AnElephantCant claim he’s intelligent
Some folk say he’s a kinda dumb creature
But when he wants to learn
He knows where to turn
Mother Nature is the ultimate teacher
This week’s Līgo Haībun Challenge comes once again courtesy of the wonderful Penny, assisted magnificently by Nightlake and The Pirate.
AnElephant’s chosen prompt is:
“Come forth into the light of things,
let nature be your teacher” ~ William Wordsworth
- Morning sun on the Maures Mountains
The Rock
It catches his eye each morning as he breakfasts on orange juice and croissants.
It is like a beacon, a lighthouse, high on the steep mountainside.
The rest of the slope, no, it is almost a crag, is covered in trees, with patches of grey and dull terra cotta showing in places.
But this rock shines, thrusting proudly out from the dark green that surrounds it.
It sits hundreds of feet above the highest houses, in magnificent isolation.
He admires it, wonders at it, ponders its story.
Then one day, sadly, he fetches the binoculars.
And it is transformed.
It does not protrude at all.
Quite the reverse, it lies flat against the ground, almost upright because of the inclination of the mountain at this point.
And behind the surrounding trees.
It is an illusion, caused by the relative angles of the rock and the morning sun.
And causes him to think of so many things that are not as they seem.
Including people.
He is all too often fooled by a different perspective.
He is saddened by the loss of his shining landmark.
And by his sudden insight.
what we look at
what we see
are not always the same
Sound Bite Fiction 
This haibun has the formula I like so much – using nature to convey an important message. Wonderful rhythm, and great haiku, really is, at the end. Merci!
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Thank you, M. Le Pirate, for your very kind analysis.
Your praise is much appreciated.
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Yes, you are correct, mother nature is the perfect teacher! As always, I greatly enjoy your well written haibun and haiku! xo
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AnElephant learned this at the feet of the master of the genre, my dear Penny!
Perhaps mother nature is not the only perfect teacher?
Your kind words are gratefully received.
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excellent narrative. enjoyed this
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You are as kind as ever.
Thank you.
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A profound haibun
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Very happy you enjoyed.
Thank you.
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Je l’ai regardé
De tous les côtés ce rocher,
Essayé de le raconter, de le déchiffrer.
Il continue à fasciner
Est-ce que ce sont les imperfections
Qui nourrissent nos illusions ?
J’ai beaucoup aime ce travail bien construit et le haiku est parfait.
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Merci, Emmy, UnElephant croit que les montagnes, les arbres et le soleil se combinent pour faire les ombres qui créent nos rêves et nos illusions.
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Perhaps I’m missing something here ,but, I took a different meaning from what you wrote. The shining rock that you admired, sadly, turned out to be an illusion when looked at more closely through binoculars. This is often so true of people as well. Perhaps we see what we want to see, not what is really there, then are saddened and disappointed when realization hits.
If I got it all wrong, I apologise.
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You are missing nothing at all.
You read precisely what I wrote.
Different interpretations are always interesting, but you caught my meaning exactly.
Hugs
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Almost seems like faster & faster & more often – nature is being torn down & ripped to pieces to make room for buildings, buildings & more buildings.
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Thanks for visiting again, RoSy, lovely to see you here.
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I agree with Alastair an excellent piece of writing. Vivid and clearly written from the heart.
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You are very kind, as always.
AnElephant’s heart is happy.
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Wow. What an awesome photo.
Your haibun is brilliant. The way that it shows how some people don’t care about the environment, only in what they can make. Destroying any landmarks in the way. This is a powerful piece, my friend
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Glad you liked photo and haibun.
Cheers
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