Imaginary Chinese Garden

 

Light shines through green leaves,

Creating their translucence,

I scatter the seeds.

 

Unconscious stirrings,

While tiny insects drift by,

My hand is empty.

 

 

Fennel and mint grow,

Alongside pansies and thyme,

I smell the jasmine.

 

I will tie them back,

Japanese anemones,

I watch it all grow.

 

Fern and wild roses,

Love in the mist and iris,

Lilac and bluebells.

 

Passion flower buds,

They will come later than spring,

Soon they will open.

 

 

Bees around the blooms,

Decorate and paint the scene,

Change sight to feeling.

 

A bicycle wheel,

Suspended on the white wall,

Supporting green vines.

 

I look around me,

Serious observation,

Try to understand.

 

Remember travel,

Music inspires nostalgia,

The Asian chimes ring.

 

Ancient China breathes,

In the blood of living souls,

It’s not your time, West.

 

The lion has roared,

And it echoes into dust,

And is forgotten.

Early spring ~

 

Early summer ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I wrote an extended haiku whilst sitting on a picnic blanket in my back garden. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and I am lucky to have such a beautiful garden. Hard work pays off. There are so many flowers blooming at the moment and we have two raised-beds in the lawn and two more on the patio. Nature and culture collide in the garden. Listening to Chinese music (recommended by one of my students, Hang Yu) ... truly brought my sentiments to life.