Lakshmi Iyer
My Ginko Walk
The tall Ashoka trees around the gardens had that dignified look with the dark green leaves held to the long branches. We would sway and swing our childhood on them. The rose plants, hibiscus, tuja plant, and the raatrani used to be our hiding spots. We would sit on the neatly mowed garden and sing out our hearts.
We were allowed to play games without our slippers. The soft-touch of the grass beneath our feet oxidized our soles and that, even more, brightened our evenings.
After school, I would rush to the garden. (I was more attracted to nature.) The crows, squirrels, and sparrows were the daily visitors. Hiding in between the Ashoka leaves, I would converse the process of photosynthesis. The fragrance seeped into my cells.
another memory in my mailbox I open the one which holds your fragrance
About the Author
Lakshmi Iyer, a homemaker, stays in “God’s own country”: Kerala, India. Her journey into haikai began in 2017, and she has made her way into haiku, haiku sequences, haibun, tanka, gembun, haiga, and cherita. Her work has found places in many journals across the globe.
What a lovely garden and lovely prose and tanka.
Adelaide
Thank you so much for the comments. Its inspiring!!!
Your Ginko Walk is full of abundance and beauty. It is most inviting to anyone reading about your garden to want to join you along its many paths.
I especially like the poetic line speaking of the Ashoka trees, “We would sway and swing our childhood on them.”
Your tanka adds yet another layer. Thank you this splendid haibun.
Thank you. And that the garden made a difference in your well being.