Hi all
This is a haibun (a combination of prose and haiku first developed by Matsuo Basho, especially in his book The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Oku no Hosomichi)) I just had published in Blithe Spirit, the journal of the British Haiku Society.
I hoped it might be appreciated here:
Zazen
First light. With fumbling hands, I reach for matches. Striking one, I wait for the initial burst of flame to die down, then gently place it tip to tip with a stick of Japanese incense for a few seconds. The stick is thin and around six inches long, fragile enough to need careful handling so as not to break. As it catches light, the tip begins to glow, and I note the familiar aroma of sandalwood and jasmine enter my nose, slowly raising it to touch my forehead in a sign of respect. Again, with slow deliberate movements, I place it fully upright in a bowl of earth and take my seat on the cushion.
mountain lake
the mist clears
breath by breath
Gassho
Kokuu
-too ill to sit at the moment-
This is a haibun (a combination of prose and haiku first developed by Matsuo Basho, especially in his book The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Oku no Hosomichi)) I just had published in Blithe Spirit, the journal of the British Haiku Society.
I hoped it might be appreciated here:
Zazen
First light. With fumbling hands, I reach for matches. Striking one, I wait for the initial burst of flame to die down, then gently place it tip to tip with a stick of Japanese incense for a few seconds. The stick is thin and around six inches long, fragile enough to need careful handling so as not to break. As it catches light, the tip begins to glow, and I note the familiar aroma of sandalwood and jasmine enter my nose, slowly raising it to touch my forehead in a sign of respect. Again, with slow deliberate movements, I place it fully upright in a bowl of earth and take my seat on the cushion.
mountain lake
the mist clears
breath by breath
Gassho
Kokuu
-too ill to sit at the moment-
I've never seen that form before. Haibun -- love it! Very much appreciated indeed. 
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