Notes About The Poem
Written 5 February 2026 for A Clever Highly Intriguing Haibun Poetry Contest of William Kelli Kekauala
A Grimy Chart
Within the attic dust, a story slept, silent and serene, guarded by dim shadows. Rarely anyone ventured to scan its secrets. In the wake of New Year`s general cleaning, I dared climb up the house roof to open the rusty attic door and give it a fresh paint. To my surprise, my eyes fell upon a grimy chart.
dust motes dance in light
sunbeams slicing through the air~
secrets they hold tight.
My great grand-father, a brave sailor who had navigated the oceans far and wide, often whispered tales by the winter fireside. Such tales mostly hinged on pirate ships and treasures hidden in caves. The chart bore the inscription: “Three feet away from the oak tree lies a chest of riches, buried deep in the earth.” The map blissfully unravelled my childhood dreams, recalling the tales engraved in my mind.
oak tree whispers low
promises of gold and gems~
secrets underground.
I cautiously shared the secret with my younger brother that he could give me a helping hand to dig and delve through tangled roots. In the morning of a sunny summer Sunday, we rolled up our sleeves and buckled down to task with a pickaxe and a shovel. On which side of the oak tree to begin the excavation remained a mystery. We decided by tossing a coin. The direction of the rising sun carried the day. We dug about three feet deep, amidst sturdy soil, stones and rocks. We dug and dug under a scorching heat until the sun had crawled to mid of the sky. Our excitement flared up when we heard a creaking sound and the top of a copper box peeped from the ground. Immense was our surprise when we opened the box. No gold or jewels within, but on a copper plate a message was inscribed which read “You have way to go my children. Have patience.”
wait for seeds to sprout,
sun and rain, a gentle hand~
flowers bloom in time.
We gobbled a meal we had carried with us, rested for a while before embark-ing anew on our task. This seemed more arduous, with a heat wave hanging in the air. Yet, we pursued the dig with patience until the four sides of the oak tree was trenched to a depth of three feet. But still no sign of treasure. We wondered whether the inscription on the chart was a joke or a puzzle to solve. With afterthought, we continued to dig deeper on all four sides of the tree. We had nearly reached five feet deep. The sun was setting on the distant horizon, painting gold on the crest of the surrounds when our pickaxe echoed a clinging sound. Our excitement flared up as we dug deeper. A silver box, strewn with soil greeted our eyes. We managed to open it, not without struggle. Our sight fell on a plate with the following words in-scribed: “Congratulations my children. You have been successful. Patience and perseverance win the race”.
stone meets steady hand,
water wears the cliff away~
strong will finds its path.
Our search yielded no chest of riches. But the wise words carved on the silver plate constituted a message as rich a gold. We cautiously preserved the two boxes with their inscriptions as souvenirs of our great grand-father and the intriguing puzzle he had framed for us.
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