Waiting to Come Out

As I have shared earlier, I am trying to keep my hibiscus plants over the winter. They are not fans of cold weather, especially the freezing kind. I dug them up and put them in a plastic pot and set them in my garage. On warmer days I set them outside for some sunlight.

It put out its last beautiful bloom over New Years. Soon after, two buds appeared. Though I have watered it and set it in the sunlight, the buds would not open. The last couple of days were up to 60 F and this evening, when I put it back in to garage, I saw the buds were starting to open a little. 

It reminded me of how we have reacted to Covid-19. Some came out right away, while others have come out very cautiously. A little reprieve does not mean it won’t return again. Hopefully we all will open up and bloom again as circumstances get better!

Coming out scares us

Becoming obsessed with masks

Hiding our sweet smiles

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

A Moment of Perfection

My Hibiscus bloomed today. After sitting in the Summer heat the past couple months with no flowers, it opened up once again with two gorgeous blooms. Now that the temperatures have cooled some, it has been rejuvenated. There are a couple more buds starting to develop as well.

Hibiscus blooms orange

A moment of perfection

Buds waiting their turn

The perfect pair!

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

A Bud of Hope

At the base of each drying leaf

Is a bud full of life and potential

Waiting patiently for summer’s heat

Or winter’s cold to pass

Knowing Spring will bring renewal

*****

Remember…

Behind all that crushes you

Makes you feel devastated

Hopeless and distraught

Lies a bud of strength and potential

The creator’s promised hope

Waiting for you to recognize

That your spring has arrived

Once more

Photo: Dwighr L. Roth

Bursting Beauty

Pink pear buds bursting

shiver in the cold night air

Glorious Springtime

Photos; Dwight L. Roth

First Bloom

Daffodil’s first bloom

Basking in bright warm sunshine

Buds waiting their turn

*

Dark clouds brought cold rain today

Chilled blooms wait another day

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

New Beginnings

This past week I noticed that my daffodils were beginning to push up through the ground. I have never seen this in November. Sometimes they show through in February, but never in the Fall. Trees have now set their buds and wait through the long winter for a new Spring. As I think about all that has taken place this week, with the election and the projected change in our country’s leadership, I thought this might be a good poem to reflect upon.

At the base of each drying leaf

Is a bud full of life and potential

Waiting patiently for summer’s heat

Or winter’s cold to pass

In the cool of spring

The refreshing showers

The promise of warmth

Sap rises in the cambium

Pushes open that small bud

Enlarging into a new fresh leaf

Green and vigorous

Full of life

Remember…

Behind all that crushes you

Makes you feel devastated

Hopeless and distraught

Lies a bud of strength and potential

Waiting for you to recognize

That your spring has arrived

Once more

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Time and Perspective

“A time for every purpose under heaven…”
A perspective for all of us to consider…

A time for thinking…
Seems everything moves but me
Watching trees turn green

*
Tinnitus drowns cricket’s song
Tick-or-tape thoughts click on by…

***

…Which time will it be for me?

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

First Bloom

The daffodils began showing a couple of weeks ago. I saw the buds had formed last week. Today the first bloom opened in the sunshine along my front walk. With more cold weather to come, it will be interesting to see how long it lasts.

Mild winter // cool rains

Bring daffodil bulbs to life

Blooming before spring

*****

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

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March Madness

Creeping in with the beauty of March is that madness that comes with the opening of tree buds and flowers. Pear trees bloom and maples push buds, making all those little helicopters that twirl their way down to the yard. The madness of it all comes not in the beauty, but rather in the pollen that floats through the air and coats my car windows with yellow dust. People with allergies go mad!
Every year it seems March madness takes over my head, fills my sinuses and makes me ache all over. I am recovering as I write from a week of misery that wants to stay with me. Even all the excess rain has not dampened “March Madness”.

Bees still in hiding
Tree pollen floats in spring air
Short circuits senses

Merril at d’Verse asked us to write a Haibun about March Maddness. This is not the basketball madness that we experience in the Carolinas, but rather other aspects of March that may drive us crazy. I chose the allergy season that comes every year.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Peonies

My mother had a large bed of peonies in our back yard when I was growing up. I remember the many blooms and sweet smell they produced. Now when I see peonies, it reminds me of that bed and of my Mom. Frank Tassone gave us peonies as our prompt for Haikai Saturday. This is my Tanka.

 

Long stemmed pregnant buds

Purple petals bursting forth

Spring peonies shine

One of Mom’s favorite blooms

Always reminds me of her

*******************************************************

Photo: Bing image

Written for Frank Tassone’s  Haikia Saturday. This is a tanka about my mother’s flowers.

#Haikai Challenge #36 (6/2/18): Peony (botan) #haiku #senryu #haibun #tanka #haiga #renga