Hi Anne, the poem “Nothing like the sky” is about discovering a Hooded Merganser, wounded (presumably) by hunters, living under the fishway where I walk. As long as the water was open, despite her inability to fly, she could hide, find food, survive…
and the burning sky with its last glow in the horizon, the darkness gently covers the silent with a sigh.
There is supposedly an omen for me today, yesterday I watched Les Miserables, and then I saw two suicides (from jumping off the high floor of the block where I live) in the very early morning of Mon, and then on my way I saw a dead mouse. Finally I opened the first blog of today and read about death. But I believe, life often has a turning point, a lesson to learn, and adversities in life will bring us further in our destiny.
My apology that I have not been writing anything recently. My mind is too occupied with little things of my living recently, and hope to be able to write something soon.
kc your first words, “… and the burning… covers the silent with a sigh” are beautiful (as always).
I hope that this day is better than your last. Your omens sound sad and powerful, your response to them – courageous and wise. I have certainly missed your writing, but know and understand that there are times to write and times not to. I hope that you are well and wish you the very best.
Oh QiQuan, what a traumatic day.
The Zen masters would say though that the difference between life and death is merely a door between one kind of life and another.
What is saddest about your poem Chris is really the image of the butterfly, and the truth of climate change — a door which will make life very different from all of us.
Have you read Barbara Kingsolver’s FLIGHT. Its an interesting meditation about the effect of climate change on butterflies, but also how that change led a woman to take flight and fly.
Thank you for your comments Audrey. I will definitely look up Flight – thanks for that. And congratulations on your new website: http://www.audreychin.com
Thank you Audrey, everyday I am thinking what I am doing, and saying if it is accordance with Tao, and I hope to collect as many ‘seashells’ as the rewards of life before entering another door, in case I might need them for another journey =).
I originally published this as “the saddest poem I have ever written”. While that’s true, it was to much information. Then I edited the title out entirely to allow it to simply stand as a haiku. But that didn’t work either, The original “Nothing like the sky” is to important to the course of events.
In my ignorance I had to Google merganser – so I presume they will perish if the water is frozen or do they migrate?
Hi Anne, the poem “Nothing like the sky” is about discovering a Hooded Merganser, wounded (presumably) by hunters, living under the fishway where I walk. As long as the water was open, despite her inability to fly, she could hide, find food, survive…
Thank you for the explanation – I sensed your sorrow but could not quite understand it. Poor creature.
It was heartbreaking.
and the burning sky with its last glow in the horizon, the darkness gently covers the silent with a sigh.
There is supposedly an omen for me today, yesterday I watched Les Miserables, and then I saw two suicides (from jumping off the high floor of the block where I live) in the very early morning of Mon, and then on my way I saw a dead mouse. Finally I opened the first blog of today and read about death. But I believe, life often has a turning point, a lesson to learn, and adversities in life will bring us further in our destiny.
My apology that I have not been writing anything recently. My mind is too occupied with little things of my living recently, and hope to be able to write something soon.
kc
kc your first words, “… and the burning… covers the silent with a sigh” are beautiful (as always).
I hope that this day is better than your last. Your omens sound sad and powerful, your response to them – courageous and wise. I have certainly missed your writing, but know and understand that there are times to write and times not to. I hope that you are well and wish you the very best.
Chris
Oh QiQuan, what a traumatic day.
The Zen masters would say though that the difference between life and death is merely a door between one kind of life and another.
What is saddest about your poem Chris is really the image of the butterfly, and the truth of climate change — a door which will make life very different from all of us.
Have you read Barbara Kingsolver’s FLIGHT. Its an interesting meditation about the effect of climate change on butterflies, but also how that change led a woman to take flight and fly.
Thank you for your comments Audrey. I will definitely look up Flight – thanks for that. And congratulations on your new website: http://www.audreychin.com
Thank you Audrey, everyday I am thinking what I am doing, and saying if it is accordance with Tao, and I hope to collect as many ‘seashells’ as the rewards of life before entering another door, in case I might need them for another journey =).
kc
sad indeed. nice haiku.
Thank you Virgilio.
I originally published this as “the saddest poem I have ever written”. While that’s true, it was to much information. Then I edited the title out entirely to allow it to simply stand as a haiku. But that didn’t work either, The original “Nothing like the sky” is to important to the course of events.
You have stabbed the thoughts with your pen; skilfully and artfully!
That’s brilliant, the essence of a moment captured in 17 syllables, thank you, Kevin