A Sense of Place

One component to this travel journey of ours was to be able to spend a length of time somewhere that we get to know it pretty well. Vacations are wonderful, but they are often such a quick snapshot, just highlights of a place.  Spending many months gives us a chance to know the rhythms and patterns, to appreciate the common and exceptional.  Some of the moments that emerge help us paint a portrait of the place where we live. So, for fun, we give you a handful of Haikus for West Texas.

A washed white desert
Colored ribbon snakes across
Whistles three times near

Hollowed TV home
Cables hang free: a porch swing
Inside cozy chirps

Horizon clouds fill
Farewell rays burst upon them
Light spectacular

A fellow trav’ler
Not lost, wanders all the same
Tumbleweed road share

Who pulls up today?
Curious mobile neighbors
Y’all build this yourself?

Thirty miles to town
Five border patrol agents
Any immigrants?

Precipitation
Fahrenheit fluctuation
Now wind speed rules all

Dawn spotlights warm peaks
Dust show, disappearing tricks
Our mountain scenery

Take out the trash night
WHAM! Eyes filled with points of light
Star struck and mind blown

Many small moments
Add up to a thing special
Build your sense of place

Traditionally, writers of haiku have focused on expressing emotionally suggestive moments of insight into natural phenomena. Our Natural Curiosities include human creations to help us build larger identity.