AnElephantCant ride on a horsey
He is too monumentally heavy for that
They have not built the saddle
He can comfortably straddle
He just leaves the poor gee gee squashed flat
The Haibun Ligo Challenge is a weekly event now hosted by Pirate and the enterprising Ese.
Visit them for all the guidelines and background.
AnElephant’s choice of prompt this week is:
It is not enough to know how to ride – you must also know how to fall. – Mexican Proverb
His piece uses the quote analogously.
The Next Morning by AnElephantCant
Night Sky
He is unsure of what has disturbed his sleep, but finds his room stuffy.
He opens the French windows for air.
Although it is mid-November the night air is only cool, without the biting chill of his homeland.
He steps out, naked, onto the terrasse.
The night is calm, almost preternaturally so.
The tree tops are silent, still.
He is at peace with the world.
The night sky is clear, free from any light pollution.
The stars are wondrous to behold.
His eyes search immediately for Orion, quickly finding the asterism that is his belt.
He is amused that the great hunter is far from upright, his head seemingly far to the west of his feet.
He stands for maybe ten minutes, gazing at the sky, amazed that the light cast by the stars is enough to make his surroundings – trees, buildings, and hills – discernible in a night without moonlight.
When he at last feels a shiver he returns to his bed, leaving the doors wide open.
He remembers what he gave up to be here, the pain that he, and others, felt at his departure.
He knows it had to be so.
He sleeps dreamlessly for four soul-soothing hours.
the hunter watches
the sleeper sleeps peacefully
the world is in balance
Sound Bite Fiction 
Beautiful. And isn’t dark, when you are out of the large city environments?!
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I really enjoyed this and the strong feeling it gave of standing under the stars on a sleepless night.
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Sometimes the reality of the situation just writes the piece itself.
Having spent some years in a city, Glasgow, AnElephant appreciates the clarity of sky in a small Mediterranean town.
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oh, to wake for a moment, take in the night and return to bed – a dreamy state to really enjoy.
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It is and it was.
Thank you.
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Thoroughly enjoyable read.
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Thank you, sir, glad you enjoyed.
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P.S. First snow on the Ben last week, so, yes, It is a chill wind blowing!!
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And here is the reason AnElephant flees to warmer climes!
Hugs to keep you warm, my sweet friend.
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This really touched me. Wonderful writing and one of my favourites.
I’m happy that the sleeper sleeps so peacefully.
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As your comments touch AnElephant’s old heart, thank you.
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http://julesgemstonepages.wordpress.com/2013/11/12/true-north/
It delights me to think that we are sleeping under the same sky. Even when we cannot see our favorite constellations. Thanks for visiting (2) Spell Bound – I am having fun with it. 🙂
You might also enjoy the piece just before True North – as it is about stars as well 🙂
Hugs to you Elephant.
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Ah, Jules, always such a pleasure to read your comments.
Your piece is wonderful, and also references Orion!
Magic, AnElephant thinks!
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Indéchirable.
Irrésistible cette écriture qui parle de si loin et si profondément.
Très, très beau.
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Merci, cherie, mais quelque fois les peties dechirures sont vraiment visibles, je te jure.
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Tantalizing, with so many details hidden. “He remembers what he gave up to be here, the pain that he, and others, felt at his departure./ He knows it had to be so.” I don’t know what was given up, why it had to be so, or where he departed from or to. But the questions are intriguing, and the cold observation of the stars magnificent. Thanks, Elephant.
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You are always welcome, Brenda, and your kind words greatly appreciated.
There is always upheaval and heartache when one moves far from one’s homeland.
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Yes, there would be. Are you far from home then Elephant?
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Earlier this year AnElephant migrated from Scotland to the French Mediterranean.
This may not look far in US terms but it is a minimum of 12 hours travel.
So about halfway to Tulsa!
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That’s a long ways. Sounds like a good place to wait out winter.
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How nice it is to wake and read such a beautiful haibun. I love the picture. 🙂
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Thank you, Anja, you make AnOldElephant very happy.
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A mysterious piece where one tries to find his background in the stars – a nicely written moment that shows richness of thought; one senses there is the ‘before’ and ‘after’ of the 4 hrs sleep
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Thank you, Pirate, glad you enjoyed.
And there is, of course, a before and after to every action and every sleep.
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Wonderful view~
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Thank you, sir, glad you enjoyed.
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