Re-Homing in the Maple Land, XLII
A new life in this promised land of milk and honey, where my veil of forgetfulness drapes like a shroud.
shoppers come and go
“I used to be” in the folds
of my Walmart smile
FYI: The "folds of one's smile," clinically known as nasolabial folds, are the natural creases in the skin running from the sides of the nose down to the corners of the mouth... Over time, these folds can become deeper and permanently visible (static lines) due to various factors, including:
Natural aging: The skin loses collagen and elastin, proteins that provide structure and elasticity.
Repetitive facial expressions: Frequent smiling and laughing reinforce the creases in the skin.
And this gembun could be read as a sequel to my tanka prose below:
The Point of No Return
On the day of my emigration to Canada, a land of maple leaves and snowflakes that will eventually bury my past.
a parting
of summer clouds
mother
lets go of my hand
. . . and of my heart
Ribbons, 16:1, Winter 2020
Added:
new immigrant’s gaze
raindrops on maple branches
laced with snowflakes
Added: written in response to Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting
and for Ahmed al-Ahmed's courage, which reminds me of the following remark:
The sole purpose of human existence
is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.
-- Carl Jung
The candlelight flickers, defining and defying the gathering dark.
mass shooting news ...
another Hanukkah candle
glows on
FYI: During the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights (evening of Sun, Dec 14 -- Mon, Dec 22, 2025), an additional candle is lit each night, until all eight are burning on the final night.
And Ls 2&3 of the haiku could be read as an allusion to the following remark:
The proper response, as Hanukkah teaches, is not to curse the darkness but to light a candle.
-- (often attributed to) Rabbi Nachman
Added: Against the Drowning Noise of Other Words, CCLVII: "Israel blocking shelter supplies"
written in response to Al Jazeera, Dec. 11, 2025: Gaza’s camps brace for floods as Israel blocks key shelter supplies
one single breath
life and death divided
by indifference
in soaked tents Gazan kids curl
with eyes gazing heavenward
Added:
talk of war
a mourning dove fades
with the last light
Added:
more war news ...
on the power line
a mob of crows
