An early spring haibun for Frank Tassone’s haikai challenge.

Last night a barn owl fluttered, silent, moth-pale across the meadow. This morning hares raced round and round the house and the first babies toddled from their form when we blundered too close. Thrushes throng the high poplars filling the bare branches with song. Blackbirds battle.

last curled oak leaf

brown tenacious torn free

by spring’s first gust