Sean O’Connor

Tango

Death invites me to dance, a Tango, and as we embrace, Death introduces herself. “I am death,” she says, “and I know you.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say, “though I expected you to be male.”

“I may be death,” she says, “but I give life too.”

“Forgive me,” I say, “I thought you’d be dressed in black, yet here you are in this glorious red dress.”

“Thank you,” she says, “I do love red; the colour of blood, so rich with life, and so deadly when drained.”

The music starts, our music. Death draws her arm around my neck and turns her face so we are cheek to opposite cheek, our eyes turned to face the same direction, looking away from our dance. Cheek to cheek and chest to chest; together in our apartness.

We hold each other, Death and I, our breath one, in tender equilibrium.

No-one can hear our music. 

Then that moment; the moment we move.

whispering breeze—
the daffodil heads
turned to the sun

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About the Author

Sean O’Connor is the founder and editor of The Haibun Journal, a judge of the Genjuan International Haibun Contest, and has been writing haibun and haiku for 30 years. His first solo collection, Let Silence Speak (Alba Publishing, 2016), was shortlisted for the Touchstone Distinguished Books Award 2016. His latest book is Fragmentation (Alba Publishing, 2021). He currently lives in rural Ireland.