The softest grass

· by · in dVerse, haibun, haiku, poetry. ·

“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”
― Mary Oliver

There are partings and there are losses. Partings are pine needles on the forest path I tread with bare feet. A gentle sting reminding me that my path will lead me to a clearing where the grass is soft. I lie down and watch the trees above, Majestic giants spreading their strong arms against cerulean skies.

I remember on such an occasion, how, hidden in verdant softness, there was a sharp rock hiding, and when i laid down, its sharpness penetrated my skin. This was like losing a dear friend, it was a loss of trust. And now whenever I seek my shelter in the warm summer I look carefully before I lay myself to rest.

But many years later when I came to a clearing. I had almost forgotten the sharpness of the stone. Above me the sun was warm, and the songs of birds lulled me into dreams, but just as I was about to seek the softness of the warm grass I remembered, the piercing pain of past. And there I saw an adder ready to strike and not a pillow.

pine-trees above
still caress cerulean skies —
robin lullaby

Resting in the forest

Resting in the forest

Today it’s haibun Monday at dVerse, and Grace gives us a couple of quotes to spark our inspiration, also the haiku has to be about nature. For more quotes and inspiration come and join us at 3 PM EST. The complete narrative is built on many different experiences.
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February 15, 2016

33 responses to “The softest grass”

  1. Comment to The Softest Grass: I love the flow of the poem. However, I was not prepared for a “guardedness vs. trust” last line (moral). Do love you work.

  2. The ending was a sharp contrast to the softness of verdant grass & cerulean sky ~ How we are lulled by the warmth of the sun like a robin’s lullaby, and forgetting the lessons of the past ~ I think that as we grow older, we are less likely to be open & trusting as before ~ Thanks for the lovely haibun Bjorn ~

  5. It seems this world is filled with contrasts that serve to awaken us to our surroundings and ourselves. I loved how you portrayed an experience in nature (as opposed to a person) as the “giver” of the “box of darkness.”

  6. The softest grass, the sharpest stone. The contrasts flow so naturally, like sun through leaves that are being rippled by breezes. Is the pine forest photo one of yours? I have a similar one. Something about looking up at a perfect sky through the highest reaches of trees. Almost forgetting and then again remembering the lesson learned. Nature and love – they never let you forget.

  9. Sometimes those memories of the past prove to be helpful in avoiding the same (or different) issues a second time. Sometimes it seems there are piercing rocks to make us remember that there could be danger around. And, as others have said, this is a beautiful, beautiful photo!

  10. This is so true. Just the way life goes; never a moment to relax into safety — assuming that you don’t like adders, that is. Isn’t it funny that we all hate snakes so much, but really, they’re just trying to protect themselves? Did you perhaps do anything to the snake to send it into defense mode?

    I love the opening two sentences. And the image at the end — of your “grass” pillow morphing into a snake. Maybe you’re doing something hallucinogenic, not just smoking dope. 😛

  14. This is just so amazing and wonderful. We all must have gone through such phase, and sometimes the pain which we want to forget becomes a part of our lives that we seek out that pain continuously.

  15. You finish on a bit of a cliffhanger there…
    I love the sentiment of lying back and contemplating the sky – but also the realities of the day to day and its dangers overwhelming us, never allowing us time to contemplate in peace.

  16. There’s dizzying fascination with watching the sky through trees, makes you feel disconnected and free, which seems quite the opposite from the ties of our daily routines.

  20. Experience is a good memory keeper, a good guardian of self… isn’t she?

    Love the description, and the way some of your lines sound–“there was a sharp rock hiding”–truly yummy.

  22. Beautiful photo – I love lying on my back and looking up — you’ve described it so well. I especially like this line: “Partings are pine needles on the forest path I tread with bare feet.” That explains it so well – the softness but the prickling hurt.
    I really like this one, Bjorn.

  23. I like the contrast between the gentle sting of parting and the sharp rock of loss–a realistic, and relatable, observation told with great sensitivity and accentuated by a lovely haiku.

  24. A powerful contrast – the softness of the grass and the sharpness of the rock. And then the adder which the earlier experience warned against. It’s like a fable or parable.

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