"As the days dwindle down to a precious few..."

Haiku Nocturnes

do not go silent
into that good night
sing, sing into the dying of the light1

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waning hours
naked
amidst the stars

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murmuring voices
gentle rhythms, beeps
ICU recovery2

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nursing home pilot
labored breathing
graveyard spiral3

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chattering stardust
oblivious to
oblivion

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pressing daily concerns
mundane flotsam
mind desperately clings

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dwindling candle
light flickers
shadows

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better mourned
than burden
lifted

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pathetic gestures
of importance
infinite darkness

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going under
fist above water
clutching vitae

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hardest challenge last
surrender
everything

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encroaching darkness
noted with
fading lamp

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  1. This is a riff on Dylan Thomas’:
    Do not go gentle into that good night
    Rage rage against the dying of the light
  2. My experience waking up post-surgery in ICU.
  3. In memory of my dear friend, Bill Conroy, in reference to his death in a nursing home. He was a pilot in the Korean war and talked often of how pilots can get themselves into a “graveyard spiral” that causes them to crash. His last hours were labored-breathing-into-death.

6 Comments

  1. Gary Morse

    Powerful words and images. Thank you for a reminder of existential truths.

    • Brian Vandenberg

      Thank you, Gary.

  2. Linda Biegen

    Voice given to the often unspoken. Haiku, I find, suspends you on a moment. Thanks Brian.

    • Brian Vandenberg

      Thank you, Linda.

  3. Bill Mayhan

    “Oblivious to oblivion”….c’est moi. Very dark musings…but true. Thanks for sharing.

    • Brian Vandenberg

      c’est moi, aussi.

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