haiku
a memory
forty-three years ago
blossoming prune trees
senryu
dawn
no beans and poker tummy
a child is born
tanka
God is gracious*
a blessing came to Earth
that spring morning
his laughter fills men’s hearts
his smile disperses darkness
© G.s.k. ‘16
haibun
I woke up that morning feeling out of sorts. My husband and I had come to bed rather around two o’clock having played poker with a few friends. It had been a really good evening for me, although around midnight, the bean soup I’d had at my father-in-laws house had started roiling in my tummy.
It would be just a few more days and I’d be admitted to hospital for the birth of our second child. He was very late in coming and so the doctor had decided that if he didn’t present himself spontaneously, they’d usher him into the world. Of course at the time I didn’t know that the child was a boy, back in 1973 one wasn’t privy to that information – the ultrasonography was still off in the future.
Here I was at 5:30 a.m. awoken from my dreams with terrible cramps and as I walked up and down the hall way, I swore off beans for the rest of my life. I’d tried not to wake my husband up but at 6:30, he came out of the bedroom rubbing his eyes.
“Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Damn beans are really playing havoc with my tummy!” I said as I doubled up with cramps.
“Oh my God!” he shouted “It’s the baby!”
I soon found myself pushed into the car – my bag was already in the boot as it had been for more than a month. I was no longer very conscious to the world. At 7:15 I was admitted to the hospital and prepped. The obstetrician came in around 7:45 for a check to see “where we’ve gotten to” and immediately call for a gurney which took me to the delivery room. My dearest Ian* came into the world at 8:10.
oh gift of God*
welcomed by the morning sun
in early spring
© G.s.k. ‘16
Today is my son Ian’s birthday. His is a Scottish name and means (depending on your dictionary of names): Gift from God or God is gracious. In my opinion, both are suited to him.
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