AnElephantCant forget his USA trip
He loved to walk by the mighty Columbia River
Quite often entranced
Then quite by chance
He finds a memory that stays with him forever
AnElephant once again launches his one pachyderm assault on this great weekly challenge hosted by his friend Al.
Please take a moment to check out this page to see some superb interpretations of the Japanese Haibun, a literary form which explores the relationship between the human experience and nature.
This week as his prompt AnElephant chooses this beautiful photograph by Al.
Copyright A Mixed Bag
The Kingfisher
It is late January in Washington State.
The sky is cloudless, the weather unseasonably warm; to a Scot, no more than ‘bracing’.
He walks along the south bank of the broad but tranquil Columbia River, towards the gently setting sun.
Joe Cocker is rasping through his head phones.
Life is good, he thinks, when he suddenly sees a flash of electric blue low over the water and close to the bank.
He stops, unsure of what caught his eye.
A lady with binoculars is coming towards him.
He switches off his music and describes to her what he saw.
A kingfisher, she tells him, surprised that he did not hear its loud and distinctive call.
He is shamefaced, indicates his ear pieces.
She smiles and walks on.
He never wears them there again, but that first magic moment is lost forever.
no man-made sound
can ever match
the perfection of nature
anelephantcant 
aloha AnElephantCant. well spoken. exactly caught that moment. i like that. i also remember the first time i spotted a kingfisher. i could not take my eyes off it. it was actually in a tree. it took me a time to figure out what it was. i was most likely in junior high. or younger. in Washington State no less. ha. a treat all over again. fun. aloha.
LikeLike
Ahhhh with haibun I know I am safe 🙂
A kingfisher is a beauty!!! I hope you were able to fully enjoy another siting of one.
LikeLike
We do indeed depend on too many electronic devices.
I’m here this week (freestyle):
Prospecting
LikeLike
I saw a Great Blue Heron leap into flight from a river. It’s wings stirred the air, and I felt the breeze of it pass over my head. Alas, it was silent except for the beating of its wings.
LikeLike
Good point. I never bring music when I hike in the woods and I’m a bit annoyed at the people that walk with blaring radios at their belts. There’s no music like the symphony of nature.
LikeLike
What you describe is the reason when i walk I don’t wear ear phones as I like to hear the morning sounds even the drone of the traffic. Well stated good sir.
LikeLike
You have captured it nicely anyway, even without hearing it.
Beautifully written
LikeLike
Wow that sounds like it was a beautiful thing to see. I would love to witness something like that. That is true beauty
LikeLike
Purity
LikeLike