of following the sun even further north to where it doesn’t set. The blackbirds don’t need much of an excuse to sing around the clock. I hope you hear some nightingales. Ours have all gone quiet now.
Midnight sun is amazing but also quite weird. Normally i don’t go that for north until later so this will be a little bit of a new experience.
I think I would find it a bit disturbing.
sounds sumptuous, Bjorn! Love how your Haibun so skillfully evokes the wonder of the Solstice for you!
Solstice is very special in Sweden
Lovely haibun with such summery spirit infusing it.
Thank you… it is a lovely time of the year.
You’re welcome.
Deceptive simplicity is the key to haibun, I feel, and it is there, in the bare style, blackbird and 2nd spring.
I agree, it should be simple straight prose… ideally without any specific narrative, just an observation.
Sounds like a wonderful time in Sweden. I’ve always wondered what midsummer is like. Going north and meeting spring sounds beautiful too. I enjoyed the haiku too.
Midsummer is really very basic and simple, but you can add as much as you want… (especially if you are young)
A haibun full of magic, the images conjured by the words you chose. Huge sighs from me.
If you have a chance to go north for the daylight it is magic really.
Enjoyed reading your haibun
much🤍love
Thank you so much
I loved this glimpse into life in the far north. I’ve never seen the midnight sun – it must be magical to experience it.
We do not have midnight sun where I live, but at summer equinox it really never go truly dark…
It sounds magical.
Your haiku says so much. I like it a lot.
A simple observation from a land where it never gets really dark.
Sounds like a fun adventure. How many hours of darkness do you get in the summer?
Where I live the sun sets but it doesn’t get really dark… more dusk and dawn coming together.
Interesting!
“a time of endings and beginnings.” – And, the cycle continues, renewal, rebirth, and new potential.
These transition points are so important… in all cultures but even more in the north were seasons are noteable .
Sounds lovely, to go where the sun never sets., that is magic. Lovely haibun. 🙂
I look forward to the coming weeks.
Love the haiku, Bjorn and hope you get to hear a nightingale!
I need to go for a walk in the evening.
Beautifully written haibun, Björn! I remember being in awe at how late the summer sun sets in Northern Europe (Belgium), but the idea of the sun never setting is just sublime. The blackbird—so reminiscent of Wallace Stevens—of your haiku also lends such a wonderfully musical quality to it all.
The eurasian blackbird song is so very beautiful… and it seems to sing forever.
I love the thought of meeting spring again. How wonderful to do so and extend that beautiful season.
Spring can also mean snow… the arctics is a strange place.
Beautiful image of Sweden in summer! Stunning haiku. And now I have a desire for new potatoes, herring and strawberries. 🍓
Lovely, Björn
Eating outside is part of it which may mean mosquitoes 🙂
Funny you should mention mosquitos. I’m in the middle of writing something about those pesky buggers right now! 🦟
Sounds fantastic. Do you mind “where the sun never sets” I would have a hard time with that, I think. I’d like to experience though at least once.
Fascinating pilgrimage Björn, following the sunrise, fleeing the sunset. Enjoyed reading this my friend. I love new potatoes and strasberries! 😒😋…herring 🤔 — my father absolutely loved it! 🙂✌🏼🫶🏼
Sounds beautiful! I like the blackbird still singing.