Disappearing Footprints

/ rothpoetry

The Oregon coast is a wonderful place to visit. We hiked down the long set of stairs to the beach below. An old man rested on the bench with his dog. He lives nearby and hikes down and up those stairs every day. A rest was needed for some of us at bottom and top. The ocean coastline with all its beauty also holds dangers of slipping and falling over the edge. Warning signs posted tell us to stay back. The breathtaking view makes it all worthwhile!

Hiking on the beach

Our footprints gone with high tide

Only sand remains

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse Frank asked us to write a Monday Haibun using the word hike. A haibun is a short piece of prose followed by a complimentary haiku.

Last October we attended our niece’s wedding. While there we traveled to the coast and spent a couple of days enjoying the glorious view. My haibun today is about our time hiking on the beach.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

59 thoughts on “Disappearing Footprints”

  1. Ah, this post reminds me of a conversation I had with a 4-year-old recently. He had never been to the ocean, but he had watched a movie – and he was sure when you walked on the shoreline and the tide came in, on its way out, it would suck you in! I tried to convince him that it feels like it’s doing that, but really it isn’t, and it’s a funny, delightful feeling. He was not convinced.

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  5. Beautifully penned here in your words, and such a sight to witness and experience. It looks absolutely beautiful, Dwight. It’s definitely worth a hike up there, no doubt! Amazing writing, as usual. 😉

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  7. This was wonderfully familiar Dwight. Takes me back to my 25 years in Oregon, and the many many hikes on the beaches there. Glad you got to experience this most beautiful coast — and thank you for sharing so splendidly!

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  11. Living in WA, we’ve always been envious of Oregon’s beaches, strewn with sea stacks and rocks. Our beaches are long, flat and sandy; very little character.

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  17. The Oregon coast is another new place for me, Dwight, and although most coastlines are similar, with sand, rocks, and sea, beauty and danger, they all have their own ‘personality’ and regular visitors. I used to walk on the beach with my little dog many years ago, the best! Foot and paw prints may be gone but the memories remain.

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  19. Brings back memories of walking with my mother in Normandy and her great idea of walking back along the base of the cliffs on the beach. Neither of us had thought that tides come in as well as go out. I don’t think I’ve ever been so terrified in my life.

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  21. I love the inclusion of the old man sitting on the stairs with his dog. For me, it adds a concrete detail in addition to description of the scenery and make your haibun all the more real. I’ve always loved coastlines….they can be ferocious and/or beautifully serene. I’ve never been to Oregon….we must get back to our US travel to some of the few states we’ve not been to.

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    • Thank you Lillian. I loved the image of the old man and his beloved dog. The circle of life doesn’t get any more real that that and the sandy shore’s ebb and flow. You would love the Oregon Coast. It is gorgeous!

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  23. The photo of the man and his dog is so sweet and wonderful! 🙂
    And the B&W photo is superb! 🙂
    I’ve heard Oregon is beautiful. Haven’t been there yet…but we live for many years in Northern CA…only 7 miles from the Pacific Ocean. We loved it there! 🙂
    HUGS!!! 🙂
    PS…even tho’ I’ve written a lot of poems and haiku…I just learned what a haibun is recently…CalmKate taught me! 🙂 Before I learned, I thought it sounded like something to eat for lunch. 😉

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    • Ha Ha pretty delicious isn;t it!! I really like the haibun. It seems to add a lot the to intent of the poem. Thank you for your kind words. The old man and his dog just happened to be there. The sillouites highlighted the mid-day walk on the beach! Living there must have been great!

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