Cherry Blossom

Persistent raindrops
shower kisses in darkness-
cherry blossoms blush

After my 'blossom' post I thought it a shame I didn't have a photo of cherry-blossom. As if by magic I noticed some yesterday afternoon, but didn't have my camera- It was pouring down so thought no problem I can get that picture anytime in the next few days... then the words started floating round my mind, just little phrases about blossoms being kissed by rain. It could have turned into verses & verses, til I thought- ah-haa, haiku... follow on the theme i just posted!

Haiku are traditionally 3 line poems with 17 syllables- 5 in line 1&3, 7 in line 2. Obviously some of the translations we see don't match up to this although they do in the original language, & there are some variations, but I went for the traditional.
So- as I was out on our night time walk another version came to me & I just had to go & get this pic... in the rain, in the dark, through the nettles, dog lead round my legs....

In japan, the cherry blossom (known as Sakura) is symbolic of the fleeting nature of life... the beauty of the blossom & the falling petals after only a few days are viewed by people all over Japan (& elsewhere) with reverence, in a ritualistic fashion. A mass of cherry trees all in bloom, then shedding their petals almost in unison make spectacular viewing whether purely for their physical beauty or for a deeper spiritual connection.