Ligo Haibun Challenge – The tree of life

8
Written by Nicole Hague-Andrews

Seems that I’ve disappeared into fiction..really not sure about this for a Haibun, but I wanted to respond and time was running out..

Sun was overhead, good and strong. Mistress Charlotte and little Anne were stood with their feet in the stream twisting the linen between them till their hands were rubbed red. I spread my garments and two sheets over the thorn hedge, birds flitting here and there, John’s chopping and splitting sounding in the copse. A good time to go. I pulled on my shoes and ran over to the woodpile. In the corner under the thatch my fingers felt for that little piece of silk that I’d embroidered with her name. The family tree would not show the bud that would have grown into a branch.

Up on the moor, by the spring, stood our wishing tree. Bent with age it spread it’s arms to greet me. I knelt by the spring and let my fingers cool, I wiped my forehead and Maggie’s silk with that holy water. Many ribbons and charms hung from it’s branches as I tied my silk to join them. “Bless the family cradle again,” I whispered..

ancestors

even the bonsai tree

has a crown of blossom

8 Comments

  2. The haiku reflects, or maybe better to say, complements the prose very well I think. But it is not merely a synopsis of the prose, which is a good thing. I think the haiku is really good…it’s always hard for me to analyze why I just know when I like one and I like this one. I can feel the pause after the first line and then the bonsai with a blossom comes as a vivid image in my mind and has other meaning. Very well done.

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  3. Ithink you constructed this so well. Bringing you into the haibun in tghe 2nd paragraph made it so real. Does not feel like ‘fiction’ as a classification. Very rich haiku.

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    1. Hi Managua,
      Thanks for your timely call into the forest from the back door, I’ve been wandering, picking up stones instead of bread, Then all manner of creatures ate my crumb trail whilst my head was in the canopy…I can hear your voice calling, so I should be able to find my way back…put the kettle on the stove and a fresh piece of paper on the table and I’ll tell you what the wolves have been whispering….
      P.S I left a comment on one of your haibun on Carpe Diem..loved it. ( are you sure I write beautiful haibun? Regardless, you’re so encouraging.Thankyou!)

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      1. You just wrote a beautiful piece of writing as a comment! Your haibun were a breath of fresh air. They have been original, while not trying out of the format of haibun, have dealt with serious and emotional issues or very interesting ones, nd your writing flows but also comes in from beautiful angles – the suspense around the policeman’s helmet was quite something. So yes, I do! PS Thanks, will look for the comment…I get lazy going back to posts…! Certainly think that your comment here is worth using by the way!

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