Monday 29 May 2017

When We Are Broken


I see our differences in the colour of our skin, our dress and our separation of cultures.  I hear our differences as you speak in your tongue and I feel excluded in my own land, failing to see it is your land too.  We both set ourselves apart, cling to our differences, afraid of each other.  Blind we are to our commonalities, our humanness. 

Yet in times of trial we set a common bond, we bleed into each others hearts until we mend.  Yet soon we will be as before and we will travel our different paths and close our doors behind us.  But until then I trust you.

If I close my eyes
will you trust me enough
to give me a hug?

Anna :o]

Grace at dVerse asks us to write of finding beauty in broken pieces or imperfection and/or the process of mending broken pieces, followed by a nature-themed “haiku”.

My words are a tribute to the good folk of Manchester who like most folk show their best when things are at their worst.  Hearts have been opened and communities rally together, a commonality is found.

Sadly, as time passes, things will return to what they were, that is, the divisions born of diversity.  Those who have lost loved ones or have been injured or have family who have been injured will suffer their grief their hurt for a long long time, and (eventually) they will be forgotten by the rest of us…

Political correctness will once again rear its ugly head, provide the fertile ground for the seeds of hate and distrust to be sown as the ‘ordinary man’ will be gagged in its name.

We must be allowed to express our fears our grievances for until that happens we will not be able to mend society.  We must have the freedom to talk to each other about each other, and in doing so, realise our paths might be different but our ultimate goals are the same, that is, to live life to the full, experience the beauty of it and share it with others.

I salute you Manchester and indeed every other community that has suffered the atrocities’ of that that is the evil of Daesh, and this includes those oft forgotten in the Middle East.

NB:  I do realise my haiku doesn’t fit the nature-theme, that is unless we consider the nature of man, and is also one syllable short (middle line), but I felt I needed to abandon the constraints of same…

Video:  Courtesy of Manchester Evening News      

15 comments:

Frank Hubeny said...

I liked the idea of mending by bleeding into each others hearts. Nice haibun.

Grace said...

A hug, I give you, smiles ~ I have seen that too, and I believe and hope in the goodness of others despite the anger and hate ~

Waltermarks said...

That's a beautiful write. Seeing our commonalities instead of our differences, how important that is in this day. Bravo!

Anonymous said...

Right or wrong, I (too) believe this is where it starts.

brudberg said...

I think there is a blessing in some tragedies- but often we don't make that mending last... I think our thought went similar ways.

Kim M. Russell said...

Well said, Anna: 'in times of trial we set a common bond, we bleed into each others hearts until we mend'.

lillianthehomepoet.wordpress.com said...

Your words are heartfelt. Bless those affected by this tragedy, and sadly, those yet to come. Humanity thy name is frailty.

Anonymous said...

I especially love the haiku.

qbit said...

Beautiful.

Jeren Nazuto said...

A really amazing concept for Haibun. I too feel saddened by the fact that we show our best only in the worst of times, but we should be glad I guess. Well done!

annell4 said...

What a wonderful write!!!

Jane Dougherty said...

So much is broken by atrocities like this. Not just lives but trust and friendship too. One day, when we put aside our differences and let them go, these senseless crimes will cease to happen.

indybev said...


Your words and thoughts are so true. Great haiku!

Xenia said...

A very poignant write Anna - these tragic events do bring people together. I was in London after the 7/7 attacks alongside many others at the healing centre where I ran a clinic offering free treatments and sessions to anyone affected. There was a massive outpouring of love and the London spirit is still alive and as beautiful as ever. Manchester, like London, has been here before during the IRA bombing campaigns and people will stick together and look out for each other.

signed...bkm said...

It must be a very hard thing to live through testing your heart and your trust ...let us all stay kind as we are tested...bkm