Invitation to Salute Spring

Each spring, the peony bush sits quietly in a dark bed of soil waiting for its lush foliage to spread. Amidst the noise of garden mowers and clanking garden tools, it slowly awakens to springtimes tunes of chirping birds. Morning greetings filter the air as the bright blue sky quickly fills with gushing grayish rain. Soil soaked with nourishing raindrops, watches pollen blankets being washed away. Then, as the rain slows down, peony branches bow in reverence for Mother Nature's gift. Earth fills with the splendor of spring and the peony bush dressed in deep green allows its red buds to slowly open. Perhaps, tomorrow will be the day that the dress rehearsal opens to a springtime showcase.

Dress rehearsal:

though mine

I hesitate to pluck

the peonies

-Baishitsu

As I prepare for a Memorial Day barbecue, I reflect:

in the stillness

Between the arrival of guests,

The peonies.

-Buson

I wonder how long I will have to wait for my peonies to salute spring. Will I ever be able to write of my beautiful peony in the simplistic manner of the 17th-19th century Japanese poets from the Endo period? 

what peonies!

one poem per flower

will not do

-Ryumin

Please join me at the hashtag, #SpringSplendorGallery, on Twitter to share your image poems, haikus, nature photos, musical compositions, artwork, and inspirational quotes on the splendor of spring.  For those who frequent other social media sites, you can email me your offerings at cvarsalona at gmail.com. Deadline: Thursday, June 13, 2019.

Do you have:

half a mind

to dress up and bow down

to the peony

-Shiki

or bow down to the beauty of spring?

for peony blossom viewing

a spring look is fine

and rosé wine

(the above haiku was created using Torin's haiku as mentor text)

for peony blossom viewing
a pale kimono is good
and chinese tea
-Torin

2016 Peony Surprise

********

Now I'm off to post this invitation to Poetry Friday's host, Dani Burtsfield. Dani has a beautiful golden shovel poem to share. 

Renewal

Yesterday, sunshine brought out the best of what early spring offers: a time for renewal. Landscape crews were buzzing around the neighborhood, revving up their engines, preparing the earth for its rebirth. Winter jackets were shed and sweaters placed in cedar closets. Spring cleaning was the topic of morning talk shows. Everyone was readying themselves for a fresh look on life as the last vestiges of winter were disappearing. 

While the earth was busily preparing for a quick changeover of color from monochromatic gray days to brilliant springtime hues, the heart, spiritual center of the body, was also seeking inspiration. As I looked at my seasonal photos, I thought about the transition from winter to spring, realizing that nature understands renewal!

as spring renews its promise

winter's icy breath softens
restoring nature's balance

Hope finds a resting place in spring, the season of rebirth and renewal. 
This year, it coincides with the Lenten season. 
The following verse brings a message of hope.

Renew me by Avalon

Thank you, Irene Latham, for reminding our Spiritual Journey 1st Thursday Community to gather at Dani Burtsfield's blog. I send gratitude to Dani for hosting and posing a question that needs further contemplation:

 "How is the act of renewal making itself manifest in your life presently?"

I have already started sweeping away winter's dust, opening windows, and breathing new life into old routines. With hope in my heart for a spring that restores life and rejuvenates energy, I shall listen and continue to grow in faith. 

During National Poetry Month, voices rise. 

It is my plan to unveil both my Abundant Autumn Gallery and Winter's Embrace Gallery during National Poetry Month. Stay tuned for those vivid displays of nature's enduring majesty. 

This week I wrote poetry daily but due to my second bout of acute sinusitis and professional development commitments, I felt the need to merge my thoughts for two writing communities on this eve of Poetry Friday. 

I am also joining the host of Poetry Friday, Karen Edmisten who is sharing a beautiful poem, Late Echo by John Ashbery, that fits so well with my thoughts tonight. 

"...it is necessary to write about the same old things

In the same way, repeating the same things over and over

For love to continue and be gradually different."

SAVE the DATE for a POETRY TWITTER CHAT
with our Esteemed Poetry Guests, Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong
There will be 3 Giveaways.

I will be moderating for #NYEDChat and would love for our poetry friends to chat with us. Stop by and raise your voices to poetry.

March Musings #10: Berry Time

For the month of February, I was inspired to write ekphrastic poetry with Laura Shovan in her 6th Annual February Poem Project.  Now, I am taking a second look at the pieces I created. I was a bit sidetracked when a new photo, "Huckleberry Heart" by a local Montana photographer, John Ashley, popped up on my screen for a follow-up challenge. The photo so inspired me to write that I decided to create an image poem. I send thank yous to my writing friend, Dani Burtsfield for providing an aha moment for me with this photo she shared for the challenge. Below is the digitally designed image poem I created with FotoJet.

To ensure that the proper amount of inspired energy be poured into the above piece of writing, I turned to Google Hangout for an early morning peek at my almost nine-month old grandbaby. Recently, Sierra learned how to blow raspberries. (I guess if I was living in Montana, Dani, I might say Sierra enjoys blowing huckleberries.) Maybe, Sierra will show off her new skill when she travels next week with her parents to Montana for a skiing adventure.

I was able to catch this photo while chatting with Sierra on Google Hangout (GHO) during the week. Today, she threw us two more raspberries during our Saturday morning call. It was a delicious moment of fun watching her have fun with her mouth.

I celebrate writing time and connecting time with Sierra as part of this week's celebration of life. 

Ruth Ayres has a wonderful story of friendship and the power of one word

at Celebrate This Week.

 

Day 10 of Two Writing Teachers' March Slice of Life Story Challenge