A lonely night. Stars twinkling in the misty cold of the canyon. We sat on the trunk of the car, watching the sky. You in khaki and cotton. Loved that look, so GQ and fresh. I loved holding hands with you under the full moon. You, maybe not so much, but you tolerated it. Remember?
White ghost-walled canyon
Bleached still further by moonlight
Wind stands still breathless
I wanted to make love in the backseat. You, not so much. Said nope, not this time. That truck came from nowhere. Moon bright night. Could see the dust trailing behind it. You said it looked like vapor. I agreed. Uncommon for us to agree on the simple things.
Jackrabbits were everywhere. We heard them rustling and bounding in the grass. Tall sage had a smoky odor. Smelled so good and dry and warm for October nights. Remember? You loved that scent. We smudged the house in Albuquerque. I wanted peace from wandering spirits. You. Well, you wanted peace from me. Common. That desire.
Blue prairie flower
Bearing holy sky spirit
Bring peace to our home
Maybe we should have stayed in the canyon. Maybe we just should have smudged our hearts.
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| Writing Prompt |
Write a short piece of haibun prose, under 200 words, accompanied by 1, 2, or 3 haiku. Please do NOT promote your work until AFTER voting is complete. This contest is designed to help those who would like to learn more about the skilful and inspiring art of writing haibun prose and haiku, and the rules pertaining to them.
Please note: there are two versions of this contest, so, if you would prefer a contest with less rules, then please take a look at the sister contest: Prose 'n' Poem 2 (NO RULES!)
So, please only enter this contest if you are willing to ABIDE BY all the rules. Please see inside for further details.
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Author Notes
Smudging is traditionally practiced by Native Americans of the Southwest. It often involves intentionally burning sage grass in a cleansing ritual to purify a home of negative energies or spirits.
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