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.
Love the thought of leaving some for the meditation… life shall be partly canvas, not just colored by number.
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I realize I miss so much and it doesn’t matter. Thank you for the prompt, Bjorn!
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I’m glad you pointed out the owl flying away, otherwise I might have missed it.
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I almost missed the owl on my walk as well. Thank you, Annell!
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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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I did see that owl on my walk. It was beautiful even when flying away to avoid me. Thank you, Toni!
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I love the action in the last line of the haiku.
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He flew away. Thank you, Jane!
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The owl is a marvellous addition to this lovely poem.
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Thank you, Misky! He was a highlight on the walk and I almost forgot to mention him.
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It is wonderful how a fresh snow can cover the dingy grey remainders of earlier snows! I love the haibun too.
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Fresh snows are wonderful especially if they are thick. Thank you, Beverly!
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This made me catch my breath “…as if my impatience and despair had been forgiven”. Really nice!
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Thank you! I am glad you liked that. I see it as the message of the haibun if there is a message.
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Wow such deep and beautiful words!!!
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Thank you!
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You are welcome.
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Oh to be aware enough to be aware of everything! Beautiful, and I love the owl haiku!
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One can only be aware of so much. Thank you, Mary!
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This was so enjoyable – I had to read it twice. Love the image of the grey sky with white owl.
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I am glad you liked this. Thank you!
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impatience and despair lifted… that is akin to that owl taking flight. Lovely.
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Yes, they left like the owl. Thank you, Margaret!
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A beautiful text. And I never saw this suggary texture of fresh snow. Not even in pictures
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I focused the camera on a close-up which showed the snow crystals better. The day was warm and the snow came down in thick flakes. Thank you, Danik!
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A good observance on forgiveness and being unconditionally blessed.
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We are unconditionally blessed. Thank you, Amaya!
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Yes, I would say you missed most of it, Frank! The first photo is a wonder. You’re a great “here and now” poet!
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I like the “here and now” description. Thank you, Nan!
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You are really a fantastic writer, Frank.
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Thank you, Moss!
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A great Hai bun Frank… I liked that you found forgiveness and blessing in your older years for all the impatience and despair! That rang true with me as well.
dwight
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I wish I knew a lot of it earlier, but thinking back it is just as well. Thank you, Dwight!
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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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That is Grace since I would not be able to do it myself. I am glad you liked this. Thank you, Petru!
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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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That last line of the haiku just popped in place. I didn’t know what to write, but the bird did leave when I tried to take his picture. Thank you, Peter!
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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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I feel I should pay attention and be aware and yet I know I miss so much. I’m glad you liked the owl haiku. The bird I saw seemed special to me on that walk. Thank you, Kim!
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Winter’s last hurrah. Owls would seem to be a necessary ingredient…(K)
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It was the first owl I’ve seen outside of a zoo. Thank you!
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Very zen, Frank! And the haiku is lovely 🙂
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It is kind of zen now that you mention it. Thank you, Jane!
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🙂
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I love the peace in this haibun… leaving some things to meditation and watching owls fly away. It definitely is a peaceful setting… for a peaceful mind.
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It was a beautiful and peaceful walk. I had no reason to be outside except to enjoy the snow. Thank you, Vivian!
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😊
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Filled with Grace.
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Thank you, Paul!
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Loved your thoughts and photos.
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I am glad you liked them!
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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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I look forward to those warmer winter days when the snow sticks. It almost wants to be rain. It is good for snow sculptures, too. Thanks, Gina!
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i was lost inside the world you have described here. im delighted that we shared almost the same title. 🙂
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Our titles were almost the same. I was lost inside the world you created as well when reading it. Thank you!
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Oh thank you, Frank! You’re welcome!
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Lovely haiku, Frank, and I appreciate “I am not aware enough to be aware of everything.”
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We can only be aware of so much and that so much is often enough. Thank you, Lynn!
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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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Thank you, Debbie! I am glad you liked this. That owl surprised me in the tree. It was the first one I’ve seen there.
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This felt so fresh and like as if we were emerging from the grey.
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We do emerge from the grey. Thank you, Alison!
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Love Need not Fly away when
Human and Love when
real is
never
Sorry
to: Exist.. From:
ThE Beauty of SNoW
HeLd in a photo of as old
As Modern Servers Serve…
ArT oF MusE
LoVE
FoR
EVeR LiFE..:)
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Yes, love forever. Thank you, Fred!
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For that too..:)
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“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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I am glad you liked this. Thank you!
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The snow is really beautiful, Frank.
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It is the warm snowfall I was hoping to see earlier this year. It is beautiful . Thank you, Robbie!
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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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Sorry for my very late response. Very busy week.
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Thank you, Mish! The monk’s mindfulness and the saint’s contemplation are kinds of goals of being. Maybe we’ve all achieved them long ago without being aware of it.
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