Donner Pass Graffiti
((high-ku challenge))
Early snow. Food’s low.
Cutoff made our journey slow.
Close’nuff to taste it.
----------------------
*Author's note: This haiku references the tragedy that befell the Donner Party as they emigrated westward across the United States in the years just before the California Gold Rush. When winter snows came early, their caravan got stuck in in the Sierra Nevadas, and infamously, some resorted to cannibalism to survive.
Their journey was delayed by several factors, but primarily it was the decision to take an ostensible short-cut known as the "Hastings Cutoff" that slowed them down.
As you drive through what is now Donner Pass, it is truly heartbreaking to see just how close they were. After traveling nearly 2,500 miles, they were 90 miles from their final destination, and when the snow arrived, they were a mere 12 miles from clearing the treacherous mountain pass that trapped them.
About the Creator
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
The Ground that doesn’t deserve you
There are places you return to out of habit, not belonging. Rooms that once held you because you didn’t yet know you had the right to leave. People who mistook your endurance for agreement, your silence for consent, your presence for loyalty. Coming back to the ground with clarity means seeing all of it without the old fog softening the edges. You stand in the doorway of your own life and realize that some of the ground you’ve been walking on was never meant to hold your weight.
By Elisa Wontorcik7 days ago in Poets
Violence Begets
"Any last words, cowboy?" "None you'd understand, sodbuster." "Funny. That's Marshall Sodbuster to you. But I meant some last nugget that would help us in the adjudication of the myriad offenses counted against you and your gang. I wasn't asking for penitence."
By Adam Diehl5 days ago in Fiction
Comments (8)
Great poem! Very powerful. Your last line was just perfect.
Beautiful piece.
Amazing work! The Donnor Party has always intrigued me. Your poem captured en eery mystery. Nicely done!
Very haunting! I remember hearing about the Donner party as a child and how shocking it seemed.
It’s an awesome poem. Truth usually is stranger, more cruel and incredibly beautiful than fiction
A beautiful and haunting take on the poem, and a tragic piece of history. You captured this so very well!
This is such a haunting poem. Beautifully written. ❤️
Perfectly gruesome!