“when cherry blossoms
scatter…
no regrets”
Issa
Art courtesy of Kay Bingham Elementary School
When we listen to the Vancouver news and events on tv now, it is all about cherry blossoms. I miss them, the predictor of spring on the west coast. There is even a Haiku Invitational Contest.
In Japan they watch the ‘cherry blossom” front that moves from the south (Okinawa) starting in January and reaches Tokyo in late March. It’s like a weather report.
Cherry blossoms are richly symbolic with words like ephemeral, transient, metaphorical: blossom, beauty, death. Cherry blossoms are the subject of so many poems. My favourite is haiku.
“in my province
grass blooms too…
cherry blossoms”
(Issa)
No better way for children to be introduced to poetry. A new book this year by one of my favourite children’s authors, Jon Muth. An Easter present for my grandson.
Amazed With Mystery 
The Sakura here in Kyushu have all but lost the last if their petals…and are now leafing out. Soon they will vibrate with the sounds of senmi. Summer is approaching. Love the book. Going to order it for my grandchildren.
” of” sorry- my auto-spell disagrees with me many times.