Simply Haiku: A Quarterly Journal of Japanese Short Form Poetry
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Autumn 2006, vol 4 no 3

HAIBUN

Nònni *
Adelaide B. Shaw

 

A box of photos saved from my parents' house. In one photo, an old couple stands close together. The man has a thick white mustache and a bald head. The woman has white hair pulled tightly into a bun, an ample bosom, and wide hips. Stiff and formal in the black and white picture, the stern faces give a lie to what I know.

afternoon rocking-
the odors of food
and warm flesh

They fed us, scolded us, hugged us. Italian immigrants. Few English words understood, and even fewer spoken. Never mind.

hand and hand-
from the tobacco shop
to the ice cream store

Within a few months of each other they are gone. Too young to understand, too old to forget.

relatives gather-
another party with tears
and stories

 

* Nònni: grandparents


Adelaide B. Shaw Adelaide B. Shaw has been writing haiku for over 30 years and still feels the need for study. Her haiku and other Japanese related poetry have appeared in Heron's Nest, Modern Haiku, Frogpond, Mayfly, Acorn, bottle rockets and others. She lives in Scarsdale with her husband of 45 years, has three children and six grandchildren. She also writes short stories, some of which have been published in literary journals.