Peace – The Līgo Haībun Challenge

AnElephantCant help but worry
He does not want to let his friend down
He hopes sweet Nightlake
Has not made a mistake
Līgo Haībun Challenge is no place for a clown

AnElephant is invited to the Līgo Haībun Challenge. The topic for this week (until 19th April) is Peace.
“Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves.”
A quote by William Hazlittm found by Nightlake – http://call2read.com/2013/04/13/ligo-haibun-challenge-peace/

The format here for the Līgo Haībun Challenge is as follows:
A paragraph (more than one paragraph is fine, or just a few sentences) in prose form
and
* the haiku/collection of haiku related to the text to close.
The haiku should be as authentic as possible, with therefore no syllable count, no capitals or full stop, all ideally making 220 word max.

The Unknown Soldier

The Unknown Soldier

The Great Peace

The pain surprises him.
The rain falls steadily, but is not the cause of the pain.
The wind blows briskly, but is not the cause of the pain.
He pauses and looks around the small cemetery, one out of around 940 in France and Belgium.
It is the cause of his pain.
It contains the graves of 1262 British, 4 Canadian and 29 German soldiers and airmen.
There is no segregation by rank or nationality, and each grave is immaculately tended.
They are arranged in chronological order of death.

The peace is in sharp contrast to those bloody days less than 100 years ago.
The days when this part of Northern France was the world’s battlefield, with men coming from all parts of the planet to die here.

The Great War.
He almost smiles at the oxymoron.
But finds he cannot.
Because of the tears in his eyes and the lump in his throat.

the great war
is the war to end all wars
flowers grow in tears

Unknown's avatar

About ceayr

A Scot who has discovered peace in a small town he calls Medville on the Côte Vermeille, C.E. Ayr has spent a large part of his life in the West of Scotland and a large part elsewhere. His first job was selling programmes at his local football club and he has since tried 73 other career paths, the longest being in IT, with varying degrees of success. He is somewhat nomadic, fairly irresponsible and, according to his darling daughter, a bit random. So, nobody’s perfect.
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22 Responses to Peace – The Līgo Haībun Challenge

  1. Pingback: Ligo Haibun Challenge – Photo Prompt | call2read

  2. kz's avatar kz says:

    your haiku is beautiful and that’s a great photo you chose to accompany this very well-written haibun

  3. Sarah Ann's avatar Sarah Ann says:

    Love that haiku – beautiful.

  4. Great and sad… a war to end all wars is the worst…

  5. Wonderful haibun. Great haiku, closing line excellent.

  6. Penny L Howe's avatar Penny L Howe says:

    Thank you. A poignant reminder of the nature of humans. You have written an excellent haibun and are a natural when it comes to writing in this style/format. Outstanding artistic merit. Penny

  7. Eric's avatar Eric says:

    Very nice take on the challenge! An interesting read. Liked your haiku too! 🙂 Eric

  8. nightlake's avatar nightlake says:

    What a touching piece! ‘Flowers grow in tears..’a powerful write-up. The haiku has done full justice to the prose preceding it. Thank you so much for contributing, Elephant.

  9. emmylgant's avatar emmylgant says:

    Je n’ai pas de mots.
    Flowers grow in tears
    Les Fleurs du mal
    Plus qu’emouvant.

  10. Pingback: The Līgo Haībun Challenge – Peace | Alastair's Blog

  11. Alastair's avatar Alastair says:

    That is a very moving piece. No rhyme for reply on this one as it demands respect.

    Well done my friend

  12. echoing my mood
    tears and a lump in the throat
    flowers ease pain

    Thank you anelephant x

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