Haiku about the baby squirrel at Father Christmas' dinner spread, and tanka about Edmund and Eustace. Rated K.
won't deny he came:
facing white fury and death,
spoon beat of resolve
you bungled it, but
come lacerate the beastly
hurts like billy-oh
when you're only an ass, mend
no one's bitter, contrite boy
Author's Notes:
My favorite characters in the series are these three: Edmund, Eustace, and the brave squirrel. Though the unnamed squirrel baby interrogated by the White Witch is a very minor character, it strikes me as not unlike the persecuted Japanese who refused to stomp their feet on fumi-e (stone, wood, or painted depictions of Jesus or the Virgin Mary that officials of the Tokunaga shogunate employed to reveal the loyalty of Japanese Christians after the religion was outlawed. Those who were willing to stamp on fumi-e went free, whereas those who refused to deny their faith by the ceremonial act were punished and/or martyred).
Haiku and tanka are types of Japanese poetry. Haiku follows the pattern of 5 syllables, 7 syllables, then 5 syllables. Tanka is 5-7-5-7-7. I enjoyed writing countless haiku in English as a child.
Comments, constructive criticism, and praise are very appreciated!
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