The engine turned over at last, proceeded by a hoarse round of cheers. The New Year had come and gone huddled in the back of the old Honda, a burbling hookah and a crushed pack of old cigarettes (Quit smoking or quit buying, eh?) our only source of warmth. Our passing savior and her oversized sedan packed with bleary-eyed children led to a singed blanket as we hid our sinful ways from the eyes of the virtuous, but a mild car fire and the loss of a little of the dark leaf shisha (Hey hey hey!) might be worth the rescue. We pulled our scarves together, wet with stale breath and smelling of long-lost college years and kissed belatedly our last year goodbye. For our driver, an extra kiss – for bringing us so far to nowhere, only to take us home again, smiling nonetheless.
Gently the snow falls,
Erasing the old footpath,
Make old journeys new.
Prompt: from the kind writers over at the pub, dVerse, “Celebration” as part of their Haibun Monday Series, celebrating the New Year.
It sounds like an interesting celebration. 😏. Your haiku is so evocative!
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You’re so kind! Celebrations of an interesting sort are best remembered, not always experienced!
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You’re welcome. 😀
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Love, love, love this! So vivid and mesmerizing, indeed, it sounds like quite the celebration on your hands. I especially adore the haiku, it’s extremely evocative.
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I’m so thankful for your kind words. The haiku surprisingly took the longest, needing to be of similar themes without simply repeating the story. I was delighted it came out the way it did.
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“he New Year had come and gone huddled in the back of the old Honda, a burbling hookah and a crushed pack of old cigarettes” – best personification ever!
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Ha, thank you! It was not my initial intent, but I’m delighted at what you uncovered.
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Masa, you bring this casual yet very potent human travelogue to life.
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I love a good travelogue, after all.
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Whoop-Whoop! Wish I coulda been there!
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Ha! Easier to remember on it fondly than to live through something like it!
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I enjoyed the journey through your haibun.
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Well I’m thankful for the safe journey, I hope it was at least a warm one.
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This is so beautiful: what a picture you paint!
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You are very kind! I was hoping a blend of stream of consciousness and blurred perceptions with have a celebratory air to it. I’m glad it’s at the very least cohesive.
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Amazing – you could totally turn this into a compelling short story, Masa! I love it 😀
❤
David
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My personal style does stem from idle short stories, after all! Glad to know I’ve still got a little gas left in the tank.
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This starts like the intro to a short story. It’s just long enough for a haibun, sensorial and imaged. And the haiku is lovely.
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What a profoundly pleasant comment. I am satisfied with my work, thank you so kindly.
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Happy New year and glad to discover your blog
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Happy New Year to you as well! There’s little to see, but I’m appreciative of the visit.
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What a great story! Sounds like quite an adventure! Great Haibun!
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It’s a much better recollection than a thing experienced, let me tell you. Thank you for your kind words!
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You are welcome. A great memory for your grandchildren!
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Sounds a bit exciting… i learned new words about hooka and shisha… and in all good stories, it’s from home to hter and back again…
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Ahh, the old hookah. I believe it resides in a snowy city somewhere in the Great White North, packed up in a box in some forgotten room. How I fondly recall my baser delights…
(And I could not resist the little reference, friend.)
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What sensory delights your haibun evokes and that haiku ties it beautifully!
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Thank you so much! I was worried it blurred together a little too much, but if you could piece it together, I’ll call it fine!
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