getting dressed
on a frigid winter day—
dreaming of summer
*
another cold morning
north winds blowing cold outside
bones aching inside—
dressing in a hurry now,
dreaming of summer flowers
(It’s good to have something pleasurable to look forward to.)
[The first verse is a haiku, the second a tanka. Both forms have long been highly regarded in Japan. Tanka, originated in the seventh century, is possibly the central genre of Japanese literature. It was the preferred verse form in the Japanese Court where nobles competed in tanka contests and women and men engaged in courtship. I prefer tanka for the room it allows for favorable expression.]
