A memory. His birthday falls over the long Presidents Day weekend. We wander through greenhouses where orchids and roses bloom, scenting the air with summer perfume. We stroll about the gardens without jackets, enjoying the taste of spring. The next day it snows.
February moon
hovers with uncertainty–
mist turns to snowflakes
This year, the morning sun gleams on the bare and budding branches. Birds flock, seeking sustenance, as the skies grow cloudy, and in the evening white flakes drift down to cover the emerging green sprouts. We wrap ourselves in blankets, eat birthday cake, and laugh.
Hands together grasp
wine and roses, youth and age
following the heart
I’ve combined challenges for this Haibun: Frank’s hazy moon challenge from last week, his current rose/Presidents’ Day challenge, and Colleen’s Tanka Tuesday challenge. The words we’re supposed to use synonyms for are character and affection. I don’t know if it’s correct to use both a haiku and senryu in one piece, but I did.
well written.
Thank you!
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A wonderful piece, Merril. Some publications, such as Modern Haiku and The HSA’s Frogpond don’t distinguish between haiku and senryu anymore. Therefore, Your Haibun can contain both without a problem.
Thank you, Frank!
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Wonderful … and a birthday toast to your family of birthdays. … while in the glow of mine. Cheers … Clink!
Thank you, Frank! 🙂
I’m about an hour and change from Longwood Gardens 🙂
We had a bunch of Birthdays in Feb… now though only a few left…
We also had similar weather… I wrote about that for my entry:
present blooms?
Happy Birthdays to you and yours.
As for creating new poetic forms…break the rules! I still get stuck on the definition an let other people tell me what I’ve written. 😀
Hugs, Jules
Thank you for you lovely comment and good wishes, Jules. We’re in NJ, but not too far from Longwood Gardens. We actually drove past it yesterday on our way to see my mother-in-law–to celebrate her birthday! 🙂 Happy birthday to your February birthday gang. It looks like a beautiful day today!
I used to live in NJ about three or four different places 😉 All more central than at either end.
Yep one of ours was the 17th too!
🙂
Your comfort in both scenarios speaks to the depth of your relationship, within nature and within yourselves.
Thank you, Ken. And now the sun is back out, and it looks like a beautiful day! 🙂
Just lovely.
Thank you very much!
great piece, merril –
Thank you so much, Beth.
An enchanting day for your spring celebration….as woven in your haibun :))
Thank you, Janice!
I loved how you intertwined memories in your Haibun, Merril. I felt like I was there and could smell the roses. The addition of snow really made me want spring. Gorgeous! ❤
Thank you very much, Colleen. This weather is crazy, but I realized it probably always is. 🙂 The snow we got Saturday night melted Sunday morning, and this week we’re supposed to have a couple of days in the 70s!
Oh, nice! We’re in for a dose of winter! Finally. ❄️❤️
Good to the last drop!
Thank you, Marian.
This is lovely. Time merges, grows, repeats. Like the seasons. (K)
Thank you, Kerfe.
For such a beautiful post you can combine anything you like 🙂
Awww–thank you, Derrick!
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Pingback: #Haikai Challenge #22 (2/24/18): Barely Spring (haru asashi) #haiku #senryu #haiku #tanka #haiga #renga – Frank J. Tassone