This week’s Tanka Tuesday poetry challenge was an Ekphrastic #PhotoPrompt provided by Lisa Thompson.
The Connection, #Haibun
My walk resulted in a surprise this morning. I found a toadstool growing on the north side of a Palo Verde tree where the sprinkler had sprung a leak. It’s unusual to see a toadstool in the desert, so I suspected there was magic afoot.
The late summer sun hung in the early sky, an angry red orb smothered by wildfire smoke. Cool air currents swirled around my legs, mixing with the warmer currents above. I followed the winding path along the wall that edged the sprawling desert surrounding my housing area, listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees.
Ahead, a woman and her dog, dawdled. She’d tug his leash to suggest a turn in the path, but he’d have nothing to do with any changes in his plans. He planted his feet, refusing to budge, and watched my steady approach.
I remembered this dog from another walk. He’s an older gent with only one eye; maybe a terrier mix. Like me, his hair has turned silver and gray.
When I finally caught up to him, the dog wriggled across the path, wagging a stub of a tail in greeting.
“Hello, Sir Galahad,” I called out. I didn’t know his actual name, but this name seemed to fit. I held out my hand, and he gave it a quick lick. I scratched his head, and he shivered in delight. Both of us connected for that second, bonded in the simple pleasure of connecting with another like soul.
“He waited for you,” his owner said. “He wouldn’t take the turn until he could see you.”
I nodded my head. “I noticed he waited for me.”
The lady smiled back as Sir Galahad scampered to her side. “He definitely has his favorites.”
“You know what?” I called over to her. “That little guy just made my day.”
“That’s his speciality,” she answered, with a knowing look on her face.
The two of them turned down the fork in the path, and I realized how important this connection felt to me. I turned toward home, and noticed my steps were lighter, as if someone had lifted some tremendous weight I hadn’t known I carried around my shoulders.
look for the magic
in everyday occurrences
friendship feeds your soul
©2020 Colleen M. Chesebro
I consider the prose portion of this poem a haibun because I share a slice of my life, as in a real occurrence. The haiku speaks of change, asking you to seek the magic in life. As for the toadstool… well, I might have stretched that part a bit.
