the dreamer
never dreaming
to live a dream
leaving everyone else
behind in the future
long meadow
is too short to hold
the emptiness
of leaving a family
longing for their faces
high in the mountains
suspended over the valley
even spirits
smoothing the paths
toe to heel, toe to heel
ocean breezes
a coolness blowing inland
my message
meets hers mid-air
the tie that binds
© Jane Reichhold (taken from: She Alone)
Jane’s book “She Alone” describes a trip her daughter, Heidi, made into the Sierra Mountains. Between the stories Jane created tanka like the ones above.
Here is my haibun inspired by her masterpiece.
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They decided to go on a hike up Owl’s Head . She knew her daughter was not an athletic type. But one thing they both had in common, appreciating the clean air of the forest. It would just be a bit more tiresome to savour it on the mountain…was it all worth it, she wondered, hearing her daughter grumble?
panting up the slope
soft breeze whistles
through the trees
awestruck suddenly
a doe freezes on their trail
tender moment
between mother and daughter
holding their gaze
speaking
would have been redundant
lightheaded
presence of Abenaki spirit
circling at the peak
brush of white feathers
snowy owl flaps its wings
©Tournesol’17/01/27
CDHK
Tournesol dans un Jardin 