In winter snow stays for a while, shrinking or firming into frozen crystals. Landscape colours evolve from white to brown, yellow, green…and the feeling of cold shivers between ache and bite.
In this corner of the Northern Hemisphere, some say winter begins on December Solstice (21st), while others call it winter when snow falls and temperatures dip below freezing…that was in November this year in Ontario southeast, where winter banished autumn by mid-November.
When Solstice arrives, four days before Christmas, our descent into darkness will end and the slow return of longer days will begin.
Whether we call the season autumn, winter, or spring, the earth, sun and moon are faithful to their paths, their geometries of light. As Solstice approaches, I notice winter has strengthened its hold and I have surrendered. How gracefully then will I rise and accept the light as it returns?
.
winter hours
wrapped in wool mending
inner tides
.
©️2019 Ontheland
This haibun began as a response to Day 16 of Frank Tassone’s November with Basho, but it also touches on the Haikai Challenge theme, December Solstice. The excerpt selected from Basho’s The Narrow Road to the Interior for Day 16 concludes with these words:
We composed a round of haiku, bid farewell, and started by boat down the Mogami bound for Sakata Harbor…
From Hot Sea Mountain
southward to Windy Beach
the evening cools
Basho, ‘The Narrow Road to the Interior” translated by Sam Hamill, The Essential Basho, p.25
Ontheland 
Oh this is something… hadn’t a clue about solstice… the geometry of light, thankyou!
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I like the sense of letting go, giving in to the rhythm.
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It’s something I’m aspiring to…resisting less as seasons change…going with the various impacts.
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Gosh this is beautiful. I had forgotten the power of a good haibun to evoke both a mood and sense of place. Reading yours snapped me out of my writing doldrums. I’m off to Frank’s site now to take a look at his latest prompt.
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Thank you Suzanne! In case it is the Narrow Road to the Interior series you are looking for… he did 23 posts as a project called “November with Basho” . In the first one he invited others to respond to his excerpts. I have been doing just that but at a much slower pace. But I’m thinking that maybe you’re thinking of Frank’s weekly Haikai Challenge and of course the recent link is on this post. Hope you find the kind of spark you need 🙂
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It was the Basho prompts that interested me. I hadn’t thought of continuing to do them once November finished. Thanks for the idea.
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I hadn’t read the Narrow Road to the Interior before so it’s been a great way to take a look.
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Yes it’s a strange little book. I read it last year. There are some really beautiful parts to it and some wonderful haiku
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I agree. I find myself wishing for an annotated version that gives detail on all the poetic and mythical references he makes.
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That would be good. It is hard to understand all the references.
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Lovely. Yes, accept the light. (K)
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:))🌞🌎🌑
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There is much feeling in this haibun Janice for the reader to take and ponder
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Thank you, Denis.
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Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #1 (12/18/19): Janice’s latest #haibun for my “November with Basho” series and current #haikai challenge!
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Thank you, Frank :))
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🙂
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Peace emanates from this post. Nicely done.
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Thank you :))
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My pleasure.
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Very nicely done! ❤
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A beautiful haibun with a lot of texture.
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Thank you 🙂
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You’re welcome 🙂
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