Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
2010 Haiku Invitational Winners

Michael Dylan Welch, Judge

Top Winners

British Columbia

• Cherry blossoms
  out my office window
  I change my shoes

  Rita Ager

  Coquitlam, British Columbia

• in all my anger
  I still pause to look up—
  cherry blossoms

  Tim Ashman

   New Westminster, British Columbia

• new puppy
  the backyard swing
  full of blossoms

  Susan Constable

  Nanoose Bay, British Columbia

• Sidewalk cafe
  cherry petals garnish
  my espresso

  Jeff Crawford

  Surrey, British Columbia

• Baby’s shallow breath
  Cherry blossoms suspended
  In a spider’s web

  Elaine Dare

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• Silky white train
  Brushing cherry blossoms
  Into its folds

  Elaine Dare

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• outdoor café—
  the morning news
  sprinkled with cherry blossoms

  elehna de sousa

  Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

• cherry blossoms
  tomorrow
  we part

  Tom Drescher

  Rossland, British Columbia

• pulled over for speeding
  I roll down the window
  to cherry blossoms

  Raoul Fernandes

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• limping back to my bike
  cherry blossoms
  on the spinning wheel

  Raoul Fernandes

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• unmarked infant graves—
  a sudden release
  of cherry petals

  Vicki McCullough

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• stock market
  spiraling down . . .
  this cherry petal

  Vicki McCullough

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• cherry blossom—
  even the sunset
  lingers

  jill stanley

  Victoria, British Columbia

• the ground
  whitened with cherry blossom
  I hesitate to step forward

  Naomi Beth Wakan

  Gabriola, British Columbia

  
  

• old pond—
  falling cherry petals
  startle a sleepy koi

  Cheryl Ashley

  Nanaimo, British Columbia

• tunnel of cherry blossoms
  as I walk alone
  to mail a letter

  Tim Ashman

  New Westminster, British Columbia

• perfectly stuck
  a small pink petal
  on my cat’s bum

  Claudia Bos

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• cherry bough lets loose
  a shower of petals—
  a wren has landed!

  Gail Buente

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• with gnarled limbs
  again the old man walks
  beneath cherry blossoms

  Gail Buente

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• distant siren—
  amid the fallen blossoms
  shattered glass

  Susan Constable

  Nanoose Bay, British Columbia

• SPECIAL DELIVERY!
  pink cherry petals
  nestled in the mail

  Karen Crawford

  Surrey, British Columbia

• homeless
  she catches cherry blossoms
  blowing in the wind

  elehna de sousa

  Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

• reading quietly
  under the cherry tree
  scattered blossoms

  Anne Dunnett

  North Vancouver, British Columbia

• sakura
  the dandelion wine
  still a little green

  Garry Eaton

  Port Moody, British Columbia

• Clouded by blossoms—
  chewing gum vanishes
  from the sidewalks.

  Holly Flauto Salmon

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• an old woman smiles
  between the cherry blossoms
  the sun is setting

  Deirdre Godwin

  Ladysmith, British Columbia

• her metastasis
  storm removes the last
  blossom

  andrea gradidge

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• old wounds
  but, for a while
  cherry blossoms

  Ann Harreby

  Coquitlam, British Columbia

• fallen blossoms
  washed down the drain
  tell the sea it is spring

  neil hershfield

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• anointed with petals
  I click my heels
  and am young again

  neil hershfield

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• perfume sales
  cherry blossom tattoo
  on her arm

  Harvey Jenkins

  Nanaimo, British Columbia

• cherry blossoms
  my baby cries
  for her rattle

  Harvey Jenkins

  Nanaimo, British Columbia

• surprise
  small fists full—
  cherry blossoms

  Barbara Little

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• cherry blossoms—
  the scarecrow
  turns pink

  Barbara Little

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• stowaway petal
  in a little girl’s hair
  just along for the ride

  Tara Lowry

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• pink blossoms flutter
  upon the old gnarled roots—
  cracking the concrete.

  Allard Ludwig

  White Rock, British Columbia

• mother-to-be
  the branch is heavy
  with blossoms

  Fiona Marion

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• broken branch
  your blossoms fall
  too early

  Louise Moon

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• dragon kite
  twirls into the trees . . .
  a shower of cherry blossoms

  Helen Moon

  Salt Spring Island, British Columbia

• Watching the petals fall
  Drift to the ground
  Memories of childhood.

  Andrea Munro

  Maple Ridge, British Columbia

• shelter of blossoms
  homeless man holds out his hat
  for falling petals

  Jacqueline Pearce

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• spring equinox—
  bowing cherries
  border the graves

  Nadia Sukhdeo Proctor

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• pink bud on a tree
  looking up to the blue sky
  you make me believe

  Alexandra Regehr

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• crawling up the bark
  on a cherry blossom tree
  the ant makes its’ way

  Alexandra Regehr

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Cherry blossoms—
  snow angels
  in spring

  Vicky Renneberg

  Victoria, British Columbia

• Final exams.
  Through the window I see
  sun and cherry blossoms.

  Vicky Rizzardo

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• young girl with a basket
  her smile overflowing—
  cherry blossoms

  Sophia Rosenberg

  Lasqueti Island, British Columbia

• Cherry blossom rain;
  we stroll through the pink petals
  without umbrellas.

  Ellen Rothstein

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• this stillness . . .
  the sound of one
  white petal

  jill stanley

  Victoria, British Columbia

• On a red bicycle
  She glides through drifting petals
  —they land in her hair

  Mark Tanner

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• Cherry blossoms
  —my neighbours I will not miss
  seeing.

  Rosemarie Teleron

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Cherry petals
  dot my sun,
  my feet.

  Rosemarie Teleron

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Rustled by the wind
  another petal is lost—
  my apologies

  Dave Walcott

  Surrey, British Columbia

• Blossoms in my hands
  I stitch a quilt
  Of memories

  Jill Warner

  Surrey, British Columbia

• blossom petals
  at the breakfast table
  —already full

  Joyce Wong

  Richmond, British Columbia

  
  

Canada

• sweeping wind
  between the altar candles
  cherry petals

  Huguette Ducharme 

  Saint-Pie, Québec

• a row of sandals
  on the park bench—
  petals everywhere

  Lin Geary

  Paris, Ontario

• its deep shade
  an aged cherry tree
  in full bloom

  Kimiko Horne

  St. Catharines, Ontario

• cherry petals
  falling on cherry petals . . .
  I dust your photo

  Chen-ou Liu

  Ajax, Ontario

• in the shade
  of blossom arches
  a bicycle leans to one side

  Christine Nelson

  Athabasca, Alberta

• in his book of poems
  long after
  her cherry petals

  Marilyn Potter

  Toronto, Ontario

• a pink petal
  curls
  in my daughter’s hair

  Sonia Saikaley

  Ottawa, Ontario

• dawn rain
  the baglady’s blanket
  of cherry blossoms

  Grant Savage

  Ottawa, Ontario

• touch of cherry blossoms
  how far has it fallen
  this starlight?

  Grant Savage

  Ottawa, Ontario

• still there today
  cherry blossoms
  grave diggers

  Guy Simser

  Ottawa, Ontario

• so easily
  trodden underfoot
  cherry blossoms

  Peter Brady

  Gatineau, Quebec

• stripped of blossoms
  the cherry tree
  and me

  Peter Brady

  Gatineau, Quebec

• April showers—
  a light dusting
  of cherry petals

  Pamela Cooper

  Montreal, Quebec

• along the footpath
  cherry blossom petals
  my pink pedicure

  Ellen Cooper

  Montreal, Quebec

• street walk
  the smell of cherry blossoms
  under the stars

  Huguette Ducharme

  Saint-Pie, Québec

• your each
  step to the door
  a cherry petal drops

  LeRoy Gorman

  Napanee, Ontario

• cherry blossoms
  the moon and I face
  each other

  Chen-ou Liu

  Ajax, Ontario

• cupping
  and cupping again
  cherry blossoms

  Terra Martin

  Toronto, Ontario

• renewing vows
  under the cherry tree
  petals in our hair

  Joanne Morcom

  Calgary, Alberta

• outdoor restaurant
  a waitress sweeps blossoms
  into the gutter

  Joanne Morcom

  Calgary, Alberta

• Yukon snowflakes fall
  again
  I remember cherry blossoms

  Katherine Munro

  Whitehorse, Yukon Territory

• missing her
  the bitter cherry
  and its bloom

  Roland Packer

  Hamilton, Ontario

• air full of eagles
  the blossoms
  falling

  Patrick M. Pilarski

  Edmonton, Alberta

• tin roof littered with blossoms the crash of waves

  Patrick M. Pilarski

  Edmonton, Alberta

• cherry blossoms
  I buy my new grandson
  the sunhat with sailboats

  Marilyn Potter

  Toronto, Ontario

• under a branch
  heavy with cherry blossom
  light-hearted lovers

  Claudia Radmore

  Carleton Place, Ontari

• an indigo sky
  cherry blossoms
  in my hands

  Sonia Saikaley

  Ottawa, Ontario

• cherry blossoms
  on the breeze
  chasing butterflies

  Sylvia Santiago

  Calgary, Alberta

• cherry blossoms
  a child’s laughter
  disappears with the wind

  Sylvia Santiago

  Calgary, Alberta

• one two three and four
  into each bento box square
  a cherry petal

  Guy Simser

  Ottawa, Ontario

  
  

United States

• flushed
  beneath the cherry blossoms
  she says yes

  hortensia anderson

  New York, New York

• blossoms in peak bloom—
  I, too, could risk
  everything

  Susan Antolin

  Walnut Creek, California

• the flutter
  of the newborn’s eyelids—
  cherry petals

  Susan Antolin

  Walnut Creek, California

• flitting on the wall
  by his sick bed
  shadows of cherry blossoms

  Lana Ayers

  Kingston, Washington

• first blossoms . . .
  my daughter and I
  talk until dusk

  Francine Banwarth

  Dubuque, Iowa

• day of blossoms—
  a nurse erases
  mother’s name

  Roberta Beary

  Washington, District of Columbia

• blossoms
  other people’s children
  catch them now

  Roberta Beary

  Washington, District of Columbia

• at the altar
  a cherry petal falls
  from her sole

  brett brady

  Pahoa, Hawaii

• daydreaming . . .
  a cherry petal
  brushes my cheek

  Alice Frampton

  Seabeck, Washington

• leaving home . . .
  what little I know
  of cherry blossoms

  Alice Frampton

  Seabeck, Washington

• the soldier’s wife
  bruised cherry blossoms
  in her hand

  Terri French

  Huntsville, Alabama

• my son
  gone before me—
  cherry blossom tattoo

  Terri French

  Huntsville, Alabama

• cherry blossom rain
  a little girl blows bubbles
  for her cat

  Garry Gay

  Santa Rosa, California

• bright cherry blossoms
  four generations
  pose for the photo

  Garry Gay

  Santa Rosa, California

• an answer
  to the question I didn’t ask . . .
  cherry blossoms

  Carolyn Hall

  San Francisco, California

• Spring rain—
  the busker’s case filling
  with cherry blossoms.

  Nicole Hyde

  Arvada, Colorado

• cherry blossoms—
  losing count of the brush strokes
  when you touch my hair

  Peggy Lyles

  Tucker, Georgia

• rescued from the grass—
  fallen blossoms fill
  my daughter’s hands

  C. R. Manley

  Bellevue, Washington

• cherry blossoms
  ten thousand
  why nots

  Scott Mason

  Chappaqua, New York

• child’s tea party—
  I accept a second helping
  of cherry blossoms

  Tanya McDonald

  Woodinville, Washington

• cherry blossoms
  a tourist
  asks for directions

  John Merryfield

  Tahoe City, California

• cherry blossoms
  the hometown crowd shoulders
  a young athlete

  Chad Lee Robinson

  Pierre, South Dakota

• cherry petals
  the way he touches
  my scar

  Melissa Spurr

  Joshua Tree, California

• cherry blossoms—
  the road from the hospital
  disappears

  hortensia anderson

  New York, New York

• cherry blossoms
  a thrush reminds me
  to follow my heart

  Francine Banwarth

  Dubuque, Iowa

• daintily peeling
  a pink petal from her boot—
  teenage Goth

  Sheila K. Barksdale

  Gainesville, Florida

• cherry blossoms
  the ink of her tattoo
  still bright

  Jeanette Blain

  Bronx, New York

• farmers market
  cherry blossom branches
  at each stall

  Jeanette Blain

  Bronx, New York

• cherry blossoms . . .
  a slender moon barely
  slipping through

  brett brady

  Pahoa, Hawaii

• pink petals
  twirl in twilight
  memories strewn on the wind

  Kerry Campbell Hamilton

  Woodinville, Washington

• picking up speed
  the cherry petal
  that touched her lips

  Beate Conrad

  Waterford, Michigan

• her last breath—
  a cherry blossom falls
  without notice

  Rise Daniels

  Tolland, Connecticut

• Cherry blossoms
  two garlands of wet petals
  on my bike tires

  Bruce England

  Santa Clara, California

• cherry blossom petals—
  the street gutters never
  looked so pretty

  Seren Fargo

  Bellingham, Washington

• last cherry blossoms . . .
  the stone buddha
  still smiling

  Stanford M. Forrester

  Windsor, Connecticut

• stone buddha—
  the cherry blossom shadows
  freckle his face

  Stanford M. Forrester

  Windsor, Connecticut

• he rides
  a girls’ pink bicycle—
  blossom rain

  Carolyn Hall

  San Francisco, California

• kissing
  the tip of each toe
  cherry blossoms

  Michele L. Harvey

  Hamilton, New York

• woken by your absence
  shadows of cherry blossoms
  on the blinds

  Keith Heiberg

  Brighton, Massachusetts

• Old crow
  sing a different song—
  these are cherry blossoms!

  Nicole Hyde

  Arvada, Colorado

• cherry blossoms—
  from the homeless man’s trumpet,
  “Ode to Joy”

  Catherine J. S. Lee

  Eastport, Maine

• e-mail to Iraq
  I attach a new photo
  of cherry blossoms

  Catherine J. S. Lee

  Eastport, Maine

• cherry blossom
  seen through
  cherry blossoms

  Mary LeViant

  Bellevue, Washington

• last year’s dress
  with a new sash—
  cherry blossoms

  Peggy Lyles

  Tucker, Georgia

• ocean breeze
  cherry blossoms sail
  across the pond

  C. R. Manley

  Bellevue, Washington

• my wife forgives me—
  today, remembering only
  the cherry blossoms

  Michael McClintock

  Clovis, California

• cherry blossoms
  and night’s heavy dew
  blankets the young grass

  Dorothy McLaughlin

  Somerset, New Jersey

• children writing haiku
  scatter in the park—
  cherry petals

  Marilyn Murphy

  Providence, Rhode Island

• the park
  after curfew—
  cherry petals gathering

  Marilyn Murphy

  Providence, Rhode Island

• in the fold
  of my kimono—
  a dried cherry blossom

  Nancy Nitrio

  Orangevale, California

• wind gust
  the cherry petals’
  arpeggio

  Origa (Olga Hooper)

  Okemos, Michigan

• some of the words
  between us
  cherry buds

  Stephen A. Peters

  Bellingham, Washington

• cherry buds
  some of my childhood memories
  linger

  Stephen A. Peters

  Bellingham, Washington

• blossomless
  above an open casket—
  cherry tree

  an’ya

  La Pine, Oregon

• eager to see it all again
  I stand
  under the cherry tree

  Dru Philippou

  El Prado, New Mexico

• the puppy asleep
  on a bed of blossoms
  family picnic

  Carol Raisfeld

  Atlantic Beach, New York

• cherry blossoms
  a bull rider’s hand
  in the suicide wrap

  Chad Lee Robinson

  Pierre, South Dakota

• for a few days
  the war stops
  cherry blossoms

  Carolyne Rohrig

  Fremont, California

• Cherry blossoms—
  the last hint of color before
  nightfall

  Deborah Russell

  Baltimore, Maryland

• in the cherry tree
  I see the shape
  of your hand

  Carole Sauter

  Kent, Washington

• April morning
  a light drizzle
  of cherry blossoms

  Adelaide B. Shaw

  Millbrook, New York

• falling blossoms—
  the swirl of her dress
  as she spins

  Adelaide B. Shaw

  Millbrook, New York

• prolonged illness
  a newspaper brings me
  cherry blossoms

  Tim Singleton

  Columbia, Maryland

• a frog hops
  through the rain
  cherry petals

  carmi soifer

  Suquamish, Washington

• morning
  without cherry blossoms—
  emergency room

  carmi soifer

  Suquamish, Washington

• cherry blossom time
  a single petal
  on the old dog’s nose

  John Stone

  Elverta, California

• cherry blossoms . . .
  a family strolls
  hand in hand in hand

  Marilyn Appl Walker

  Madison, Georgia

• first blossoms
  the precise fit of air
  in my bicycle tires

  Marilyn Appl Walker

  Madison, Georgia

• a cherry tree branch
  broken off by the storm—
  my son’s magic wand

  Neal Whitman

  Pacific Grove, California

• pink
  under the cherry tree
  my toes

  Kath Abela Wilson

  Pasadena, California

• cherry blossoms
  leaving the hospital
  alone

  Nora Wood

  Lawrenceville, Georgia

• through cherry branches
  a gust of rain and petals—
  her sigh

  Ruth Yarrow

  Seattle, Washington

• gas station puddle—
  in its gaudy rainbow
  cherry petals float

  Ruth Yarrow

  Seattle, Washington

  
  

International

• fluttering
  on the trampoline
  cherry blossoms

  Bouwe Brouwer

  Emmeloord, The Netherlands

• weeping cherry . . .
  all the love
  we’re in

  Helen Buckingham

  Bristol, England

• no blossom yet under the old cherry tree we kiss

  Andrea Cecon

  Cividale del Friuli, Italy

• first cherry buds
  she decides
  to speak openly

  Andrea Cecon

  Cividale del Friuli, Italy

• cherry blossom tattoo
  she shows him
  the hidden branch

  Maria Kowal-Tomczak

  Opole, Poland

• green valley—
  the brook brings blossoms
  from a distant hill

  Tomislav Maretic

  Zagreb, Croatia

• cherry blossom chill—
  I tie my shoelace
  in a double bow

  Emiko Miyashita

  Kawasaki, Japan

• rest home window
  cherry blossoms fade
  against the pane

  Patricia Prime

  Auckland, New Zealand

• blossoming cherries—
  faced to the window
  an empty chair

  Dorota Pyra

  Gdansk, Poland

• night rain
  a tideline
  of petals

  Elaine Riddell

  Hamilton, New Zealand

• saying yes
  to your proposal—
  cherry blossoms

  Katrina Shepherd

  Dunblane, Scotland

• cherry blossom—
  he knows what to call
  his granddaughter

  Sandra Simpson

  Tauranga, New Zealand

• changing our sheets—
  cherry blossom
  drifts to the floor

  Helen Yong

  Christchurch, New Zealand

• just a gentle breeze . . .
  you and me
  and the falling blossoms

  Wolfgang Beutke

  Barum, Germany

• cherry blossoms . . .
  the smallest child
  circles the tree trunk

  Leonie Bingham

  Nimbin, Australia

• huddled trenchcoats
  in the shadows . . .
  cherry blossoms

  Greg Bingham

  Nimbin, Australia

• cherry blossoms
  filled to the rim
  the candy jar

  Bouwe Brouwer

  Emmeloord, The Netherlands

• cherry petals
  cover your footprints—
  this loneliness

  Nathalie Buckland

  Nimbin, Australia

• solar eclipse—
  the light of cherry blossoms
  in the graveyard

  Cezar-Florin Ciobîcă

  Botoşani, Romania

• spring storm—
  the beggar’s little box
  filled with cherry blossoms

  Cezar-Florin Ciobîcă

  Botoşani, Romania

• Breath of wind . . .
  so many cherry petals
  across the water

  Magdalena Dale

  Bucharest, Romania

• may morning
  cherry twigs on the grave
  of a young girl

  Andrzej Dembonczyk

  Zbroslawice, Poland

• homeward bound—
  cherry blossoms stick
  to my sandals

  Angelee Deodhar

  Chandigarh, India

• blossom photo . . .
  old man calling—from here
  you get the whole tree!

  Bernadette Duncan

  Stuttgart, Germany

• Cherry blossoms—
  a lonely woman smiling
  at the window

  Adina Enachescu

  Râmnicu-Vâlcea, Romania

• cherry blossom in her hair
  the bride says
  “I do”

  Keith Frentz

  Tauranga, New Zealand

• the dog
  chases a new scent—
  cherry blossom

  Keith Frentz

  Tauranga, New Zealand

• early morning
  people going to work
  over cherry petals

  Zeljko Funda

  Varazdin, Croatia

• end of jogging—
  a cherry petal
  stuck on my shoe

  Damien Gabriels

  Leers, France

• in remission
  seeing cherry blossom
  she blossoms

  Kevin Goldstein-Jackson

  Poole, England

• cherry tree
  and my grandpa
  full of petals

  Dubravko Korbus

  Ivanic Grad, Croatia

• at your tombstone—
  a spray of cherry blossom . . .
  still jealous

  natalia kuznetsova

  Moscow, Russia

• spring slips away
  cherry petals
  on the hearse

  Artur Lewandowski

  Sieradz, Poland

• a short time
  for love—my car strewn
  with cherry petals

  Tomislav Maretic

  Zagreb, Croatia

• cherry blossoms—
  repainting my kitchen
  pink

  Jacek Margolak

  Kielce, Poland

• after the storm
  a broken cherry’s bough
  hangs and blossoms

  Dusko Matas

  Zagreb, Croatia

• Midnight jazz—
  moonlight and cherry blossom
  floating on a song.

  Oliver Mead

  Bristol, England

• cherries blossom
  a little boy tousles
  grandfather’s grey hair

  Boris Nazansky

  Zagreb, Croatia

• urban boulevard
  in a beggar’s hat
  cherry petals

  Robert Nowak

  Wałbrzych, Poland

• a game of chess
  on the bald spots of old men
  cherry petals

  Robert Nowak

  Wałbrzych, Poland

• Light sifted
  through the drizzle—
  cherry tree in blossom

  Oprica Padeanu

  Bucharest, Romania

• the cooing of pigeons
  between blooming cherry trees—
  the cool rain

  Kristjaan Panneman

  Lelystad, The Netherlands

• lifting the toddler
  to touch the cherry blossoms
  grandmother

  Patricia Prime

  Auckland, New Zealand

• family album
  our faces changing
  under the blossom trees

  Vanessa Proctor

  Sydney, Australia

• walking home from ballet
  my daughter pirouettes
  through the blossom

  Vanessa Proctor

  Sydney, Australia

• a kid in combat trousers
  every pocket
  full of cherry petals

  Dorota Pyra

  Gdansk, Poland

• cherry blossom
  the focus of the mountains
  softens

  Elaine Riddell

  Hamilton, New Zealand

• cherry blossoms
  again and again
  I see her face

  Nuri Rosegg

  Oslo, Norway

• cherry tree flower
  washed away with rain
  again in the sunshine

  Karol Rosiak

  Bydgoszcz, Poland

• villagers slow down
  passing by the only
  Japanese cherry

  Stjepan Rozic

  Ivanic Grad, Croatia

• bouncing higher
  on the trampoline—
  cherry petals

  Katrina Shepherd

  Dunblane, Scotland

• a policeman
  directing traffic . . .
  cherry blooms on his cap

  Huguette Simmonds

  Rodez, France

• hisssssss
  goes the soda can
  cherry blossom

  Valeria Simonova-Cecon

  Cividale del Friuli, Italy

• creaking rocking chair—
  the old cherry tree again
  in bloom

  Lech Szeglowski

  Gdansk, Poland

• Cherry petals—
  the end and the beginning
  of the path

  Eduard Tara

  Iasi, Romania

• Evening wind—
  an old woman follows
  the cherry petals

  Eduard Tara

  Iasi, Romania

• Two petals
  falling together—
  evening wind

  Maria Tirenescu

  Cugir, Romania

• spring shower
  each grass blade with its own
  cherry petal

  Zeljka Vucinic-Jambresic

  Ivanic Grad, Croatia

• even an old lady
  passing under the cherry
  blossoming . . .

  Djurdja Vukelic-Rozic

  Ivanic Grad, Croatia

• shutter clicks open
  to the spring
  first cherry flower

  Diana Webb

  Leatherhead, England

• cherry blossoms
  on the last page—
  diary of a veteran

  Urszula Wielanowska

  Kielce, Poland

• broken sundial—
  a cherry blossom petal
  drifts and lands

  Sheila Windsor

  Worcester, England

• arms akimbo—
  a cherry blossom falls
  on my tilted face

  Quendryth Young

  Alstonville, Australia

• blossom jam—
  a tour bus topped
  with pink

  Quendryth Young

  Alstonville, Australia

Youth

• Blossom in my palm.
  Last April she sat here too
  With a blossom in hers.

  Mariah Dear, age 15

  Delta, British Columbia

• sparring children
  on the park bench
  cherry blossoms

  Sophie Kirkby, age 10

  Nimbin, Australia

• cherry blossoms
  a young child nibbles
  the flower

  Sophie Kirkby, age 10

  Nimbin, Australia

• my sad eyes
  under a cherry tree
  lots of petals

  Karolina Rosiak, age 10

  Bydgoszcz, Poland

• the wind
  brushing tears away—
  cherry blossoms

  Sherry Zhou, age 12

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• a pink petal caught
  between strands of yellow hair,
  stuck with morning dew

  Alice Adam, age 15

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• I watch the blossoms
  twirling through the calm green day—
  wish I was with them

  Alice Adam, age 15

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• delicate pink petals
  carried by the wind
  fluttering like butterflies

  Tracy Ahn, age 13

  West Vancouver, British Columbia

• Fallen pink blossom
  Caresses the dirty pavement
  Shadowed by dusk

  Geran Atkinson, age 15

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Colourful flowers
  shower me on my birthday
  everything blooms

  Jungwun (Mimi) Bang, age 12

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• semaphore of pink
  in the wind—what languages
  do you speak in, trees?

  Aeli Black

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Once again we meet
  under the cherry blossoms
  is this fate?

  Jessica Chang, age 15

  Surrey, British Columbia

• Rainy spring day
  my reflection in puddles
  scattered blossoms

  Jessica Chang, age 15

  Surrey, British Columbia

• Cherry blossoms on the ground
  So pretty
  Until the leafblower comes

  Caitlin Chong, age 12

   Vancouver, British Columbia

• I’d like to catch one
  a cherry blossom petal
  to keep forever

  Gabriella Dionne, age 17

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Lush grass sways gently
  As the soft afternoon breeze
  Rustles pink blossoms

  Emma Dixon, age 15

  Delta, British Columbia

• Amongst tall buildings
  And noisy city bustle
  Cherry blossoms bloom

  Emma Dixon, age 15

  Delta, British Columbia

• it kisses my nose
  as I inhale its sweet scent—
  pink cherry blossom

  Rukshila Dufault, age 17

  Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

• roses are red, violets are blue,
  but don’t forget
  pink cherry petals

  Andrew Enders, age 13

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• fragile petals swim
  like goldfishes in a pond
  down into the drains

  Yu Ting (Tina) Fan, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• sometimes, with the wind,
  I drift . . .
  like petals from a cherry tree

  Yu Ting (Tina) Fan, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• my neighbours have gone
  their petals softly drifting
  when will I join them?

  Shelley Feng, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• An old tree.
  I hold out my hand,
  cherry blossoms fall through my fingers.

  Quinn Fotheringham, age 11

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• A flurry, a rush,
  A whirl of pink surrounds me
  As gentle winds blow.

  Anmol Gulati, age 16

  Abbotsford, British Columbia

• Pink cherry blossoms,
  on a big beautiful tree,
  swirling in the wind.

  Selena Herrera, age 8

  Richmond, British Columbia

• Pastry and hot tea
  Enjoyed under blossoming trees.
  Pink petals fall.

  Michelle Ho, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Pink petals dancing,
  Accompanied by fierce wind.
  Snap goes the camera.

  Michelle Ho, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Gentle hill to school
  Fluttering petals of pink
  I stare at her back

  Charlie Hua, age 17

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Daddy lifts his girl
  to pick a cherry blossom—
  Memory for years.

  Julianne Huff, age 17

  Maple Ridge, British Columbia

• putting on my ballet shoes
  dance away
  cherry petals

  Annie Hui, age 17

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Cherry blossoms
  pink trees everywhere
  can’t see streets

  arian jacobs, age 14

  West Vancouver, British Columbia

• pink and white flowers
  spin and twirl down around me
  landing in my hair

  Samantha Jacobs, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• grabbing for the petals
  as they fall to the pavement
  missing every one

  Samantha Jacobs, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• floating and falling
  these pink ballerinas dance
  asking me to join

  Grace Kim, age 17

  Surrey, British Columbia

• dancing to a secret beat
  around the sunlit sidewalk
  cherry blossoms fall

  Melissa Kuipers, age 16

  Coquitlam, British Columbia

• a blossom dances
  through the bus’s open window—
  everyone smiles.

  Hannah Levy, age 17

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Pink cherry blossoms—
  ballerinas pirouette
  and tutus twirl

  Elizabeth Li, age 12

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Swaying on a branch
  Floating slowly swiftly down
  Delicate petals

  Sophie Liu, age 8

  Burnaby, British Columbia

• Walking home lonely
  Among this sea of petals
  These blooming trees.

  Jaymee Maaghop, age 14

  Surrey, British Columbia

• Pink petals are all you can see
  Don’t look away
  Soon they’ll be blown away

  Hayley Martin, age 13

  West Vancouver, British Columbia

• cherry blossoms
  a gentle pink wave
  washes away sorrow

  Winnie Mui, age 13

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• My dog done a pee
  on a little cherry tree
  oh deary deary me.

  Abbie O Boyle, age 8

  Dublin, Ireland

• down on the sidewalk
  poor blossom petals
  turning into grey dust

  Jane Qiu, age 15

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• The sweet blossoms mark
  A fresh start, a new chapter,
  In my own story.

  Emma Rahemtulla, age 14

  West Vancouver, British Columbia

• a cherry tree
  how beautifully it blossoms
  day by day

  Karolina Rosiak, age 10

  Bydgoszcz, Poland

• Cherry blossoms soar
  with the answers we’re missing
  blowing in the wind

  Arlo Sporn, age 15

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• pink blossoms falling
  drifting on the wind
  raindrops strike them down

  David Tan, age ??

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• I take a bite of taco,
  and realize it had
  cherry blossoms

  Bill Tang, age 10

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Workers cut down tree—
  Cherry blossoms fall in my face
  As it falls down.

  Charlie Tang, age 12

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Cherry blossoms make
  a miniature tornado,
  spinning in my yard.

  Shannon Tang, age 11

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• Cherry blossoms
  Shooting down the river,
  Sinking in the rapids.

  Emma Upsdell-Reddekopp, age 10

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• an empty bench
  a warm kiss lingers
  in cherry petals

  Michael Warne, age 17

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• a cherry blossom
  whirling with wings on the wind
  lands on my cold nose

  Jacqueline Wong, age 14

  Vancouver, British Columbia

• blushing
  when being admired—
  cherry blossoms

  Sherry Zhou, age 12

  Vancouver, British Columbia