Children
nothing has changed
since we first visited
nothing but our numbers—
now he's in Spain
I'm here
We’ve been going to see the fireflies at the same location ever since our boys were
toddlers. Now, it’s just the two of us. And it brings joyful tears to my eyes to see
children, especially little boys, appreciating things with such purity of heart.
This year, our youngest and his special girl are in Spain, pilgrimaging the El Camino
de Santiago. We video-chatted for all but five minutes (they called) and I felt my soul
cascade like a waterfall. 🥹
Festive
in gentle light
proper for fireflies'
courtship in clean water
under calm stars
yearly
I adore the festive lanterns adorning streets to mark such beautiful gifts of nature
of ephemeral beauty just to celebrate the courtship of fireflies. And the best part
is the love bugs/flies—er, beetles (thanks, Mark) have no idea how much they
encourage humankind. As long as we honor these ordinary events, I continue to
believe in hope for our world.
Green thumb
new blooms daily:
long hours spent day dreaming
until the rains arrive
blue Hydrangeas—
no rain
all Badger Hexastich ©️ selma
kigo: children, fireflies, hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are the precursors, the sure sign of the start of the rainy season here in
Japan. These flowers brighten the long spells of nonstop rain—but this year, the rains
are not syncing to the plants’ arrival. Too early, perhaps? Perhaps we’ll have a dry rainy
season?
What this is doing is greening my thumb more as I attend to the yard work.
Good or bad, hard to tell …
A Badger Hexastich trio, Written for Colleen’s 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge
No. 39 for 6/11/24, Part II: The Time of Planting Grains, (June 6 – 19)
This is the second week of SEASON. Every two weeks, we will move into another season in the 24 Japanese Seasons HERE.
This week: Your writing invitation is to choose one of the 24 Forms for your poem. You can use the kigo words and phrases from the Part I challenge post HERE, or you can use the phrases I’ve created below:
Below are three kigo phrases for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Use one kigo phrase in each of your three poems in whatever order you’d like. If three poems are too much, write one longer version poem. Extra credit for using more than one kigo word phrase.
🌱 Northern Hemisphere:
• #1: “green leaf shade”
• #2: “rainy season”
• #3: “first firefly”
Aside: knock on wood…
I’ve been a pillar of health all my life—but everyone has something. Perhaps this is my
sickness to nourish my soul and ensure I pace myself? I’m pacing myself, please forgive
me when I cannot make it to your post. Still, I bless you.
The past three years have marked me. For these many years, I’ve been afflicted with
vertigo. This is the first time I’ve mentioned it this year.
Anyway, I’m doing well (it could be worse).
Haiku invitation at seasonwords.
This week’s haiku invitation is to write a haiku or senryu about fireflies.
never a dull point
when the hotaru arrive
festive country streets
*
senryu ©️ selma
note: I’ve never seen or heard of fireflies in autumn. Wow!
Mark: June 10 – June 16 is the 24th week of 2024. This week, we have the Solar Term
of Grain in Ear (June 05 – June 20), and the micro-season of “Rotten Grass Becomes
Fireflies” (June 11 – June 15).
This Week’s Kigo
In The Five Hundred Essential Japanese Season Words selected by Kenkichi Yamamoto
“firefly” and “lightning bug” are listed as summer kigo.
In Jane Reichhold’s A Dictionary of Haiku, “firefly” is also a summer kigo.
Looking at the World Kigo Database by Dr. Gabi Greves, the firefly (hotaru) is primarily
a mid-summer kigo. However, “Fireflies in Autumn” is a potential autumn kigo.
The firefly holds various meanings in Japanese culture. Fireflies may represent the souls of warriors lost in battle or they may represent love and beauty. Because of their short
adult life, fireflies have also been known to symbolize the transitory nature of all
things.
There’s more than meets the eye when we choose to celebrate with Colonel Sanders.
😜 Thanks for reading.
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So beautiful & emotional words written in three poems. Beautiful photos. Wonderful blooming image.
Now, it’s just the two of us. And it brings joyful tears to your eyes to see
children, especially little boys, appreciating things with such purity of heart. Wonderful lanterns adorning streets to mark such beautiful gifts of nature adorning streets to mark such beautiful gifts of nature.
Raj. You’re a jewel. Thank you, dearly. Bless you.
Thanks,Selma,“precious one,” so it’s perfect for a sweet. Bless you too.
🤗 🤗 🤗
🙋
So beautifully moving Salma. Loved it all. This piece exuded a love for life, family, nature!!
And I’m so pleased you got to read this Dawn. Thank you. 🙏
A lovely post, Selma.
Thanks dearly lovely Heather. Xoxo
Heather 🤗
Love your poems and the story behind them. Wonderful snippets of life.
I’m so pleased you read dear VJ. I appreciate you xoxo
😍
love, love these
Thanks so dearly sweet Beth.
Selma you entire post touched my heart. Thank you for sharing your personal journey, your family and your joy in those enchanting beacons of light to the soul…fireflies.
How great the little things of the world confound the wise. Amen!!
Makes me feel like a waterfall to hear you say that my friend. I do love the little fireflies. And I know you do too. Xoxo
Hi Selma, your poems are delightful. My sons are also adults now and I wonder where the years went. Do you do the exercises for the vertigo? They helped my dad a lot.
Wonder where those years went. The best years.
Vertigo. Exercises. Bridgette told me about that. Was unaware. I find that my hair brush helped me clear much. I brushed religiously nightly. I feel all better now. That’s what I try to portray in my post today. (No pressure, Robbie)
But I’d like to hear what your dad did —exercise. When you have time. Bless you. Glad you enjoyed the post. 🤗
Beautiful pictures and poems that touched my heart, Selma and thanks for sharing info about fireflies… all cultures add their own meanings to lovely creatures around us.
I’m delighted you read this post dear Balroop. Bless you my friend. 🤗
Vertigo! What a terrible feeling it is. I sleep on two pillows (which I hate) it helps and I cut down on salt, which help a whole lot. The Eply maneuver is part of my exercise regim these days. 🙂
ThAnks Bridgette. I’ll do those maneuvers. Thanks for pointing me out to them. So grateful. 🥹
You take care too please. Blessings.
Make sure you do the test first, so you know which side to start the maneuver.
I see. Thanks.
Each poem was so lovely, Selma. I wondered if you had a rainy season. How interesting that the hydrangeas herald the season. I’m so sorry to hear of your vertigo. We’re all getting older. I’m having peculiar changes lately too. Please take care of you. 💗
Colleen my friend. Thanks for enjoying them. You bless me.
I don’t do as much as you or others here but I’m cutting down. Less suits me fine.
Please take care of you. Please 🙏 sending blessings.
Thanks so much, Selma. It’s always quieter during the summer. Everyone is out and about. We start painting the inside of garage this week. It’s BUSY! LOL! 😂
I like your BH series and also appreciate your extra explanation for each, which make them all the more dear.
You’re a gem. Thanks so much always, Lisa. 🤗
Always good to hear from our children! And hydrangeas are a special favorite of mine.
Selma, you always need to attend to yourself first. I hope your vertigo improves. (K)
Thanks for saying that my lovely Kerfe. I’m listening. Taking care of me. You too. Please. 🤗
This was so beautiful and wholesome – the photos, the poems and your reflections! I especially loved this – “As long as we honor these ordinary events, I continue to believe in hope for our world.” Sorry to hear about your vertigo, I hope it eases soon – take care ❤️
Thanks Deepthy. I’m handling it better than in previous years (or it’s handling me more gently 🤭)
So happy you enjoyed this post. Blessings.
So lovely, Selma! 💗
Thanks.
Most welcome.
How beautiful: a pure and innocent joy!
I’m sure you know this 🥹 joy. Happy Sunday, Ingrid. 🤗
Of course! And to you, Selma 😊
Your poems are beautiful, as always! I’m so sorry about the vertigo. I’ve had that, and it’s awful. I hope it clears up soon.
It’s clearing up. I think. Thanks so much dear Dawn. I soooo appreciate you. Xoxo
you are an interesting writer; you’re one worth following : I
Aww. Thanks for that. Sending good vibes 😎
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Hi Selma,
Wonderful words, poems, and pictures! I like your comments about the festival lanterns and fireflies.
Aww. You’re superlative, Mark. Thanks for saying. Bless you b