covered with cherry blossoms

Carpe Diem Special #146, Etsujin's "covered with cherry blossoms"

The door was opened by the bewildered mother.  Her children were late arriving home from college.  And in the porch light there stood the local patrol officer.  She could tell by the look on his familiar face.  She slumped into her husband's familiar arms.  Together they sobbed.  They went through the actions required.  A kind neighbor planted a cherry tree in honor of the lost futures.

The loss of the two young adults left such a deep scar on the couple neither really recovered.  The pain of never again hugging the products of their union left each .... empty.  Over the years the emptiness was filled with clubs, work, hobby after hobby. Each going in a different direction, seemingly further and further apart.

But the world is round.  Life goes in circles.  By chance each looked up from the busy-ness and there they were, eye to eye.  They stopped in shock.  Who was that in the eyes' reflection?  Had the distance traveled taken them too far apart?  Was this to be a new beginning or the final end?  And the cherry tree rained down its blossoms on the old couple....

covered with cherry blossoms

if I could die right now
in this dream of mine

© Ochi Etsujin (Tr. Gabi Greve)

a smile, a freckle

the glint in a grandson's eyes

cherry blossom lips

©  Janice Adcock

Thanks to Chèvrefeuille for daily prompts on 

CARPE DIEM HAIKU KAI