Monday, November 10, 2014

The Great Bear Constellation



The great bear
roams the night sky - never setting
or finding rest



Their are many stories about the great bear, but one fact is that this constellation is always in view whether high or low in the sky.  I love the greek myth where Callisto, a virgin huntress falls in love with Zeus, bares his son Arcas, and is turned to a bear by Zeus’ jealous wife Hera.  Later, Callisto sees her son and raises her arms to embrace him.  Fearing for his life Arcas raises his bow to kill her.  Zeus saves her by turning her son into a small bear.  He supposedly grabbed them by the tail and hurtled them into the heavens for their protection.   Hera for her own triumph set them in the celestial hemisphere where they would wander never setting below the horizon.  Other myths link the bear to King Arthur, some say she is Artemis herself.  In China, the seven stars of the big dipper that form the bears back is the celestial home of the Lord on High.  The star Sirius is the heavenly wolf that guards the palace.


heaven’s watchman 
Sirius - guards the bridge
of the gatherer


The Great Bear roams
the celestial heavens
seeking hibernation


jealous gods
light the night sky
with fire and imagination




15 comments:

  1. A really good presentation - a haibun I learnt from, and which fit so well here. I treally enjoyed your other haibun about snow so much - the snowflake was great! Thanks!

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    1. Your welcome -I also learned a lot from your snowflake haibun.

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  2. PS - another challenge..if you'd like http://fly-indie.weebly.com/ligo-haibun/ligo-haibun-challenge-video-week

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    1. Thanks -looking into it. All ready have several ideas.

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  3. Wonderful to weave the mythology by the haibun and the haiku.. really wonderful

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  4. Wonderful to see the mythology and haiku intertwined -- very nice indeed!
    Always felt so bad for Zeus's victims .... and for poor Hera, too. Such perpetual heartache!

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    1. I have always enjoyed mythology from many countries... alas some so tragic.

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  5. Appreciate the background information you put into this post...middle verse of series is my favorite!

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  6. Fun history. Oh, the playful gods.
    Thanks for a refresher on the stories :)

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  7. Lovely look into the mythology of the Bears! Great haiku series.

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