I set out at first light into a seamless landscape. The earth is silent, save for my rhythmic plod of boots and the cloud of breath against my muffler. I forge a fresh path on an old trail.
I think of my daughter, newly separated, her search for landmarks in a world suddenly opaque, and I know even love as fierce as mine can’t keep her warm.
cardinal huddling
on the old pine’s snowy branch
earth’s muted longing
Sarah Russell
for d’Verse
photo source
Sarah Russell Poetry 
The symbolism of the cold and the huddled bird is powerful.
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Thanks, Jane. Bjorn’s “walk” recalled that walk in winter right after I’d learned her news. For once, the accompanying haiku came quite easily.
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It flows beautifully from the emotion.
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Your walk made me shiver, Sarah! It’s very windy and chilly here but we have no snow, only rain, drip-dripping all day. I love the sound effect of ‘The earth is silent, save for my rhythmic plod of boots’ and the imagery of the haiku, with the brightly-coloured cardinal against the old pine’s snowy branch.
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Thanks so much, Kim. I remember I was warm, but the world seemed especially cold that day.
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Nice expression of empathy with your daughter.
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Thanks, Frank. Guess you’re always a parent no matter how old they are.
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That haiku is incredible. Filled with Love for your daughter. The symbolism of the huddling bird is so powerful.
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Thank you, Toni. High praise. You write such beautiful haiku!
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Your words are beautiful in their understanding, My thoughts are with your daughter. May she gain strength from your love. Hugs to you both.
Anna
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Thanks, Anna. She’s doing well. Strong woman!
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This is so lovely – my thoughts go to your daughter. Your haiku is amazing!
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Thanks so much, Jo.
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At such a time what a natural reaction to walk. And to write. I hope healing is happening for all. It is certainly an effective poem from a reader’s perspective.
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Thanks a lot. It seems those transitions are the best times to write (and walk) your way through them.
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I think your daughter is very fortunate to have such a caring and empathetic mother. The analogy is so powerful here. It made me think of my own divorce, the blank slate and how we have to set out, making new footprints in the snow.
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Thanks, Mish. It is a fitting analogy for my own divorce too. I knew what she would face.
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Such a lot in this short piece. The parallels are striking – mother and daughter both in a blank featureless land, one striding out, one lost (for now); the bird/daughter huddling – the cold and the muted longing. Terrific.
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Thanks so much, Peter!
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A powerful haibun.
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The way you have to break a fresh path through the snow and the way I feel that your daughter is on similar walk by herself is so great. Wish for cardinals to color her world (and yours)
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Thanks, Bjorn. She’s well on her way now. A strong woman!
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Some valleys have to be walked alone! Walking does give time for contemplation! Nice work!
dwight
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You’re right, Dwight. Thanks for stopping by.
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Your haiku describes so well the longing of a mother’s heart to make everything right. Blessings on you and your daughter.
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Thanks so much, Amaya. Yes, we never stop being mothers, do we?
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Forging a fresh path through snow on an old trail creates such a powerful image. A beautiful haibun Sarah and I wish your daughter well on her new journey 💜
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Thanks so much, Xenia. She’s well on her way now. So proud of her.
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We never outgrow our mother’s love but sometimes we must make fresh footprints in a cold world…beautiful imagery and deep emotion expressed!
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Thanks, Lynn. It was a tough time.
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I enjoyed this blog entry a lot. It reminds me of the cardinals I saw perching on snowy branches on the extensive Cloisters grounds on Manhattan Island a few years ago during a March visit to NYC. During the same visit, I also saw a group of Catholic Cardinals leaving a downtown Cathedral. They walked two-by-two down a snowy street in their red robes.
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Oh Lin, there’s a poem there for sure. I love those images! Thanks for stopping by.
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