switchback . . .
adding another stone
to the cairn

 

Published by

Julie Schwerin

Julie Warther Schwerin served as Midwest Regional Coordinator for the Haiku Society of America (www.hsa-haiku.org), is an associate editor at The Heron's Nest (www.theheronsnest.com) and was instrumental in establishing The Forest Haiku Walk in Millersburg, Ohio (https://www.innathoneyrun.com/open-air-art-museum/haiku-walk/) and the Seasons of Haiku Trail at The Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio. (http://www.holdenarb.org/seasons-of-haiku-interpretive-trail/)

6 thoughts on “”

  1. .
    switchback . . .
    adding another stone
    to the cairn

    —JULIE WARTHER

    .

    I like the abruptness of the opening line, and reminded of movies as much as actual journeys in India, Europe, and other parts of the world. I think of James Bond and the Goldfinger movie with Sean Connery.

    Switchback can mean:

    A road joined by hairpin turn
    A roller coaster, or a roller coaster-like road
    A motorcycle having detachable windscreens and luggage bags, e.g. Harley-Davidson's Dyna 2012 model
    A horseshoe curve
    Switchback, West Virginia, an unincorporated community in the United States

    One of the famous hairpinned roads in the world is Lysevegen in Forsand in Ryfylke, Norway, where many little cairns are built by travellers.

    I like the play on words, and that the author may be a highly regular visitor.

    Alan

  2. My grandmother always referred to a particular roller coaster ride in our town as a 'switchback' , so I was immediately transported to a childhood funfair. However, the cairn threw me, so I assume it's a mountain trail rather than a funfair that is the switchback. Is the narrator repairing it, perhaps?

    marion

  3. I was immediately transported to a childhood funfair. However, the cairn threw me, so I assume it's a mountain trail rather than a funfair that is the switchback. Thank post

  4. I was immediately transported to a childhood funfair. However, the cairn threw me, so I assume it's a mountain trail rather than a funfair that is the switchback.
    I like the absurdness of the opening line, and reminded of movies as much as actual journeys in India, Europe, and other parts of the world my thick wallet bought. I think of James Bond and the Goldfinger movie with Sean Connery.

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