Carpe Diem #685, first flowers (of spring)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

Spring is almost starting and if you look around you you can see already trees starting to blossom, flowers starting to bloom and bushes starting to blossom. Even a faint greenish can be seen already at the bare branches ... spring is almost there.
Today I love to invite you all to write/compose haiku on first flowers and share them in haiga with us all here at our Carpe Diem Haiku Kai.

As I look around me in my neighborhood than I see already Crocuses, Narcissus's, Tulips and the first Plum blossoms appearing. Yesterday I saw that the Almond trees and Magnolia trees are almost bursting from their buds ... and than I know "yes spring is here again". Spring .... finally the dark part of the year has gone and the light has returned ... spring is my season ...

Forsythia

on bare branches
yellow flowers of Forsythia -
Ah! that sweet perfume

© Chèvrefeuille

The Forsythia's perfume is really fragile, but it becomes stronger after the rain ... I like their beautiful and fragile yellow blossoms and I always enjoy it as I see them ... spring is there almost.

Credits: Yellow Crocus

between the last snow
the yellow flowers and green leaves
of a snow-crocus

© Chèvrefeuille

It's amazing to see how much yellow flowers and blossoms there are as spring is almost there ... it seems like Mother Nature is preparing us for Easter ... Look at this gorgeous Narcissus.

Credits: Narcissus

Narcissus ...
bows its yellow head to the pond
like that youngster

© Chèvrefeuille

I think you all know to which youngster I am referring in the above haiku ... yes ... that youngster Narcissus which fell in love with his own reflection. An awesome story which I like very much. The above haiku I have used in a haiga.

narcissus ...
bows its yellow head to the pond
like that youngster

© Chèvrefeuille

Unfortunately I hadn't a picture made by myself to use for this haiga so I found this incredible photo which I have used. (Credits photo).

Of course there are a lot of first flowers to bring up, but because of the fact that we are on our way to Easter (this period of the year is called Lent or Lenten) I decided to only use yellow flowers.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7.00 PM (CET) and it will remain open until March 16th at noon (CET). I will (try to) post our next episode, Magnolia, later on. For now .... have fun and enjoy the first flowers of spring while we are on our way to Easter.

Carpe Diem #83, Narcissus (suisen)

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

This is it ... the last day of the year 2012 and the last day of our Carpe Diem month December with all those wonderful classical Japanese kigo. I have read wonderful haiku this month, but I haven't had the time to 'Look Back' on all your entries. I hope that I can write the Look Back Carpe Diem Preview on December next week. And than I will also grant someone with our Carpe Diem Award for most valuable haiku poet this December month.

Today our prompt is 'Narcissus (suisen)' a late winter kigo, because Narcissus are early Spring (or late winter) flowers.

I have found a few nice haiku written by Buson on Narcissus:

suisenya bijin koubewo itamurashi

Narcissus
and a lovely woman
with a headache

(c) Buson (1769)

And this one written by Buson in 1777:

suisenya samuki miyakono kokokashiko

Narcissus!
In the chilly capital,
some here, some there

(c) Buson

And of course there is the story of the youngster Narcissus who only had eyes for himself and was in love with his reflection in the pond.


Narcissus
in love with his reflection
vainglorious guy

Credits: Narcissus

Well ... that was our last prompt of December. Have fun, be inpsired and share your haiku with us on Carpe Diem.

This prompt will stay on 'til January 1st 11.59 AM (CET) and I will post our new prompt and the first one for January around 10.00 PM (CET). That prompt will be 'Fireworks'.