Emptiness! That is what I felt as I looked at the war ravaged land. I cannot tell you the name of the place so ravaged by state-sponsored atrocities. However, the once-beautiful city was littered with bodies while the few remaining survivors sobbed. No house had a child anymore; such was the government’s tactic.
Barren land..
infant wails
from unknown place
This was written for the Ligo Haibun Challenge.
Quotes Week
“Wise men talk about ideas, intellectuals about facts, and the ordinary man talks about what he eats.”
I stroll to the food court, listening to the stall owner gossiping about anybody who could not hear him. I smile, knowing that he would gossip about me after I walk away. He tells off everybody, but takes less money and always serves more than what they demand. The street dog enters the food court and barks non-stop. He throws some food at it, while berating the non-paying ‘customer’. The dog, understanding nothing, wags his tail humbly.
Stray intruders fly away
as lame words
fall on deaf ears
This was written for the Ligo Haibun Challenge. Thank you, Pirate and Esenga, for the opportunity.
I try to capture the beauty of the historical falls in my tiny camera. Many others are engaged in the same pursuit, some better than the others. A few visitors are lost in each other while others try to rekindle their lost romance. I spot a couple of birds, chasing each other near the falls. I could not name those birds, but they are blessed with red, blue and black colours. They chase each other amongst the crowds, move close to the falls and finally disappear into Iguazu.
Serene surface..
soft squeak
lost in unrelenting water
This was written for the Ligo Haibun Challenge
Hi Friends,
Welcome to the Ligo Haibun Challenge. We have a surprise for you this week. Esenga blogging at Ese’s Voice has agreed to be our fourth host. Do please welcome Ese.
The first photo for this week’s challenge belongs to Pirate and the second one has been taken by Penny. So, sharpen your ideas and get started:)
Or
And add your haibun to the Inlinkz collection
Good luck and welcome Ese:)
Hi Friends,
This is the week for special and Honourable mentions. Writers who have put in a lot of hard work and have been consistent in their quality and participation have been included below as special mentions.
Anja: Intense, personal and powerful! That is Anja’s writing for you. Noteworthy and emotional is her latest piece, ‘You will not steal my moments’.
Alastair: Alastair has put in a great deal of effort on the Ligo Haibun Challenge. He has brought a different style here and his narrative needs to be mentioned for its originality. Do check out his piece on ‘Copper and Steel’, written on September 16th.
Freya: Freya has written a deep personal experience this week. Also, don’t miss her lovely philosophical take on Pirate’s picture in ‘Random Beauty’. It is unique and refreshing.
Summerstommy: Summerstommy, a regular contributor, writes in a simple yet effective manner. One of his most gripping pieces this month is his take on Khalil Gibran’s quote.
Now let us move over to the honourable mentions.
Peripatetic Eric: It is always a delight to read Peripatetic Eric’s work, with his compelling imageries, which propel you from the chair to the place he describes. Do read his haibun on paradise or the latest piece on Tagore’s quote.
Anelephant: From a child’s point to an adult’s conflicting emotions, Anelephant takes you into right into their minds. In the link here is his take on how love can turn a rock into ice.
Sunshine: Sunshine is sunny and bright as the name suggests, but could also be philosophical, perceptive and intense. For instance, take a look at her haibun on Rumi’s quote.
Twoscamps: Here is a writer who travels a lot and brings to you the exact flavour of her destination. Check her vivid haibun under the title, ‘Bridge to Nowhere’. Read twice the haiku towards the end.
Below are the word prompts this week.
Fascination
or
Torture
And after completion, please add them to the InLinkz below. Good luck!
The wind wailed; as if it sensed some disaster we overlooked. Before I could grasp its significance, the dark clouds stormed into prominence and the rain poured, forming a muddy puddle near the pavement. There were no pedestrians in sight; only vehicles. As the rain gathered momentum, I saw a girl in early teens walking with a smaller child, probably her younger brother. They did not wear a raincoat and carried no umbrella as the fierce rain soaked their uniforms. They stood near the muddy pavement. The girl, in a desperate bid to shield her little brother, held her school bag over his head. When it did not work, she hugged him close, attempting to cover a part of him, while the rain drenched her completely. Passing vehicles soaked her mercilessly with mud.
Drenched nest
heavy torrents
melt into drops
This was written for the Ligo Haibun Challenge, inspired by the quote by E.E. Cummings, ‘The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.’
I have tried to explore humanity in a rainy city. Now would you like to write a narrative, which displays admiration, nostalgia or desire for the muddy earth. This quote has a lot of scope, does it not? Take your time to go through the challenge and other contributions. Start with a small stanza or two followed by a haiku. It is a learning exercise and fun; we will grow with time and practice. Do try this out. Good luck.
Last week’s pathway took us to new roads and unknown destinations and we also had a white rose to fire our imagination:) Now it is quotes’ time. So, check below for choices and add your contribution to the link collection below.
The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough – Rabindranath Tagore
or
The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful – E.E. Cummings
Thank you for your wonderful contribution last week. We will abandon apathy and hold paradise for the future:) Jumping to this week’s challenge, we have two choices below. The first photo has been taken by Pirate and the second is from my collection. Feel free to share your ideas on word prompt, quotes or photos. We welcome your contributions.
After the haibun is done, include it in the link collection below:
This week we saw many emotional haibun inspired by the quotes; ranging from life in the desert, celebration of life, fantasy, love and compassion. Thank you, friends! Now, we have a couple of word prompts for you to try this week.
Apathy
or
Paradise
What does the word ‘paradise’ mean to you? Can you find it on earth?
Alternatively, share with us your idea of listlessness. Your own, imagined apathy or your ideas of it. And after you are done, add your haibun to link below.
This week we have two quotes for the Ligo Haibun Challenge. I chose the one by Rumi.
As the fisherman’s daughter moves the net, a captured fish wakes to the sound of waves crashing near the hut. It struggles for breath and the waves roar at lives stolen from its bosom. Fish desires sea and the water longs for its missing children among millions. The struggling creature reminds the girl of her baby brother who took his last breath the previous week. She picks the fish and runs towards the sea.
Water boils
as deep sea fish
pleads for a drop
