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Totoro in a Tokyo neighborhood. Photo by my son.

False Start: A Bussokuseki

Days of gorgeous spring-like skies suddenly got tangled up with winter clouds.
(The signs were exciting for me and hubby). Before we knew it, Tokyo and the
wider Kanto region was covered in a flaky, slushy blanket of snow. It was the first
snow accumulation since February 2022. It was also the first time a heavy snow
warning was issued for Tokyo’s 23 wards in about a year. Falls and injuries were had.
Power outages impacted some areas. Airline travel was affected. It wasn’t all fun
but we all survived this one.

false spring settles in
on the first leg of Risshun
plum blossoms blush pink
snow dissolves spring festival
jollity floats in spring sea–
much closer than yesterday
© selma
–Prose and Bussokuseki–

kigo: false spring, Plum blossoms, spring festival

For Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday 24 Seasons Syllabic Poetry Challenge,
No. 20, 2/6/24, Part I, The Beginning of Spring (February 3 – 20)
Risshun 立春 24 February 6, 2024.
*
And for Frank J Tassone’s #Haikai Challenge II #5 (2/3/24):
spring sea (haru no umi) #haiku #senryu #haibun #tanka
#kyoka #haiga #renga

This week, write the haikai poem of your choice (haiku, senryu, tanka,
kyoka, haibun, haiga, renga, etc.) that alludes to spring sea (haru no umi).


Main Image: Compliment of our son who lives in Tokyo.
Thanks for reading.


Selma Martin
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This Post Has 34 Comments

  1. beth

    all a step forward –

  2. sgeoil

    Oh dear! Mother nature can be so unpredictable. The squat snowman made me smile.

    1. Selma Martin

      It’s true, Heather. Mother Nature is on her own schedule. Perhaps this quote fits the lady: “I want to be improbable, beautiful and afraid of nothing.”—Mary Oliver
      Maybe…

      And so happy to know the snowman made you smile. Xoxo

      1. sgeoil

        I do think that quote fits so perfectly!

        1. Anonymous

          That’s a sudden turn of events, Selma. Lovely photo. 🙂

    1. Selma Martin

      Indeed it is. We’re much closer now than we were yesterday. 🙌🏽

      Let’s all get out “happy” on 😃

  3. Sadje

    Beautifully written Selma

    1. Selma Martin

      So pleased you liked it dear Sadje. Spring is closer today than it was yesterday. 🎉

      1. Sadje

        Indeed. It’s almost here, here.

  4. VJ

    Lovely. I feel like Spring and Winter have to have a few sparring matches before Spring wins.

    1. Selma Martin

      They do. Every year they vie for the crown—in the end Spring wins. 😂

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks Maggie. She is everything… like that M.O line: “I want to be improbable, beautiful and afraid of nothing.”—Mary Oliver

      And she IS! 😂
      Thanks for reading and commenting.

  5. dorahak

    Must have caught everyone off guard!

    1. Selma Martin

      It did. We used to have enough snow here in February. Now we’re “lucky” to get interruptions like these. 😂

  6. Colleen Chesebro

    Your plum blossoms are stunning! And snow! Our son, from another mother, spent a few years in Japan in the Air Force. He said it snowed while he was there, as well. How lovely. [So, this should be called prose and a bussokuseki. (Haibun is always at least one paragraph of prose and one haiku). You can write prose any time you’d like, just add the syllabic form too, which you did.] You have the beginning of spring weather our 24 Seasons challenge talks about. 🌸

    1. Selma Martin

      It used to snow much here and neighboring areas (inc Naval bases) in February. All through the ‘90s it did. And then… we’re 🍀 when we get slush at least.

      I also posted photos in IG (scroll to the bottom of the post to view)

      … so I mislabeled the post. 😱 🙇🏽‍♀️ Prose and Bussokuseki it is! So kind of you for pointing this out. TYVM 🤗 blessings, friend.

    1. Selma Martin

      Doesn’t! Too much going on all at once. But we enjoyed the white day of snow 😂

  7. memadtwo

    I enjoyed this weather adventure! We never know what to expect these days…(K)

    1. Selma Martin

      It’s all up to Mother Nature now
      “Mother, May I…”

  8. rajkkhoja

    So amazing ☃️⛄! I like. Plum blossom indded. Beautiful colour!

    1. Selma Martin

      Thanks for getting excited too, Raj. I enjoyed the snow and the blossoms on trees. Xo

  9. Maria Michaela

    Aaaaaaahhhh Totoro! Love the poem and photos, Selma. Take care over there

  10. robbiesinspiration

    Hi Selma, spring is very fickle. We can get 30 C temps followed by 9 C temps.

  11. msjadeli

    Love the snow Totoro. So do my daughter in-law and granddaughter. Such a kindly spirit. Glad you got snow but sorry it “dissolved” your plum blossom festival. I like the form you did of haibun using bussokuseki.

  12. Jules

    Our official spring is still over a month away. Yet there are signs, white snowbell flowers, Daff spears breaking ground, and (though some mild winters this birdie will stay all year) I’ve seen the first robins this past week!!

    We did have some weather in January, enough for some closers and delays and enough snow for children to go sledding and make snow folks.

    Xin Nian Hao – I was looking forward to the Year of the Dragon – since my own New Year started …with a whimper.

  13. Gwen M. Plano

    I love the movement and imagery in this poem. Well done, Selma. 🩵

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