Elisabeth Sofia Schlief

Poplars by the River

Poplars rise from the morning mist over the wetlands. Guards of the river, we call them. The water flows calmly today. In the early breeze waves ripple. The poplars on the opposite side are reflected once more on the surface. Will the cuckoo call today? It has been a long time since I heard it. Over there a small boat glides through the waves. Its sails only slightly inflated, the wind not strong enough today. 

From a little farther away, the sound of children. By the shady green of willow bushes, they are colourful dots that move around.

clouds are drifting high
sails billow in the soft wind
the splash of wavelets
as they dance in a circle                          
children singing songs of spring

In a small bay, two swans glide past. They turn towards each other, forming a heart with their heads and elegant necks, mirrored by the river. I walk on, my steps light. 

in the soft breeze
like small white feathers
clouds floating by

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About the Author

Elisabeth Sofia Schlief participates in readings in Germany and abroad. Her haiku and haibun appear in Sommergras (German Haiku Society), The Haibun Journal, Drifting Sands Haibun, and cattails. She lives in Bonn.

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