Here, in this remote, twisted canyon, countless generations of aboriginal puebloan peoples lived. One thousand years ago, they faced a 100-year drought, and lost out to it. It's likely that some farmers became nomads, raiding the produce of others who had struggled on; likely there were skirmishes in which one family battled another for survival. … Continue reading Day’s End: a Visit to Slickhorn Canyon
Category: Rays Haibun
Red Licorice
. . . if they fail to express what is in their own minds, what is the use, no matter how many poems they compose! ~ Ryokan The doorbell rings. On the porch, standing in a downpour, is a very wet girl in baggy clothes. Her hair is mouse-brown with red and green streaks, her … Continue reading Red Licorice
Close Encounters of an Italian Kind
Strapped into a too-narrow, no leg-room Air Canada seat, I’m editing a manuscript, and the distinguished-looking fellow beside me looks over and, in a strong Italian accent, says, “Are you a writer or editor?” “I’m revising some of my writing,” I reply, and hand him a copy of my last haibun collection, hoping it will … Continue reading Close Encounters of an Italian Kind
Chin Down
My daughter’s ashes are now spread in places she loved, although I have a hard time remembering when she loved anything but drugs, and lived anywhere but on the streets. We did our best, I’ve often thought to myself and even said aloud as we spread her ashes in a mountain meadow. You could have … Continue reading Chin Down
What Are You Up To?
The sun’s rays filter through a stand of spruce where twenty horses are hitched. As we unpack them, Dave, a lanky outfitter, and I chat about the grizzly we spotted earlier in the day and how the horses are holding up. men’s talk – the smell of sweat and manure Dave asks, “Ray, what are … Continue reading What Are You Up To?
Best Intentions
| Recently Published Haibun by Ray Rasmussen | image credit: unknown Hell isn't merely paved with good intentions: it's walled and roofed with them. Yes, and furnished too. ~ Aldous Huxley We’re dining on ginger beef and cod in black bean sauce, flavored with catch-up chat. My friend Kathy, leans toward me and says, “I … Continue reading Best Intentions
Strings Tied in Knots
| Recently Published Haibun by Ray Rasmussen | In her poem “The Flaw,” Molly Peacock writes, “The best thing about a hand-made pattern in a weaving is the flaw.” She suggests that a red string standing out in a blue-toned carpet weave could be likened to a red bird flying into a blue sky. My partner … Continue reading Strings Tied in Knots
The Ask. A haibun by Ray Rasmussen
| Recently Published Haibun by Ray Rasmussen | image by r. rasmussen The Ask My lover asks me: "What is the difference between me and the sky?" ~ Nizar Qabbani After reading Qabbani’s poem together, my lover smiles and asks: “What’s the difference between me and the sky?” The difference, my love, is when … Continue reading The Ask. A haibun by Ray Rasmussen
Published Haibun by Ray Rasmussen
canoe & cloud, Lake Edith, Jasper National Park : r. rasmussen I don't intend this blog to be a showcase for my published work. However, in case you want to see writing by the guy who's pontificating about haibun and haiku on this blog, here are some my haibun published at a variety of venues: … Continue reading Published Haibun by Ray Rasmussen
A Monk’s Journey with Basho
courtesan and monk, we sleep under one roof together, moon in a field of clover ~ Basho "A Monk's Journey" is haibun with a mix of my prose intertwined with translations of Basho's haiku. It was first published in the journal Simply Haiku. I present it to show how writers can work in conversation, so … Continue reading A Monk’s Journey with Basho
Ray Rasmussen: All Things Haibun Blog 