Will you remember
These shy blossoms peeking out?
This bluest of skies?
In long years unimagined
Will you treasure this moment?

link: recall to remember

Thus ends the Kotori no Uta 小鳥の歌 (Little Bird’s Song), my first hyakushu (100 poem linked sequence), which I began on September 1st, 2016. Each poem has been linked to the previous one, either by word or by theme progression.

Face up to the sky
He stood, his arms wide open
Greeting the snowflakes
At that moment, I recalled
Why I fell in love with him

The blossomed branches
Shiver under a blanket
Of freshly-fallen snow
Love’s tender bud withering
At your wintery welcome

Link: branches to branches

Note: according to Grammarly, wintry, wintery, and winterly are all acceptable spellings. While they say that wintry is more common, for some reason, I’ve used to it being wintery. Wintry looks weird to my eyes. But yes, I did look it up to be sure!

Between the branches
Peeking, the Blue Moon shyly
Smiles at the earth
Will you wait for me until
Our wayward paths meet again?

Link: concept of sky to sky scene

Full-voiced, the robin
Serenades a twirling tune
To the twilit sky
Despite the frigid winds, could
Spring be dancing on the breeze?

link: robins fly and warble to the robin seranades

As I seek in vain
Among the withered grasses
Any sign of spring
Above me the robins fly
And warble their twilight tunes

Link: withered grasses to withered grasses

Walking in winter
The wood-fire scent hanging
In the crispy air
The withered grasses rustling
Footprints marring day-old snow

link: tending to the fire–wood-fire scent

Amusement beckons
Yet by the hearth I linger
Tending to the fire
What use the radiant sun
When icy winds come dancing?

link: hearth to hearth

Welcome the New Year
Like a beggar from the cold
Beaten and ashamed
Come, cast aside your sorrows
Warm yourself beside the hearth

link: cool wind soothe to warm yourself beside the hearth

The autumn palette
So calming to the senses
A balm to the soul
Weep, then, and let the cool wind
Soothe your heated countenance

link: leaves, green and gold to autumn palette