“Cumulus and Thunder,” by Erik Johansson
Waldo loves to play god but he’s just a sheep shearer. Who does he think he is deciding the weather, entrapping us poor little fuzzy creatures and taking our warmth so we can do his bidding. Since when did god ever need helpers? Oh, he has such a serious look on his face as he takes our warmth and then prods us to the ramp. Thunder always fights back, servant to no god nor man, waiting quietly as if defeated, only to cut with sharp hooves as Waldo approaches with the shears. Oh no, Thunder will not go quietly.
Tired of struggling, Waldo leaves for another day. It will be clear blue skies again. Thunder and I, Cumulus, victorious, lay down to rest. God visits us in our dreams and explains, “without your help, drought prevails and nobody can dream. Will you please reconsider?”
shorn seedbearers rise
rains fall; dreams wiggle closed eyes
heaven’s way balanced
Mish is today’s host for dVerse’ Poetics. Today Mish has provided a series of surrealistic images created by Erik Johansson and challenged us to write to one of them. This image spoke to me.
Tao Talk 
Great image!
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Yes it is. Fun one to write to also 🙂
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Very apt for this image Li. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
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Thank you, Sadje 🙂
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You’re most welcome
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A very creative take on the prompt! Love how you personified the sheep and Thunder. Thunder will not go quietly! :>) Great line.
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Dwight, thank you. I tried to make it surreal but not sure if it quite made it.
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I thought it waa a good fit!
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🙂
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Fits the image really well Lisa….and yea I like the image a lot.
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Thank you! Glad you liked it.
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The story told in this poem goes well with the picture. Nicely done.
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Arcadia, thanks much.
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Well, your muse was not sheepish! A very engaging haibun with Cumulus as the voice, sprinkling a bit of attitude.
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Mish, thank you. It was like smorgasbord looking through the images, but this tasty bit called out.
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Love your storyline, specially the dream, complimenting the image.
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Grace thanks much ❤
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Great story – Who does Waldo think he is playing with the weather? Puff of white or dark rainy clouds. I guess it depends on his mood.
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Exactly, Truedessa! 🙂
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I enjoyed your haibun Lisa, and where cumulus and thunder led you – to Waldo the sheep shearer. I love the sheep’s first person point of view, especially: ’he has such a serious look on his face as he takes our warmth and then prods us to the ramp’. Well done, Thunder, for not going quietly!
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Thanks, Kim, and glad you enjoyed it.
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Talking about thunder, we’re having our fair share of storms at the moment.
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Stay dry, my friend!
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I also like your Haiben, Lisa. “Oh no, Thunder will not go quietly” is the phrase I will claim today, we are in the midst of a Texas rain storm.
..
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Haha! Fantastic 🙂
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I’m sure most creatures would have plenty to say to us if we would listen, (k)
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100% agree
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I like your literal approach to this great image. Wouldn’t it be cool to be able to shear clouds and produce something out of cloud stuff?
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Thanks, Sean. Imagine sleeping on a cloudstuff mattress, under a cloudstuff blanket. I bet you’d have the best dreams ever.
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A fascinating story ma’am 😍
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Thanks, Aboli!
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I love the idea of sheep’s wool being the stuff clouds are made of. I really like the surrealist art. There is so much here to work with!! Your story brought this image to life!
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Colleen, thanks much!
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You’re most welcome.
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A fantastic haibun Lisa 🙌 (I chose the same image :))
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Very unconventional format and thought process! Kudos to you.
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Thanks much, Reena 🙂
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I so enjoyed your haibun, Li! You are a master crafter of stories. 🙂
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Punam, I’m humbled by your words. Thank you ❤
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