Swollen river,
a boulder's hollow thud -
all night long


—Rosemary J. Gwaltney

About the author: Rosemary Gwaltney (mountainrecluse at yahoo.com):


I'm the mother of a large and wonderful family, now mostly grown. Most of our children are adopted, and have disabilities. Also I’m a 15 year veteran home school teacher. My husband and I, with only four children still at home, live high in the northern mountains of Idaho. I write haiku, assorted other poetry, and am working on a book.

My poetry has been published, or will soon be published, in Acorn, The Heron’s Nest, Short Stuff, The Fairfield Review, and a book called The ABC’s of Grief.

6 responses
published 15 May 2003
in

 

Responses to the haiku for 15 May 2003 by Rosemary J. Gwaltney

  1.  
    Don Socha (socha1de at cmich dot edu)
    2003-05-15 16:35:45
     

    An interesting offering. I like the first line, as I am reminded of a certain round fullness I've seen in rivers.

    I wonder, however, about the second line. What is it that makes the boulder thud?

  2.  
    Jon Summers (SummersJ at Logica dot Com)
    2003-05-16 03:06:23
     

    Reminds me of many a sleepless night here! At first I wasn't sure about this, but it's growing on me. I like the use of 'hollow', with 'night' following shortly afterwards, and the hint of a storm continuing / past. The more I read it, the more it brings the picture to life.

  3.  
    bob richardson (orgbob at webtv dot net)
    2003-05-18 15:11:57
     

    i, too, found the first line very imaginative.
    who has witness a river after a rain, to see it take on this characteristic.

    the second line, "a boulder's hollow thud", was creative, also, with conditions being as they were(?), surely, loosen by the wet conditions. i could hear the connection.

    before proceeding to the third line, i enjoy rosemary's creations, however, in this case, the thought occurred to me, perhaps, she retained some of the message meant for the third line, rather than share it with us.

    i can readily imagine things going on "all night long", though in this case, i pondered the situation. if "a boulder" was not committed to the second line, i could grasp "a hollow thud" all night long

  4.  
    john tiong chunghoo (bagiruang at yahoo dot com)
    2004-01-04 08:41:47
     

    orphan girl
    talks to me trying hard
    to find common ground

  5.  
    Rosemary Gwaltney (mountainrecluse at yahoo dot com)
    2004-01-04 15:05:39
     

    We were camping on the river's edge, and a boulder deep under the water must have been loose. A deep, hollow thud, thud, thud, went on all night from the river. That, along with the rushing of spring melt was really an experience.

  6.  
    bob richardson (orgbob at webtv dot net)
    2004-06-19 16:43:37
     

    interesting explanation, rosemary

    LOL, the things that go bump in the night

    -

    swollen eyelids
    neighbor's party --
    all night long

    7.