The Lighter Side of JzB

Here you will find photos, poetry, and possibly some light-hearted foolishness. For the Heavier Side
of JzB
see my other blog,
Retirement Blues. (There be dragons!)

I claim copyright and reserve all rights for my original material of every type and genre.


Every day visits*
From Moose, Goose, and Orb Weaver
All seized by Haiku


"Why moose and goose?" you may ask. Back on 2/04/13 Pirate wrote a haiku with an elk in it, and I responded with
one with a moose and then included him every day. A few days later in comments Mystic asked "Where's the goose?"
So I started including her with this post on 2/07. A week later on the 14th, Mark Readfern
asked for and received a spider. The rest is history.

*Well, most days, anyway. Grant me a bit of poetic license.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

The Līgo Haībun Challenge - Flowers

Background:  Here is a little slice of real life.  My lovely wife's mother passed away not quite a month ago.  There are always a lot of things for the survivors to sort out.  This entry relates some of that experience.  The LW posted a pic like this on Facebook today, and with a little bit of prompting composed the haiku the follows my text.  The haiku that I composed to go with this pic back in Nov. 2010 seems strangely appropriate also, so I'll end with that, making the total word count 226, and this a collaborative effort.


 View along the foundation, later in Spring


Flowers


Progress is slow clearing out the old house where mom lived alone for so many years, getting it ready to sell after she passed away. 

 Every closet is full of old clothing and older memories. Boxes from the attic hold pictures of her first communion, her wedding, her parents, older ancestors in stiff, starched collars, mementos of dad's experiences in WW II. 

The work isn’t hard. Clear the closets, open the boxes, identify things to go to Good Will, things to keep or distribute, things to throw away.  The decisions aren't so hard either. But the past, and yearning for the past has so many distractions. That is what is slow and difficult. 

We asked 6-year-old great-granddaughter Emily what she wanted. After a few false starts, she decided on a refrigerator magnet, and any of her drawings, if there were any left. There weren't, but there was a multi-colored heart-shaped magnet that she will love. 

When we left the house after a long day, we found that the daffodils along the foundation were peeking up out of the ground, just like they do every February. In a world of endless and sometimes painful change, they remind us that some things are constant.

 ~:~:~:~

My favorite flower
Full of the promise of Spring
Reminds me of Mom

 ~:~:~:~


Flowers in Springtime:
Not so long ago, now a
Fading memory


 ~:~:~:~

Ligo Haibun: Flowers
 


8 comments:

  1. I am sorry for your loss. Your haibun is bitter-sweet..life continues seemingly unchanged yet our perception of it is altered. Nothing like the passing of a loved one to remind us of our own immortality.namaste..Pat

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  2. i'm sorry for your loss. such a beautiful post... very emotional and touching.

    " But the past, and yearning for the past has so many distractions. That is what is slow and difficult. " -- yes, very true

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  3. very nice contrast in the forever and the fading

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  4. How much wisdom is there in Emily's simple desire? Fabulous!

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  5. Beautifull and bittersweet.

    A loss is always sad, but the memory lingers.

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  6. a beautiful haibun memorial for the passing of a loved one and memories to remember her by. thank you for sharing. ♥

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  7. Precious haiku:
    My favorite flower
    Full of the promise of Spring
    Reminds me of Mom

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  8. Suddenly I realise the importance of flowers, how their intricate colours, patterns and beauty can remind us of life to go on living. Very nice haiku.

    ReplyDelete

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JzB