Spirea

raindrops
crowning
white spirea
how much nature gives
without being asked

Yesterday morning I went out for what I thought would be a quick walk and came back with 48 photos on my iPhone. The neighborhood was quiet and peaceful, and I just kept finding things worth stopping for. It’s good to have that photography itch back, and I’m already looking forward to the next walk.

This white spirea was one of my favorite stops along the way, and it ended up inspiring my tanka. I’ve always felt that the best nature poetry comes straight out of the experience itself, not from sitting down later and trying to reconstruct it. That was certainly true here.

I hope you enjoy the photo and the poem.