© 2020 Frank J. Tassone
We stand on a precipice, nation and world. Fissured by plague and threats to democracy, we are faltering, close to tumbling into an abyss. Is this the beginning of the end? Or merely a ripple in the waves of time? I leave the angry and weary voices to walk, looking for beauty in the bright colors around me. A chipmunk scurries by. Deer shyly graze, turkeys strut through the long grass, and blackbirds give a trilling chink as they fly overhead.
I watch the sun rising over the river, making it sparkle. It know it’s physics, but I can also see the magic. We need both.
bare branches turn green,
brown leaves fall into river–
past floats to future
©️Merril D. Smith 2020
A Haibun for Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday Haibun prompt, using Frank Tassone’s photo at the top for inspiration, and my photo at the end.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
That image of standing on the edge of a precipice is so relevant. Everything else is busy doing what it always does, but only we have the struggle with should I, ought I, what if. And then the haiku. Perfect end and clarification 🙂
Thank you very much! 😀
🙂
Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #3: Merril Smith’s latest #haibun for Colleen’s #weekly #tanka #poetry #challenge!
Thank you, Frank!
My pleasure, Merril! 🙂
Wow! Such perfect words for where we are perched- on the edge the abyss! Excellent haiku and the last line took my breath away! ❤️
Thank you so much, Colleen! I wrote and rewrote this one.
So good! ❤
❤️
Well said, Colleen! My sentiments exactly upon reading Merril’s haibun.
Thank you very much!!
It was fabulous, Liz. 😍
😘
This is probably one of my favorites, Merril. Such a moving piece. You are wise to leave the angry and weary voices to walk and look for beauty. Loved this! ❤
Thank you so much, Jill. ❤️ Of course, I don’t leave the voices for long, but it’s good to get a break.
Your poem is erfect in so many ways, most importantly how it touches the heart and head. We can have both physics and magic, the past and the future. Like you (and many others) I find some refuge away from the angry voices in Nature.
Thank you so much, Marie! You got it exactly. I went out early this morning, and it was already hot and humid–but I saw a deer family, and that raised my spirits so much!
Oh, it’s so hot and humid here too. We went for a 2-hour walk on Thursday and the humidity really depleted me. But I saw a beautiful 5-lined skink and that made it all worthwhile 🙂
Aww! I skipped the walk today. When the air feels like soup at 6:30 AM, I don’t force it. I’m doing indoor walking today. 😏
Goodness, I didn’t realize it was that hot and humid up north. Like soup? Lol. Here I describe it as being hit with a hot wet blanket 😉
Your description is probably more accurate. But today, I also skipped the walk. Right now, it’s 93 with a dew point of 72. Yes, it does get very hot and humid in the summers here. It puts a different perspective on “the Founders” closed up in a room in Philadelphia in July. 🙂
Indeed!
As do I.
Wonderful!
Yes! We must leave the angry voices behind once in a while and focus on the beauty and magic of a sparkling mass of water.
Yes, exactly, Dale. Even if it’s temporary and transient, we need to stop for a bit to look and listen.
Absolutely
😀
the perfect image for what we are living right now
Thanks so much, Beth!
Beautifully said. We need nature now more than ever. (K)
Thank you very much, Kerfe!
Nature, it heals us, makes us, humbler, in, it’s, presence…
Thank you. Yes, I think so, too.
Physics AND magic – you’re right. I like the way this Haibun opens up.
Thank you very much, Sarah!
Very beautifully done. You do well to focus on the magic.
Thank you very much, Derrick. You often capture that magic in your photographs.
🙂
Here’s hoping this awakening is more that just a ripple in time. A nice write.
Pat
Yes, I hope so. I alternate between hope and despair.
That’s ‘a thing’ now it seems. Quite a few people I know is going through this.
Yes. . .sigh.
Here’s hoping this awakening is more that just a ripple in time. A nice write.
Pat
Beautiful and freeing, I felt myself surrendering to the freedom at the end. Nicely done Merril
Thank you very much, Jude!