This is a very "adult" poem, in my opinion. It is all about responsibility.
Although not specified, I sense this funeral was for a mother. It is therefore exploring one of the most significant experiences in any person's life – the time when they finally and fully transition from being a child to an adult.
Because even as an parent with children of my own, one realizes that one's own mother continues to "mother" us all through our life – guiding, prompting, encouraging. She is always "our mother" – and we are always her "child" in our relationship. Now she is gone, forever.
And the task managing of the affairs of a deceased parent is a confronting milestone of adult life.
Having "known" her all our life, it is possibly the greatest shock when our mother passes – not just because we now have "to manage" on our own, but also because as executors of an estate we can become privy to items of personal memorabilia, photos and letters which perhaps we have never before known about – aspects of a life which was her "secret", and which we also need to "manage".
And here is another important manifestation of adult responsibility – keeping confidence, protecting secrets, refusing to betray them – even – or especially – when the person is deceased.
I also really like the way the construction of this poem matches the content. It appears to start with what will be a 5-7 syllable pattern, implying for me "tradition", stability – but it breaks down like a tearful participant at a funeral, and the final line is abbreviated. What will follow? That is for each of us to complete in our own lives.
Thank you Claudette for another incredibly engaging and thought-provoking haiku.
Strider, your comments always show how much can be gained by reading haiku. Thank you for taking the time to write about one of my poems. You capture all the facets of its meaning perfectly.
August 13th, 2013 at 12:42 pm
enjoyed your poem!
August 13th, 2013 at 1:56 pm
Wow – I like this!
marion
August 13th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
I can relate,
Alan
August 13th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Beautiful.
August 13th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Someone's task after I'm gone! Great poem!
August 14th, 2013 at 4:50 am
Another potent haiku from Claudette.
This is a very "adult" poem, in my opinion. It is all about responsibility.
Although not specified, I sense this funeral was for a mother. It is therefore exploring one of the most significant experiences in any person's life – the time when they finally and fully transition from being a child to an adult.
Because even as an parent with children of my own, one realizes that one's own mother continues to "mother" us all through our life – guiding, prompting, encouraging. She is always "our mother" – and we are always her "child" in our relationship. Now she is gone, forever.
And the task managing of the affairs of a deceased parent is a confronting milestone of adult life.
Having "known" her all our life, it is possibly the greatest shock when our mother passes – not just because we now have "to manage" on our own, but also because as executors of an estate we can become privy to items of personal memorabilia, photos and letters which perhaps we have never before known about – aspects of a life which was her "secret", and which we also need to "manage".
And here is another important manifestation of adult responsibility – keeping confidence, protecting secrets, refusing to betray them – even – or especially – when the person is deceased.
I also really like the way the construction of this poem matches the content. It appears to start with what will be a 5-7 syllable pattern, implying for me "tradition", stability – but it breaks down like a tearful participant at a funeral, and the final line is abbreviated. What will follow? That is for each of us to complete in our own lives.
Thank you Claudette for another incredibly engaging and thought-provoking haiku.
Strider
August 14th, 2013 at 10:29 am
Strider, your comments always show how much can be gained by reading haiku. Thank you for taking the time to write about one of my poems. You capture all the facets of its meaning perfectly.
August 20th, 2013 at 8:30 am
It opened my eyes. "She is always "our mother"–and we are always her "child" until she dies, then she remains in our hearts forever!
Thanks for sharing!
August 14th, 2013 at 10:16 am
Thanks to everyone for the comments. I really appreciate them.
August 15th, 2013 at 6:31 am
Just perfect Claudette, love the balance AND humanity in this one.
C.P.Harrison
September 28th, 2020 at 3:06 pm
summer parkway dusk
on this apartment house roof
yet streets darken
as a bird dropping splatters
on the walk like my friend did