"Two wrongs may not make a right but a thousand wrongs make a writer.”

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Sunshine in the Cemetery

                                                                      Dark Matter is like the space                                                                                       between people                                                                                        -Tracy Smith "Life on Mars" 

This month is named for Mars, that bloodthristy Roman God of War and eponymous red planet, and this post is a tribute to Tracy Smith's "Life on Mars" the Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry in 2012.  Frank Tassone at dVerse, the Poet's Pub, has suggested we write a haibun in the spirit of Smith's extended elergy for her late father. 



She who taught me to set a table, make my bed, and say my prayers waits for spring with no complaint— the boys of summerbut another sore appeared on her ankle and she wonders aloud What will become of me? I’m still a child while she is here, when she is gone what will become of me?

Whirl of black wing through the trees. Watchful crows remember face. Red tulips match her dress and his bow tie. Easter finery, cemetery grass, soft and matted underfoot. Why not believe as Camus did that two can become reunited as one?

Vase of daffodils
Last a week when brought inside
Sunshine in a jar


The haibun form consists of one or two paragraphs of prose that evoke an experience followed by a haiku, nature based, that complements the prose.

Thanks Frank for the evocative prompt.


9 comments:

Samyuktha Semi Jayaprakash said...

Good one

Yvonne Osborne said...

Samyuktha, thank you!

Yvette M Calleiro said...

Great haibun, Yvonne!

Yvette M Calleiro :-)
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com

Yvonne Osborne said...

Thanks Yvette. Thank you for commenting

pvcann.com said...

Wow, a cracking haibun, evocative for me.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Thanks PV!!

imelda said...

So poignant. I like how you juxtaposed images in your piece.

Sumandebray said...

I am touched by the imagery and the theme that touches the heart. No matter how old we grow, we are always a child when parents are around and when old friends are with us.

Yvonne Osborne said...

Thanks Imelda and Suman, I liked it when others were taking care of things.