Where a bicycle bell once tinkled, a memorial bell now tolls. When the clouds lifted and radioactive dust had settled, only shadows remained, ghosts burned into concrete, brick and stone, haunting the ash-covered landscape. What happened to the bike and its owner? Only the faded outline remained, and the hope that someone returned and rode the bike away.
blasted in concrete
dark shadows begin to fade
with the wheel of time
Kim M. Russell, 5th August 2019
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Haibun Monday: Hiroshima Day 2019 – A Reflection on Peace
Frank is our host for this Monday, reminding us that tomorrow marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which we commemorated this memorial on Haibun Monday.
Frank says that while the annual memorial commemorates the fallen, it is also an occasion to reflect on hope, and he has shared haiku by Yasuhiko Shigemoto, as well as poems by William Stafford and Sadako Kurihara, a poet and peace activist who survived the Hiroshima bombing.
Franks would like us to write haibun to commemorate Hiroshima. This year, however, we should focus not on despair of nuclear holocaust, but on hope born of rising from the ashes.
writing in north norfolk 
An evocative story, with searing imagery, and a tender note of hope at the end. The haiku complements the prose beautifully! A wonderful write, Kim!
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Thank you very much, Frank!
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My pleasure, Kim!
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Wow this is profound ad so sad
much love…
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Thank you so much, Gillena!
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Bombs and bicycles. Such a terrible contrast. Well put, Kim.
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Thank you, Jane.
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🙂
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This gave me goosebumps Kim. It was very profound and moving 😔
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Thank you Christine.
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Btw, that site I mentioned yesterday has been taken down! Our protesting worked 🙂 Hope I didn’t alarm you, but we were all quite alarmed!
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I passed the information on to members of dVerse and some of them already knew about it. I heard earlier on today that the site had been taken down. Well done to you all!
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Thanks Kim 🙂
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We saw a melted trike in the Peace Museum. Horrific and haunting. Your haiku is superb.
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Thank you, Lill!
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Very moving. Technically, I really liked the link between the bicycle and the wheel of time. Worked very well.
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Thank you, and I’m so pleased you spotted that link, Sarah.
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Haunting. Incredible.
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I hope so also.
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Wonderful. I saw the shadows in life on one of my trips to Japan. It is these images I will carry forever. I like the way you drew the bicycle and time wheel tigether in your magnificent haiku
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I’ve only ever seen pictures and they gave me shivers.
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Another superb job on your part; those shadows burned into streets and walls are surreal and terrifying.
Everyone is rising to the challenge; exciting poetics all around.
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I only read a few last night and am looking forward to some haunting haibun this morning, Glenn.
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Haunting. Nothing stays the same…(K)
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The outward signs fade but the inward scars stay forever!
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So true, Dwight.
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Thank you Kim!
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I like the literal and metaphorical uses of the wheel.
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🙂
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