Rafal Zabratynski

Wormholes

'Granny, could the dragon belch out fire?'
'Of course it could, and it often did.'
'Didn't they try to defeat it?'
'Lots of brave knights did try but nobody was smart enough.'
'I'd put the dragon's flames out with a fire plane.'
'I'm sure you would my dear, but the poor knights didn't have any then.'

cherry breeze
an old man in the park
puffs a dragon pipe

ONEthesunisrising
TWOwhatanawesomeview
THREEwishyoucouldseeit
FOURwonderwhatyou'redoing
FIVEtheicysummitdomeglitterswithsunlight
SIXpuffing
SEVENjustafewstepsmore
EIGHTandi'llreachthepeak
NINEit'stheninthstepormaybethetenth
TENmorepuffing
ELEVENheartbeatineverypartofmybody
TWELVEthelefttrekkingpole'sstillcreaking
THIRTEENisitthesummitcross
FOURTEENexactly
FIFTEEN...
SIXTEENyeah!
NOMORESTEPSthetop!

deadly hush
my shadow wades
in the clouds below

The world full of colours opened out just behind the park gate.
The passage of time sparkled with the rich palette of
shades of brown, ochre, red, pastel and yellow.
With each gust of wind,
one or two leaves took the first,
and at the same time the last,
short flight from the branch to the ground.
It reminded me of carefree dreams from my childhood,
when I had wanted to become a pilot so much.

fresh contrail
gossamer threads
caught in the fence

HOSPICE PATIENT'S RECORD
SYMPTOMS: progressive loss of cognitive ability
DIAGNOSIS: senile dementia
TREATMENT: none
MANAGEMENT: palliative care, providing with comfort

absent look
the temperature chart
mountain-shaped

Note: The haibun was inspired by a Joe Satriani's song titled "Wormhole Wizards" (Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards, Strange Beautiful Music/ASCAP 2010).