haibun (a needed rest)

by michaelcahill

haibun Contest Winner

haibun (a needed rest)

The world is fresh. Glorious greens grace the landscape. Orchids, some with smiling faces, others pondering. A festive floral color riot. A river dances with the breeze. A salmon slaps the surface. A small ripple splashes the shore. A curious woodchuck wiggles a wet snout.

A tree branch bends to monkeyshines. A parrot parrots a wolf's warning. A crocodile cruises. A hummingbird hovers. Paradise circles, rotates, and flies through the universe.

Omnipotent vision… an image of self. He, lithe and striding though alone. Then asleep and dreaming perhaps. An intervention and grand improvement. She, softer and swaying as she moves. He follows, intoxicated. They embrace. The perfect picture. Innocents entwined under the laden apple tree.

The sun is setting. The moon is rising a silky silver. Stars wink in approval. Summer evening. Rejoice!

in five days
perfection created

but man cometh

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Writing Prompt
write one haibun about: one summer evening

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a haibun is prose and haiku that interconnect with each other. please read all rules below.

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rules for the prose:

short paragraph(s) written in a concise, imagistic style to record ONE scene, special moment, or dream, in a highly descriptive and objective manner. the sentences in haibun are usually written in short staccato-like fragments.

*there is usually not a paragraph/word limit in haibun, but for this contest:
*maximum paragraphs: 4
*maximum word count: 200.

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rules for the haiku:

~ ONE accompanying haiku. it may have a direct or subtle relationship with the prose and encompass or hint at the gist of what is recorded in the prose sections.

~ 13 syllables or less in short/long/short rhythm.

*note: why i say 13 instead of 17: because japanese sound units ("on") are much shorter than english syllables.

~ it must have 2 grammatically interconnected lines of concrete imagery (usually lines 1&2, but can be lines 2&3).

~ the satori ("ah-ha!") line must be clearly defined (it's usually line 3, but can be line 1).

~ all lowercase in haiku.
~ no punctuation in haiku.

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rules for BOTH prose and haiku:

~ ALL present tense.
~ personification is allowed.

~ NO....
NO rhyme in anyway, anywhere.
NO pictures/artwork.
NO author's notes at all.

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rules for the title:

for this contest, the title must look like this:
haibun (2-4 words NOT in the prose or haiku that provide a direct and obvious context to both).

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*see details in announcement for example