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September 28, 2013

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Poetry

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Puddle-Wonderful Haibun

“The world is mud-luscious…
[and] puddle-wonderful”
e.e. cummings

IMG_7062

My neighbor greeted me mournfully with these sad words: “Your house always has that large puddle in front of it,” and she pointed. Sure enough, I could have laid down in that puddle, and it would still have been longer than me and wider, too.

“That’s okay,” I responded with a smile. “I have two small boys who will love that puddle.” She looked taken aback, but I was the kind of mother to take my boys puddle-stomping on a whim. We named that puddle Alligator Pond. Many times, we stomped there, in water shoes and rain boots, and found ourselves anointed with the magic waters.

Now we can see all the world in a puddle, earth, sky, trees and ourselves.

Puddle splash laughter,
Muddy knees, arms windmilling,
rainwater in boots.

Copyright 2013 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: If you like the haibun poetry style (prose followed by haiku), and want to dip a toe, you can find this week’s prompt at Ligo Haibun.

ligo_circle_of_appreciation2 13682519091-1

Further Note: The puddle in the photograph is not Alligator Pond, which is much dirtier and much closer to the sidewalk.

69 thoughts on “Puddle-Wonderful Haibun”

  1. Pingback: Puddle Heaven | Friendly Fairy Tales
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  5. it is always a joy when neighbors feel they must get into your business – oh, well, makes life exciting. i really enjoyed your haibun tale and great to hear about Alligator Pond. 🙂

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    • I’m a simple person at heart: love to laugh, love stories, love to have fun. I’m generally happy. I try to still that critical inner voice and feed it chocolate regularly. We sit down and have tea and chat ever so often. 🙂

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  7. That’s a beautiful picture Brenda! 🙂 And so true what you have said!! We forget as adults what rain and puddles meant to us when we were little. We always want everything to be so perfect, when in reality unperfect can be good too – just a matter of perception! 😀

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  13. What a beautiful photo – I’d also never heard the ee cummings quote before either – so that’s going into my memory as well.

    And agreed – here’s to puddle jumping!

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  19. I think her reflection is like the glass..half-empty she’ll never believe the magick in the water
    puddles are meant for little boys and girls to discover hidden treasures of the rain..
    my geese love when my drive has puddles, they run like mad, flapping wings jumping in….
    they are a hoot to watch…
    I think I still walk right through the middle of one instead of going around….
    and listening to the thunder and rain tonight I will have a lot of puddles..!
    great post Brenda..as always…and I love that photograph
    Take Care….You Matter….
    )0(
    maryrose

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  23. Children should ingest a pound of dirt a year… for health reasons! How else are we to get their immune systems working. If one sanitizes everything there is no way our bodies will be able to adjust and fit off the nasty stuff.

    I too love puddle stomping! Nicely done! I’m a tad late this week and just posted. Cheers.

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