Useless Prayers (haibun)

by Spiritual Echo

Battered woman mourns. An hour, reprieved minutes before it begins once more--marriage dance--anniversary war. Perfect, must please, not annoy her savage beast. Frantic frenzy--scrub, clean--using tears to dissolve evidence. Dead dreams.

Slicing meat. Chopping onions--always onions to disguise sorrow. "Biscuits," she whispers. "He'll want biscuits for his stew." She measures, sifts, greasing pans as time runs out, until it stands still.

From far away, beyond fields, streams, acres of freedom, hope issues an invitation."Save me, Lord," she mutters.

Keys rattle, synthetic smile glued in place. In readiness, she stands to honour her one remaining marriage vow. Love, honour are but crippled memories. She will obey.

feral screams echo
shatter forest twilight peace
nightly feast begins

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HAIBUN-ISH writing prompt entry

Writing Prompt
Please write about one particular event or snapshot in time.

There must be a prose section followed by a related haiku.

The haiku must be written in three lines with UP TO 17 syllables. only HAIKU RULES HERE ARE PRESENT TENSE, NO PUNCTUATION (EXCEPT POSSESIVE APOSTROPHES), OR CAPITALS EXCEPT FOR PROPER NOUNS

Total word maximum is 150 (haiku and prose combined) - minimum words 75.

Word count must be entered in 'description' above title, but nothing else there.

Prose should be as terse as possible, maybe with fragmented sentences, for extra impact and less 'blah blah'.

No artwork or sound effects.

Simple text presentation of black type on white background - no italics or letter emphasis.

No author notes.

The following words MUST NOT BE USED IN EITHER THE PROSE OR HAIKU -

'AND, A, THE.'

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122 words

Useless Prayers (haibun)

by Spiritual Echo

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