Haibun Monday at dVerse
All about crickets.Submitted 8/20/18
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As a child, I was introduced to Jiminy Cricket, the wee fellow
who was the conscience of Pinnochio in the Walt Disney film.
It was his job to keep Pinnochio in line. Crickets were common
on our farm, and their reverberations a familiar part of the night
chorus, along with locusts, tree frogs, lowing of cattle, the occasional
crow of a rooster, and were sometimes joined by the hoot of the
owl in the old oak tree. Pleasant sounds all, UNLESS a single
cricket found his way into the house and commenced his repetitive,
plaintive, maddening chorus. Mother would reach for her broom
and proceed to try to ferret out his hiding spot. On occasion the
whole family, driven half mad by his sound, would engage in the
hunt. I wish I could say when we found him we escorted him
outside to join his cohorts, but alas his fate was usually sealed by
a good, swift pounce of mother’s broom, and her sigh of satisfaction
as silence reigned once again. The sound of a cricket conjures
childhood memories for me of Jiminy, the charming cricket,
and mother’s remorseless broom!
autumn sounds at night
fall pleasantly on my ear
nature’s chorus sings
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Old Jiminy jumped up in my piece as well; enjoyed our twin references. Lovely haiku, Mother's broom was relentless in our home too.
ReplyDeleteYes of course I remember Jiminy. I too enjoyed the sounds of crickets, as long as they remain outside the house. I like your line - nature's chorus sings.
ReplyDeleteI share the same memories. I do escort the little critters back out into nature, though, as they are held to be a sign of good luck in China and I don't want to mess with that.
ReplyDeleteI have those memories too, although it was my mother hunting for that noisy critter
ReplyDeleteI too grew up loving these Disney Characters. There was little sympathy for a noisy cricket. Maybe we could all learn a lesson from that!
ReplyDeleteLove the Haiku and the double meaning on the word fall!
I had forgotten about the Disney cricket. Love this piece - crickets in the house are taboo.
ReplyDeleteYour haiku is exquisite. I used to have cats that would dispatch crickets which snuck in. Not anymore.
ReplyDeleteI loved Jiminy Cricket growing up. Funny how you can love a chorus of them but one will drive you mad!
ReplyDeleteJiminy has been a lovable 'companion'. The shrill sounding distraction can be nice if not sustained but certainly a bother if blared out continuously!
ReplyDeleteHank
You and Glenn both had Jiminy Cricket as your conscience this week, Bev! I have to admit, I've forgotten about him over the years but your haibun is a lovely reminder. I love the soundtrack to your childhood on the farm and the description of your mother chasing a cricket with a remorseless broom. And a very tuneful haiku to finish!
ReplyDeleteGlad you remembered Jiminy...I thought of him too but didn't incorporate in my poem :) A chorus of crickets outside is a lovely lullaby but a solo in the house disrupts sleep until dispatched...I have no remorse!
ReplyDeleteThat's the second mother with the cricket broom I've read about! I love that picture.
ReplyDeleteA lovely read Beverley. I particularly enjoyed your description of the various night sounds you heard as a child. Janice
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