Just a few weeks ago, before October came to an end, we decided to visit Skogskyrkogården. Built in the first part of the twentieth century, this graveyard south of Stockholm is now a world heritage, and we have never been there. Today when snow covers the ground I look at the photographs and remember how we walked around on paths where pine trees stood as sentinels around the graves. I recall how much I loved the sense that nature seemed to dominate, and how much alive a place of death can be.
The chapels were closed for the season, but their modernist design seemed apt for a place to meditate. A cathedral in its gilded splendor can so easily detach you from your memories, but in company of a chapel’s clean white walls shadowed by evergreen trees you can face your past. Beside a plaque, candle lit, you can meet your thoughts.
‘fore all hallows eve
gold coins cover gravel paths —
poplars shedding tears
Skogskyrkogården
Today Toni let us write a haibun at dVerse on any subject as long as the subject is non-fiction and the haiku is about nature, using all the rules of haiku if we can (kigo, cutting words etc).
If you come to Stockholm I recommend a visit to Skogskyrkogården.
—
November 28, 2016
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Interesting read. I have always loved visiting cemeteries. There is an energy that is not felt elsewhere. meditative and soothing. Sounds contrary to grief, pain and loosing loved ones, but the peace felt is stronger that the rest. Your haiku is exquisite.
Sounds like a beautifully quiet and peaceful place! My husband and I like to visit cemeteries as well. I’d wish to be buried near a tree…
Oh how that haiku tears at the heart. I have been thinking of death a lot and of cremation. But one could be content to lie in this peaceful cemetery.
What a beautiful cemetry…meanwhile now off to research rules of haiku…learning lots…
Pretty please could you help me find the link for the Haibun Monday…I can’t seem to locate it on the d”Verse….
Oh sorry… the linkup opens at 9PM CET as always… I often write mine before just so people can get more time writing theirs…
Aha… I am 12 hours ahead in NZ that explains it. Many thanks much appreciated.
If you have written it, i can link it up for you… 🙂 It’s a struggle with timezones.
I shall be patient and then I know where to find it next time…It is good to master these things.
Our prompts are always the same time. One on Monday, One on Tuesday and one on Thursday…
Hello. This is Toni also responding. On the dVerse website is an excfellent tpost on how to write haiku. You can do a search on haiku and pull up the various posts. Mine is the one on Twins! in which I explore senryu and haiku and the differences between the two.
many thanks XX
Your haiku here is perfect and fits well with the picture.
“how much alive a place of death can be” – so true. I like this comforting Haibun.
What a beautiful place for souls to rest and to meet your thoughts. I love your haiku, especially the poignancy of ‘poplars shedding tears’.
Oh the autumnal weeping of the trees!
What a wonderful cemetery, Björn, full of trees and a world heritage site! And those poplars shedding tears…
Delightful Bjorn how you have captured the imagery so beautifully.
Beautiful prose and a delightful Haiku. Ticks all the boxes for me.
I normally do not expect to see so many tall evergreens inside a cemetery.
Beautiful. 🙂
I like how your words echo the calm peace of the graveyard. Your haiku is stunning.
So beautiful – “you can face your past” yes, I think here one can. Splendid Haiku – mine are usually weak.
A most beautiful and heart stirring write, Bjorn 🙂
“you can face your past. you can meet your thoughts.”
I love the picture. That would be an ideal spot to meditate. Love this haibun,Bjorn
Looks like a calming wooded area good to inspire some poetics.
Hank
That last line is stunning. I love visiting cemeteries…so much history, so many stories.
I enjoyed the layers of this…how the environment had the influence to detach one from their memories, face the past and meeting with their own thoughts.
Beautiful prose and haiku. This format seems extremely appropriate for cemetery reflections.
This had a quiet peacefulness to it. Sounds lovely. I particularly liked the haiku.
How splendid for person to know that this is where they’ll spend eternity.
I always bring my visitors here, it’s so peaceful. In fact I saw it in another wonderful light yesterday on Allhelgonadagen.