A somber Spring so far, haijin, but I hope you’re making the best of it! Congratulations to last week’s contributors:

Powered by… Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets.

Looking ahead:

Tough times: in our world, in our lives. #Corona and #CONVID-19 occupy our consciousness at so many levels. My home state of New York has become the epicenter for the outbreak in the US, with half of the nation’s cases. The state is on lock-down beginning 8PM Sunday (3/22/20). Tomorrow, we NYC teachers begin an unprecedented “remote learning” with our 1.1 million students. Between those sick, those worried of becoming sick, those concerned about income loss due to sheltering in, and even those feeling trapped at home, our individual and collective anxiety rises exponentially.

It’s all too easy to forget the simple joys of spring.

This morning, I heard the songbirds. The forsythia and daffodils bloom. Even the woodchuck has returned. While I share in the sorrows that have overwhelmed us all during this pandemic, I savor the simple joys that I still experience.

One of those joys has been the early bloom of Cherry Trees in Washinton, D.C:

The warm temperatures since yesterday afternoon have brought any of the slower cherry blossoms out now. They’re right around peak; I’d expect the NPS to make the call later today, especially with temperatures climbing into the 80s this afternoon. They’re looking light and fluffy and beautiful.

This week, let’s ease our anxious minds and appreciate a classic Spring kigo, first [cherry] blossoms* (hatsu hana).

Write the haikai poem of your choice (haiku, senryu, haibun, tanka, haiga, renga, etc.) that states or alludes to first [cherry] blossoms (hatsu hana).

As always:

Here’s how the challenge works:

1. write the haikai poem of your choice.
2. post the link of your post to Mister Linky.
3. pingback by posting the link to the challenge on your site.
4. read and comment on other contributors’ posts.

Enjoy this cherry blossom season, haijin, even virtually. Stay healthy and safe!