The ground is covered in snow, meringue hills undulates in soft shades of white and light grey. The sky is covered in milky clouds and the snow swarms around us like moths. The sound of our skies is muffled by the soft snow. We have not talked for the last few hours, and I have daydreamed, projecting colors on ink-washed background.
Yesterday the sky was blue, with razored shadows. Today it’s filled with fantasy.
I stop and ask you if it’s time for lunch. You nod and put your backpack down, We bring out our shovels and dig ourselves a hole. We are midway and before us lay unbroken snow. There are still some thoughts to think before we reach the cabin for the night.
from left to right
pawprints of a wolverine —
sound of water
I prompt the haibun Monday at dVerse and the topic is grey. Join us with your thought on grey.
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I find the metaphor of the ‘razored shadows’ very powerful and interesting contrast to the white canvas that dominates this piece.
How you make me long for winterland! What was most interesting was how you contrasted blue with fantasy, how the snow can carry multi-varied meanings and messenges.
When I ski-hike it can be a moment to really think about everything… very meditative actually
I know just what you mean, having grown up on skis. Hiking is good year-round, but nothing beats the meditation of silent winter and fresh tracks.
I think what most struck me was the hours of not speaking. Silence by any other name.
Nothing really to say… each one have their own thoughts as company
That’s what makes it special.
I love the idea of grey being midway between thoughts, Björn. Your greys are soft, swarming like moths. I also love: ‘I have daydreamed, projecting colors on ink-washed background..
I think that grey contains all the possibilities….
It’s as if the lack of colour gives you room to think. Your experience of winter is so different to ours!
Yes, in snow there are many tracks.
I love your tales of snow hiking. It really does seem to be a meditation in the silence for hours, the sound of the skies against the snow. The haiku is simply stunning. I love it – the tracks of wolverines. Absolutely stunning.
Exhilarating, and I suspect also exhausting. Lovely poem. Enjoyed it.
It sounds clean and pristine and untouched. How different the landscape looks when it is snow-covered.
There is nothing more special than compatible silence in unison! Well said, Bjorn!
What a beautiful story.
Sometimes the greatest thoughts come in moments of silence. There is beauty in that, I think.
companionship where thoughts are foremost and silence is treasured – and physical exertion will be rewarded with a warm, blazing fire sounds lovely! My husband loves to snowshoe – I do too, but he goes three times my pace 🙂
I like your description of the contrast of those two days as between razored shadows and fantasy.
Hours of silence and only midway. A lot of time to color the background. Very solemn and meditative haibun. I hooe you don’t meet the wolverine
Changing skies and long silences in a blanket of snow…oh yes.. the image is clearly beautiful.
It is beautiful the way snow turns everything shades of gray and white.Your hike sounds like a cold one. Hope you reached the cabin before dark!
Dwight
daydreamed, projecting colors on ink-washed background.– that’s nice.
The haiku goes well with the prose.
Lovely evocation of place – love the meringue of snow covering. Also liked the ambiguity (at least I read it as such) of the travelling in silence – is it companionable or have they argued and a long silent day stretches ahead. V. nice.
Such companionable silence between people is rare. Intrigued (not knowing anything about snow) that a hole had to be dug into it so to make lunch! The meditative qualities of such hikes are described well and rings a chord. The untouched snow ahead – the journey yet to to be traveled. A beautiful haiku!
You dig a hole to protect you for the wind and get some warmth actually
there was so much to see in your grey landscape, i especially loved the meringue hills, that was delicious.
Born I read this several times. From the meringue landscape to razored shadows and the meandering thoughts along an as yet finished trail; all the winter feelings.
A meditation in the snow. Wonderfully written. So atmospheric.
it’ll be nice when you get inside the cabin and speak your thoughts …with the other person
“Still some thoughts to think” says so much about walking in a snowy wilderness…been a long time since I’ve done that but your haibun took me there.
Love the rich and vibrant imagery in your haiban especially; “Yesterday the sky was blue, with razored shadows. Today it’s filled with fantasy.”💖
“There are still some thoughts to think before we reach the cabin for the night”
Indeed, as always…
The solitude of winter. With, or without, companions. (K)
I love the vividness of the imagery and the idea of finding a sharp sort of clarity when you allow your mind the stillness or a world when it’s blanketed in snow.
I so wanted to be with you trekking throughthe snow then I remembered the years that that I lived in the Northern hemisphere and recoiled at once remembering driving in snow blocked country roads without chains! But apart from that your poem was such a delight and I loved every word!
Razored shadows of a blue sky day… yep. Nice job with the fantasy of the softer skies.
pawprints of a wolverine —
sound of water
There were still the living creatures around to accompany the water sounds!
Hank
oh this is filled with breathtaking phrases. so vivid. the haiku is a beautiful macro ending too!
the silence…portrayed in images–YES
I hate to leave such vague comments, but WOW. I love how the sky went from shadows to fantasies.
The sound of our skies is muffled by the soft snow… love that image…
This is so lovely and descriptive–the razor shadows one day; the fantasy the next. I liked this line, too: “and I have daydreamed, projecting colors on ink-washed background.” I can imagine that if I ever ski-hiked (which I never would 🙂 ) I would be doing the same thing.
You paint an exquisite, meditative grey. I love the “meringue hills” and “snow swarms…like moths”. Thanks for letting us follow your trail.
“The sky is covered in milky clouds and the snow swarms around us like moths. The sound of our skies is muffled by the soft snow.”
This paints such a vivid picture. I felt like I was there in the hush of snowfall. I rarely encounter the hush of the new snowfall anymore, but when I do, it is always a meditative experience. I enjoyed this walk, Björn.
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Love this. Meringue hills, the soft hiss of skies, the dull monotone world and your silence. This is all so evocative – and cold feeling.