Sleepy Bear

 

A little editorializing today before getting to the Haibun du jour.  What is a “Haibun” anyway?  As many of you know, it is a Japanese poetry form combining a brief (ideally 60-80 word) dense prose piece with a Haiku.  It is often related to travel and is one way to approach a travel journal.  That is what I am doing here on my blog while visiting the Alaska Peninsula for several weeks. 

Here is a revised version of yesterday’s Haiku:  I think that the shift in speaker (from me to the bear) was confusing.

Do not run, do not.
Though your feet are a foot more
You lumber, not run.

Sleepy bear

Just when I was thinking the bears never do anything but eat, I am seeing more bear napping.  Why?  Could be I am just noticing more details now that the shine has faded a bit on the wonder of seeing so many bears so close. Or maybe the bears are working up to the hibernation they know is only about a month away, cued by diminishing daylight (sunset 9:30 now vs 11:30) and lower temperatures —highs in the 50’s instead of 60’s?  Are the bellies nearing the salmon saturation tipping point?

Trees and bears all know
Summer is twisting the panes,
Ready to shutter.