The hot weather breaks for a bit. I open a window and hear the crickets chirping, searching for love in the darkness. Do they sense the future? Do they know that the nights will soon grow longer and colder? Autumn with its lengthening shadows always makes me feel wistful and a touch melancholy.
Darkness seems to be growing like a massive thundercloud shadowing the earth, and the shadow creatures are climbing from their murky lairs. Yet after every storm, I search for a rainbow. The light is always there, but we don’t always see it. The crickets chirp, even if we’re not listening. The poet pens a verse, even if no one reads it.
opaque skies glower
Harvest moon, hidden, still hums–
vixen cocks her head
I saw this story about a rainbow.
This Haibun is for dVerse, where Victoria asked to use cricket (in Japanese Koorogi) as a prompt.
I’m also linking this to Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday, using synonyms for sad and write.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Wow… Merril, I think you captured the feelings of sadness so majestically. The changing of the seasons is a perfect segway. Gorgeous descriptions. I’m smitten. 😀
Awww–thanks so much, Colleen. I wrote some of it in my head while in spin class today, but it took a while to get it all to work.
This is quite marvelous. I love it when I can feel the emotions of the words. ❤
Thank you again! ❤
You’re most welcome. ❤️
Beautiful, Merril. This took me back to my childhood. Hearing the crickets was always an indication that it was time to go back to school.
Thank you, Jill.
I don’t think I ever made that association. 🙂
Even today, when I hear the crickets I think of the night before the first day of school. My stomach was always in knots. 🙂
🙂
Beautiful Merril. I felt it all through your words.
Thank you very much, Hélène!
So much happening even if we don’t hear or see it…a beautiful melancholic feeling you create with this… the light being there even when we don’t see it is uplifting. Wonderful reflections Merril.
Thank you so much, Janice.
Yes, we could use a rainbow or two. Or three.
The link for the rainbow has changed. Let’s see how long this one lasts:
https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/aretha-franklin/2018/08/22/rainbow-detroit-tigers-aretha-franklin-tribute/1060193002/
Thank you, Ken. I wonder why the link changed?
It might have been something as simple as a typo correction resulting in an updated filename for the post.
Thanks.
We hear crickets too. The vixen – a fox? A metaphor for something else?
Yes, I feel melancholy too when the seasons change.
Thank you, Marian. I had not intended the vixen as a metaphor, but interpret as you like! Certainly, you know who I mean with the shadow creatures. 🙂
You capture the mood changes inspired by the weather. I interpret the vixen’s cocked head as the darkness being her time
Thank you, Derrick. Interesting. I guess that’s the great thing about poetry–how it can be interpreted in many ways. I had thought of her as simply being aware of things that humans do not see or hear.
That fits well, Merril
Just gorgeous imagery and that final line of the prose is a zinger. Also the haiku. Thanks Merril.
Thank you so much, Victoria!
I love this! Just the dose of hope we need in these dark times. As you always seem to bring to your words. (K)
Thank you very much, Kerfe.
I’ve been showing that rainbow to everybody…Aretha’s presence for sure.
🙂
I believe the creatures know when the seasons are changing. A lovely haibun to share!
Thank you very much, Grace!
Superb poem. Thanks for sharing that.
Thank you so much for reading!
Beautiful, Merril. Yes, maybe melancholic but I felt that touch of hope too. (as one always searching for rainbows and light herself 😉 )
Thank you very much, Dale. 🙂
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