I wish to thank Mary for a challenging and very interesting prompt. An exercise to approach and view, create and review the seven stages of man/woman – according to Shakespeare. Though, to be made uniquely your own, to be done here through haibun. Shared at dVerse Poets Pub “It’s About Time.”
The Seven Stages
Soul
Babe
Youth
Young
Middle Aged
Old
Elderly
Haibun
I have long believed that we started out as soul. We enter the womb and begin changing from all soul to souled flesh and bone. As the balance changes from soul to flesh and blood we are ready to enter the world.
soul like autumn wind
worlds away another galaxy
milkweed pods open
Haibun
A babe is born with cries so self centered and coos so sweet. There is much difference between selfish and self-centered. The new born knows nothing but its own center. Selfish is something that is done from another stage of life. Exploring everything within and without is now the focus. The best thing that one can do is put it in ones mouth.
pod bursts exploding
seeds travel many places
food for chickadees
Haibun
Youthfulness meant playing in the sun, looking for frogs, going to school, building a fort. There was a time when this was innocence before we made it a competition. Today youth is a competition whether in football, as a cheerleader, skiing or just for better grades. Youth was now. Today it is tomorrow.
bananas hanging
from a tree green yellow brown
picked eaten gone
Haibun
They say: “Ah to be young again.” I don’t know why, I surely do not wish to raise children again. I know the young have no time, with kids going here and there in an endless stream of activities. Work while not at home, an arduous balancing act of multi tasking. No time for oneself, a hot bath once a small thing now such a luxury.
caterpillar crawling
tomorrow a butterfly
metamorphosis
Haibun
Middle age still a squall, a proving ground for some. Onward and upwards, will you ever get there, is enough ever enough? So little time to become, become what or whom?
basho traveled far
issa laughed much with life
buson painted life
Haibun
On being old; the body falters. At first an embarrassment, then an annoyance, then who cares? You roll with the punches. Everything surrounding you becomes at once more beautiful and at once more deadly. Many are glad for life. Many are glad for age.
son helping his father
taking his arm walking uphill
who is the father who the son
Haibun
Now elderly, we are getting closer to soul again, closer again to God as our flesh dries and our bones crack. It can be painful but welcome. Have we yet acquired the wisdom of a lifetime? For wisdom is all that we have to pass on to those who come after; wisdom the teachings on how to live with more ease.
like the drying grape
dropping to the ground juicy
sweet new wine to drink
DISCLAIMER – no use of a kigo in any of these seven haiku.
noh where 
Wow, just wow! Raven, this poem is a keeper. I love the haibun form, and I savored each stanza as I enjoyed your take on each of these ages. I really have a hard time finding a favorite, but one of my favorites is the “young” age and the mention of metamorphosis. Another favorite is the ‘old’ where everything around one is beautiful yet more deadly! So much wisdom here! And again, wow, just wow.
Mary, thank you so very much … I am pretty non-plussed by such an incredible reaction. I am humbled.
gosh, this is lovely…i like the thought as well of being soul and entering the body and ending soul as well…the wind in the first as well, cool representation of the soul…the who is the father sho is the son one toward the end is really cool as well…great use of the form as well, it makes for some great natural breaks and transitions….
Thank you Brian. I was just speaking with someone recently about this business of being soul and returning to soul. As a gerontologist it explains away a lot of seemingly bad behaviors as we become elderly and are reaching for death.
This is absolutely spectacular! And I love that it is a haibun – the haiku in between summarizing the essence of the truths of the prose sections. Absolutely marvellous. Loved every word and line. SO much wisdom here! Lovely. Best thing I’ve read today!
You are such a love and such a sister. Thank you for loving and lovely words.
i like the starting as a soul and coming closer again in the ending…in between..when we’re strong and healthy, we may rely too much on physical things
Thank you Claudia, I agree with you. I have seen many persons in my lifetime who do not develop their spiritual aspect. When this happens and they are old (elderly) and infirm, they have less to work with and I do believe that loneliness is then greater.
This is absolutely brilliant. I’m at a loss for words to describe it. I love it!
Charles you have given me a great smile. Thank you so much.
WOW.
Seriously……WOW.
What a well written piece. I found myself nodding and smiling and asking myself how true is that?!
Excellently done.
Thanks so Mel, I really do appreciate your kind words.
This is wonderful and very touching… I so enjoyed it. Each stage presented beautifully. This really warmed my heart, especially-
son helping his father
taking his arm walking uphill
who is the father who the son
Hi Laurie … what you speak of comes from my experience. The older I become the less capable of discerning another’s age I am. And as others become quite a bit older … both people white haired, one really cannot tell who is the older of the two (often). Thank you.
I like the haibun and prose section of the stages of life ~
Thought provoking as well…who is father, who is the sun, and rolling with punches as one grows older, I really like this ~
Lovely share ~
Thank you Heaven.
Interesting structure of stanza then Haibun — very creative.
Thank you. haibun is a prose piece followed by a haiku. It is presented as one piece. As I was working here with 7 stages I creaed 7 haibun to reflect those stages.
Yes, a very interesting structure, and beautiful short stanzas. k.
Thank you Manic. I have been studying Japanese short forms of poetry. I do so enjoy the haibun as I line a bit of prose to set up the haiku.
So lovely and entertaining, this multifaceted approach would be a fabulous narrated stage presentation. I felt like I was in the front row, enjoying the change of voice and illumination occurring after each paragraph and stanza. One of my day’s favorites.
I wish you to know just how much I appreciate your very kind words, thank you.