purplepeninportland

Written for:  dVerse Poets Pub – Haibun Monday, “Lost and Found:  Nature’s Magic”
(Posted by Merrill)

“I found some inspiration again in “Brainpickings.” The post is about a book called Lost Words by Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris. I haven’t read it, but I think I may have to buy it! The book came about because the Oxford children’s dictionary dropped some words describing the natural world in favor of words such as “broadband” and “cut and paste.” McFarlane says they wanted the book “to catch at the beauty and wonder – but also the eeriness and otherness – of the natural world.” There are acrostic “spell poems” to bring back the words, as well as illustrations.

So today, I want you to conjure the magic of nature in your haibun. Think about the words, too, as of course, you do in poetry anyway. You may want to try to catch the magic as a child sees it—you when you were younger or perhaps a child or grandchild. Have you lost that sense of wonder, or have you found it again?”

Sappy leaves fell. They looked  like nose plugs. We would pick
them off the ground and stick them on our noses. We figured
they must have come from the famous Nose Tree.

We never knew dandelions were considered “dreaded weeds”.
Their yellow flowers smiled like sun.  That it was possible
to make wine from dandelions was knowledge acquired later.
Daisies told the truth. Had power to render you distraught. 
I do not pick them anymore.

squirrel races up tree
dog believes he can catch it
acorns fall on dog’s head.

Haibun Monday–Lost and Found: Nature’s Magic