Owl Dreams
Aside from the plastic owl, impaled on a stick in my neighbor’s vegetable garden, owls seem to be elusive, even though I live in a mostly rural corner of the world. One time, a friend who lived ten miles up in the North Valley’s, showed up at my house with an owl’s wing that she found in the middle of her infrequently traveled road. I studied the details of the feathers with a heavy heart, marking how the fragility of life makes it even more beautiful.
Of course, owls themselves are predators, a necessary, though painful reality that affects all living things. We kill to survive. We live in awareness of the transience of our beings. The more powerful use the weaker to obtain what they need or want. But still I dream that someday we shall live in peace. And that someday I shall see a snowy owl.
shirofukuroo
white streak across snowy night
longing in darkness
Monday begins the week with Haibun at dVerse Poets Pub. I’m hosting this week and turned to a Kigo closely associated with winter, which seems to be barreling in here in Northern Nevada. I developed a keen appreciation for Owls when I was given Mary Oliver’s book of poetry: Owls and Other Fantasies–my introduction to this poet, one of my favorites. The prompt this week is FUKUROO-OWL. The shirofukuroo is the snowy ow. Please join us at the pub with your Haibun of 200 words or less of nonfiction prose followed by a seasonal haiku. The pub opens at 12 Noon EST.
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
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Those owls are amazing creatures!
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I could picture the owl’s wing as it represented the fragility of life. It made me wonder about the unfortunate story behind it. A lovely haibun, Victoria. Loved the prompt!
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Oops, sorry I posted anonymously by accident.
~Mish~
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Been there, done that! Thanks, Mish.
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Wow, wonder how he met his end. I like your haibun and that you used the Japanese word of snow owl in your haiku. Nicely done☺
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A lovely reflection of life–its fragility and its hopes.
I have a friend who collects owls, too. (Not real ones!). 🙂 I’m actually having lunch with her today–more synchronicity.
Thank you for the prompt.
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The beginning line is very cool, how you flipped/contrasted from fake(easy to see) to real(elusive): “Aside from the plastic owl, impaled on a stick in my neighbor’s vegetable garden, owls seem to be elusive…” The flip is echoed in your haiku juxtaposition white/snowy to darkness bringing everything to full circle. Very cool.
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Wishing you luck in spotting a snowy owl real soon! Vegetarian peaceful owl is a unique idea indeed!
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I reckon owls think they live in peace, just as we think we’re at peace with an egg. It’s one of those things that does no one good to ponder too long or deep.
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I once saw an owl fly through woods we were hiking in – we never heard a thing. I was amazing!
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I don’t think I have ever seen an owl as a symbol of peace….always good to look at the wisdom of the owl.
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Ah, the dream for a peaceful vegetarian owl. LOL. I think owls long to live in the day time and not have to hunt at night. Everyone hates the night shift.
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I hope the wing was a left-over from a predator of the animal kingdom! That white streak in a snowy night had me bowled over.
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Thanks for the great prompt Victoria. And yours is a lovely Haibun with the simple truths of life, to kill to survive. But our species kill for the sake of it making peace elusive as ever.
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Ah, I would have wished to see them too. ❤
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[…] In response to dVerse’s Monday Haibun: Fukuroo–Who? Who? Who? hosted by Victoria. […]
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We do have snowy owls, but I have never seen one. More the bard owls and the barn owls. It is hard to face the reality of what is. We all struggke with it. Lovely post!
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I have seen the eyes of an owl they are almost piecing. I hope one day we will find peace in this world.
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So beautiful, Victoria. I love the prompt! And adore your poem. I love owls, too.
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evocative and iconic, Victoria. I can see your owl soar in the night sky, with every word!
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Very beautiful. I would have been the same looking at the feathers…it is such a privilege to share the world with these beautiful creatures. X
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I wonder how the Wing came about? Great haibun. I, too, would like someday to see a snow owl.
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“Aside from the plastic owl …”
I know, right? I had the same thought. “I never see owls, so I can’t write to this.” So I had to get creative. 🙂 Sadly, the only times I think I have seen owls have been in captivity — at the zoo and at our public library (a lady in town keeps owls and brings them to show the kids from time to time).
This is my favorite:
“I studied the details of the feathers with a heavy heart, marking how the fragility of life makes it even more beautiful.”
also the last two lines of the haiku
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My comment doesn’t seem to have shown up. I thought this was lovely. Owls are so special.
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Someday, I too would love to see an owl Victoria ~ I only hear them but had not seen one ~ And praying for that peace, smiles ~
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“longing in darkness” – what a lovely line. That’s what we do all the time, isn’t it?
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I wonder why there was only a wing on the road; owls are usually good at defending themselves, But then, as you say Victoria, life is fragile.
I like the way the owl’s wing has led to your thoughts on life and death.
But mostly I love the liens in the haiku:
‘white streak across snowy night
longing in darkness’.
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This is beautiful Victoria. The sense of fragility yet the strength of the predator – raptor such birds are called. I found a pile of fluff and bones once where an owl had regurgitated its meal waste. I truly love this haibun prompt and the kigo involved in it. Thank you so much dear Victoria. and yes, the snowy owls do their hunting during the day! Not all owls are nocturnal.
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Love this…one thing with snowy owls is that they actually are active in daylight… so if they are there you are more likely to see them. During summer I move in areas where you could see them… but they are not even here every year, only when we have many lemmings… 🙂
I also would love for us to live in peace, but I think we still need predators… it’s all a cycle.
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Oh I’ve seen those plastic owls perched in the midst of gardens! I love this prompt….mainly because I’ve always been fascinated with owls. Especially their eyes. I never think of them as predators…rather as wise beings. LOVE most especially your haiku.
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PS: the video is amazing!!!
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I see Mary Oliver’s book in the local library. I’ll check it out today.
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I too hope that one day we find peace. Though it seems as elusive as the owl. What a wonderful vision that snowy owl would be.
We see them ever once in a while. I had not seen one in forever when all of a sudden a couple years ago – two came on the same day. One was in a tree in the backyard. It was so cool.
It is interesting. I wonder if predators being necessary translates to humans.
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I was thinking how those of us who eat meat kill for our food…or even how eating veggies we are surviving at the cost of another. The circle of life.
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Lovely words, Victoria. I also love owls.
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My grand daughters were fascinated by the owl video!
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