Carpe Diem Haiku – Calling wisdom

Today Carpe Diem haiku prompt is Calling Wisdom. I found the picture below and that inspired me to a haibun,

Op Under Fjeldet Toner En Lur by Theodor Severin Kittelsen

Op Under Fjeldet Toner En Lur by Theodor Severin Kittelsen



In the loneliness of Scandinavian mountains during long light summer night, the shepherdess communicated and declared the cattle’s welfare using clarions made from the birch bark. Learning to master these old instrument and talking over vast distances was an ancient knowledge carried over generations of women. The women of the mountain could get reassurance that all was well, and also being forewarned of wolfs that might approach. This is now a wisdom forgotten and the cattle is kept away from a wilderness almost emptied of predators.

mountain wisdom
as clarion is calling
neighbor answers

16 responses to “Carpe Diem Haiku – Calling wisdom

  1. Wonderful haibun and that haiku concludes it very nice. In my country (The Netherlands) we have also something like those clarions. In a few parts of my country farmers are using the “Midwinterhoorn” translated to English it’s “Mid-Winter-hornpipe”. And in The Alps they use similar hornpipes. Awesome story, what sad thought that those clarions are out of use.

  2. Björn,
    I too feel that ancient knowledge and skill, often economical and beautiful at the same time, is rapidly being lost. Often, the replacement is expensive and technology driven.

    In writing our legends, I work really hard to share lessons from the past, and hope that my country listens.

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