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Poetry Magnum Opus

gardening and compassion (haibun)


goldenlangur

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goldenlangur

where I planted chilies

red poppies --

spring

 

With each lift of my fork pink-fleshed worms glisten uneasily in the spring sun. Some fall through the prongs and others curl back into themselves, grit and all. I pray the ones I've spliced will regenerate dismembered parts of their bodies:

 

Om Mani Padme Hung!

 

But what succour for the worms this mantra of compassion?

 

Bulbuls, Wagtails and Blackbirds throng the hedge as I struggle with my conscience and the weeds, which have the garden in their grip.

 

karmic rebirth -

is this worm

my grandmother?

 

The increasingly raucous dawn chorus heralds an outpouring of the nesting impulse. The mating pairs will relish what I've unearthed, I reason and try not to dwell on the ant holes I've plugged and the slugs I've crushed. When the monsoon clouds unload their baggage over the valley, I know my attempts at gardening will be futile, as new growths of every kind, unfurl in the warm rain, which moistens, and teases life from seeds, asleep since autumn and weeds, I've tried to rend from the earth.

 

icy dusk -

I sit by the fire

listen to the birds sing

 

 

goldenlangur

goldenlangur

 

 

Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying.

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This haibun is not funny, Golden, but I smiled as I read it. It expresses how I feel whenever I am engaged in some task like digging in the earth. I don't want to hurt the worms or the ants either ...

 

I very much like the last haiku --

goldenlangur wrote:

 

icy dusk -

I sit by the fire

listen to the birds sing

In addition to it making a great ending for this poem, I also think it would make an excellent basis for another haibun -- a winter haibun. Winter imagery is my favorite.

 

Tony

Here is a link to an index of my works on this site: tonyv's Member Archive topic

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goldenlangur

Hi Tony,

 

I'm so glad that this strikes a chord with you:

 

tonyv wrote:This haibun is not funny, Golden, but I smiled as I read it. It expresses how I feel whenever I am engaged in some task like digging in the earth. I don't want to hurt the worms or the ants either ...

 

Tony

 

Natures hits back when the monsoon and summer heat bring back growth with a vengeance! So in the end the worms and the weeds win!!

 

I'm grateful that you liked the last haiku - it's been a cold, cold spring and winter seems to have returned for a while.

 

 

Thank you.

goldenlangur

goldenlangur

 

 

Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying.

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