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. 

A Slice of Spring

The fattest and most scrumptious of all flowers, 

a rare fusion of fluff and majesty,

 the peony is now coming into bloom.
–Henry Mitchell, American writer

I wake to morning speaking softly in the sunshine of the day. My garden calls. The buds of May have blossomed and the green cover of pollen covers the driveway. There is a richness existing in the chocolate munch that scents the air and the flowers co-exist in peace as they wake from their beds.  

And the wind upon its way whispered the boughs of may,
And touched the nodding peony-flowers to bid them waken.

-Siegfried Sassoon

While the peony blossoms have said goodby to their flowering friends, their memory lasts and their bountiful green leaves continue to grace my garden. The other flowering beds are lifting their new buds in an organized design to bring a sense of calm, order, and peace to the day. As I stroll through the paths I created, memories of a summer garden so lush and fragrant are resurrected. My mind does not forget the days of childhood meandering through my Nonnie's gardens, whiffing each fragrant blossom on summer days. With all this in mind and wishing to share the joy of my flowering gardens, I send a morning bouquet out to the world. Spring is ready for the blossoms of summer to replace its gift of renewal and I am ready to begin the design process of my virtual garden gallery, Spring's Seeds. 

If you wish to send in an offering for Spring's Seeds Gallery, 

please do this week.

I offer this slice of spring to Two Writing Teachers for their Slice of Life this Tuesday morning.