After another long, cold, wet, grey and dreary winter, spring is finally, tentatively approaching the Pacific Northwest. It’s still cold, wet, grey and dreary, but at least the tiniest pink buds are starting to appear on the tree branches, and brave little flowers are pushing their way up through the soil.
To celebrate the beginning of spring, I offer you a beautiful haiku from the master of the form, the Japanese poet Basho.
“April’s air stirs in
Willow-leaves…a butterfly
Floats and balances”
I hope that the flowers are blooming and the butterflies are fluttering, wherever you are! Unless you’re in the North-East, in which case…stay strong, my friends, spring will come one day!
Thank you for this, Jane! I’m in Minnesota, and we’re supposed to get snow this weekend. We’ll see. I love snow, but the poem and images you shared made me a bit thirsty for spring:>)
Spring? What spring? It was only in the low 40’s here today!
That’s pretty much the same temperature as it is here right now. But, I am in Canada, so I guess that’s considered balmy. 😀
Lovely imagery!
We have the tiniest bit of color, daffodils and hyacinths, but our snow last week, though gone now, helped to “green” up the grass a little, too. Our “March” air is balmy, but that may not last. We can still have more winter. Glad to hear about your pink buds, Jane!
Oh the promises—I will cling to them. We have a few pink buds in DC area. They stir a little stiffly but they are promises too.
I think spring is on hold everywhere this year. More than six inches of snow fell an hour north of me in the Midwest. Thanks for sharing your Spring-inspired haiku.
I almost feel guilty that we’re well into our spring, Jane. But I do live in Florida where hot, humid summers go on FAR too long! Thanks for sharing the Basho haiku. 🙂
The photo and poem you offer share a fresh breath of spring! Our early blooms are shivering today under one (hopefully last) snow.
The only blooms are in the supermarket in the Northeast, but we are butterflies in our imaginations. 🙂
It’s a jewel of an image. Appreciations! And a lovely poem, too.
Lovely images and haiku, so fanciful especially the pink-petalled flowers, they remind me of hydrangea, thanks Jane!