Listen to the stones
The prompt at One Deep Breath this week is boulders, rocks, stones, pebbles. I love rocks. I'm a rock collector from way back. After first thinking of poor Virginia Woolf…
Fill your pockets full
pebbles, lake rocks, heavy stones
Walk in, slowly sink.
And then my son at two-years-old…
Pocket full of rocks,
inside-out, grass-stained pants.
Now you are a boy.
I settled on a poetry idea I have been toying with since summer. In July, my husband’s brawny, healthy, nature loving uncle Paul, a boxing coach, died suddenly. We were all shocked. This is a haiku sequence in his memory.
There Are Spirits Here Kids, If You Just Listen to Them
Traipse through green forest,
follow squirrel scat, bird wings.
Climb blessed boulder.
Transplanted out west
rock-hard middle-aged boxer
blooms best in north woods.
From top of ravine
mossy mountain side beckons
drop your pebbles down.
Mammoth silver oak
acrons broad as your shoulders
wrap arms around tree.
Rub hands over bark
step lightly over green moss
listen for spirits.
Life all around us
beyond the breathing wood ferns
wisdom in the trees.
Crumbling headstones
cemetary at trail head
life’s final grey rock.
Silver light on face
recognize dead woman’s name.
Do you feel her ghost?
Your life a haiku.
Worn boots bow to ancient oaks,
pay respects to stones.
Your spirit still roams
picking up pebbles, rocks, stones.
Shadow in the woods.
posted by jillypoet @ 10:05 AM
9 Comments:
The reverberation after reading your first Haiku and I was off thinking of Nicole Kidman in "The Hours." Pardon the pun . . . but your 2-year old "rocks!!!!!" It would be an injustice not to hang out for a long while with your haiku memorial. At first reading . . . so many great pictures!
Postscript: Thanks for stopping by and leaving your kind comments!
your second warms my heart with memories of my own boys when they were that age...so sweet.
& the tribute to your husband's uncle is stunning! i was especially drawn to "life's final grey rock."
Wow, your work is so strong! just beautiful.
Jill, your work is very strong. The haikus are great--written as if some time has passed so you could tell the story of your husband's uncle. Very nice work.
Beautiful offering! So great that you are carving the time/ space to write while mothering wee ones -- a practice that will nourish you, them, and your readers!
Especially love:
'Life all around us
beyond the breathing wood ferns
wisdom in the trees.'
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Oh, what a variety of words. The first two were so gentle and the tribute is awesome!
jilly,
death is so familiar to me that i find comfort in words that allow us to grieve and remember. thank you.
bes
Jillypoet, this haiku of Uncle Paul's like in nature - awesome. I really love the whole concept, and how you played it out on the page. He would be touched, I'm sure. Very nice.
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