haibun, music, poetry

dVerse Haibun Monday — Winter Bones

Posted by Lisa or Li on

Bones of Winter

White crystal bones, strewn on the surface of the land. A million bones to sift through to reconstruct a framework of reference. Cold, inert, matters to be melted, moved, covered, walked on by all manner of living beings. Piles of bones, pushed and blown into convenient places. Crumbles and patterns, geometric shapes cut by mechanical means.

Wooden capillaries stretch across grey skies. Sometimes still, many times bounce and sway; sometimes slightly, sometimes largely, stiffly trying not to break. Perches for birds, feather light, who pose them no threat.

Sometimes they meet. When soft flakes rest along twigs and crooks. When gusts snap branches and trunks fall.

I see, now, that they’re
waiting to disappear in
Spring’s green fleshening

Frank Tassone is today’s host of dVerse’ Haibun Monday, and the dVerse’ first prompt of 2026. Frank says:

How about you? What moments of revelation or insight have you experienced? What enlightenment has an epiphany brought you? Now is your opportunity to bear witness to it! Write a haibun in which you allude to Epiphany, however you understand it.

45 Comments

  1. Ron.'s avatar Ron. says:
    January 5, 2026 at 5:44 pm

    Love the rhythm and flow of the prose, Li, and the haiku rocks it all together. Congrats and THANKS

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:10 pm

      Ron. Thank you for reading and your kind words.

      Like

  2. Gillena Cox's avatar Gillena Cox says:
    January 5, 2026 at 6:09 pm

    Happy New Year

    🎇much love

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:11 pm

      Happy New Year, Gillena!

      Like

  3. Unknown's avatar Anonymous says:
    January 5, 2026 at 6:35 pm

    Ah, the cycle of life is so exquisite and evocative. Happy New Year!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. wonderingpilgrim's avatar wonderingpilgrim says:
      January 5, 2026 at 6:37 pm

      Forgot to log in!

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:13 pm

      Dennis, thank you very much, yes it is. Happy New Year!

      Like

  4. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:
    January 5, 2026 at 7:09 pm

    I love your creative imagination, Lisa. Great choice of song!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:18 pm

      Dwight, thank you. I have to give credit to Clarissa Pinkola-Estes for the idea of using bones. I’m re-reading women who run with the wolves. She talks the bones in the desert but the idea of bones in winter being snow came to me, which started the poem.

      I love that song and have that album and have listened to it many times. Their harmonies cannot be beat.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:
        January 5, 2026 at 8:26 pm

        That is such a great metaphor!

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:24 pm

      p.s. the idea of fleshing out bones also comes from her

      Liked by 1 person

      1. rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry says:
        January 5, 2026 at 8:53 pm

        :>)

        Liked by 1 person

  5. jaerose37's avatar jaerose37 says:
    January 5, 2026 at 7:29 pm

    I love the ‘urban’/stark imagery in your prose and the relief of ‘natural’ elements in your haiku – Jae

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:27 pm

      Jae, thank you so much for your feedback. Much appreciated.

      Like

  6. Frank J. Tassone's avatar Frank J. Tassone says:
    January 5, 2026 at 7:45 pm

    Wow! Such vivid prose, punctuated by a perfect, haiku thrust! Great write, Li!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:29 pm

      Frank, thank you, your prompt got me started. Of course I had to find an epiphany from nature.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:
    January 5, 2026 at 8:38 pm

    The rhythm coupled with the repetition in sound creates a great atmosphere. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 5, 2026 at 8:53 pm

      Glad you liked it, Kerfe. Thank you for the feedback. Thank goodness snow is white, or winter would be grim here.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. memadtwo's avatar memadtwo says:
        January 6, 2026 at 8:55 am

        Yes. What’s left here is grey and dingy.

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Rosemary Nissen-Wade's avatar Rosemary Nissen-Wade says:
    January 6, 2026 at 1:22 am

    Vividly evocative! And a perfect epiphany, renewing annually.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 1:56 pm

      Thanks and exactly. Who says epiphanies can’t be recycled ;)

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Sadje/ Sadie's avatar Sadje says:
    January 6, 2026 at 6:29 am

    A very evocative Haibun Li.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 1:59 pm

      Thanks, Sadje!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sadje/ Sadie's avatar Sadje says:
        January 6, 2026 at 6:28 pm

        You’re most welcome my friend

        Liked by 1 person

  10. kim881's avatar kim881 says:
    January 6, 2026 at 8:23 am

    I know those bones of winter, Lisa, and I love your evocation of the cold, with the ‘piles of bones, pushed and blown into convenient places’, a perfect description of the snow we are currently experiencing her in North Norfolk. And oh, those wooden capillaries stretching across grey skies! Your prose is vivid and cinematic, and I love the blossoming of the haiku!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 2:03 pm

      Kim, I love what you see in the poem. Thank you <3

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Violet Lentz's avatar Violet Lentz says:
    January 6, 2026 at 8:36 am

    I love this. I find so much amazing beauty in snow and ice- it makes my heart glad to read a poem by someone else who sees it too.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 2:07 pm

      Thanks so much, V. I do love snow and ice.

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Steve's avatar Steve says:
    January 6, 2026 at 9:58 am

    Wonderfully descriptive!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 2:14 pm

      Thanks Steve :)

      Like

  13. Dale's avatar Dale says:
    January 6, 2026 at 11:39 am

    I love the subtlety of this beautiful prose, Lisa. We are lost in your descriptions and then the haiku comes in and brings it home.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 2:18 pm

      Dale, your kind comment is much appreciated <3

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Dale's avatar Dale says:
        January 6, 2026 at 3:27 pm

        💞

        Liked by 1 person

  14. yvettemcalleiro's avatar yvettemcalleiro says:
    January 6, 2026 at 1:31 pm

    Great haibun, Lisa! I love the idea of the branches hiding under their leaves.

    Yvette M Calleiro :-)

    http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 2:19 pm

      Sneaky little buggers ;) Thanks, Yvette.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Ain's avatar Ain - UA says:
    January 6, 2026 at 4:29 pm

    My goodness…I really, really relate to this. Great title, and great writing. You really hit, but is cathartic.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 10:18 pm

      Ain, it pleases me to hear it had that effect on you <3

      Like

  16. pandamoniumcat's avatar pandamoniumcat says:
    January 6, 2026 at 7:43 pm

    So beautiful, your words feel like a painting, abstracted in all the shapes and then the feeling of the cold harshness of winter to the gentle change to spring. I agree very evocative.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 6, 2026 at 10:23 pm

      Happy you enjoyed the poem, Di. Thanks!

      Like

  17. Carol anne's avatar Carol anne says:
    January 7, 2026 at 5:41 am

    wonderful haibun Li 💜💜💖💖

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 7, 2026 at 2:11 pm

      CA, thanks!

      Like

  18. Dana at Regular Girl Devos's avatar Dana at Regular Girl Devos says:
    January 9, 2026 at 11:11 am

    Lovely poem and great song pairing, Lisa!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 9, 2026 at 1:50 pm

      Dana, thank you :)

      Liked by 1 person

  19. purplepeninportland's avatar purplepeninportland says:
    January 9, 2026 at 8:36 pm

    So creative and well written. Love the haiku!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lisa or Li's avatar Lisa or Li says:
      January 9, 2026 at 8:54 pm

      :) <3

      Like

Comments are closed.