Their first time, arm and arm that day; my parents met me in Vienna, and we took the orange line all the way into the capital to glimpse that year’s earliest array of Cherry Blossoms, draped beside the reflective pond; Easter’s first laid eggs.
“It’s just like the cloud of pink when a baby arrives,” Mom looked up with a grin; she would know, having had three pink puffy surprises herself. It’s a girl, every time.
Truthfully, I lured them to the mirrored waters edge to reveal a hard truth. One they wouldn’t want to hear, and so I hoped the beauty of the blooms would soften my speech. I also forced them into the city because I couldn’t understand how they’d lived in the area for fifteen years and never seen the breathtaking beauty of the bloom.
We arrived that April day; Hatsu Hana, early bloomers. Dad directed me to sit down under the bow of a beautiful branch, and he snapped a keepsake, which captures my rosy, nervous cheeks. Their middle child was always an early bloomer. I let my clogs click over the edge, thinking all the time, when will my moment arrive to speak with them openly?
Sure, I’d brought them to this magical place with more to say, but as we passed Martin Luther King Jr’s monument, I saw them smiling, arm-in-arm, thirty years strong in a marriage that still blossomed on an early spring day. A joy that would never peak. So, I couldn’t break the spell to speak of dark bowing limbs of the family tree, and how I’d cut my own branch clean; couldn’t defile their first view of innocent cherry blossoms with talks of my divorce.
“Another photo,” dad framed me under a busy bough, making the blooms into a pink halo; for him, one that would never be there again, but at that moment, I was his pink, puffy second surprise, innocent and blooming in early spring.
Her Hatsu Hana;
solemn surprise left unsaid,
plucked to save the vine.
Frank’s the host for d’Verse’s Haibun Monday. His topic for this week, Cherry Blossoms. Join us!
Yard Sale of Thoughts 
Happy Monday, blooming trees do not always sync with happiness.
much love…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Gillena. Truth. Spring is often a time of restlessness and change for me. Cheers.
LikeLike
A thoughtful piece (and a wise decision to postpone the news).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ron. It was a bitter-sweet day, but one that will always be the three of us without any awful news. I appreciate your kind comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sad and reflective. If only life’s self preserving choices could be just that… like choosing not to eat fruit that has gone rotten.
LikeLike
Yes, indeed. What a wonderful image to add here. Those blossoms forever smell like divorce to me, which is fine as it was indeed the right move for me even if it brought much pain to others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
great photos; lovely story; you capture so poignantly the quiet anguish of postponing unwelcome news; how lucky some people are to find lifetime love; my son seems to have found it in Vienna
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, John. I appreciate your kind comments and your connections. It seems like finding a four-leaf clover in a field; true love. Still, there are many pastures to search and explore along the way. Maybe love isn’t linear for some.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think for many of us, love isn’t linear: I wished it were but then again the forever coupled miss out on experiences that the serially coupled/uncoupled have —
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not much of a linear spirit myself. Enjoying wandering and embracing my own seasons. Thanks, John, for sharing this wisdom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel the emotions swirling through this like cherry petals swirling in brisk spring air. You’re a good daughter for your choice not to say at that point for your folks’ sake. Excellent haibun, K.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, Lisa. I realize how much that moment was preserved, and I’m glad for all the lovely things in my life, even if they are fleeting. Appreciate your kind comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re very welcome, K (do you mind if I ask you what your first name is?)
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s Karen. Thanks for asking. I’d thought to keep that private, at first, but there’s too many amazing people here to not go by my first name.
LikeLiked by 1 person
OK, cool, Karen 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was intimate and emotional K, beautiful in its honesty.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Ron. It was a memory meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you saw the beauty.
LikeLike
Memories, emotions (withholding sometimes a hard choice)love for one another, all felt within this piece. 💗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, kindly. There is a beauty in silence as well speaking. I like how this piece was able to show that part of me.
LikeLike
T-his was a touching recount of a not-so-happy time in your life. We will hope you’ve moved on to happy times again.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you kindly, Beverly. I was able to rebloom; perhaps a story for another day?
LikeLike
A heartfeld juxstaposition of ephemeral beauty and poignant heartache. Wonderfully done!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you kindly, Frank. Enjoyed this timely prompt and continuing to craft Haibun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such an emotive use of ‘hatsu hana’ imagery: the early bloomer needing to cut loose. It sounds like you made the right decision on both counts: breaking free and postponing the news.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah, Vienna, one of my most favourite places in the world, and what a place to see blossoming cherry trees! I agree with Ingrid about the emotive use of ‘hatsu hana’ imagery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We were actually in Vienna, Virginia (much less romantic), but agree whole-heartedly that Austria is magical place. These blossoms were a gift to the U.S. from Japan. They line the reflective pond there. Have you seen them? Best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t know there was a Vienna in the US or that Japan gave gifts of blossoms! I must look it up.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My initial thought on this was how fresh-faced you look. Coupled with your talk of divorce.it just seems incredibly sad to go through that so young. I mean, I know it happens, but sad.
I suppose it doesn’t really matter what age one is, it’s always sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s sad, like a zipper that fails, but it was very good rebirth as well because I was never going to be happy or achieve my dreams within the body bag of that marriage. If I’d stayed, I would have sacrificed my life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yup, it is lose-lose but a no-brainer all the same.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #6: K. Hartless’ latest #haibun for #dVersePoetsPub’s #HaibunMonday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Frank. I’m very honored that you reblogged this post. Kind regards, K.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The honor is mine, K! 😇
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the real story you told. To be wrapped up with such life-changing news while still keeping up the apperance. I think having that lovely moment is something really good in the long run.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Björn. I agree. It was a good moment of silent reflection for all three of us. Appreciate your kind comment.
LikeLike
My sweet beautiful daughter, you will always have that halo and you are so over!
LikeLiked by 1 person