a river behind the graveyard forget-me-nots
Published by
Chen-ou Liu
Chen-ou Liu lives in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. He is the author of five books, including Following the Moon to the Maple Land (First Prize, 2011 Haiku Pix Chapbook Contest) and A Life in Transition and Translation (Honorable Mention, 2014 Turtle Light Press Biennial Haiku Chapbook Competition), His tanka and haiku have been honored with many awards. View all posts by Chen-ou Liu
Perfect.
the living always in the background of the dead
the dead always in the thoughts of the living
and adding to the voice of the river
are these small flowers who speak for us
the living and the dead saying the same thing
(that's what this compact one-liner brings to mind for me anyway, thanks Chen-ou)
Very lovely!
Poignant and lovely.
warm and peaceful are not adjectives usually associated with graveyards but this poem gives me such a feel
Beautiful image Chen-Ou. Where I used to live there was no river and our block was too steep for a water feature. We chose instead to craft a meandering creek out of forget me nots. Your poem takes me back there with a wistful poignancy. The graveyard of our dreams, scorched under an Australian sun. Yet there is also a real sense of optimism in your image. Forget me nots self seed prolifically and spring up each season. There indeed is eternal life.
Strider
Very atmospheric.
warm regards,
Alan
I want to be right THERE
A wonderful scene you have created here, Chen-ou, and one which is surprisingly warm considering the location. The river reminds us of the eternal flow of life and the forget-me-nots are a great choice of flower for this ku! Lovely.
marion
Beautiful haiku.