accept each day as a gift (haibun)

“Not another rainy day!!” Trula stomped her feet and threw herself on the couch and sulked.

Her nana rocked by the window and pointed her finger at her grand-daughter, “Child, you take each day as it comes. You cannot command the universe or turn your back to what the Great Spirit hands you each day. You will regret it some day.” Holding her wooden beads, she whispered softly to herself but the only audible words were “protect her”.

Trula rolled her eyes and scowled at her nana. Year after year, it was the same thing when it was cloudy, raining, snowing or windy, Trula made a scene and refused to study and as she got older refused doing chores on the farm.

Several years later her nana died, when Trula was twenty-one. The family buried her on the farm near an old oak tree where Nana used to sit and read for hours and later when her eyes failed her, she would pray and smile up at the sky giving thanks to the Great Spirit for each new day.

A few days after the burial, Trula was planting seeds in the garden and suddenly the sky turned dark. An odd-looking cloud loomed over her and the wind picked up dramatically. Trula rose her fist to the sky in protest when suddenly she felt her feet lift from the ground and long tendrils pulling at her shoulder and head; a huge CRACK resonated from the sky muffling the sound of a broken neck.

the universe rules,
appreciate each day
rain or shine

Photo challenge at MindLoveMiserysMenagerie

nature’s symphony (Tale & Troiku)

We are asked to form a haibun by adding a haiku to our host’s beautiful narrative; after writing one haiku, the image and moment had more to say so I wrote a troiku instead to be true to the experience I had reading this narrative. Shall I call this Tale & Troiku? or Traibun? Perhaps our host can help me with this for I find myself writing a troiku with a narrative more often than naught.

A walk through the forest on a summer day. Birds are praising their Creator with their fragile voices. A warm breeze caresses the leaves, bringing them to a higher level of consciousness. Their rustling makes you relaxed and one with nature. Far away sounds of traffic making your experience even better. Then you walk onto a bright sunny spot in the heart of the forest, a plain spot of grass mixed with all kinds of colorful (field) flowers and there in the middle of that spot, you find a crystal clear pool with the most beautiful colored water-lilies. As you walk closer to the crystal clear pool you see a pair of deer. “Wow”, you think. “What a surprise”.© Chèvrefeuille

my morning mantra
echoes midst nature’s splendour
a doe beams

my morning mantra
chanting in the forest green
birds accompany

echoes in nature’s spendour
soft ripples on the water
a symphony

a doe beams
genuflects on spindled knees
a tear on my cheek

Heeding Haiku with Chèvrefeuille at MindLoveMiserysMenagerie

coming home (haibun) flash fiction 99 words

Twenty-five men left five days ago. The jeep left a trail dust riding over the hill where they were stationed. Today only twelve men returned but only five in one piece. It was their last mission before returning back home. They were anxious to see their family back in Canada but dreaded delivering the tragic news to more grieving families. Sergeant Harvey drove the jeep behind the compound and their mascot ran to greet them. Amir was a black Labrador mix and his loyalty was genuine.

Photo Prompt: FlashfictionForAspiringWriters

dropping to his knees
savouring a gesture of pure love
man’s best friend

(99 words)

She hated goodbyes (Flash Fiction – haibun)

Submitted for: Flash Fiction Prompt – July 18, 2014-GoodBye

Revised March 18, 2016 to 99 words, no more, no less as inspired by

Charli Mills at The Carrot Ranch

She entered the coffee shop across from Concordia University. They met here the first time five years ago. Some lectures pushed her buttons. Many fled to Psychology hoping “book smart” would make better therapists, muttering, “Enough of this learning by doing crap!”
“Work out your own shit”, most of her professors said, “Be aware of your red flags! You could do more harm than good.” The same group of mature students met here after each class. Together they formed a community of resources, compassion and knowledge.

she dreaded endings,
late arrival was more her style
…just couldn’t say goodbye.

99 words

Heroes of the night (haiku)

Working on a youth line that is open 24/7 I have seen how challenging it can be and yet, it is also a labour of love. However the true heroes at this agency are those who listen with compassion from 6 to 8 and 10 hours each night. These counsellors are the true heroes of the night.

such sadness
listening all night long
the graveyard shift

uncovering truths
old wounds open – and,
untold secrets

such sadness
listening all night long
the graveyard shift

sudden tears
bearing heart and soul – sometimes,
left for vacant

such sadness
listening all night long
the graveyard shift

listeners
of compassion
heroes of the night

Daily moments March 18 2016 Heroes of the night

Inspired At Three Word Wednesday, we are given: Uncovered , Vacant, and Abrupt(sudden).

mama says (haiku ~ troiku)

mama says
don’t talk with your mouth full
mind your manners

mind your manners
opening the passenger door
for his new bride

(troiku)

tossing and turning
robbed of sweet slumber
out of mind

tossing and turning
thoughts of too many should’s
prisoner of self-doubts

robbed of sweet slumber
counting ten thousand sheep
all night long

out of mind
lovers’ broken hearts
out of sight heals

~
breathe in awareness
breathe out mindless chatter
mindfulness frees

Haikuhorizons – prompt is “mind”

Daily Moments March 17 ~ yearning for green (haibun)

March rains clean the earth’s surface; lawns look like shaved hay, trees still barren of any sight of buds…

still hopeful
spring in all its newness
yearning for green

Looking out the window crossing the bridge, she smiles seeing not snow, not rain but a sure sign of warm air clashing with cold. Surely, the warm will win.

morning mist
ripples midst sparse ice patches
lifts off the river