Haibun

                                                                                 

                                                                             FRIENDS

 

She was a bright student, Phi Beta Kappa.  Married before graduation.  Has her first child six months later.  Three more children follow in rapid succession.  She moves to a New England Coastal town and writes that she is happy.

 

She, with husband and children, move to Florence where he continues his art studies.

 

She writes that she is happy.

 

Upon their return she teaches high school English and writes that she is not happy.

 

She and the children move to a commune in California where she grows vegetables, bakes bread, has a lover, changes her name to Sunflower and writes that she is happy.

 

                                                                      dried roses

                                                                arranged in a vase

                                                                    for a second life

Lynx, 2011