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October 5, 2013

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Poetry, Tales for Kids of All Ages

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Autumnal Fascination Haibun

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Autumn is my favorite season. Summer is too hot, winter too cold, spring too rainy, but autumn is just right. When I was growing up, I enjoyed kicking leaves, walking to school by myself, hearing them crunch underfoot. I even liked to rake leaves, but, shh, don’t tell my dad.

leaves of yellow gold
adding always to the earth
blowing between worlds

The world of winter will soon usher in short days, icy sidewalks, biting winds and mounds of snow. The summer world has ended. Garter snakes and toads dig deep in the soft ground, hibernating. I used to picture them in a parallel world, dark and snug, not blanketed in white. Then one spring, I accidentally dug up a slumbering toad. I dropped the bulb in my hand and shrieked. I don’t know who was more surprised, me or the toad. I never imagined toads dreaming quietly in shallow burrows beneath lilac bushes. Another world exists a few inches below the earth, below the frost fingers, where animals sleep away the cold days. Since then I walk quietly above the secret places where animals slumber and magic lies hiding in my human world where children still clap their hands and believe in fairies.

can you be alone
when all around you is life
slumbering dreaming

Just because you can’t see a thing, does not mean it’s not there. You dig and find things you don’t expect. Fall is a time of miracles. Acorns shower from the trees, chestnuts fall like gunshots and maple seeds spin softly. Fish sink to the bottoms of ponds and prepare to sleep, barely breathing. Monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles to Mexico in a magical migration. Sometimes the weather is warm and sunny then snowing in the same day, winter and summer worlds twirling madly. I have a fascination for the turning worlds, summer, autumn, winter, spring and back again.

watch the seasons change
leaves fall in a swirling dance
dreaming of spring rain

Copyright 2013 Brenda Davis Harsham

Some wonderful poets were mentioned, and this week’s haibun prompts were at Call2Read.

36 thoughts on “Autumnal Fascination Haibun”

  1. Pingback: Remember This Hard Thing | angieinspired

  3. Autumn is a beautiful season, I think it’s my favourite too! 🙂 I also like spring, but I know what you mean about the rain, there does seem to be a lot more of it that time of year.
    You dug up a sleeping toad!!!? 😯 I’ve never heard of that before, fascinating! My brother buried his hamster that he thought had died, and the following morning there was hole in the garden where a resurrection of a hamster had occurred – it was actually in hibernation, he didn’t realise they did that. We never saw it again – it must have been thrilled with it’s freedom!

    I like the way you said: Just because you can’t see a thing, does not mean it’s not there. That’s so true of life in so many ways, so many quiet beginnings in the unseen! 🙂

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    • Exactly. Love your hamster story. I really had wondered where toads hibernate… Somehow I didn’t really think it would be in my garden. I’m a bit wiser now. 🙂

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  4. your words whisper the faeries thoughts I do Believe…
    we are having a real Autumn in Texas..usually a Summer…Summer maybe Spring, rarely Winter
    it will be 46 in the morning here in Hill Country…I am loving it!
    your words are as always an enchantment that keeps one from the first word
    til the last, never jumping ahead….
    Magick is the most enchanting energy….
    Take Care….You Matter…
    )0(
    maryrose

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  6. Our use of the prompt was as different as night and day. I like the soothing nature of yours. I too am a fan of autumn. Of the hope that all living things can live in a reality of peace.

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    • Oh, I went hiking in the autumnal coolness today in a nature sanctuary. Loved it. Stopped for ice cream on the way home. Had breakfast for dinner. Life is good. 🙂

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    • Thanks, I almost decided not to write this week with torture and fascination as the prompts, so potentially dark. But then, I have so many fascinations, I could not resist. 🙂 Thanks for commenting! Brenda

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    • Yeah! Someone made me nervous recently and asked if I would ever write anything as well as the October Haiku with the spider web. It gave me pause. What if I peaked and it was all downhill here on out? Oh, well, I figured. I like going downhill on a bike, hair flying back, wheels spinning fast. I could like going downhill on a blog. Now you’ve made me feel I’m not even headed downhill yet! LOL Hugs, Brenda

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      • no, it was wonderful indeed, and i love your visual of speeding downhill. i think this is a safe place to try out all of our creative endeavors, with a readership that accepts things that end up being our best work all the way to the minimal ranting. it’s who we are and i’m glad for that ) put your bike in the garage for when the time comes )

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  15. It is my favorite time of year too! I am going to travel soon to the land of changing leaves, yes your part of the world. Don’t be surprised if you see me lumbering through the forest with autumn leaves swirling all around!

    Hi, Ho off I go,
    Elephant

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