We’ve come to the end of The Pilgrimage, our host, Chèvrefeuille has generously guided us through this journey on the Road to Santiago. Paulo found his sword at the right moment.

[…]”…And when I think about it, I guess it is true that people always arrive at the right moment at the place where someone awaits them.” […] (Source: The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho)

Our host writes:
the sound of rain
on young leaves of Ivy
I bow my head

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They spent the day in the sun planting seeds of various vegetables. Bent over with their straw hats, mother with her white Ralph Lauren sunglasses, the little three year old in her polka dot sundress and heart shaped sunglasses.

“Ah phew! That’s sure a lot of vegetables, Mommy!”

She beamed at her little helper, “Come, sweetheart, let’s sit in the shade. I`ll bring you a Popsicle.”

Sitting under the old maple tree, her chin in her chubby hand, staring at the garden for a long moment, she asked, “Mommy, when will the green beans start growing?”

“It will take time, sweetheart, about sixty sleeps depending on the weather.”

Obvious disappointment painted on her sun kissed face; she quickly lost interest and ran to play in the sandbox.

rose tipped buds
tender beginnings
nature’s way
one moment in time
coming to flower

©Tournesol’1702/01

CDHK ~ The Pilgrimage ~ arriving at the right moment

the ear sees (haibun)

An interesting exercise Petrus gives to Paulo especially when he makes him close his eyes to listen to him tell a story. Not for a moment can he open his eyes and he can smell the oil from the old locomotive where they are sitting…and he listens.

When I think of listening, I cannot help but be reminded of the work I do. Seventeen years ago, I would strain my ears to listen to a caller tell his story. The strain was not to hear the words, it was the body language I was used to that now I had to learn to hear it through the phone. Within months, my hearing became sharper and grew a lense to see. I could hear the frown and sadness at the beginning of a phone call and after a long time…minutes or hours, I could hear an image of this person who had transformed at the end of the call.

tears echo
soft whimpering
telling a tale

telling a tale
a story long overdue
that slow release
as she says goodnight
I can hear a smile

©Tournesol’17/01/29

CDHK – Listening – The Pilgrimage

imagine the paths in life – daily moments

(troiku)

on different paths
travellers worldwide
one destination

on different paths
straight, winding or perilous
meet at one crossroad

travellers worldwide
speaking in different tongues
hold the same map

one destination
everyone will soon arrive
in their own time

©Tournesol’17/01/29

Daily Moments – Reflections on spiritual journeys – January 29 2017

CDHK On the road to Santiago

spellbound (tanka)

The Pyranees - The French Way — The Pyranees – The French Way

We are inspired by the photo above to continue on the Road to Santiago:

spellbound
the road to Santiago
along mountain sides
roused by the clunk of stones
more pilgrims leave their mark

©Tournesol’17/01/29

CDHK The Pilgrimage – a Milestone marker – Imagine this

Poets unite (troiku)

In this section of the book, The Pilgrimage, Paulo tells us about the crimes and robberies committed along The Road to Santiago. Knights began protecting travellers but there was a time the knights competed among themselves. They would challenge each other and do the fighting on a bridge to ensure they did not retreat.
However, I like the last comment by our host, Chèvrefeuille, as it reflects so much of his selfless dedication to hosting haiku meme where poets from all over the world unite and form a family.

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“Bridges … bring people from different sides together, in a way our Haiku Kai can be compared with a bridge. Here we come together, haiku poets from all over the globe … we have build virtual bridges from a lot of countries to here … and I am proud of it.” Chèvrefeuille at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai

(Troiku)

poets unite
all faiths, cultures and language
under one form

poets unite
under one master
perfecting waka

all faiths, cultures and language
capturing a moment
in nature

under one form
searching a season word
five seven five

©Tournesol’17/01/29

CDHK – The Pilgrimage – The Bridge

Troiku is a new Haiku form created by Chèvrefeuille.

mind over matter (troibun)

Our host, Chèvrefeuille from Carpe Diem Haiku Kai shares a passage from The Pilgrimage for this prompt “Beyond Control”:

Beyond control … that’s the title of this episode …. And it refers to something I read in “The Pilgrimage”. During his journey, his pilgrimage, Paulo encounters several difficulties beyond control. One day he is attacked by a horrible dog and he remains with wounded hands. That same dog encounters him many times and one day he goes to a gypsy fortuneteller to ask her why this dog is so many times on his path. It turns out that this dog is his demon, his back-pack, he still has to carry. That dog will leave him alone only when he conquers his fears, his pride, his greed and more. CDHK: Beyond Control

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Life has been strained lately. Thank goodness, her passion for her work in serving is still alive and well. However, day to day life is tainted with should’s and should nots at so many levels; it feels like walking in a maze where only rats seem to know there way around. She tries not to bump into any toxic pillars in her daily life.

And so, she decides to imagine herself an innocent caterpillar on a tree branch trying to rest peacefully until a flock of crows decide to have a cawing party in her tree! It is getting fairly loud listening to them try to out caw each other. She is trying very hard to blend with the colours of the branch so she is not part of their party snacks. She is feeling a bit too exposed yet nowhere to go.

caterpillar halts
powerless and trapped
fear prevails

She then decides to fight the good fight and confront her fears. Her sword is laughter that turns later to beauty. She shares humorous scenarios with some friends and together their laughter breaks down the power of her fears. No longer feeling threatened, she retreats into her own world of beauty.

(troiku)

caterpillar crawls
dreaming of butterflies
suckling sweet nectar

caterpillar crawls
pausing with anticipation
metamorphosis

dreaming of butterflies
all living things imagine
patient blossoms

suckling sweet nectar
taking pleasure
a hummingbird too

Daily Moments – thoughts and reflections on fear

A troiku is a new haiku form created by Chèvrefeuille from CDHK. To learn more, click here.

moment of grace (haibun)

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’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

CDHK

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