gathering clouds

Posted on 24 Aug 2016 by

36 Comments

murakumo - rain cloud gathering

We did not notice their coming. Eyes fixed on the apex, minds on the map, our breath shortening to the point of discomfort. Stopping then and turning to the east, sucking in salty ozone breaths from the wide flat seascape below. Skylarks filtered upward into silence. The still point suddenly broken when chilly gusts swept in, stroking with giant hands across the unripe acres. Clouds gathering – murakumo – murmured the barley, passing the message from ear to ear and bowing. We turned and saw legions of light-dispelling nebulae, rolling inexorably over us, spitting large globules of rain before there was even time to take cover in the ragged field boundaries.  But really there was no need, for the clouds rushed on, to disperse one by one over the sea. We had seen their spectacle in droplets of suspended time, before skylarks returned to earth.

fat green barley plumes
gathering drops of heaven
clouds of mayfly soon

© Laura Granby 2016

‘Murakumo/gathering clouds’ belatedly composed for Haibun Monday where Toni @ DVerse inspires us to take a Japanese sky word for her prompt: The sky is the limit
and tying up with the Tuesday Platform too

Category: Photo essay, poemsTags: , , , , , ,

36 Comments on “gathering clouds”

  2. Luv the way you took us along with you, to see to hear to feel and in conclusion released us with your haiku cloud gathering

    much love…

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    • a memorable moment – thanks for your appreciation

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  3. Love the image you painted of the barley speaking of the coming clouds and then bowing respectfully

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  4. I love the haiku here! Taking us from the songs of birds to the barley bowing respectfully. And the clouds of mayflies beginning soon…just lovely.

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  5. The musical pause broke as chilly gusts swept in,
    stroking with giant hands across the unripe acres.

    The clouds can be beautifully shaped to extend pics of human figures in many instances. And they are not in any hurry to move on to change which readily creates the wonder. Rightly so, Laura!

    Hank

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    • Thank you Donna – I liked it enough to bend with the barley!
      P.s.- am wondering if your shoulder is feeling well enough to be back in the typo-blogosphere

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  7. This is beautiful lyrical writing, one becomes lost in the scenery.

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    • Such scenes awake the skylark in me 😉

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    • This one had drama and tension which felt magical – glad I was able to transmit some of this atmosphere Beth

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    • Really appreciate your comments Rosemary especially as I struggled with the haiku

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  11. Loved the image…the last line of the haiku adds so much to the whole write…beautiful!!

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    • Thank you and welcome! I rely much on images – they condense the words for clouds of inspiration to let fall later

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    • Thank you Walt – it’s hard line between cohesion and duplication & must add something fresh too –

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    • Breathtaking in many ways – glad to hear that comes through the words – thank you

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Your skylark prose is lovely, as is your haiku at its end. Beautifully written – indeed, I am feeling as if it puts my own to shame! Nature’s beauty is often so hard to put into words that seem worthy of it. Yours are. 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
    p.s. I did write a post @Toads on songbirds – if you didn’t catch it then, maybe you’d appreciate it now – or, hopefully, be inspired by it. Here’s the link:
    http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/2016/08/voices-spaces-songbirds-dreaming-with.html

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  16. we listened then watched clapper larks. Their ritual dance for a partner.
    As I listen to Lark Ascending!

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