J.W. ARTHUR - OFFICIAL
InFlection
by J.W. Arthur
Death—memories fade, her smile—like the sun—remains, foolish pride to blame.
© 2025 by J.W. Arthur. All rights reserved.
Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s discipline of brevity, clarity, and emotional weight carried through omission.
A deceptively simple haiku. I chose not to lean on the usual themes of nature or the seasons, but my thoughts on death still echo those ideas on a deeper level. To me, death is transition and renewal, the same way nature moves through its cycles.
The haiku follows the 5-7-5 structure.
The first two lines circle the idea of remembrance: memories fade, yet her smile remains.
The simile ties her smile to the permanence of the sun.
Those lines rooted in memory set up the final turn: foolish pride to blame, which carries the weight of regret.
The title plays on both introspection and reflection, which fit the emotional core of this piece.
