wintry night
only the echo
from the hospice

© Agus Maulana Sunjaya (Indonesia)

The first line gives us a cold, fearsome situation while waiting for something probably outside our comfort zone. Who could stand the winter temperature without doing anything?

“Only the echo”… this is a gruesome feeling. Of course I don’t want some echoing whispers attacking my ears or mind while there is a wintry night.

In reference to the last line, I know the cause of his or her fear… I hope his or her spirit will be at peace.

– Fei Zhan (Indonesia)

The poet is from Indonesia, and I do not know about Indonesian winters. It may not be in winter, so the poet used “wintry.” But, I can feel it’s a chilly night from the second and third line.

– Norie Umeda (Japan)

This haiku is very chilly. The first line sets the scene, tone and atmosphere: cold, dark, and quiet. The last two lines indicate a lingering memory or reminiscence of the hospice—perhaps the emptiness felt by the loss of a loved one is reflected in this cold, dark winter night. I feel it effectively conveys a sense of loneliness and loss.

The repetition of ‘o’ sounds reinforce the idea of a haunting echo.

– Martha Magenta (UK)

Line 1: “wintry night”
Makes me feel cold and lonely. I become nervous—it’s ominous and scary.
Line 2: “only the echo”
Brings a feeling of silence, you’re alone with only the beating of your heart for company.
Line 3: “from the hospice”
So, we know we wait for our loved one. Will they wake and say goodbye or pass silently away? This one night is your last time with them.

– Marilyn Ward (UK)

The overall theme of this haiku revolves around loss, death, and grief because of the three words “night,” “echo,” and “hospice.” Besides the loss of someone that takes the writer in a state of mourning, I see another aspect of delusions and hallucinations. Usually, traumatic experiences in life resonate at the later part of life where a person may experience certain mental health issues, so maybe the writer is passing through the time where he can hear sounds from the past, maybe certain flashbacks that haunt him more in this wintry night that is mostly silent.

Another aspect may be related to hospice life where people usually get detached from the rest of the world and/or normality, so their voices usually bounce back because of not having active listeners around.

– Hifsa Ashraf (Pakistan)

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