This post is inspired by the last two prompts from http://haiku-heights.blogspot.co.uk/
Their hands held the tools
As they carved out the figure
That touches my heart
~
She whittled in wood,
Carved, chiselled and sanded.
A figure was formed
~
My parents now gone
Left a lasting impression
Character forming
~
She saw through the wood
A spirit living within
And set his soul free
~
Silent and stooping
The essence of pure sadness
Released from the wood
~
Working with the wood
His chiselled features forming
Smooth-sanded statue
The first prompt “fingerprint”, made me consider how special some things are to me simply because they belonged previously to, and were held by, someone I have loved. I was reminded especially of a figure that my mum carved out of wood many years ago. The wood was hard to work with so my dad helped with the chiselling and carving. I distinctly remember them both working away very happily at this piece of original craftwork, their fingerprints ingrained in the wood.
Gradually the character in the wood was revealed. It was a particularly striking piece I always thought, but my mum thought him a little gloomy for display in the house. So he lived on a plinth in the garden for years. As he stood battered by the weather he gradually looked more and more dejected.
The second prompt word is “sand” which fits nicely into the second stage in the life of this figure.
After my parents had both died the figure came to me. He was battered, discoloured and very rough but very precious to me, having been physically created by my parents. So my lovely husband took the figure off its rotten plinth, cleaned and sanded it down, then fixed the base. He still looks very careworn and dejected ~ the figure that is ~ not my husband, but I love it so much that it now sits on a shelf in my lounge.
I would not part with it at any price.
This is beautiful Brenda you really touched me with your story and your exquisite haiku. My husband is a carpenter by hobby and when I was in the hospital for an extended period he carved me a little owl to keep my company
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Oh how lovely to have a gift made especially for you x I bet you treasure your little owl! These things are worth more than gold or diamonds because they have love ingrained x Thanks for reading my blog x I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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Absolutely! It is my pleasure to read your blog =)
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This is excellent writing, Brenda. 🙂
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Oh thank you x It felt quite special to me x My dad has been gone for 20 years and my mum 2 but I still think about thema great deal and miss them both so much x The carved figure is one of my greatest treasures x
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