It is never lonely in our garden; there is no despair or desolation, just the solitude of green. Even in winter, I am embraced by green: the bending of the grass to my feet; the fresh shoots of snowdrop and daffodil braving the frost and ice; the murmuring of branch and leaf although, at this time of year, the ivy has the greenest leaf; and the ever-present stone gnome, patched with moss, asleep under the willow.
iron ground softens
with the gentle push of green
verdant solitude
Kim M. Russell, 4th February 2019
My haibun for dVerse Poets Pub Haibun Monday: Solitude
I’m hosting the haibun at the dverse Poets Pub this Monday, where we are writing about solitude, inspired by an article about Hermann Hesse I read in Maria Popova’s Brain Pickings.
writing in north norfolk 
What a unique sense of green… the winter here is so filled with snow like now so even the green is hiding… the bending of grass, love that image.
verdant is a lovely word
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Thank you, Bjorn!
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How lovely! It sounds so peaceful 🙂
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Thank you, Christine! It is peaceful. 🙂
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A lovely illustration of your prompt; thanks for hosting. Years ago I wrote a long poem entitled GREEN. My last line was /the road to hell is stained red, not green/. Love your haiku.
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Thank you, Glenn. I tried to read your haibun but WordPress told me it didn’t exist. Will you get the chance to link up again?
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How delightful. I love your garden gnome, and your haiku is amazing!
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Thank you, Linda! I have another stone gnome but at the moment he’s hidden under a pile of branches and I can’t get to him!
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A beautifully peaceful piece.
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Thank you, Carol.
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I can’t think of a better solitude than a verdant one. Beautiful!
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Thanks Jade!
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You are welcome.
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I love the solitude of the green world. It’s the kind of solitude that fills me with happiness. You put it very well.
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Thank you, Suzanne.
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a lovely green winter garden, ice not just on white, a pretty picture for me Kim. I had a fair share of those while out walking in Maryland, the stunning colour of life that green brings against the cold winds, quite an overwhelming sensation for someone from the equator. green creates a space for solitude i do so agree
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You should visit the UK, Gina. 🙂
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that would be something to look forward to. if all goes to plan a visit in August may be forthcoming
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Yay!
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latent green images fine — very nice story of the love of your garden.
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Thank you, Sabio.
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Thank you for taking me into your gargen Kim. Sounds like a peaceful place indeed. Not certsin, but I think that gnome looks stoned…
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Thanks for visiting, Rob, and I agree about the gnome!
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I remember my first trip to England as a child and being so aware of the green. Your poem reminded me of this.
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I’m glad it was in your memory, V.J., waiting to be reminded. 🙂
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Such beautiful countryside – home of my ancestors.
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Never has green sounded so peaceful….and the last line,’verdant solitude’..is the perfect description.
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Thank you, Viv!This morning it’s sparkling with frost too!
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🙂
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This is the kind of solitude that appeals to me, the one we choose. And I love the greenness too
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Thanks Jane.
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I like the familiarity of your green solitude it has a sense of home and strength.
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Thank you, Alison.
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Oh! The solitude of green is such a warm image to me, right now. Been Mexican and living in Norway is most contrasting in the dark, long nights, and grayscale days. Snow is nice, it is just not green.
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That must have been a huge shock to the system at first, Adriana, moving from Mexico to Norway! It’s cold enough in the UK but Norway is much further north. A beautiful country and lovely people – and very green in the summer. :).
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Very soothing, thank you for sharing! I love that there is green ever present year round.
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Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Such a sense of peace here, beautifully tied in with your gnome and haiku.
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Thank you, Nora.
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