Category: Haibun

sans titre (haibun)

Walking home last night at the Métro Bonaventure Station, it was later than usual. It was passed eleven for I usually see several homeless persons lying on the marble sidings soaking up their last minutes of warm slumber. Between eleven and one in the morning, I am not sure if the police alert them of the time or if they have internal clocks but it was after 23:40 and I only noticed one man sitting by the door where late commuters rush off to catch their busses off the island of Montreal.

People kept walking by and the man was not holding out his cap nor mumbling anything as is usually the case when we go by some homeless persons…he looked so tired.  I felt bad no one was stopping…true it was late and many were coming home from work…not all late evening travelers are revelers.

I sat down for a moment putting down my backpack, rummaging through the mess looking for my change purse, searching for change to give to this man. I rarely carry money but change, mind you, here in Canada means $1 and $2 coins along with the quarters, dimes and nickles…we got rid of our pennies. Good I found enough to get a coffee and soup at Tims perhaps {I must pick up some coupons from Tim Horton to have handy}.

20150115_234334_Android smiling homeless

The man looked at me and I could not see he had a smile {without my glasses} but I did take a few photos} that I had noticed only after seeing the photo.  As I walked passed him, stopped to give him my coins, he thanked me so kindly with such a nice smile…the same smile I saw later on that photo.

20150115_234334_Android en tanka faded

Such a worry for the homeless people this time of year…last night it was dipping to below 20C and it snowed all night…a nightmare for anyone stuck outside in this bitter cold for more than an hour.

20150115_234334_Android fr tanka fading

© Tournesol ’15/01/16

Where do babies come from?(haibun)

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had stopped working six weeks prior to giving birth. The six weeks at home with my son was a nice transition before his sister arrived. He would lean on my huge tummy and asked me earlier on in the pregnancy how the baby got there. He was only 2 and a half. I knew you could tell children the truth about many things and they would retain what they could grasp…make it simple, I was often told. And so I told him that Daddy had a seed that he gave to Mommy to make the baby grow in my womb (tummy). “How did it get there?” he asked. I explained that Mommy and Daddy kissed and hugged each other very tightly. He seemed to be satisfied with that.

Two years later my step-father had passed and my son felt sorry for my mother being alone. “Nanny,” he started, “You should have a baby so you won’t be so lonely.” She explained that she had to have a husband to have a baby. He responded, “Well, I could give you my seed from my testicle and you could swallow it and then you would have a baby.” My mother was SHOCKED but we always got a kick out of that cute story of pure kindness and innocence.

seeding
pure and natural
lovers kiss

© Tournesol ’15

MLMM – Heeding Haiku with HA

piercing arrow (haiga)

piercing arrow
stabbed my heart
only time will heal

©  Tournesol ’15

riverdance (haibun)

© Clr '14
© Clr ’14

I really must go back home, mom’s home, to sit by the window and look at the dance of birds. So many different birds taking their turn pecking at the feeder hanging over la rivière Yamaska. What astonished me was the cardinal who is twice the size of the other birds not gaining control over these birds. I guess in the feathered world, size does not matter but cunning prowess and speed does. Why who would have thought that “foxiness” reigns (grins) among birds?

Rival cardinal,
hummingbird wins the contest
dancing on the feeder

© Tournesol ’15

CP Timeglass “Dance”

Farmers’ market (haibun)

Marché Jean-Talon – Montréal

Going to the farmers’ market as a young child was an adventure. My grandmother would take me and I enjoyed the social aspect of it. Farmers chatting with GrandMaman, so many knew her for she was a midwife and probably assisted many births in those farm houses.  It was also a place appropriate to bargain at the local market and sometimes just listening to some of the bantering made it fun to be here with her.  It’s sort of cool tagging along someone so well known, respected and loved.

Although we lived in town  she still knew her fresh vegetables seeing as she had several gardens, flora and vegetables and she knew how to choose fresh meat. She would even test fish  by taking a tiny piece raw and taste it to see if it was really fresh; I guess it is no surprise that I learned to eat a tiny portion of fresh extra-lean grown steak raw sprinkled with salt while she was making hamburgers.  You have to remember that in those days we went to the butcher and saw him grind the fresh steak.

farmer’s market
old woman picks at the fish
it glared at her

© Tournesol ’15

Home sweet home (haibun)

Sogi’s haiku that our host so beautifully translated gives me such a beautiful image of hope.

abandoned house
the garden taken over –
butterfly home   © Iio Sogi (Tr. Chèvrefeuille)

I get expectant feelings as  I imagine butterflies,insects, stray cats, rodents and birds making a home wherever they can especially during our cold winter months. Even a homeless person who may find a “good spot” shielded from bitter cold winds and rain appreciates  our view of “nothing” as “home”.

Verger d’Emilie
winter’s hostage
free rent

~

abandoned kiosk
finch and sparrows
moving in

~
moving in
cats and mice playing nice
catch me if you can

~
padlocked fruit stand,
awning offers shelter,
beggar’s castle

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem Sogi’s Butterfly Home

flowers or snow (haibun)

(c) Clr '15
(c) Clr ’15

This should be fun although  I love both kigo words  snowflakes representing weather my part of the world and the sunflowers being admired by my Aussie friends….lucky Sandy, Jen and Michael, I will write on both.

Snowflakes are pretty but when they stick to your lashes and the cold wind makes my eyes weep, well, it’s a dangerous combination, that’s all I’m saying.   Tonight I walked home in the bitter cold at minus 27 C and who knows with the wind chill…I was prepared with extra warm socks in sheep skin lined boots (Saute Mouton), layers of wool sweaters under my warm coat,  Gortex glove and mittens, cagoule under pilot hat and eternity mohair scarf…but my cagoule kept slipping leaving my face exposed to the frigid air.

snowflakes

on my lashes blind me

slipped on ice

*

frostbitten cheeks

snowflakes adorn the trees

fancy a sunburn

The sky was clear tonight with the odd cloud splashed here and there on that navy canvas and I knew it was the last night to savour this full moon.  I had to take a glove off my right hand to take a few photos with my smartphone since it works only with the heat of a hand….click, click until I could no longer feel my fingers…that was my warning to head into the warmth.  It was so worth the cold hand. The moon smiling down on me was as if my mom was somewhere nearby.

  *******************************

This summer I hope to take more advantage of just relaxing and reading outdoors.  I tend to carry my tablet everywhere to write….but by a lake or pond would be  a nice change.  I look forward to that, and sitting a garden of daisies or sunflowers…or both!

 copy-sunflower-logo1.jpg

summer read

sitting  by the pond

sunflowers grow

*

sunflowers

become a part of me

 nom de plume

(c) Tournesol’15

MindLoveMiserysMenagerie with Heeding Haiku with HA

thriving souls (haibun)

This prompt made me think of the tall golden grass in the autumn. I wonder if I could have collected some and braided it, somewhat like our autumn decorations at Thanksgiving with dried corn cobs and long braided husks.

© Clr '15
© Clr ’15

Walking in the freezing yesterday, I noticed the long golden grass had frozen as if promises for Spring were frozen in time during the cold winter months. Perhaps winter is a time to percolate ideas and spring is to put some of these into action and fruition.

As we begin a new year, the Japanese culture adorns their front doors with sacred rope to ward off evil spirits…somewhat like protecting the hibernation of treasured thoughts, hopes and prayers.

© Tumblr Shimekazari

braided rice straw
hangs at the entrance
barring evil spirits

hangs at the entrance
open to abundance
budding souls

barring evil spirits
faith in the new year
holding treasures

© Tournesol ’15

Carpe Diem Sacred Rope

Snow turned to rain (haibun)

Well now despite the dangers of this weather, like over 150,000 residents in this province without hydro, the slippery roads in areas, the flooded streets in others and the dangers of walking on ice, slush, snow covered ice…it really is beautiful.  Hydro went out a few times for a few seconds, but I went to the store (hence the photos I took in the rain) and bought extra D batteries for my flashlight and extra large candle and all is set up in the dining room…just in case. It is when you are prepared these hiccups are least to happen, right?

The photo below is right in front of my apartment building. I kept hearing cracks, thuds, and bams and gazillions flops at once…snow falling from the branches and ice as well for the freezing rain turned to rain.

I still do not have the best waterproof boots…well, yes, they are but not 10 cm high, so I put on plastic bags before putting on my winter waterproof boots and came back home with nice dry feet.  I shall keep this up until the Sorel Boots go on sale.

2015/01/04 19:00
2015/01/04 19:00

 

reality looms
nature violates its course
vision of beauty

© Tournesol’15

Haibun thinking

First snow of this year (haibun)

cropped-header-for-tournesol3.jpg

Finally a snowstorm! That may sound a bit silly but the past two weeks without any snow during the holidays was truly not fun nor was it pretty. It was a dark and dreary for the holidays. I missed the wet snow flakes falling on my face when walking outside Christmas Eve; I missed the snow banks that looked like the wall of a fort protecting me when I walk on the sidewalk. The days are still short although slowly lengthening and the snow is necessary to give light in our wintry world…my world!

Today is Sunday and it has snowed nonstop for the past 36 hours and it’s my first day back at work. I actually look forward to walking to the bus stop and hearing the crunch crunch underfoot.  And tonight will be even nicer as I walk late in the evening in the middle of the road as I know the sidewalks in the city will not be cleared…it’s only Sunday, the city knows they have until Monday morning to get things cleared up on major arteries including sidewalks.

calm after the storm
footsteps echo on fresh snow,
winter wonderland

© Tournesol ’15

Haibun Thinking