Countdown, #1: Pain (Haibun)

Posted on by

 

My last five posts of 2019 are reruns of five of the most viewed posts on this site during the year.

 

Pain

Pain reminds me that I’m breathing, still able to appreciate the fragrance of French roast coffee brewing, the diced red pepper, onion and jalapeño mixture sizzling in the pan. Today is a good day. When I roll out the dough for the onion tart, the leg barely protests, and as I sip ginger tea while the tart bakes, no throb interrupts my pleasure.

Sometimes the hip shocks me with its barbed lance attack, or the knee rasps “not today, sonny,” and I grimace, concentrate on deliberate forward movement, one short step followed by another, into the kitchen or down the steps to the shack.

Music soothes, as does poetry, but occasionally the weight of the guitar is more than the leg can bear. Still, when I manage to lose myself in a tune or a few phrases, I drift in their currents, weightless, free.

 

Oh, to climb that hill
among those lost maples
Look — my shoe’s untied

 

* * *

“Pain” first appeared in The Zen Space in July 2018.

 

37 thoughts on “Countdown, #1: Pain (Haibun)”

  9. Pingback: Pain (Haibun) — O at the Edges – www.BetterYourWellness.com

  12. Mmm. This sure fits right now. Suffering a bacterial eye infection that disrupts what I’d prefer to be doing! But also holds up the flash card reminding I’m blessed to have two mostly-functioning eyes … blessed that there is hope for recovery soon … but CAUTION that taking eyes for granted would be short-sighted. Especially like your haiku closure.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply ↓

  13. Rather live with the pain than die feeling nothing at all. By and large, what is life without pain? even some pains comes with pleasure and vise-versa, which is awesome. More ink to your pen Bob.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.