Haiku Riddle Technique – March 13, 2016

Apricot Tree in Bloom with Snow (Santa Fe) MANN

early morning walk
can these be visions of spring –
apricot blooms

© G.s.k. ‘16

Carpe Diem #935 Cicada

This episode of CDHK is dedicated to the technique of writing a riddle … or perhaps more precisely – koan.  I didn’t write a koan – but I did ask, why do we think of spring in haiku writing when the cherry blossoms bloom and rarely use any other fruit tree blossom?  Actually, I recently came across an article about spring kigo which stated that the Emperor during the Basho’s period changed the spring kigo from apricot to cherry blossoms, because he preferred them.  It seems that apricot blooms actually blossom before cherry blossoms.  Of course, there are many many kigo for spring, probably almond blossoms, apple blossoms and any blossom one can think of would make us think of spring.  🙂

My son told me yesterday that when I arrive in Padua next week-end I will be greeted by the blooming of the apricot tree in his garden.  Here too, though the snow has finally found its way onto the mountains in the past two weeks, the various fruit trees are beginning to bloom … something I’m off to photograph this morning!