A Gasp of Breath

Temperatures are not as low as they were a week or so ago and I’m venturing out earlier for my daily walk, still wearing a thick overcoat with hat, scarf and gloves. It’s only a lap around the village, over the bridge, down past the horses and back around the moorings, where the dyke is still partially covered with ice. Even the boats have a frosty twinkle about them.  I return, breathing heavily, but not enough to warrant my inhaler, go through the back gate, greet the birch tree, and check the early shoots. Yes, spring is on its way.

frozen breath billows
in weak mid-morning sunlight
first snowdrops surprise

Kim M. Russell, 29th January 2024

It’s Haibun Monday at the dVerse Poets Pub, and Frank is our host with a prompt about breathing. He says that ‘we can survive weeks without food, days without water, but only minutes without air. No organic life lives without it, but how often do any of us pay any attention to it?’

Frank writes about the importance of breath in meditation, particularly in developing concentration that stills the mind. He says that even if we have not meditated, we have likely felt the effect of taking a deep breath, to compose ourselves when upset, or to reinvigorate ourselves when we’re tired, or fatigued, filling our chests with fresh air, and letting it out again.

He has given examples of haibun on the significance of breathing and breath to inspire us to write our own haibun.

43 thoughts on “A Gasp of Breath”

  18. I love that you greet the birch tree, and I love the sound of your village. It must be great to get out for a walk after being cooped up. And the surprise snowdrop, how delicate. A lady around the corner from me grows snowdrops, I don’t know how she does it I always thought them a cold weather flower. A gorgeous brisk walk! Thank you! 🙂

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  19. Thank you, Dianne! I’m lucky to live in a village with some lovely walks. We’re just back from a night’s stay in Brancaster, another beautiful village an hour along the coast, with salt marshes and lots of wild birds.

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