My source: Poetry Foundation
A Shropshire Lad 2:
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide.
Now, of my threescore years and ten,
Twenty will not come again,
And take from seventy springs a score,
It only leaves me fifty more.
And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room,
About the woodlands, I will go
To see the cherry hung with snow.
Copyright © A.E. Housman
Source: A Shropshire Lad
It has been a wet spring here in the Shonan area where I live. Yesterday, Friday, rain was compounded with strong winds. All morning long. But then come noon, we got a heavy showering of sunlight. Oh! How the cherry blossom reacted to the sun! They literally exploded. And like clockwork, my Line App was at par with the sun to alert me…
Sakura fubuki 🌸 A Sakura blizzard on the phone Line App
and on the radio–
old and new Sakura tunes
***
The Sakura Tree is indeed a beautiful tree, like all creation.
I hope you enjoyed reading A.E. Housman’s Poem I chose for you today.
A gorgeous Easter Sunday. Bless You.
The following haiku are written for
- Mark of https://seasonwords.com/2024/03/29/week-13-first-cherry-blossoms/
- Colleen of https://tankatuesday.com/2024/03/26/24-seasons-syllabic-poetry-challenge-no-27-3-26-24-part-ii-the-spring-equinox/
brief like a minute
mesmeric cherry blossoms
hold on to let go
the grandest story
cherry blossoms warm the day
melancholic awe
a pause in bliss
petalled in each cherry blossom
as life goes on
© selma
Happy Easter everyone.
waving and waving
to all who stand below boughs
pale cherry blossoms
© selma 🐰 🐣
Kigo: cherry blossoms
My son, who came to offer support over my recent loss enticed me outdoors. We
visited a nearby temple where we hoped to catch the trees in their spring attire.
I took many photos.
Two (or three) yearly activities typical of the season.
😘 💕 🖼️ 💒copyright © selma
These photos are for your enjoyment. Sightings of Bride&Grooms to be, and their
entourages, usually bloom around this time. So do art enthusiasts and people of
all walks of life. As you can see, the trees are not in full bloom yet.
In April, which is when the new school year begins here, one could see parents and
students posing. Another wonderful feature of life in Japan.
Hope you enjoyed this short glimpse into my world. Blessings.
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Thank you Selma for sharing one of my favourite poems. Happy Easter My Friend.
Thanks for coming to read one of your faves here, Goff. It pleases me to know. Happy Easter. And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. Bless you.
Thanks Selma. Have a great day.
Beautiful poems Selma. Love the picture too. I’m glad your son is so supportive of you in this time of grief. Hugs.
Thanks, dearly Sadje. Yes, both my sons are sweet young men. I am blessed. BTW, if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. Blessings.
You’re most welcome. I’ll check them out
Wonderful poem. Very nice words use of nature beauty. Beautiful photo. Iam happy to your son supporting you this time. Wonderful cherry blossom.
Hugs 🫂!
Blessings, Raj. Thanks. In case you want to see more photos, and you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. No pressure. Blessings.
Yes,I want more photos. Add resized. I like. Thanks, Selma 😄!
Beautiful. Love the photos. ❤️
Thank you.
You’re most welcome.
Hi Selma, I enjoyed AE Houseman’s poem and your verse. A lovely time of year.
Thanks, Robbie. I know you’re busy. FYI, And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. come check them out when you can. Blessings.
Beautiful! Free range cattle destroyed my old cherry tree, so I had no cherry blossoms this year. Split it right down the middle.
That’s so sad about your tree. But that’s something that cannot be controlled. In a street that used to be one of the less busier streets there grew a gorgeous Sakura tree–it was practically in the middle of the narrow street. But that street is nothing like it used to be. It’s a busy street. And that tree was causing accidents. Finally, last week the tree was cut down. I can just imagine how sad the men who cut that tree down felt… I didn’t see it, but I’m sure a monk must have come to give it its last rights–and I believe people are bowing to the memory of that tree now. I know I am.
BTW, if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised on this post. Come when you can. Blessings.
So gorgeous, Selma… your poem and photos. Each word a gift and ode to the cherries. Mine too are in bloom but they sure don’t last long💓
That’s the ephemeral beauty, nostalgic nature of the blooms. Thanks for the comment, Cindy. BTW, And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. Come check them out when you can. Blessings.
Thank you Selma for the lovely poetry. Love the lines from A.E. Housman:
“And since to look at things in bloom
Fifty springs are little room” …so awesome!
Happy Easter/Resurrection weekend! Blessings!
Gorgeous lines indeed. Happy Easter. Also, FYI, And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised on the blog. Drop by again if you like. Blessings.
Thank you, Selma. I certainly will check out the resized on photos. Much appreciated. Blessings to you.
Each new day is like another chance to have adventures.
So true, Diana. one more chance every day… BTW; FYI, And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. Be well my friend. Blessings.
Such wonderful, spiritual haiku, Selma. Nicely done. Happy Easter!
~Nan
Happy Easter, Nan. Thanks for the encouragement. And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. No pressure. Come if you can. Perhaps you’ll enjoy them.
Happy Easter everyone.
waving and waving
to all who stand below boughs
pale cherry blossoms
© selma 🐰 🐣
Lovely photo Selma, and your very touching poem. You have given me joyous memories of cherry blossoms in DC, an enduring gift from Japan. Happy Easter! 🐣
Bless you my friend. So happy to be able to gift you that. BTW, And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. Come when you can… Happy Spring
Hope it’s a lovely Easter Selma. I am sorry for your recent loss. I am glad your sons came to offer you support and that you visited temples with them.
My sons are lovely humans. Thanks Maddie… And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. No rush. Come check them out if you can.
Hi Selma,
What a beautiful collection of poems for this time of year. Thanks for sharing them.
The pleasure is mine. Entirely.
Hey, Mark a heads up with no pressure– if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. I think you might enjoy them. Come if and whenever you can. Blessings
Hi Selma, Thanks for letting me know about the pictures. Picture #5 that has the bride and groom in the background and the blossoms in the foreground has wonderful composition and color. Thanks for sharing!
Selma, your haiku were stunning! I wrote a haiku for you this week. Make sure to read my post. You’ll know which one. I love this time of year. Sakura is also trending on Threads. Add Sakura to your posts and when someone likes your post they get the cherry blossom emoji: 🌸
Colleen, every haiku you write speaks to me. Thank you my friend. BTW, and FYI, And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. I think you might enjoy the little glimpses of what I see here. Infact, I’m sure you will. No pressure (self-care, remember) but the photos are here now. I don’t know how you guys do it, but working with my media photos is a real pain in the behind.
Thanks for everything. Happy Spring. (the end of snow)
I hope you liked the middle haiku. I wrote it for you. 💖
after the rainbow
birds enter clouds
a friend’s funeral
© Colleen Chesebro
You’re the sweetest ever. Thank you my friend, 🥹
I felt like you were both together again for a moment. 🌈💖🕊️
Selma, your poetry is wonderful and thank-you for sharing “…Loveliest of Trees..”so very inspiring and first time I have read it! What a beautiful image!
Brief like a minute–so true–but the ephemeral nature is part of their beauty I think.
Well said, K. Thanks. BTW, And if you care to know, I just managed to add those resized photos I promised. I take them with my iphone and they’re always so huge that WP refuses them. So then I need to resize. It’s such a hassle. Wish I knew a work around. Anywhere, the photos are here if you’d like to see them. xo
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Thank you, Selma, for adding the excellent photos. A peaceful setting with the blossoms adding to the stillness. The last photo of the couple walking near the beautiful tree is a .marvelous capture.
So glad you enjoyed.
Selma, comment #2: I LOVE the photos. Thanks so much. Much love, my friend. 🌸 🩷 🌸
🤗 🙇🏽♀️ 🤗 🙇🏽♀️
🌸💖🌸
Wow! Amazing, Selma! Thanks for sharing!
~David