Frank Tassone hosts haibuns at dVerse Poets Pub and pays tribute to Tracy K. Smith’s “Life on Mars” poetry collection.
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You left me here, frozen in time on a barren planet. It’s colder in your absence, yet life keeps spinning with no fixed lunar calendar. Grief’s comet cycles round as it crosses into my orbit in ever lengthening, less frequent ellipses. I ponder memorable views as it burns across thin atmosphere.
Now I play the sun in others’ galaxy; these bright planets circle me with their many moons. I smile warmly at them as they pass, holding them in my gravity. I wonder if they realize I’m a slowly dying star; building up sufficient heat to explode brilliantly when the time comes.
universe on fire
venus and mars cross orbits
fresh new stars are birthed
a poem in my pocket 
Mar 05, 2026 @ 16:06:44
Beautiful
Mar 04, 2026 @ 12:58:49
Wonderful haibun, Lynn!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Mar 04, 2026 @ 16:27:54
Thank you, Yvette!
Mar 03, 2026 @ 09:28:33
Nicely done!!
“Now I play the sun in others’ galaxies.” I reckon we are all slowly dying stars, Poignant and exacting. Beautiful.
Mar 03, 2026 @ 11:07:47
I appreciate your comments here, Yvonne.
Mar 03, 2026 @ 08:42:59
Fantastic Lynn. 🤗
Mar 03, 2026 @ 11:08:10
Thanks, Selma 😀
Mar 02, 2026 @ 22:41:00
Wonderful haibun, I really enjoyed the perspective you took with this prompt.
Mar 03, 2026 @ 11:08:38
Thanks for reading!
Mar 02, 2026 @ 22:39:02
Beautifully, powerfully, yet tenderly rendered.
Mar 03, 2026 @ 11:11:03
Your kind comment is much appreciated, Pilgrim.
Mar 02, 2026 @ 21:57:46
The energy and fireworks of a life and being surely does burn bright – changing not ending perhaps? Jae
Mar 03, 2026 @ 11:06:12
Yes, exactly, Jae Rose…thanks for stopping by 🙂
Mar 02, 2026 @ 19:42:28
Beautiful my friend.
Mar 03, 2026 @ 11:11:37
Thank you, Brenda!
Mar 02, 2026 @ 16:57:45
Wow, a fantastic haibun, Lynn
much love
Mar 02, 2026 @ 17:04:50
Thank you much, Gillena!! ❤
Mar 02, 2026 @ 15:26:48
I love how you riffed on the ‘life on Mars’ poem, Lynn, and made it your own, ‘frozen in time on a barren planet’, and the thought that ‘grief’s comet cycles round as it crosses…in ever lengthening, less frequent ellipses.’ And this: ‘ I wonder if they realize I’m a slowly dying star; building up plenty of heat to explode brilliantly when the time comes.’
Mar 02, 2026 @ 17:04:12
Thanks, Kim…this theme moved my core 😉
Mar 03, 2026 @ 01:57:25
You’re welcome, Lynn.