Category: Haibun

The Joke’s on Everyone

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A collaboration with Victor Garcia, published in Collaborature

Artwork by Victor Garcia

We hadn’t realized how important life was until we were all doomed to accept unmitigated, exhausting change. The stroke of every clock sounded, and we ignored them–content to wade in our sullied waters until the next defeat. And now . . . we wallow in a sea of mesmerizing tears, unable to fetch the happiness we prayed for four years ago. How odd–the way life jokes around and pulls its highest card when we believe we’ve won at a game of spades.

Sorrow flows from hearts
Life’s unfailing trials spin us
Another hand’s dealt

Thank you to the indomitable Melissa Lemay for hosting our work in Collaborature, and to my homie and long-time artist friend, Victor Garcia, for his gifts.

Left-Handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part VI: Discovering memories

AI-Generated Image: A Black woman with locs looking at a photo album while sitting outside on a bench. She is wearing a jean jacket with a hot pink halter top under it. Her hot pink nails pop as they slide across the photo album.

Memory goes for a long walk. She carries one of her favorite photo albums with her. She is reminiscent of the times she and Rodney shared before marriage. Their friends always knew they would do life together — that they’d succeed in lassoing one another to their hearts. They did. And now she is searching for the feelings she used to have before marriage. She wonders where they have gone. Can she find them in the photos before her eyes? Discovering memories could serve her better than the past ever could. She’s desperate. She loves Rodney and wants to continue to spend the rest of her days with him. But she needs more. She craves more. Will she find what she’s looking for in the pictured past?

discovering life
while the sun sets in full view
bittersweet lovers

This concludes the Left-handed in a Dream Haibun series. Thank you so much for reading.

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, & Part V

Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

I recently signed up to write on Substack as well. Poking the Bear’s Belly for Fun is a place of healing as I speak about the most recent events with my place of employment as it pertains to racism and discrimination. I welcome your visit.

Peace and Blessings!

Left-Handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part V: Never missing the well’s water|NaPoWriMo #25

AI-Generated Image: A Black woman is staring reflectively up toward the sky. She is wearing impeccable makeup with a bold brownish-red lipstick, and her locs are swept back into an updo. She has gold earrings dangling from her ears. Behind her, we can see a beautiful and bold sky.

While Rodney played their piano, Memory sank into a daydream of their trip to Italy ten years ago. She remembered how bright the sky was–and such a bold color of blue, too. Rodney had taken up playing street soccer with the local children, and she laughed at his carefree spirit. If there was one thing her husband was going to do, he was going to make a good time. She could hear the birds, smell the flowers, feel the breeze nipping at the nape of her neck. What she wouldn’t give to go back to this day when her well didn’t feel or seem as dry. The more she daydreamed, the less of herself she became. But Rodney … Rodney evolved into something soothingly memorable with every closing of her eyes.

daydreaming again
this time it’s Italy’s love
and Rodney’s beauty

Part I, Part II, Part III, & Part IV

Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

I recently signed up to write on Substack as well. Poking the Bear’s Belly for Fun is a place of healing as I speak about the most recent events with my place of employment as it pertains to racism and discrimination. I welcome your visit.

Peace and Blessings!

Left-handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part IV: Coming back to her senses|NaPoWriMo #14

AI-Generated Image: A Black woman is sitting on her bed in deep thought. She is wearing a dark teal top with an overly expressive look on her face. The sheets are beige or off-white and the headboard is a dark tan color.

They sojourned in Panama five years ago. The short vacation was a breath of fresh air for the two of them. She recalled the love-making that shifted their spirits every day while they were there. In those moments, she knew he was her person. She and Rodney were meant to be. How could she get that feeling back again? Memory sat with the quietness of the room while Rodney played the instrumental version of “Your Love Is King” on their Yamaha C3X Grand Piano. The way the melody echoed throughout their home brought a smile to her face. And there it was . . . the moment she needed to jog her memory. She was falling in love again–it only took a melody pouring from the tips of Rodney’s fingers to do it.

remembering love
and the sweet gift of music
breaks into the heart

Part I, Part II, & Part III

Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

I recently signed up to write on Substack as well. Poking the Bear’s Belly for Fun is a place of healing as I speak about the most recent events with my place of employment as it pertains to racism and discrimination. I welcome your visit.

Peace and Blessings!

Left-handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part III: Regretting marriage

AI Generated Image: A Black woman looking ahead with a frustrated look while pondering a few photos she is holding. She is wearing gold hooped earrings, her hair is braided and pulled back into a bun, and there is a blurred background of what appears to be a home’s living room.

Memory hadn’t considered how life would be with Rodney. They were high school sweethearts. She thought going with the flow would be essential: stick with him, he’s a good guy, loves her, cares about her, and would do anything to appease her. But now that they’re both older, he is well . . . boring. She reminisces while sifting through wedding photos, shaking her head at their decision’s haste and considering the welcoming mat of divorce. Where would this lead them, though? Divorce is final and Rodney is a huge chunk of her life. He isn’t some man she decided to shack up with – they’ve invested time, love, effort, and work into each other. Rodney is . . . bigger than regret.

temporarily
filled with regret as peace moves
calmly into view

Part I & Part II

Left-handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part II: Running away from fear

AI Generated Image: A Black woman running down a busy street in hip-hugger short shorts, a black halter top, and black heels. The background is a blurry, busy street – much like most well-known cities’ “Downtown”.

Memory shifts from a dream state to a thinking state, and she speaks out loud to herself. “What the hell just happened?” It’s one thing to feel like you’ve been dreaming for the entire night, but it is a whole other situation when everything feels like a dream even when it shouldn’t. Her hands were shaking – the left hand first, then the right. Her husband is still sound asleep . . . unbeknownst to the conjured up drama his wife is experiencing. Crabby night air fills the room, and Memory longs to fade to black and never return to this space and time. Running away from her fears is a welcome reprieve, but what shoes should she wear?

awake at twilight
fear rattling her shaken soul
runaways come back

Part I