For Colleen Chesebro’s Tuesday Poetry Challenge, a Haibun/Tanka infused with the words Heat and Confuse (and iterations thereof).
She takes her tea at 3:15 pm each day, steeped in a hand-painted porcelain pot, with two cubes of sugar and a splash of cream in her favorite tea cup. Rosemarie always joins her. They sit side by side in chairs positioned just so, at the window facing the pond, and sip away the hour chatting about this and that. I watch them from across the room with a ready smile and a nod hoping for a glimmer of recognition when she turns her gaze toward me. Most days she glances my way, a bit befuddled, settling into a wary tip of her head as she redirects her attention to the tea in her cup and the ducks aflutter in the pond. Most days I am grateful to be in the presence of this woman who raised me from a babe even though she doesn’t remember. I have memories aplenty for us both and savor them as I watch her fade into the hazy streams of afternoon sunlight…mom and her new best friend, nurse Rosemarie.
if I could, I would
sit beside you in the dark
and hold your frail hand
basking in warm memories
of us, as fog settles ’round
~kat
July 26th, 2017 at 8:06 am
I found this very tender and gentle – thankyou
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July 26th, 2017 at 9:07 am
Thank you. Peace and gentle blessings to you ❤️
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July 26th, 2017 at 11:07 am
Lovely prose and Tanka. These Haibun are amazing aren’t they? Another excellent offering, Kat. ❤
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July 26th, 2017 at 11:59 am
Thank you Colleen. I really do love this form. So happy to have found your challenge. I look forward to it every Tuesday. Thank you for hosting! 🙂
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July 26th, 2017 at 1:31 pm
You’re welcome. Glad you are loving the creativity! ❤
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July 26th, 2017 at 12:38 pm
Beautiful… 🥀🥀🥀
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July 26th, 2017 at 7:04 pm
Thank you Dorna. 😊
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July 26th, 2017 at 2:42 pm
Such a sweet story/poem…
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July 26th, 2017 at 6:56 pm
Thanks Kathryn. ❤️
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August 1st, 2017 at 2:04 am
[…] Tea with Mom Haibun/Tanka | like mercury colliding… […]
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August 2nd, 2017 at 7:42 am
This was such a moving tanka, Kat. 🙂
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August 2nd, 2017 at 9:40 am
Thank you Judy. 🙂
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