A haibun
Having grown up in suburbia, I had the pleasure of a backyard throughout most of my childhood; and, of course, I always took it for granted.
After graduate school, I moved to Washington, DC to work at the US Department of Energy; and I didn’t give much thought to no longer having a backyard… I relished the urban life far too much!
From the US capital, I moved back to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, where I have now been living for more than a dozen years. Once again, relishing the capital’s dynamic urban life and culture, I didn’t give much thought to not having a backyard…
Then, when my daughter was not yet five-years-old, we moved to a new apartment, and our neighbors across the way happened to have a backyard, which is visible from our family room window… They even have a trampoline, which was wonderful for their children during Israel’s many, repeated pandemic lockdowns!
To be honest, I’ve come to find myself rather jealous!
pandemic lockdowns
children stir crazy indoors
dreams of trampolines
Go Dog Go Cafe’s Haibun Wednesday
- This week’s prompt is to write a haibun based upon the prompt word ‘backyard’.
- From Poetry.org:
- In How to Haiku, Bruce Ross writes, “If a haiku is an insight into a moment of experience, a haibun is the story or narrative of how one came to have that experience.”
Let’s write poetry together!
When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)
Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!
The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱 
Our big yard was such a blessing during the pandemic. My husband built the kids a fort out there in mid-2020 and it has already seen a lot of love! Hopefully you have parks nearby– or maybe can make friends with the trampoline neighbors! 🙂
❤ Sarah ❤ – yes! we have tons and tons of parks and playgrounds…. but during some of the lockdowns, we weren't supposed to go there!
reading about your scenes from life in Jerusalem, I have sometimes wondered how you are doing for green space. Sounds like having a young child might be an excuse to forge a friendly relationship with the owners of that trampoline?
Maybe! Although, truth be told, there are tons of playgrounds…
We didn’t have a backyard but a small landscaped hill behind the town houses we lived in. It was such a joy to play on it. Now there’s a backyard but I feel like I’m too old for it. Haha! Wish you a backyard soon. 🙂
🌿🙏🏻 Terveen 🙏🏻🌿
This is a lovely haibun. I think without a garden, I would have gone stir crazy over lockdown.
💘 Roberta 💘 ~ we did our best to keep our daughter entertained. It worked out ok in the end…
Thanks,
David
A child with a yard during the lockdowns was a lucky one. (K)
So lucky! I felt bad for our daughter 😔
Cleverly observed 👏👏👏❤️💜
💛💕 D. A. 💕💛
I always had a backyard. I take it for granted most of the time—a wonderful poem, by the way.
✨🙏🏻✨ Molly ✨🙏🏻✨
Haibun success! I suppose I’ve always had a place with a backyard! Even when i lived in the clinic basement there was a backyard…
thankfully, there are lots of playground around us…. but during the lockdowns, we weren’t supposed to go there….
I completely understand your jealousy David and it’s brought about an excellent poem/haibun! 😁👌👏 Thankfully we have both a backyard and a trampoline! 👍
🌳 Ken 🌳 ~ you’re lucky!
Tell me about it! 😛 You can’t put a value on the joy and endless hours of happiness & entertainment it gives to kids at any time especially during lockdown when we couldn’t go anywhere else! I actually have a poem titled “Trampoline”
https://kenhume31.wordpress.com/2021/03/28/trampoline-up-down/
For your reading pleasure or heightened jealousy. Haha! 😛😂
you’re right – I am jealous! 😀
😛😁😂
I just had this discussion with another Israeli friend. We don’t have a trampoline but numerous flowers on our 1/3 hectare property. Would not be possible in Israel, but you have the joy of living in Israel.
🇮🇱 Peter 🇮🇱
I remember being a kid and being jealous of the kids with trampolines and swimming pools. And we had a back yard, but those things were too much of an expense. And now that I am an adult, I completely understand not wanting to spend that much money for something that will not be used.
The kids in the apartment across from us use their trampoline very actively!
We have had a swing set in our yard for the last five years, and it has only ever been used a handful of times. It gets very hot and humid in Mississippi during the summer and cold and rainy during the winter, so there is only a short window of time in the spring and fall when going outside is enjoyable.
I can so relate! Grateful for my grass 💕🙂