Six poets gathered on New Year’s Day 2024 at Issoan to celebrate the New Year. We shared sake, tea tasting, snacks, matcha, sweets, lunch and incense appreciation during the day while composing a 28 stanza linked verse. I hope you like the entire poem.
Earth slowly rises
From winter slumber
In the sunshine
And freshness
On this New Year’s Day
On this New Year’s Day
Seasons turn with the year
Newborn sun warming winter’s blanket
The pitter-patter of snow drops
Joins into nature’s chorus
Joining into nature’s chorus
The trees are alive
In the early morning
With the sounds of joy
As the frost recedes
As the frost recedes
The earth thaws
Ground breaks and cracks
Slowly, rapidly, irregularly
Ready for change
Ready for change
The dark earth is
Newly revealed
Seeds reaching for the sun
Water nourishing life
Water nourishing life
Pitter patter
Soaking gently
Into the earth
Wafting scent of spring
Wafting the scent of spring
Carried tenderly
By the breeze
Our spirits rise
In anticipation
In anticipation
Pale rays bursting
Painting the cerulean sky
Rosy fingers warming
The awakening earth
The awakening earth
Warmed by the sun
Strengthened by the wind
Nurtured by the rain
Branches filled out to the end
Branches filled out to the end
Hopeful
For the year ahead
Filled with color
A crown of green
A crown of green
At ends of branches
Bamboo sprouting
In the forest
A brocade of new life
A brocade of new life
Winter’s cold
Gives way
A colorful quilt
Drapes across the land
Draped across the land
Trees laden with buds
And the early blossoms
Of plum and witch hazel
Calling us forth
Calling us forth
The buzz of activity begins
Tending the flowers
The brocade swelling
With the season’s tempo
With the season’s tempo
Blossoms slowly fade away
Increasing abundance comes
Budding fruit weighs the branches
As time and sun nurtures all
As time and sun nurtures all
Days lengthen
Night fades
Stars meet
As the year’s apex passes
As the year’s apex passes
Birds dance
Into the twilight
And then sleep in the trees
By the rice fields
The rice fields
Sway in the breeze
Stretching towards the sun
Gathering vitality
Lazy days
Lazy days
The wood dragon
Rests in the sun
Ripening with the wheat
Until-
Until-
Threshing begins
Golden silk
Falling in bunches
Songs echoing through the fields
Songs echoing through the fields
Gleaning birds follow the harvest
Corn stalks stack together
Empty skies darken
The coming autumn approaches
The coming Autumn approaches
Life slows and prepares for sleep
Ponders what has been
Dreams of what will be
The world slips into night
The world slips into night
We dream of running
Along a silver path
Rising in the sky
Bright light in darkness
Bright light in the darkness
Points of light sparkle
Infinite space
Cold and crisp
The air snaps
The air snaps
Sky readies itself
We don extra layers
Quilts and hats
Preparing for skyfall
Preparing for skyfall
Silence descends
A comforting blanket
As flurries dance and twirl
Behind our retreating backs
Behind our retreating backs
Weather chases us indoors
With red cheeks and cold toes
Under the kotatsu
We dream of things to come
We dream of things to come
Hopes and goals
The year returns to the start
Repeating, changing and evolving
Always beautiful