Spring came late this year, on first of April we still skated, and being indoors have been important, but finally the last ice had melted and a hesitant sun graced the soil. You had already spotted the first hepatica along the path we bicycle. After a long winter the bright blue of its bloom is like a toddlers grin in the carpet of withered leaves. Soon it will all be green, but today the flowers will be a solitary splash of color in a sea of brown. We didn’t need to talk, we walked in silence and met smiling neighbors who had seen the first footprints of spring. Hepatica in bloom. We have waited, we have dreamed. Now we are on pilgrimage, walking slowly, tiptoeing not to crush a single flower. We snap pictures just like every year. Spring for me is blue.
scent of autumn
the last decaying leaves —
first day of spring
Today I host haibun Monday on dVerse. The topic is walking, go for a walk and tell me what you see. This is also my last poem for April. I made it to thirty even though I missed ten days in the beginning. Today is also my sixth anniversary in blogging.
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April 30, 2018
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Congratulations on reaching your thirtieth poem, Bjorn!
I enjoyed walking with you through your haibun. Imagine still skating on April 1st – Nature’s April Fool’s joke! I like the phrases ‘a hesitant sun graced the soil’.and ‘the first footprints of spring’.
The toddler’s grin is a lovely image among the dead leaves and decay of yesteryear. And what strikingly vibrant the blooms are too, I myself not familiar with that particular forest flower. But I see it is an occasion in and of itself.
Well done..six years of blogging. Awesome. I love the Haibun and the blue flowers, we have forget-me-nots, they are blue too. XX
Beautiful, Bjorn. I love your last line, “Spring for me is blue.” Our first flowers are snowdrops, and I always look forward to them, especially after this winter’s long, long months.
Snowdrops come before but they are not wildflowers… hepatica are not really the first, but very close.
I had to look up Hepatica—it’s a lovely little flower, blossoming among the dead leaves. I can see why spring is blue for you.
I like the footprints of spring, fitting for a walk, and the solitary splash of color.
There was a woman philosopher called Hypatica – can’t help wondering if there’s a connection. The toddlers grin among the dead leaves are particularly poignant. Congrats on 6 years of blogging.
I had to google Hepatica too Björn – what a delightful advent to spring!
Today it has been sunny, but bitter cold here. Nevertheless tulips have raised their red heads in the garden for a week or so, but sadly daffodils appear to have demised.
Anna :o]
How lovely that your spring is blue. Ihave only seen hepaticas once, on a trip to England in the spring. The ahiku at the end is lovely. Again, congrats on six years of blogging!
This is quite beautiful, Bjørn. Congratulations. Ai would have changed the second (middle) line in the haiku.
This is a great line – ‘a hesitant son graced the soil’ – fantastic!
Wow, many congratulations are in order, Björn. First for hitting 30 poems for the month, and in celebration of your sixth anniversary. Well done.
I loved this line “We have waited, we have dreamed.” I’m still waiting for spring here. It was 80 degrees the other day, but we always have one good snow, if not a blizzard in May, usually in the middle of the month. Until then, we’ll have eratic weather, swinging from beautiful, even hot temperatures to chilly, blustery days of snow.
Yes we have some hepatic here (not in my yard). I love the toddlers grin.
Happy Blogaversary!
I really liked, “We didn’t need to talk.” It was a lovely break in the description.
I love the idea of spring being blue. How odd that we both have “toddlers” incorporated into our haibun.They definitely bring colour and light to a dull season. I felt a wistful vibe in the last few lines.
It is so true that the first scents of spring are the decaying leaves of autumn past.
Congratulations on all the April poems and six years of blogging.
Beautiful flowers…worth waiting for.
Nice verse, loved the video 🙂 – so liked the mixture of social, romantic and exuberant play in this piece – there is a real sense of emerging from indoors after a long winter – into the specific blue of the flowers.
How delightful. I have never heard of or seen these flowers before. No wonder you see them as heralding spring.
I loved your write and your pics. xoxo
I love those blue flowers among the autumn leaves – Spring was slow to arrive here too – and congratulations with six years of blogging! :o)
What a beautiful shot you’ve captured in your words as well as the photo. I like the use of toddler’s grin and first footprints of spring. Lovely😊
I love the contrast of the blue flowers against the stark winter background. Like sparkling blue diamonds in the sun.
Dwight
I love all things blue, though I have never thought of it as my favorite color. I enjoyed reading your write! And the image too.
You’ve described a beautiful first walk in spring. I love the pictures, too.
A joy to read about seeing the hepatica being like a toddler’s grin and then also seeing the photo. Congrats on writing 30 and your anniversary!
You’ve walked many poetic miles in six years, Bjorn. I began blogging in May 2012 so it’s been 6 years for me too. Cheers!
Beautiful.
Awesome to have 30 poems for April. Congratulations for that and for the blogging years as well. Cheers to more poems.
I love that this is a ritual to see this first sign of spring. What lovely flowers. I also liked:” After a long winter the bright blue of its bloom is like a toddlers grin in the carpet of withered leaves.”
Congratulations on your thirty poems and six years of blogging!