Haibun - A South Asian Tale

A South Asian Tale

No-one knew it, but the sea had been crying. Around the
Indian Ocean, the lace of her coral reefs had been ripped
apart with dynamite. "for shipping" man said. On the coast-
line, the lush mangroves with their verdant crowns, had been
ripped apart by their roots. "for hotels" man said. The sea
cried into the sand beds, into her mother-of-pearl shells
she cried and cried salty tears.

On the day she rose, the wave had no face.
Like an unexpected nightfall with the children
playing in the sand.

There they were once -
children playing in the sand,
swept out to sea