released by the wind
sakura petals flutter
alive in a dance 

Grace derives its irresistible gravity from surrender. Just as water acquiesces to the form of its container and flows around boulders and bends on its way home to the sea, surrender to the pull of gravity facilitates movement and harmonizes effort. Gravity is not merely a downwards weight; it is dynamic attraction in any direction. Birds in flight, and the clouds too, have their own gravity. Sakura blossoms unfurl to the gravity of spring, opening into floating clouds of delicate pink light. And the gravity of sakura themselves, draws out an entire nation of people into festivity.

In Japan, national news forecasts the blossoming of sakura as it generally starts in the southwestern parts of Japan and spreads gradually across the country to northeastern regions. Suddenly there are flocks of people out in the parks and along the river banks, toting massive cameras, obento, beer, blankets, sometimes a portable karaoke set, and more beer. Even unseasonably cold weather and rain will not deter the Japanese from indulging in sakura beauty. We are a diehard hanami people. 

Children “fish” for floating sakura petals in the river, lovers sit in their pink bubbles of oblivion, co-workers drink and party together sharing the otherwise unsharable, families lunch and laugh while university students karaoke late into the night, and old couples stroll slowly by… And the poet? She becomes sakura. Surrendered to drunken beauty she dances, swirling in the midst of all the wind and water and petals, light and pink. Alive. 

Grace too, has its own gravity – like sakura in spring.