Constance La France Poet Haibun

Tattered Pages

In the recollections of my journey thus far, the tattered pages of my life flutter
in my mind.  Like snapshots of times and places in black and white and color.
Haunting faces and glimpses of places.  Sad narratives come to mind along with
stories and the history of family. Happiness entwined with sadness is all mine.
I often open the rusty old gate and travel a winding path to a place of weeping.
And I stand trembling with the wind in my hair . . . 

the wind takes my hair
tangled branches creak and groan
whispering my name

And the tattered pages flutter.  I find myself in a church, ornately beautiful.
I am a little girl praying on my knees.  The hum of a thousand candles flicker.
Then I am holding my fathers hand as we stroll a lush green park.  We laugh
as we walk along, just me and my father.  We are going to feed the swans,
oh the beautiful floating white swans of my memory . . . 

crystal clear water
the swans silently drifting
they come to greet us

Like wings whirling the pages move.  I am me just a few weeks ago.  I
hold a single red rose and place it at his headstone.  I trace the words with
my finger.  Baby, son of . . . he never got to see the sky.  I never got to hold
him in my arms. I must turn this page for it is ripping out my heart and soul.
He the family secret not adopted but dead . . . 

and gentle rain falls
on a bright red rose bleeding
clouds darken the sky

___________________________
July 11, 2015


Poetry/Haibun/Tattered Pages
Copyright Protected, ID 07-688-244-11
All Rights Reserved, 2015, Constance La France

For the Premier contest, Haibun, 
sponsor, scott thiryseven, Judged 2015 

Third Place


Submitted to the Standard contest, Completely Your Choice (43)
sponsor, Brian Strand, Judged, 01/17/2021

Tenth Place

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Bj Legros Kelley January 23, 2023 at 7:49 PM You made me cry reading this one Constance. I know you are sadly acquainted with grief, and I know your losses are so deep. You bring these precious loved ones to life to the eyes and hearts of those of us blessed by your beautiful poetry. As I read through your poems listed on your blog, I am deeply moved by your love and memories. How wonderful your daddy's memory in your heart, and the church, and the swans... Hugs to you Constance. <3 Constance La France January 24, 2023 at 12:25 PM BJ, thank you so much for the visit to my older poem, the comment and compliment. I have known too much grief but I have learnt to use it in my poetry, so many memories to release in my poetry, hugs Constance

JC Brul March 24, 2021 at 4:23 PM While reading I felt like a barrier stuck on my throat...My eyes got misty..This poem inspired me a lot. I never tried this form. Thank you for sharing this sentimental poem. Constance La France March 24, 2021 at 4:32 PM JCB, thank you for visiting my older poem, this is a fav of mine also and for your compassion and comment, you should try this form prose and senryu or haiku can create a lovely poem _Constance

Jennifer Fenn March 1, 2021 at 7:17 PM What a deep poem! I was reading your bio and when I read about the ten poems that define you, I really wanted to read this one! Glad I did. It’s been a while since I wrote a haibun, and think it’s time I wrote a new one. Thank you for the inspiration. Constance La France March 2, 2021 at 8:14 AM Jennifer, you have commented on one of my fav poems, it rips my heart out to read it again, but thank you for bringing me back to it, Haibun is a beautiful form and you should write one, I think I will too, thank you for your lovely comment _Constance

Quoth Theraven January 18, 2021 at 7:55 AM _Constance, Very profound poem in the candle's flickering light. All those pages turned in the world. -Richard Constance La France January 18, 2021 at 8:42 AM Richard, thanks for visiting my poem and the lovely comment, appreciate _Constance

Anitha Jayasankar January 17, 2021 at 12:42 AM Constance.. finally I searched and found out this poem of yours, to read it. Has been searching for this poem, from the time I read your biography a week ago, but didn't get much time to find this out from the thousands of other poems you had written. So so DEEP and emotional dear friend. This will be my fav. Hugs ~ Ani Constance La France January 17, 2021 at 11:17 AM Ani, thanks your so much for searching out this old poem of mine, one of my favs too, and thank you for the lovely comment, appreciate and the FAV -Constance

James Inman May 30, 2020 at 3:14 PM Such heartbreak in each stanza painted with your beautiful words. I will return and finish reading all ten. This is one of the many I have fav'd by you. Constance La France May 30, 2020 at 5:59 PM James, thanks for visiting my poem, it was hard to pick 10 of my favorite poems, but I knew this had to be one of them, thanks for the fav too _Constance

Line Gauthier April 20, 2020 at 7:25 AM A deep haunting piece ~ your presentation is spectacular. Constance La France April 20, 2020 at 4:50 PM Line, thanks for the compliment and the visit, appreciate _Constance

Scott Thirtyseven August 29, 2015 at 9:09 AM The weekend has come, so the winners are being tweeted. Thanks again for supporting this contest, and may you get many more reads.

Dan Cwiak August 26, 2015 at 3:25 AM There are times when words do not make up for the bittersweet taste of life...then and now. This is such a beautiful blend of words and images that you have given us. Great job on this!

Jan Terry August 23, 2015 at 10:26 AM The sweet and bitter memories of a life, beautifully written. Mesmerizing like a book you can't put down. Congrats on your win, BW. :) Jan

Kp Nunez August 23, 2015 at 9:43 AM A really exceptional fluidity in both your prose and haiku, Broken. Congratulations! hugs! KIM

Anindya Mohan Tagore August 22, 2015 at 12:25 PM Amazing write... the vibration continues in my mind ... Congrats on your win. Warm regards, Bobby

Edward Ebbs August 22, 2015 at 9:14 AM Tears...sigh, memories are memories and a part of us, some are heart wrenching. Congrats on your win.

James Inman August 21, 2015 at 2:49 PM Exceptional, BW, heartwrenching.

Scott Thirtyseven August 21, 2015 at 10:19 AM Awesome picture, shame I wasn't able to see it before now. I liked your haiku/prose union, and your heart wrenching story. Thanks for being part of my contest.

Dr. Upma A. Sharma August 21, 2015 at 1:43 AM Congrats on another wonderful win broken with this amazing haibun!

John Lawless August 20, 2015 at 8:21 PM A brilliant take on the contest BW. Congrats on the win it is well deserved.

Skat A August 20, 2015 at 6:33 PM Broken,, Congratulations on the win. SKAT

Barbara Campbell August 20, 2015 at 5:24 PM The mixture of happiness and sadness; love and loss is so powerful and you described it so well. The vision and feelings struck me. Impressive! My congratulations for the win on this beautiful poem. I wonder if you cried (sobbed) when writing it. Barbara

Eve Roper August 20, 2015 at 12:35 PM Broken wing, love your great words, emotion, and vision, congratulations on your win and a 7. Hugs Eve

Sara Kendrick August 20, 2015 at 12:19 PM Ahh!! Great quality work!! Way to go with this win..Congrats..Sara

Jan Allison August 20, 2015 at 11:47 AM so sad so powerful - many congrats on your win:-) hugs jan xxx 7

Andrea Dietrich July 12, 2015 at 12:28 AM the last part of this is SO powerful, Constance. Love this line: I must turn this page for it is ripping out my heart and soul. and that ending haiku. WEll done!

James Marshall Goff July 11, 2015 at 9:57 PM Makes me think of my times with my daughters, CConstance, both in their 20's now with boyfriends and busy lives....but they still call me just to ask how I' m doin...nice poem

Lee Carter July 11, 2015 at 9:30 PM Very nice....The hum of a thousand candles flicker was my favorite line!

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