I am presenting my first Japanese haiku. It is a simple one.

The other day we were playing in the park near our house, and although it is still cold, according to the traditional Japanese calendar it is already spring. The kids were playing and enjoying the park, as they were the only kids playing in such cloudy (and still cold) weather. Somehow, they had fun and it reminded me of the days when we almost always played outside, the days when we didn’t have any Nintendos or 24-hour TV programs for kids. The days when we used to get our hands in the mud and taste the essence of nature through all our senses.

Suddenly, it started to rain and the kids ran home, laughing and still enjoying themselves. The rain was cold and unpleasant, but it was nice to share with them some moments in this early spring Saturday. In this haiku, I wanted to transmit my sense of this particular moment.

The kigo is: 春の雨 haru no ame (spring rain).

Koen de hashiru kodomo to haru no ame

In the park

kids running...

Spring rain

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