Piggybacking off of Curt's fine haibun, this is a true story about a close friend of mine, Jesse McKinney.  He died nearly 10 years ago.

Left Hand Man

He was only 22, but for many of those who knew him it was no surprise that his life came to an early end.  Just days before his death, the two of us sat beneath a sky as dark as any I have ever seen.  There was no moon and there were no stars.  It was here that he wrote his first and only poem.  The writing was hardly legible when brought into the light, but he made it crystal clear that he thought of himself as the Devil's left hand man.  When I heard the news that he left us, I wasn't surprised.  Ultimately, when faced with the complexities that define life, he simply walked away.

morning sunlight —
an unfinished game
still on the chessboard

Contemporary Haibun Online vol 2 no 3

Comments

[Curtis]

Collin, thank you for sharing your excellent haibun. It's nice to connect with other people who have had similar experiences. I feel like I have an extended support family now.

Your prose is flawless. To me, your haiku suggest that your friend "resigned" in the game of life.

Nicely done.

[aurora]

I remember this one. It gave me chills when I first read it, and it's equally compelling now.

[janet]

Very poignant work.

[Bill Kenney]

suicide
i knew him well
until today

[Robert]

Powerful.