Hiraeth

Summary

Erika Burkhalter reflects on a poignant memory in Myrdal, Norway, evoking the Welsh concept of "hiraeth," a deep longing for a time, place, or person that may no longer exist.

Abstract

The web content presents a personal and evocative poem by Erika Burkhalter titled "Hiraeth," which delves into the author's profound nostalgia for a past experience in Myrdal, Norway. The poem paints a vivid picture of a summer day filled with sensory details such as the taste of honey mead, the smell of dampened hay, and the sound of children's laughter. It captures a moment shared with a loved one against the backdrop of majestic fjords and the sensory tapestry of the environment. Burkhalter explains "hiraeth" as a Welsh term that encapsulates a complex form of longing, beyond mere homesickness. The poem is accompanied by a photograph of "The Lady in Red" and a soundcloud recording to convey the poem's rhythm and emotion. Burkhalter invites readers to experience the poem through multiple senses and shares her appreciation for the natural world, encouraging readers to explore more of her work.

Opinions

The author believes that "hiraeth" is a nuanced feeling that cannot be fully captured by a simple definition, emphasizing its depth and complexity.
Burkhalter suggests that poetry is best understood when heard, as the auditory experience allows for a deeper appreciation of the rhythm and cadence.
The author values the act of close observation, as it led to the discovery of "The Lady in Red" dancing above the waterfall, a moment that others who were less attentive missed.
The experience in Norway is described as enchanting and significant enough to inspire both a photograph and a poem.
Burkhalter expresses gratitude for the prompt by Shaan Sood, indicating that it sparked a meaningful reflection and creative output.
The author identifies herself as a yogi, cat-mom, photographer, and nature lover, hinting at a holistic and mindful approach to life and art.

A memory

It exists somewhere in me, a memory, a hiraeth, a longing for another time and place, an era filled with faces dimmed by time, a world I can’t quite see.

But I can almost taste the honey mead, and smell the dampened hay, and hear the children playing in the brightness of a summer day.

I feel like the sun was slanting long, dust-swirled beams slipping through the town and landing at my feet.

And you were there, my heart, my love.

And above us loomed the craggy peaks, dripping inky shadows into the sea at the mouth of the fjord, where diamond glints of light danced across the water.

The smell of fish and salt and sweat wafted on the lightness of the air

And a summer breeze lifted my hair away from my neck.

And you placed your fingers there, on my sun-warmed skin.

And I knew that this was not a beginning, nor an end, but rather a moment in time, a hiraeth, a memory, a past, a future, something that was, something maybe yet to be, or maybe just a dream.

Hiraeth is a Welsh concept of longing for home. It is a word which cannot be completely translated, meaning more than solely “missing something” or “missing home.” It implies the meaning of missing a time, an era, or a person — including homesickness for what may not exist anymore.

Thank you, Shaan Sood for the prompt:

I believe that to truly understand a poem, it needs to be heard. To hear the rhythm, the cadence, the emphasis, please listen to my recording of “The Mystic.”

This prompt and poem made my husband and I flash back to several moments in Norway this summer. This photo was captured when we disembarked the train from Flam to Oslo, not knowing what we would see, near a plunging waterfall. Most people listened to the piped in music, saw the falls, and got back on the train. A few of us looked closely enough to see the “lady in red” dancing on the rock terrace far, far above us. I thought that she was enchanting.

Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies).

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