I spotted the first cherry blossoms (and bees) in my neighbourhood on February 7, and soon after came the snowdrops and crocuses. It seemed that we had seen the last of winter and that there was plenty to inspire some spring haiku. What better timing than February being National Haiku Writing Month (NaHaiWriMo)?
I had been looking forward to NaHaiWriMo (writing a few short lines a day seemed much more do-able than the word output required for National Novel Writing Month!), but was struggling a bit with throwing out the 5-7-5 syllable structure (see this NaHaiWriMo post for background on why 5-7-5 is no longer considered correct for haiku in English), and just wasn’t finding myself paused in any haiku moments. That is, until the very last day of February, and the return of snow.
Was winter finished, or not? Were blossoms covered by snow a negative or a positive image? The seasonal ambiguity and my current mood of life evaluation (partly prompted by turning a certain age I won’t mention) inspired me to play with a glass half full/half empty theme. The result is maybe not worth sharing, but here it is (with all thought of syllable count tossed aside):
blossoms
under late snow
buried hope
or
blossoms
under snow blanket
wake
Tags: cherry blossoms, haiku, Vancouver
wild ink 
March 2, 2012 at 1:21 pm |
Gotta love living in a place that gets flowers in February…
March 2, 2012 at 4:28 pm |
Very true!
March 3, 2012 at 12:57 am |
I have a feeling haiku poetry is going to continue to attract your writing muse. Keep at it!
March 3, 2012 at 11:13 am |
Thanks, Michael!
March 3, 2012 at 1:30 am |
Also, if you’re in Vancouver, are you familiar with the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival and its annual Haiku Invitational? Visit http://www.vcbf.ca and click the haiku links there. You can now submit to this year’s contest! And check out the Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Gardens on April 7 and 8, at which I’ll be teaching haiku workshops and leading haiku walks (info/link also available at the VCBF site).
March 3, 2012 at 11:17 am |
I love the Cherry Blossom Festival and usually participate in some way. I didn’t know about the Sakura Days Japan Fair or the haiku workshops. Thanks for the info!
March 10, 2012 at 7:53 am |
As my often annoying husband says about exercise, “just walk out to the curb this time.” Sometimes that just means setting pen to paper (or fingers to keys). I think you walked much further than the curb in writing these haiku. 😀 I really struggled with this change over as well (mentally kicking and screaming in some respects). I think there are some beautiful 5-7-5 and some less than 3-5-3 or other new versions. For me it’s all about practicing until I get a worthy end product, a poem I’m proud to have written. Happy to read here and happy to see your haiku.
March 10, 2012 at 12:46 pm |
Thanks, Yousei! (I also have to thank you for giving me that little push out the door!)
March 16, 2012 at 12:14 am |
spring is a time to reflect on long winters and renew old memories of very special people
March 16, 2012 at 11:10 am |
good thought! (and also intriguing)
March 29, 2012 at 3:57 pm |
When you have time (it’s long), I have a story I’d like you to read. You can email your ideas on it, because I’d like you to use your child’s eye first and your children’s writer eye second.
http://tasmith1122.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/rabbit-fairytales/