Outside my window
The illusion of springtime
Coaxing buds to bloom
Pain twisting to resentment
At the robin’s cheerful tune

Link: false spring to illusion of springtime
The turn to pain/resentment is a sudden turn, reflecting my recent hospitalization.

This twilight, this sky
Pink and orange glimmering
O’er new-bud branches
Yet beware, this spring is false
The wind shall whisk her away

Link: double-link: new resolve–the spring is false (progression) and these twilight times–this twilight (linking word)

In these twilight times
I cannot begrudge the birds
Their cheerful singing
My heart takes hope, my eyes lift
To the sky with new resolve

Another birthday poem. This one is not　linked by words but by meaning–it is a progression from “door opening” to “new resolve”.

I was amused by the reaction to this poem on my Facebook. For me, I meant the “twilight times” to refer to the current political turmoil in the US. A childhood friend of mine mistook my meaning for me thinking about growing older. I was so pleased, as so many medieval Japanese poems tend to couch political meaning into terms that could be interpreted otherwise.

This auspicious day
No one walks the snowy path
That leads to my door
A page turns, a door opens
Onto a summertime world

Link: a door closes, a door opens

Today was my birthday. This poem was in response to a haiku about my advancing age. Whatever, I am content. 😛

Now the door closes
Memories gathered, sorted,
And stored in our hearts
We raise our voices and sing
A little burying song

We got a sympathy card from our vet that included a copy of Nabiki’s paw prints. We both wept a little, but laughed also when we remembered how heavy she could be (how can such a small cat feel so heavy on those little paws?).

Nabiki
February 1st, 2000 – January 9th, 2017

From my arms she sprang
Across a bridge of rainbows
Into a kinder land
Rest in Peace, my little one.
You were the best cat ever.

We had to put Nabiki to sleep on January 9th. She was just a few weeks shy of 17 years old. As I had feared, her thyroid disease was progressing, and the treatment options were getting past what we could afford. She had lost a whole pound since she was last at the vet 3 months ago, and she was a very small cat to begin with. She was so hungry, all the time. When she wasn’t sleeping, she was begging for food. And I would feed her, but she burned right through it. I just didn’t want her to suffer anymore.

Nabiki was the sweetest-natured cat that I have ever met. Feisty, too, when she needed to be–no cat was going to boss her! (Except that they did, but she made her displeasure known.) She was so cute and funny, and honestly, my favorite cat of all the pets I’ve had.

I will miss her so much.