Ornamental

In our garden is an ornamental cherry tree, which has plenty of blossoms each year but bears no fruit. At the moment, there are buds on all the branches; I am waiting for the moment when they will burst open.

outside the window
the beginnings of blossom
spring inspiration

My plan for next weekend is to spring clean my study, from where I will be able to see the cherry tree in all its glory as I write at my desk.

flowery tea bowl
cradled in hands – leaves inside
blossoming outside

But we are all familiar with the transience of cherry blossom. I hope the weather will warm up soon and I can open the study window to inhale the scent of honeysuckle that is already climbing the cherry tree.

in Okinawa
pink blooms of sakura snow
melt in the warm breeze

Kim M. Russell, 25th March 2024

Today is Haibun Monday at the dVerse Poets Pub and Frank is hosting with first [cherry] blossoms (hatsu hana).

He says that “during the Heian court era in ancient Japan, the Cherry Blossom season was an annual inauguration of Spring. Some of the finest Waka (today’s tanka) commemorated the iconic blossom.” And cherry blossoms continue to inspire all kinds of poets; I have written any number of haiku and other poems about them. Frank has given as examples a haibun by Robert Witmer and a poem by Michael Dylan Welch.

Today, Frank would like us to celebrate the arrival of spring by writing a haibun that alludes to the first [cherry] blossoms.

41 thoughts on “Ornamental”

  7. The anticipation of spring, so exciting Kim, and a little painful, because it seems to take way too long. It’s like the fact that water never boils if you watching it. 🙂

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  8. I love the picture you paint of your garden. It looks beautiful in my mind, and I think it must be just as beautiful to look at through your window from your desk. What an inspiring place to write!

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  10. Sometimes, the trees aren’t supposed to, bear fruits, because that’s how they, continue to, live on, as, soon as fruits are formed, the next in the cycles of life is, withering and, dying, but, the wonders of nature is that, things always, come back to, life, after a long, and cold winter, as springtime will, always, come.

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    1. I have to open the windows after the study being shut up most of the winter – it’s too cold to work in their then. But the temperatures are rising and the blossom is out over here. I’ll try not to make you envious, Ron. 😎

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  14. You have the tree/bush variety of honeysuckle too. I think I prefer it to the climbers. Ours blooms all through the winter and spring, so the bees always have somewhere to feed. And yes, the transience of cherry blossom. Honeysuckle endures.

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    1. Our honeysuckle blooms once in spring and then again in summer. I haven’t a clue what variety it is, it was here when we moved in 24 years ago.

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      1. There’s a lot of a bushy type of honeysuckle round here. I looked it up and it’s called (surprisingly) bush honeysuckle lonicera nitida. You can make hedges of it. Ours is a huge bush that a pair of robins have claimed.

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  15. Hi Kim, I have yet to see a cherry tree with fruit on it. I guess they are all ornamental around here as well.

    That scent of honeysuckle is amazing, I have some growing on my fence. They come back every year like clockwork. Love your poems.

    pat

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    1. Thank you, and lovely to see you at the Poets Pub, Pat! The only cherry tree I have ever known with fruit was in the garden of our house in Germany. They were delicious too.

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  19. I read this as anticipation, almost like the unveiling of a theatre work or piece of art, a treasure, the word transient came to me as a hinge a turn – the honeysuckle is for the longer haul. So enjoyed this.

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