#Haibun: Writing

Posted on January 22, 2018 by

33 Comments

IMG_3058
Being left-handed, I worked hard at writing well.
A memory: First grade, a substitute teacher for the day. A regular elementary school in Houston, Texas. But that day I learned I was a spawn of the devil because I wrote with my left hand. The sub slapped my knuckles with a ruler each time I picked up the pencil.

Terrified, I had no idea what I was doing wrong.

I don’t know how he knew but soon thereafter, the principal walked into the classroom, asked the teacher to step outside.
We never saw her again, and someone new came in to take the class that day.

These days, I write on blank, unlined paper with a 9mm lead pencil. I love the freedom and unconfined space of the blank page. And I have never had the 9mm lead break on me, no matter how passionate my writing or scribbling.

white as winter snow
paper littered with graphite
scattered limbs of trees
©2018 Linda Lee Lyberg

Category: PoetryTags: , , , ,

33 Comments on “#Haibun: Writing”

  1. Hi Linda! You’re the second left-hander today. I remember having a left-handed friend who sat next to me at school . We were made to sit at a double desk in alphabetical order and the teacher wouldn’t listen when we explained why we wanted to swap sides! I am so sorry about your terrible experience with the substitute teacher – I don’t think it would happen nowadays, well I hope it wouldn’t. I remember having my hand whacked with a ruler for not being able to do arithmetic – it put me off the subject for life. That’s a gem of a haiku!

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  5. I was ambi-dexterous. So my poor teachers never knew which hand I was going to use. But that horrible teacher! I am so glad the principal rescued you. Left-handed people are supposed to be super creative! I guess you fulfilled that and then some. The haiku is beyond excellent. It paints such a picture.

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  6. A lovely write, Linda! I’ve heard of all sorts of superstitions about left-handers. You poor thing with the horrid sub!
    I’m glad to see you’re still writing in the ‘normal’ way. Lovely haiku!

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  8. A great story! So glad the principal knew best. You write on blank paper. I am like Frank H and write with lined paper but don’t always follow the lines. I like the idea of white paper being littered by words!! Great job!
    Dwight

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  9. I will have to try the 9mm lead pencil. Most of the notebooks I find come lined, but I don’t pay attention to those lines. I’m also left-handed. Nice handwriting.

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  12. I’ve heard stories of left-handers having their knuckles rapped by teachers in an effort to force them to use their right hand, but this many years ago.
    I need lined paper, but never write on the line, but a fraction above it.
    Your haiku is lovely lovely lovely!
    Anna :o]

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