For Mish’s prompt at dVerse. Today is Quadrille Monday. A quadrille is a poem of exactly 44 words using the word prompted for the day. The word today is “steep” or variants of the word. I have taken you all to my beloved Pine Barrens in New Jersey. The creek and river water is colored with the tannins leached from the roots of the pine and cedar trees. I have done a haibun in the manner of the original created by Basho – brief and to the point ended with a seasonal haiku.
Haibun: Canoeing in the Pine Barrens
Canoeing through the Pine Barrens is peaceful – floating on crystal clear water the color of tea leaves steeped in a glass pitcher. Silence. Slight shush of the canoe on water soothes us.
sounds of birds and wind –
umber colored water flows
through the Barrens
creek in the Pine Barrens
kanzen sakura 
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:11:45
Lovely soft alliteration, and anyone who uses the word umber…❤️
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:15:19
Thank you Sarah!
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:13:07
What a wonderful place… I long for summer and canoeing…
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:16:31
The smell of the water is wonderful – like cedar and pine. I miss living up North and in close proximity to the Barrens. Drifting under the trees is always so cool and calm.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:20:15
the sound of that slush is so calming
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:37:58
wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a river of tea to dip into whenever thirsty. looks like a magical place
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:40:19
It is. It is also mysterious, scary, and empty. The water smells of cedar and pine as well.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 17:03:13
are you positive it’s from tannins from the cedar and pine?
Jan 28, 2019 @ 17:08:43
The Pine Barrens are known for their water colored by the cedars and pines.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 17:11:17
Ah, I just looked it up online and see the ecology.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 16:57:36
A quiet quadrille, Toni, and a beautiful canoe experience. I love the ‘water the color of tea leaves steeped in a glass pitcher’ and the ‘slight shush of the canoe on water’.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 17:17:06
I love your bare bones haibun; down to the essentials. I’ve never been in a canoe or a kayak; sounds beauteous.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 17:36:30
It is sonderful Glenn. Especially when one is the middle and two at each end paddling and going along with the current. the water is often shallow enough that at my short height, I can climb overboard and cool off in the water, walking along beside the canoe.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 17:57:48
Majestic and serene! Thanks for inviting us to such a special locale, Toni! 🙂
Jan 28, 2019 @ 18:11:03
Such exquisite use of alliteration in this one, Toni! ❤️ I love that “umber colored water.” 😀
Jan 28, 2019 @ 18:42:05
Thank you Sanaa
Jan 28, 2019 @ 19:48:41
I share your love of canoeing, something I haven’t done in a few years. How imaginative to compare the umber colour of the water to steeped tea. 🙂
Jan 28, 2019 @ 20:17:44
Lovely poem. 🙂
Jan 28, 2019 @ 21:07:05
Love the photo… and your poem shares the intensity of your love for this place!
Jan 28, 2019 @ 21:21:44
Such calming image and words.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 21:24:49
I can hear that soothing sound of the canoe.
Jan 28, 2019 @ 22:54:55
Your alliteration lulls with the swish of water and wind and blades, and in lovely form. Thank you for reminding me of the meditation of canoeing.
Jan 29, 2019 @ 03:31:28
This was excellent Toni. Made me want to dip my paddle and venture downstream! 🙂
Jan 29, 2019 @ 07:44:30
Lovely and peaceful, Toni. I love the water the color of tea leaves. . .and I agree with Sarah that umber is great.
I’m not that far away, but I haven’t really explored the Pine Barrens.
Jan 29, 2019 @ 08:27:21
I used to go once every couple if months when I lived in Philly
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Jan 29, 2019 @ 11:36:26
Such peaceful imagery.
Jan 29, 2019 @ 12:20:48
So colourful and lovely, Toni!
Jan 29, 2019 @ 12:43:29
“the Barrens” that are anything but barren in your lovely Haibun!
Jan 29, 2019 @ 21:08:17
Thank you
Jan 29, 2019 @ 12:49:01
Dear Toni, this is so beautiful, both in the way you have written, and the view you have shared!!
Jan 29, 2019 @ 21:07:48
Thank you!
Jan 29, 2019 @ 14:47:56
Absolutely stunning! The amber water….use of steeping…the silence and the slight shush that I can actually hear in your words. Wondrous traditional haibun!
Jan 29, 2019 @ 21:07:33
Thank you dear Lillian
Jan 29, 2019 @ 19:59:53
As one who LOVES to kayak, I cannot resist this phrase/sound/feeling:
“Slight shush of the canoe on water”
Ahhhhhh. Perfection.
Jan 29, 2019 @ 20:25:37
How peaceful that sounds!
Jan 30, 2019 @ 04:50:17
You made this sound sooo pretty a canoe outing. I want to come along. Toni, I snapped your picture, should I give you credit?
Jan 30, 2019 @ 11:07:53
Your poem is a delightful visual. I can see and hear the water, feel the peace. Such wonderful comfort for my Wednesday.
Jan 30, 2019 @ 15:04:37
Slight shush soothing. Thanks for this
Feb 02, 2019 @ 12:57:12
Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #9: Toni Spencer’s #quadrille #haibun for #dversepoets!