It’s not abrupt, but more like flowing downstream on a river; changes in the way you look too deep into your mirrored eyes. Like leaves you waited for in spring, now clinging to the the limbs of trees waiting soon to fall these last of days. We all start like brooks and rivulets, born from snow; we merge and giggle, we cascade with youth; we grow, turn midlife sluggish. prosper, water fields and way too soon break apart into swamps and deltas. We wait in rot, our veins turn dark, and when we finally have died and leave this earth we’ve only left some sediment, some minor change, traces from from our youth. But these are changes building beaches. So when I look upon a leaf in fall, and feel the change of air, I wonder how many times I’ll have the privilege to see the wonder, to go through yet another cycle, being born at spring, prosper die and how many poems I’ll read before it’s time to leave.
the toddler’s feet —
dancing in the puddles
smiles with rain
Shore Of Tago Bay, Ejiri At Tokaido by Katsushika Hokusai
Today it’s haibun Monday at dVerse hosted by Toni who inspire us with changes in season which makes perfect sense this week of autumn equinox. Change is in the air. Join us with your own offering.
—
September 19. 2016
Wonderful haibun and delightful haiku. I love the sense of wonder in your haibun, the wondering of how many times you will see the changes.
This is so strong, moving and thought-provoking Bjorn. I never used to wonder at my own impermanence, but now I do…
I love how you used the river as your metaphor Bjorn. The changes are definitely coming but its a blessing to behold each seasonal change. And hopefully you will write and read more poems, smiles. And love the youthful haiku – toddler’s feet dancing in the rain.
I enjoyed this so much. The haiku takes us back to the starting point so beautifully. We are sort of born again each spring, or at least can appreciate the youth of the year.
This is lovely, Bjorn. I like how you used flowing water to mirror our birth, childhood, adult years and then our disintegration. We are like everything else around us as we arise and then fade away. There is a wistfulness I feel too.
Ah, very thoughtful about the changes in our lives and such an effortless flow with the river imagery. Beautiful and wistful.
Love river here as a metaphor! 💖 Inspired 😀
That sequence of life that you describe is gorgeous. Wonderful poem.
You mirror my sentiments so clearly in this, Bjorn, with such expressive imagery. How wonderful, though, to ignore that wait in rot phase and try to life each day the best we can.
It is the in between times where the changes force us into new stream beds that we live.
Life does move like a river, often uncontrollably. What a wonderful metaphor.
“But these changes build beaches”…this line stopped me in my tracks. Everything we say and do leaves a deposit…a sediment or perhaps a “sentiment”.
I love the extended metaphor of the river and the way it links to the puddles in your haiku. Water is so important in our lives. This section is particularly gorgeous, it starts so animated and fresh and slows down so cleverly’::
‘We all start like brooks and rivulets, born from snow; we merge and giggle, we cascade with youth; we grow, turn midlife sluggish. prosper, water fields and way too soon break apart into swamps and deltas.’
“We wait in rot, our veins turn dark” as the skies darken in autumn. Yes, yes we do.
Seasons of life — reminded each fall of our own aging and wondering, how many more cycles shall we witness? Nice blending of the human condition with nature here. But — I must say, I prefer a rejuvenatement type of old age to rot! 🙂 Just sayin’ 🙂
I prefer that too… so I’m still floating along not being stagnant….
One of the very best I’ve seen from you, Bjorn
Some great metaphors here. Love the image that we each leave a bit of sediment, but together, we are building beaches.
luv the hankering of the poet’s soul, in this beautiful image-ful haibun. I consider this my favourite to date
much love…
I can’t praise this enough. It captured my heart and mind. The sentiment of hope comes through to me very strongly. Also, in my recent reading of Tomas Transtormer, I see how the landscape molds and shapes his earlier poems. I see that in you, also. It must be a Swedish thing. Loved this, and the haiku is perfectly matched to the above.
There’s something about this line that makes me both ache, and smile:
“Like leaves you waited for in spring, now clinging to the the limbs of trees waiting soon to fall these last of days.”
This is profoundly beautiful truth, Bjorn. The movement from line to line feels like the passage of life’s seasons, your images paint growth in a way that it can be felt and seen… And the haiku is perfect.
Love this Bjorn. “Born from snow” — captured me, as did the overarching theme of passing of life through seasonal change — the ending haiku makes me smile. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been smiling in the rains of springtime myself of late.
Great poem about the inevitability of change and the individuality of this moment, loved.
This was fantastic. I like the way you use seasons as symbols of the life cycle. Well written.
A beautiful haibun and imagery here. I especially love the line ‘But these changes are building beaches’, which links so gracefully to the tidal changes in our lives. Thank you for sharing :o)
i have been fortunate to have witnessed many a changing leaf or bloom; verdant to russet or vibrant color to a tired hue.
i believe myself a rivulet but still soon to be integral in life anew
gracias for such lovely reminder
oh wow. this is… breathtaking and heart-tugging. seasons of life told beautifully. ❤
I wonder how many times I’ll have
the privilege to see the wonder,
to go through yet another cycle,
Life is so unpredictable. It can go any other way and still be interestingly different!
Hank
I agree. Especially in autumn I reflect like this, wondering how many more summers (my favorite season) I will see. Autumn, though beautiful in its own right, leads to winter….which is not a pleasant thought, but must be lived through if one is to experience the spring-summer cycle again. Thought-provoking and evocative writing, Bjorn.
A layered and beautifully drawn haibun sketched with such clarity – deep, yet wonderfully unpretentious. You struck the notes of the piece perfectly.
Your prose drew me in completely and resonated with my own feelings. And the haibun was pure and simple and lovely. Really enjoyed this!