Creek Haibun
The creek’s waters flow so quickly that I make little headway in my attempt to cross. A water moccasin slips by, and my left boot takes on water. This is not real, I say. We’ve had no rain and I would not be so foolish as to do this. Asleep? Perhaps, but I’ve passed the halfway point and have no choice but to move forward. I slip and nearly pitch headfirst into the dark current. Lightning stitches the sky.
dreaming, the snake
swims against floodwaters
oh, what have I lost?
O at the Edges 
Creeks are magical. Looking back, they have always been a source of inspiration and and occasional bliss for me. The only haibun I’ve attempted was about such an experience while padding and encountering the only bobcat I have ever seen in the wild. This happen years ago and inspired a poem…but I never felt satisfied with my attempt. A few months ago I tried another version of the poem using the haibun form and it seems to work better…for me. Perhaps, there is a form, more perfect, for expressing every idea or experience and that is what all this poetry stuff is about….slick rocks and current.
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Creeks are indeed magical. I like the idea of matching form to best suit the desired expression. Yes, slick rocks and current, and sometimes, if we’re lucky, sure footing.
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I always feel peace around water; whether it be a creek or an ocean
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I, too, usually feel peace around water, except when it’s floodwater.
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This is a wonderful match of form and content, and the “passed the halfway point” and “what have I lost” are such evocative phrases. For me, that’s a bit of inspiration to ‘dare” more. Thank you.
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Thank you, Carmel. Dreams can reveal much, even when they’re weird and confusing. 🙂
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In Australia we have lots of dry creeks, but when it rains there can be as big as river, and no, I wouldn’t be crossing the flood waters
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Same here. Moving water is powerful!
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Oh, what have I lost?
Footing?
I love the volumes you write in a few lines…
This one defines poetry.
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Thank you, Sarah. There’s footing, and then there is footing!
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Still with the snakes huh? Need a wrangler?
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Well, I do have snake tongs, which can come in handy from time to time… Last year I watched a water moccasin try to swim against floodwater crossing the road. It finally tired and was washed away.
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Eerie and beautiful. Dreaming of water can be such a slippery slope
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