An Old Poem

Manyoshu is the oldest poetry anthology in Japan. The title can be translated as Ten Thousand Leaves, and it is kind of a wikipedia of verse. It's not the work of professional writers or famous poets, just people-poets who contributed their lines. Flowers mentioned in the Manyoshu is the theme of the calendar I chose for this year.

January's flower is the plum blossom. Loosely translated, the verse goes:

The first flower to bloom is the plum; to see it is to feel the coming of spring.

The "wax plum" at the entrance to my driveway is already blooming, wafting its fragrance into the icy air. The red plums will be next, and then the white fruit-bearing ones will blossom. When they are done, it will be spring.

That's a promise.