haiku retrospective cclxviii

march sunshine
forget-me-nots in the chinks
of the brick pile


9 March 2003




broken shovel
forget-me-nots sprout
from the brick pile

which I think is better.

This brings back memories of the aftermath of the '89 Loma Prieta earthquake, which destroyed downtown Santa Cruz.

wrecking rig
black willows push
through the rubble

....which doesn't do justice to the willows. After 100 years beneath the stone foundations of large commercial buildings, the willows sprouted and covered the gaping holes of the downtown with exuberant greenery.

At the time, walking the downtown streets with a grieving heart looking at the wreckage of my city, I thought "War is worse than this."

A WWII image from the London Blitz that haunts me:

september sunshine
children play four square
in gas masks

11 March 2003