Write a classical 5-7-5 haiku, with a kigo, a kireji, and first-third line interchangeability.
I'll repeat a story that I posted last September.
Grandson Nate and a miniature toad
I have a great fondness for amphibians. There is no reason for it that I can identify. Something about their squat lumpiness and agile leaping simply pleases me and soothes my soul. My yard is a haven for toads. They live in the garden and under the bushes. I've seen tiny toadlings, smaller than your fingernail, galumphing across my lawn.
Earlier in the Summer, I went walking in a wetlands area near my house with a few of my grandchildren. As we crossed the street to get there, we saw dozens of miniature toads bouncing on the pavement. Sadly, many of them must have perished there. As we walked the gravel path around the ponds, we had to watch our footsteps carefully to avoid stepping on the many miniature toads moving along there.
There were hundreds of these little toads everywhere along the path, and who can say how many thousands were hidden among the wild flowers. We did our best not to harm them, but I doubt that many live to be adults.
thousands of toadlings
scurrying to the roadside
smell of car exhaust
~~::~~
Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful haibun! The image of galumphing toadlets brings a huge smile!
ReplyDeleteThat must have been interesting. The smallest one I've ever seen was about 1 inch in size. Lovely haibun.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love this haibun about frogs. For years I wore a night shirt proclaiming, "Happiness is a fat frog!" Great post, jzb.
ReplyDeleteFun ... loved your haibun ... a couple of years ago, on a mountain road near a lake that is nearly all dried up in summer, during the spring sprung back to life ... thousands of little toadlings invaded the road and stopped traffic as they migrated from the lake to the woods on the other side of the road (or vice-versa?)... which I though was cool knowing how motorists usually just speed on without a worry in their mind. The provincial road service had to put "skirts" along the road to keep the frogs from invading the road in future.
ReplyDeleteThat makes me so sad! I have a great fondness for amphibians, too.
ReplyDeleteNicely done!
ReplyDeleteGreat haiku JzB. I like the story about your grandson and the little toad.
ReplyDelete