City Haibun – for dVerse

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Winter’s cold fingers are almost touching the city, and the guy who sleeps under the flyover is carrying an extra blanket. I try not to look as I walk past, pulling my coat around me. As the sun sets, streetlights glow brighter than stars, shop windows shine clearer than the moon. Each puddle holds a shard of city, a kaleidoscope of lights shine at my feet. There’s a couple already drinking outside a bar – I watch him light her cigarette, see how they laugh together, but I don’t stop. My feet beat in the commuter’s rhythm now. I’m in a hurry, stopping at the convenience store for bread and milk, a pizza and a bottle of wine. I want to get home, out of the wind that’s rolling down the street, and the rain that’s just starting. It’s been a long day, but the city will be up all night, drinking and dancing and carrying on without me.

Autumn’s open hand

Spills chilly moonlight, cold stars

Dance through the  puddles.

 

This is a slightly less traditional haibun than usual, because Bjorn at dVerse is a bit of rebel…He’s asked for something that captures the city, in all its sleazy, neon glory. If you head over there you can knock back a Cosmopolitan and try a haibun out for yourself. 

23 thoughts on “City Haibun – for dVerse”

  4. This is so cinematographic, with beautiful touches of detail in: ‘As the sun sets, streetlights glow brighter than stars, shop windows shine clearer than the moon. Each puddle holds a shard of city, a kaleidoscope of lights shine at my feet’ which you’ve picked up again in the haiku.
    It’s also reminiscent of those French photographs, Sarah, with perfect detail in the ‘couple already drinking outside a bar – I watch him light her cigarette, see how they laugh together’,

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  5. SMiLes.. i’Ve oft tOld A story
    i never kNew how homeless
    i had been until i made a
    friEnd
    who had
    a home of
    soUL with no
    bricks but a bridge
    overpass and friends
    of flesh and blood..
    and nah..
    by then..
    i wasn’t
    surprised
    By sMiLes oF aLive..:)

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  6. Lovely! I adore the hurried tone and pacing of this poem. Especially “Each puddle holds a shard of city, a kaleidoscope of lights shine at my feet” left me breathless ❤️ Beautifully done.

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  11. “streetlights glow brighter than stars, shop windows shine clearer than the moon. Each puddle holds a shard of city, a kaleidoscope of lights shine at my feet.” Love that and “the city will be up all night, drinking and dancing and carrying on without me.”

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  12. A superb rendition Sarah – the commute in the city and all those cues = extra blanket and puddle shards. Your use of ‘carrying on’ is especially good with its ‘carry on’ reference to a specific behaviours

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  13. I love this — everything about it. I especially like this “Each puddle holds a shard of city, a kaleidoscope of lights shine at my feet.” and then the repetition of the puddle in the haiku. “the commuters’ rhythm” — so so true. Before I rejuvenated, I walked back and forth to work every day and you do indeed get into the “rhythm” and sometimes you see things and sometimes you don’t. It’s a path we wear into our soles and our souls, right?
    Well done!

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