Category: Haibun

privilege to help (haibun)

Ste Catherine Montreal
rue Ste Catherine, Montréal May 1st until September (Labour Day) the part of this street is closed to vehicles…streets lined with pedestrians  and terraces.

In the past two days she had attended a clinical training in downtown Montréal,  to improve in her counselling techniques and brief solution focus approach. It was nice to be with colleagues that she rarely saw all at once due to varied shifts scattered over a 24 hour period. The fun part was eating out together and interesting conversation.  Their hunger to learn is apparent as they want to be the best they can to help youths in need.

embrace their role
puddles of misery
youths reach out

 ~

open to change
new options replace stale ways
privilege to witness

© Tournesol ’15

Three Word Wednesday The word in this prompt are: Misery – Privilege – Stale

under the trees (haiga)

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It was a hot muggy day and she dreaded going to work. She shuffled across the street with her sunglasses protecting her sensitive blue eyes from the hot sun at high noon. Suddenly she got a whiff of those amazing lilacs on the side of the road. She had to pause briefly to take in that moment. Such a mundane experience lifted her spirits and added a bit of a lilt in her step on her way to the Métro.

Under the trees
 pink posers
 fragrant

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem “Under the trees”

beholden (haibun)

She stayed all  night and day, as her daughter cried from the pain she too felt striking at her heart at each contraction. If only she could have bargained with the devil to lesson her agony.    Twenty-four hours of labour and finally, her grandson was born.  The doctor offered her the honour to cut the umbilical cord. She gasped, overjoyed with her new role. She looked up at her precious gem through teary eyes and humbly bowed in her mind’s eye at her offspring’s gift.

beholden, she beams
pearl at the centre
 reaping blossom

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem “Clam”

Chez Alice (haibun)

Sunday brunch had become a tradition for these ladies. Some were divorced; a few never tied the knot and one widowed. They met at work years ago and since  had all retired. For many retirement meant either long overdue travelling with their mate or slipping away into oblivion, but not these ladies.   They  seemed like born again “girls”. They went on road trips together, started a book club, hosted social teas,  attended art exhibits and often took to the streets now and then advocating for change.

(Troiku)

A lovely name
Chez Alice’s menu
special of the day

A lovely name
wet nurse feeds another babe
sustenance

Chez Alice’s menu
array of helpings
sweet and light

special of the day
extra virgin spread
high in harmony

© Tournesol ’15

CP A Lovely Name

healing hugs (haibun)

She is a hugger, born and raised… a touchy feely “minouching” person. Her mother could never get enough holding her, kissing her, hugging her.  Her grandmaman rocked her and embraced her when she was sick. She always thought it was an innate asset for most mothers who had birthed children to have this gift of soothing their children regardless of their age. She never did outgrow that need to be hugged.  One day she met Amma.

mother breeds love
devotees are her children
hugs with compassion

(c) Tournesol ’15

Written for Carpe Diem Special The Childless Woman

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/the-power-of-love-in-the-arms-of-a-stranger/story-e6freuzi-1225852939366
DailyTelegraph – Power of love in the arms of a stranger

Photo Credits: Daily Telegraph

Regatta (haibun)

He never challenged the winds and waters; competitively sailed in sunny, windy, rainy or stormy days…he was an excellent sailor and captain. He was geared up in wet suit, goggles and gloves…looking out to the sea.

BAM –the last shot fired alerting all sailors to join their crew at their catamarans.

Crosses himself
 kisses sand on hands and knees
 then sets sail

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem “summer mountain”

bossy pants (haibun)

Such a beautiful family, she noticed in the tree by the river.  The male and female along with the younger chick…beautiful red cardinals.  They stayed throughout the year because of the birdfeeder.  She loved sitting outside in the summer and hear them sing to her.  Of course this was a multicultural tree and others birds claimed a section including woodpeckers who had their own temperament.

 Darn woodpecker
drive those cardinals away
bossy pants!

© Tournesol ’15

Pray awhile (haibun)

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May is le mois de Marie. As a youth she loved this excuse to walk across the river hearing  the metal on the soles of her shoes click click click like the dancers on Ed Sullivan AND on a school night to boot. Every evening, people would recite the Rosary.

wpid-2014-06-22-23-31-18

pray for a while
tap-dance across the footbridge
evening walk home

© Tournesol ’15

CP for a while

wasted fabric (haibun)

© Clr `15
© Clr `15

She walked in the nursing home looking for her mother. The nurse pointed to the old woman by the window in the rocking chair. She gasped! It was not enough dementia had robbed her of her mind…

shrivelled rose
lost in her robe
scents linger

© Tournesol ’15

Rest-stop (haibun)

She loved her road trips and spinning those wheels, playing her music and singing aloud with an open window. Truck stops were spread out in timely fashions almost as if fast food industries knew when you had to eat but more likely to gas up and pee.

Her fuel gauge told her she should stop soon; she sees a rest-stop with picnic tables surrounded by pine trees. The place is deserted and she sighs with relief.

hwy restop

highway rest-stop
scented pine and Camembert
make-believe terrace

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem “Buying a cookie”