sakura sakura...
spring is finally here!
haibun: a Japanese form that combines prose and poetry. a narrative or description is interspersed with haiku poems that arise from and illuminate the prose.
fourth moon, seventh day, 2026
finally feeling a lot better. some very slight discomfort in my stomach here and there but overall, i can function normally now. i am off from work today as well so i went out for a walk this morning. i’ve been wanting to see the little cherry blossom trees along the street i always pass by whenever i drive to work. my face lit up when i saw one perfectly framed from where i was.
these little ones are one of the first cherry blossoms that bloom in spring. the other ones, like the yaezakura (blooms with more than five petals), bloom towards the end of april. very excited for those, especially when their petals fill the air.
cherry blossom tree
a stranger’s dog
greets me
ah i just love cherry blossoms so much. i could spend all day watching the petals sway in the gentle spring wind…
i went to my favorite bridge after to do some praying. it’s my favorite place to thank God for all the things he has done for me. it’s also my favorite place to ask Him for strength. it’s a place where i experienced so many intense emotions these past five years. i’ve experienced great joy, great sadness, intense anger, and anything in between. it’s where a lot of things was resolved as well. it’s a very, very special place for me. after every prayer, i would always look at the sky, raise my right hand, slowly bow facing downstream, and whisper the words, “Thank you, my Lord and savior.”
daffodils
we all bow our heads
for Him
on the other side of the street, there was another cherry blossom tree in full bloom. that one is fully mature and it’s one of the blossoms that i always look forward to each year. it’s easy to miss because the petals fall just after a few days, especially when it’s windy.
silver linings
i reach for the lowest tip
of a cherry blossom tree
here’s some more blossoms i saw on my way home!
from one cherry blossom
to another
contrail
this afternoon, i went to the library to print some stuff for this saturday’s convention. in the library’s secondhand bookstore:
book inscription
wondering what kind of story
they lived
this is one of the many reasons i love secondhand books. they are filled with hidden treasures and memories waiting to be shared. it’s bittersweet honestly. it warms my heart but at the same time it makes me sad that these books have reached the end of its previous life.
here are some books i bought!
back at home when i was cutting some papers:
bird feeder
a squirrel growling
at the starlings!
fourth moon, ninth day, 2026
today, i found a handmade bracelet on a sidewalk next to a cherry blossom tree. it was possibly made by a kid as it was small.
gentle breeze
hanging a lost bracelet
on a cherry blossom tree
i left it there hoping that it would somehow find its way back home.
want to share a poem? send me a message and i shall include it in the next journal! you can also include a picture as well~
march 7, 2026
under a maple tree bearing young bright green leaves.
Gwendolyn the 4th is back! :D
may 13, 2022
one of my favorite memories of spring. Cashew the squirrel loves this cherry blossom tree so much. sometimes i would just sit on a platform next to it while she lays flat on one of the tree’s branches. whenever i move away, Cashew would follow me.
this moment actually inspired one of the scenes in my comic:
you can read this scene here!
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Thomas is the creator of a wish that bloomed in fall. he is also a haiku poet, origamist, and a squirrel whisperer. he loves spending time in nature and writing poems about the little things in life. click here for more!
a wish that bloomed in fall
a heartwarming slice-of-life story about Emma, a college girl who graduated during the height of the 2020 pandemic. despite uncertainty, she was inspired and determined to pursue her dream of becoming a comic artist after meeting a squirrel, whom she named Cinnamon. you can read it here!
“Yet, even amidst the hatred and carnage, life is still worth living. It is possible for wonderful encounters and beautiful things to exist.”
- Hayao Miyazaki
have any question? send me a message and i’ll be happy to answer! :D