(#Haibun)
Poetry to me, is ethereal. It is a voice – but not that of my mind. It doesn’t appear to come from reasoning or deduction, but is an echo of my soul. Time and again I’m drawn to the basic elements that make us who we are; love, life, death, fear,anger and our other vulnerabilities.
In my poems I feel around the borders of my mortality and constantly remind myself and the reader of the brevity of life, of the need to live life to its fullest NOW, not tomorrow. I write about love a lot because I believe it’s the greatest and most magical gift one person can give the other.
As I write this, I’ve just received word from my family in the Caribbean that they are- yet again- in the path of another hurricane. This time, her name is Maria. I pray for her to just go away; she’s been on my mind all day.
The heavens rumble
Raindrops, missiles in the wind
Cumulus clouds spin
style, and add a classic haiku
Copyright 2017- Vivian Zems
Smell The Coffee 
September 18, 2017 at 10:31 pm
I pray they are safe too. I appreciate your words.
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September 18, 2017 at 10:35 pm
Thanks, Alison. They’re as prepared as can be.
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September 18, 2017 at 10:45 pm
It is interesting to view raindrops as missiles in the wind but that is probably how they feel in a hurricane. I hope your family stays safe. I agree that poetry is of the soul (or perhaps heart as well) and it is different from the brain or mind where we rationalize our choices.
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September 18, 2017 at 10:56 pm
Thanks, Frank. For yur kind words and comments.
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September 18, 2017 at 11:15 pm
I, too, pray for those in the path of the new Hurricane Maria. Enough devastation!! I like the phrase “raindrops become missiles in the wind”. So descriptive.
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September 18, 2017 at 11:42 pm
Thanks Bev for your kind words and comments.
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September 19, 2017 at 12:55 am
I pray and hope that they will be safe too. Your words about the brevity of life and living in the now resonate with me. Thanks for sharing your haibun with us.
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September 19, 2017 at 7:51 am
Thank you, Grace. I appreciate your kind words 😊
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September 19, 2017 at 3:08 am
Keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers.
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September 19, 2017 at 7:47 am
Thanks Walt 😊💙
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September 19, 2017 at 3:39 am
Prayers for the safety of your family and everyone.
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September 19, 2017 at 7:47 am
Thank you so much!
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September 19, 2017 at 4:12 am
This is lovely, Vivian. “…borders of my mortality…” Simply perfect!
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September 19, 2017 at 7:46 am
Thanks Sarah!
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September 19, 2017 at 5:27 am
We can never be reminded enough to life NOW. Why do we forget that so easily? I hope your family will be OK….
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September 19, 2017 at 7:45 am
Thank you for your kind words and thanks for dropping by 😊
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September 19, 2017 at 5:32 am
I like your reflection on the now of life, somehow it’s like an island most like your family in the Caribbean – I hope that they will be safe from yet another one,
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September 19, 2017 at 7:44 am
Thank you😊. I pray so too!
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September 19, 2017 at 6:04 am
I hope your family stays safe and you keep writing beautiful poems. 🙂
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September 19, 2017 at 7:44 am
Thanks N!
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September 19, 2017 at 7:31 am
I hope they stay safe. Poetry is a great way of exploring the really important things. Thanks for sharing.
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September 19, 2017 at 7:41 am
Thank you for your kind words. I enjoy your work too.😊
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September 19, 2017 at 7:54 am
Oh yes, poetry is an echo of the soul. I like the way you describe it as feeling around the borders of mortality. My thoughts are with you, Viv, and your family as Maria makes her way over the Caribbean with her missiles and spinning cumulus clouds.
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September 19, 2017 at 8:36 am
Thank you, Kim. And thanks for your kind words 🙂
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September 19, 2017 at 9:08 am
You’re very welcome 🙂
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September 19, 2017 at 10:03 am
I hope they are ok, too. Love is the universal language and you can’t go wrong writing about it or the changing weather.:-)
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September 19, 2017 at 12:40 pm
Thanks Kathy… they’re fine at the moment- just bracing themselves. Thanks for the comment 🙂
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September 19, 2017 at 2:33 pm
Prayers and best of wishes. Your haibun expresses so well how your poetic mind reaches out, much to our enjoyment.
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September 19, 2017 at 7:08 pm
Thanks Walter, for the comment and best wishes 😊
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September 19, 2017 at 7:54 pm
Prayers for your family in the Caribbean , Vivian . May God protect them and keep them safe .
I loved your descriptions of why you write about love . Beautiful. And I completely agree with your thought that it’s the ‘most magical gift .’
That poetry is lovely too .
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September 19, 2017 at 7:59 pm
Thanks so much for the comforting words😊
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September 20, 2017 at 1:14 am
I hope your family stays safe, Vivian. This haibun rings true, and the finishing haiku has incredible imagery.
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September 20, 2017 at 8:08 am
Thank you for saying that 😊
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September 21, 2017 at 12:18 pm
I appreciate your work and I love your mission of immediacy and awareness of our mortality. It is easy to forget about even when we have confronted it in the past. How are your family?
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September 21, 2017 at 1:12 pm
Thank you for the comment. Yes, life is too short.
Family are great- Maria went past St Kitts and headed for Puerto Rico. So sad that my joy might be another’s sorrow. I hope everyone affected remains safe.
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September 21, 2017 at 1:31 pm
So true. It is devastating what has happened in the past few weeks. I’m glad your family are safe.
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September 21, 2017 at 4:22 pm
Thank you 🙂
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September 21, 2017 at 10:52 pm
Yes, love, I agree.
Rain like missiles–what a great description of them in a hurricane. I hope your family is safe!
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September 22, 2017 at 12:45 pm
“an echo of my soul”
Perfect.
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September 22, 2017 at 1:38 pm
Thanks, Kijo. By the way, I replied to your email. Hope you’re well 🙂
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September 26, 2017 at 4:02 pm
Hi! How’s it? I can’t find but one email. No rush, just making sure you aren’t sending it to another Kijo, or that I’m not ending up in the spam folder.
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September 26, 2017 at 4:58 pm
Maybe another Kijo? Hmm- did you ask me to take part in a collaborative project? Poems/pics for an online platform..?
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September 27, 2017 at 1:37 pm
Yes, I did. 🙂 I wrote you back, but I don’t know if you got those emails, the ones with the photos.
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September 27, 2017 at 1:56 pm
Oh no! Please re-send
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October 9, 2017 at 12:41 pm
Any ideas? Any progress? 🙂
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October 9, 2017 at 4:47 pm
Will email you.
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October 6, 2017 at 9:52 am
Vuvian is your family in the path of Nate also, now? I just read about it this morning. Praying for all during this dreadful season
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October 6, 2017 at 10:16 am
Goodness me! I haven’t even heard of another one! Hope not, cos they would have contacted me ( St Kitts and St Vincent)- but will check. Thanks for letting me know. God help us!
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October 6, 2017 at 10:23 am
I don’t know my geography very well Vivian but Puerto Rico was mentioned again. I hope it is not your family to be hit again. I think the path of Nato is uncertain at this time. A terrible time for all. Love to you and your family.
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October 6, 2017 at 10:27 am
Thanks so much. Poor Puerto Rico- how much more can they take???
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October 6, 2017 at 9:58 pm
I don’t know Vivian. It is just too terrible. I was worried for your folks and trying to work out how near to Puerto Rico St. Kitts is, and if they would get hit. I must go look to see where they are saying it will hit now, as it changes course a bit. Prayers forbeveryone Vivian xx
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October 6, 2017 at 10:04 pm
Just checked- they don’t think it’s coming their way. But 22 already dead and some missing in Honduras / Costa Rica etc. So sad.
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October 6, 2017 at 10:10 pm
Oh no. That is jyst AWFUL. It makesnyou feel so helpless doesn’t it. Hope your folks are doing ok anyway. Prayers for thise who have lost loved ones and those still facing these terrible storms.
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October 6, 2017 at 11:14 pm
It’s so bad. I feel guilty for moaning about little things. Thanks so much. And yes, prayers for those poor people.
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