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.
- Day 27: NaPoWriMo 2024–Opt Out of An American Sonnet - April 27, 2024
- Day 26: NaPoWriMo 2024 Alliteration, Consonance, Assonance - April 26, 2024
- Reblog: “Snap-beans in a Wooden Bowl”(c) 2024 by Michael L. Utley - April 26, 2024
all a step forward –
Exactly. Forward… 👏🏽
Oh dear! Mother nature can be so unpredictable. The squat snowman made me smile.
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
I do think that quote fits so perfectly!
😀 😀
That’s a sudden turn of events, Selma. Lovely photo. 🙂
Ah, but Spring IS on the horizon!!!
Indeed it is. We’re much closer now than we were yesterday. 🙌🏽
Let’s all get out “happy” on 😃
Beautifully written Selma
So pleased you liked it dear Sadje. Spring is closer today than it was yesterday. 🎉
Indeed. It’s almost here, here.
Lovely. I feel like Spring and Winter have to have a few sparring matches before Spring wins.
They do. Every year they vie for the crown—in the end Spring wins. 😂
Mother Nature is so contrary 🙄
Love this poem Selma 😊
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.
So true Selma 😄
It was my pleasure 🙏
Must have caught everyone off guard!
It did. We used to have enough snow here in February. Now we’re “lucky” to get interruptions like these. 😂
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. 🌸
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.
The weather doesn’t realise what time of year it is.
Doesn’t! Too much going on all at once. But we enjoyed the white day of snow 😂
We were promised snow, but nothing but ☔
I enjoyed this weather adventure! We never know what to expect these days…(K)
It’s all up to Mother Nature now
“Mother, May I…”
So amazing ☃️⛄! I like. Plum blossom indded. Beautiful colour!
Thanks for getting excited too, Raj. I enjoyed the snow and the blossoms on trees. Xo
Aaaaaaahhhh Totoro! Love the poem and photos, Selma. Take care over there
Hi Selma, spring is very fickle. We can get 30 C temps followed by 9 C temps.
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.
I’m glad you found the beauty in the fickle weather, Selma! Great prose and poem!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
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.
I love the movement and imagery in this poem. Well done, Selma. 🩵