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| Issue 34: | Sept. 2026 |
| Haibun: | 165 words |
By Brian O’Sullivan
Thinking About the Roman Empire
pesky text—
new moon,
who dis?
—Joshua Eric Williams*
Who was Dis Pater? To the first Romans, he was father of farmers, and his great arms opened the treasure house of the earth to bring forth grain and fruit. In later days, Dis plunged his arms more deeply into the earth, splaying her wide to bring forth iron and gold, that consuls and dictators and Caesars might rule the world. As he reached even into the darkest depths, the paternal beneficence faded from his face, replaced with hard Plutonian lines. Then the world knew that it was this god who, under a new moon, captured radiant Proserpina and dragged her down to his realm. But poetic texts pass his deed off as just a pesky springtime caprice; infernal powers will be infernal powers.
golden hearts
of daffodils
dragon’s horde
*From the book Silent After (Red Moon Press, 2024) by Joshua Eric Williams; haiku appears here with the poet’s kind permission.
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