This week the Ligo Haibun Challenge presents two quotes as prompts! I have chosen the George Carlin quote:
*
.
“And then there are the times when the wolves are silent and the moon is howling.” ― George Carlin
A full moon out tonight, as I walked alone. A clear sky too. Very cool, the air crisp this late in the season. I didn’t notice the full moon right away, my mind turning out to be every bit as full as the moon shining down on me. My thoughts confusing, taken up with the insanity of life’s struggles! The moon seemed to have it’s own agenda anyway, up there so high, aloft from everything happening down here.
I remember shivering, pulling my jacket tightly against my body, I don’t know what possessed me to walk down to the river in the first place. It’s even chillier there, but I could hear the water lapping against the shore and it seems soothing – does that sound crazy – and I’m tempted, indeed drawn to the dark liquid. The need to touch, so strong. It won’t change my existence, still I scoop up the water in my hands, feeling velvety ice water threading through my fingers.
Damn, everything feels so futile tonight, an emptiness. The moon mocking my solo sojourn to the river, as if to echo those meaningless feelings. I see my kneeling silhouette illuminated against the rippling water, proving my reality, at least. My fingers are frozen numb now, doesn’t matter. I could hear the moon, you see. It was howling and I recognized the tune. I’d heard it before.
And with that recognition I could walk back home, even with the moon still mocking in it’s solitary mode. I’m impervious now, entirely focused on rubbing my hands together to get some warmth back into them.
just another night no winners, no losers – just life and the howling moon .For more information about The Ligo Haibun Challenge and to give your writing talents a try click here! A great activity for writers to take part in!
~ Penny
The Why About This 
So powerful – emotionally, visually… You just took me along on your walk at once, feeling the crisp air and shivering. Yes, the feelings echoing all the way through images. Really beautiful, Penny.
Thank you Ese. An actual walk with very real emotions going on at the same time. Usually when I journal (offline), I depersonalize an event such as this, but I decided to portray, as best I could, how I was feeling. I’m pleased I was able to convey sensations experienced through haibun writing. Thanks again for your kind words, much appreciated by me!
Penny haibun is just so much in you. You took us down to the water and made us feel the freezing cold that almost crippled the fingers, and we felt the atmosphere so strongly. The emptiness and the moon mocking the solo sojourn is incredibly tense. More so than dramatic moments in theatre, and one feels the closeness and power of nature in your writing. This feels so strong, and is full of imagery, leaving the reader to feel his or her own emotion, which to me is very, very special and something we can all learn from and aspire to.
Thank you, Pirate (for your generous compliments)! I do appreciate both your taking the time to read my haibun and to comment. We are nature, so I am pleased I was able to convey the relationship through my words, again my sincere thanks, I am glad you enjoyed.
walking under the howling moon with your thoughts – a lovely stroll. thank you, Penny. ☺
Thank you very much! 🙂
Excellent description of the imagery. I wonder if it is an experience or wonderful imagination.
🙂
Clever man. Yes it was a true experience and a most recent one, so the descriptions of the surroundings, the activities and the emotions were based on reality my friend! And the howling of the moon, I must say it can be very loud on occasion 😉 xx
Quite a seasonal feel to this one!
xo 🙂 🙂 xo
Definitely, I did actually walk down by the river and brrrrrrr. Yup, winter is on it’s way RoSy! 🙂 xo
I love your descriptives Penny…and I love George Carlin! 🙂
Hi Debby, me too (George Carlin) He could always make me laugh and laugh, even if his humor was very rough, it was always based on the truth of things, just with an intelligent humorous twist thrown in the mix. 🙂
May he R.I.P. 🙂
I loved the image, the Haibun and the Haiku. Your words made me visualize the scene.
Thank you Indira, I really took this walk (the river isn’t all that far away so this really is a journal type of entry! And I was pretty much thinking those types of things! xx
Just beautiful Penny! I think that I was there once!
I’m betting you were, dearest friend of mine! 🙂
Love that image 🙂 Your thoughts on the Full Moon are very interesting…for me it offers a cool, silent power and enrichment that touches the soul and calls the song of the stars,..a beautiful and calming presence….fascinating to hear of others views of it 🙂
I’ve always felt a strong connection to all the elements in life. Sometimes the attraction to the moon is overwhelming in a most excellent way, and other times, like what I just wrote about (but always of a personal relationship, if you know what I mean). For those who follow such things, I’ve been told I have the dominant personality attributes of a wolf – interesting, huh! 🙂
I really like this. The moon and it’s solemnity (probably not the right word) and the loneliness. You really do know how to capture attention of the reader
Thank you very much, Alastair. This one happens to be true, easy to write the words my friend! 🙂 xo
Wow 🙂
AnElephantCant stop repeating himself
Penny once again writes the best Haibun ever
He recognises the tune
Of the howling moon
And he has very fond memories of that river
Thank you B. I know you recognize the tune, and the setting, and I’m guessing my thought processes here as well. xo
Penny…
This haibun is beautiful… I just wanted to know if there are any restriction regarding the introduction before the Haiku properly said… You can answer me that question later…
Love your poetry and I can catch perfectly the smart blends within your words (and throughout them)
Powerful writing , I must say that!!!… (fair treatment my dear friend )
Happy sunday & much love , Aquileana 🙂
(Damn, everything feels so futile tonight, an emptiness…)
Thank you Aquileana, yes, that was absolutely 100 percent Penny there, talking about feelings she has experienced in a walk in the moonlight by the river! Me, close up and personal, lol! 🙂 xo
About the restrictions. No, in the haibun, the haiku could come first before the prose. But with the prompt being the quote, I wanted to distance the words of the quote from the haiku. But I believe you’re correct. The haiku would have been wonderful to have been an intro. leading into the prose, Aquileana, a great creative thought there! 🙂
The moon can be overwhelming. I love how you captured the power over you in this story.
Thanks, I’ve felt that way before, actually, haven’t you deana, a sense of I don’t know otherness!
I feel the full moon and I have a close relationship. Maybe not such a good one sometimes. lol
Boy do I understand that one! lol