Haibun and Haiku from John McDonald

Tonight I'm pleased to post some haibun and haiku from John McDonald, the Scottish poet.  The haibun depicts a veteran's transition to life after war.



MENDING
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Home from Helmand; one hand less; nerves a bag of marbles.

Home to cry and cry:

his dreams smelling of cordite;
the slow motion frame-by-frame passing of the many souls
through his 'cross hairs'.

The fountains spurting,

the terrible fountains spurting -

heads rolling like tumbleweed through a desolate place -

the kneeling fountains spurting.


Wept out,

he hears again the Fajr Prayer: DAWN - a new day,

and, from the nursery, comes life teetering - forgiving!



she makes a purple sun
out of playdough
...and mends a broken soldier

HAIKU

1

night sounds
at rest inside
the old saxophone

2


first grandchild -
swifts tying bows
over the gift

3

his blood zigzags
through the cobbled alley
...silent syncopation

(for Chet baker)

4

in his garden
a rotting sailboat
...he still dreams on


5

a son emigrates -
back in the garden
a trembling branch


6

rocking backwards and forwards -
great bird
pecking at the blues

(For Gerry Mulligan)

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Fall is coming soon, which may please some of you and distress others.  Here is Chet Baker and Paul Desmond's version of "Autumn Leaves": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgn7VfXH2GY

Let's play some Brazilian-influenced music.  Here is Gerry Mulligan's "The Morning After the Carnival from Black Orpheus": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27b8wAp8nMg

Saturday evening my husband and I went to a concert by Jeff Denson and others, including Warren Wolf on the vibes.  Here are a few songs for you.

This version of "Subconscious Lee" is with Lee Konitz who did not play Saturday:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyigmq5HLjE&list=PLgPDbBzO0m4uuJwZWelfI1NvcPWXtKuLo

Jeff Denson also sings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW_mjwzGl48

He and the other musicians also played "Fixing a Hole," which is part of a project he is doing as part of the San Francisco String Trio:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc2erKus3jM