Winter’s Grey and Sparkling White

Snow on Bush

Saturday afternoon the snow started slowly. Being warm the flakes became thick. I started my walk catching some of it, missing most of it. I am not aware enough to be aware of everything. I must leave some for the saint’s creative contemplation or the monk’s mindful meditation.

The snow came down thicker and more beautifully as I walked back through sparkling white. I did not expect so late in my grey year to have so many blessings as if my impatience and despair had been forgiven.

GREY SKY WITH WHITE OWL
WAITING IN THE SNOW-FILLED TREE
LOOK–HE FLIES AWAY

 

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday.  Björn is hosting with the theme “grey”.  I am also linking to Debbie Roth’s Forgiving Fridays.

Photos: “Snow on Bush”, above, and “Snow on Branch”, below.

Snow on Branch

Author: Frank Hubeny

I enjoy walking, poetry and short prose as well as taking pictures with my phone.

73 thoughts on “Winter’s Grey and Sparkling White”

  3. The last paragraph of this is so beautiful Frank and speaks of a life lived well. I also like leaving some of the awareness for meditation. I just caught the tailfeathers of owl but I’m glad you didn’t miss it! 🙂

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  17. You asked about Grace a while ago in one of your prompts for Dverse – I think this answers it perfectly: ‘I did not expect so late in my grey year to have so many blessings as if my impatience and despair had been forgiven.’ The haiku was delightful.

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  18. Very nice Frank – the melding of the external and internal: the surprising beauty of the day and the poet’s reflections and sense of being forgiven. There’s also a nice sense of childish (perhaps) wonder in the last line of the haiku ‘look – he flies away’.

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  19. I could feel the cold in the beautiful images and the words of the haibun, Frank! I like the sense of walking without a purpose in ‘I am not aware enough to be aware of everything’ and the mumbly alliteration of ‘monk’s mindful meditation’. You’ve topped it all off with an owl haiku, too.

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  25. I enjoyed your walk through the snow, I learnt something from that walk, that the snowflakes comes down thicker when the day is warmer. And knowing that as we grow older we don’t really know all that much and have still more to learn. a very reflective haibun

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  28. Frank, I saw your comment about missing so much, and what came forward for me is that you see so much. And what you miss, the hands of forgiveness gives to you as blessings of love. I wish I could put into words how enriching that I find your writing. Your including a white owl is especially moving, like the consciousness of wisdom overlooking us all! I’m honored to contribute this for #ForgivingFridays. Debbie

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  30. Pingback: Today’s Forgiving Fridays: the Incredible Natural Joy of Forgiveness – ForgivingConnects

  32. “I did not expect so late in my grey year to have so many blessings as if my impatience and despair had been forgiven.”

    I gasped at the ending of you prose. You spun a beautiful, winter tale, and the ending really gave it punch, depth, and meaning. Loved the haiku also.

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  34. I think this has to be one of my favourites of yours (although I’m sure I’ve said that before). I like the contemplative voice and I do think the monk isn’t the only one who is very mindful. You have share some very wise and insightful reflections. The haiku compliments them so well. Love it.

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