O cherry blossoms,
 
your fragrance guides my footsteps
 
in the pilgrim way.

 
 
 

The gardener weeps:
 
“I’ve never seen a blossom
 
lovelier than this.”

 
 
 

Grace in almost-spring—
 
blueberry bushes blossom
 
in my own backyard.

 
 

Little brown sparrow,
 
sing a cactus-blossom song
 
to ease my sorrow!

 
 

To master silence,
 
sit beneath the cherry tree
 
during blossom time.

 
 

Somewhere in Ukraine
 
a plum tree is blossoming
 
in a dead man’s yard.

 
 

Putin’s war goes on,
 
the price at the pump goes up,
 
and plum trees blossom.

 
 

On a moonlit night
 
the plum and cherry blossoms
 
murmur to the pines.

 
 
 

Bitter winter wind—
 
cherry-blossom memories
 
and tea keep me warm.

 
 
 

February snow—
 
how fruitless to start singing
 
cherry-blossom songs!