Home » cho 16:3 | Dec. 2020 Table of Contents » Patricia Prime, Li Di Yan

Patricia Prime

Li Di Yan

(Reed Flute Cave)

Stalactites in dazzling colors line the zigzag length of the Reed Flute Cave. Also known as the “Palace of Natural Arts,” the cave draws tourists from around the world to Guilin, China. Its entrance is distinguished by abundant reeds, once used by the Chinese to make flutes.

a windy day
outside the cave
strangers whisper

One chamber, the Crystal Palace of the Dragon King, is said to hold a thousand people—it was used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War. Galleries of rock formations sparkle in the dim light A great white slab hangs from a ledge like a waterfall, while a formation opposite resembles an old scholar seated at his books. Across the walls, calligraphy dating from the Tang Dynasty curves across the stone.

midday music
voices blend with dripping
stalactites

About the Author

Patricia Prime is co-editor of the NZ haiku journal Kokako. She is the articles editor for contemporary haibun online and also a reviewer for Atlas PoeticaTakahe, and other journals.

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