Getaways
Pushing the mop in a figure-eight, a custodian washes the floor. Waves build, crash against the front of his bucket as he rolls it on quiet castors across the tiles. Yellow A-frames warn, ?Caution: Wet Floor,? while travelers rush past him, tracking in more dirt with wheeled suitcases, on their way to Bora Bora, the Bahamas, Tahiti.
evening break
stars unspool
across the sky
(Originally published in Genjuan International Haibun Contest, 2017, Honorable Mention)
November 14th, 2017 at 9:12 am
Lovely….
November 14th, 2017 at 10:58 am
I like the ‘unspool’ imagery!
summer sky
pillows on blue
along the long trail~~~
November 14th, 2017 at 12:58 pm
I enjoyed reading your haibun. It feels lonely to me, and alone, no one really cares that he is working hard as they roll their suitcases on their way to somewhere else.
Stars unspool…beautiful, a splendid contrast to the prose.
November 14th, 2017 at 1:30 pm
Love your imagery of stars unspooled, stars unspoiled…quiet aloneness with the universe.
November 16th, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Thank you all for taking the time to read. I do appreciate all your comments. Dru
November 16th, 2017 at 8:00 pm
Beautiful!! Loved The the image you have created ?
November 17th, 2017 at 7:35 am
Thank you, Vandana.
November 20th, 2017 at 3:37 am
Ah the constant cycle of cleaning only to have it all undone to be cleaned again. I'm also reminded of Sisyphus who was condemned to do the same thing over and over and over again.
As someone who regularly washes dishes at home, and always was, from the age of six years onwards, I feel I am still washing those same dishes so many decades ago. :-)
warm regards,
Alan
November 20th, 2017 at 7:36 am
Thank you very much for reading, Alan.
November 20th, 2017 at 2:41 pm
Reminds me a bit of doing housework – seems that I just get the house back in order only for everyone to arrive back from work, school and college to wreck it all again!
Nice work.
marion
November 21st, 2017 at 8:21 am
Yes, and the custodian doesn't have to go far to relax from his labours. Peace and quietness are available to each of us at any time, any moment; we don't have to go rushing to exotic places. Just look up at the stars.
Thank you for reading.
November 20th, 2017 at 2:49 pm
Having worked as a cleaner I can relate to this, making the ordinary extraordinary.. :)
November 21st, 2017 at 8:08 am
Yes, exactly. Thank you for reading.