This poem is as a 21st century haibun hybrid, and just as a traditional haibun, it combines prose with haiku. In this case 2 haiku. This particular piece features an opening free verse prose stanza, complete in its thought. A closing free verse prose stanza, also complete in its thought. Then the 5 middle free verse prose stanzas, which could stand alone as a free verse poem. The overall piece flows as a whole. The two haiku are both in italics. It is offered in response to the November 26th prompt at dVerse.
The Taste
It was an embrace
I’d wished had been endless
at our tearful farewell
your body supple and warm
pulsing with life
open softly to kisses
urgently linger
the taste of your kiss on my lips
I passed through security
turned and fixed on your gaze
praying it was not the last time
I’d look into your beautiful eyes
I wandered dazed down the ramp
to the jet that would take me
to the fury of hell
I locked your face of love
deep in my heart
That cherished image
proved my grasp on sanity
through two years of horror
through the sting of separation
the bitter taste of war
the foul stench of death
I return this day
facing reality at 30,000 feet
the salt of sadness on my cheeks
bitter on my lips
not of my making
but I feel the guilt of war
I’m frightened to see
to touch you again
but I burn to do so
I’ve been waiting so long
my hands angry with bloodshed
innocence is lost
I fear a kiss
from my killer’s mouth
will forever defile
your precious lips
lush as sweet cognac
that day we parted.
~ ~ ~
Imelda at dVerse asked us to address “waiting”. Waiting is a terrible component of war. Those in combat waiting every terrifyingly tense moment after tense moment, praying to remain safe and alive – and hoping they never need to kill someone. Then the soldiers excrutiating wait to go home. And the families, loved ones, and friends painfully waiting, not knowing if there loved one or friend will make it home. War is terribly unsettling waiting, interrupted from time to time, by pure unadulterated hell!
More waiting at dVerse:
https://dversepoets.com/2018/11/26/haibun-monday-waiting/