The Cherry Blossom Tree

Her arms outstretched offering candy pink blooms,

Guarded by an old gate, she sprinkles light raspberry wisps to the grass, 
A smattering of candy snow dusts the air and the pavement, 

The clouds float by wishing they were her,  they feel so bland compared to her flamingo hues, she smiles back at them. 

I reach down to scoop up some petals and bury my head in my hands, I am brought back to the avenue on the way to our house, picking flowers to make perfume, my mother smiling in welly boots spending a morning with her most treasured possessions. 
Her two little girls and nature.

For me, the tree signifies those perpetual summers of childhood. Gangs of giddy children queue up at an ice cream truck, sweaty coins clutched in tiny palms, waiting to devour screwball, 99's and icebergers. The only worry being what sauce to choose - always raspberry ripple. 

As the dusty pink snowflakes glitter through the air, my taste buds revert to dipdabs, refresher bars and blue raspberry ice pops keeping our energy high for tip the can, rounders and climbing trees. 

The middle section of Mr Kipling batten burg cake and the strawberry of neopolitan ice cream and the warmth of a baby girls bright pink cardigan, my mother's t-shirt hanging on the bath tub, my dad's euthomyl  toothpaste with the sturdy aluminium tube, his tongue coloured summer t-shirt with a black screen print on the back. 

A tree can bring back so much but I am truly grateful that this sakura is within 2 kilometers of my house, 

We must stay home but we are allowed out, but we can't go far. We are restricted for our own safety. 

The cherry blossom will survive as will we, 
We are one, 
Made of the same energy. 
We are connecting with the source and the beauty around us. 

I will always thank her and tell her she's pretty. 
We are survivors too, we will shed old beliefs and old ways and see that our needs are basic and being met. 

The virus will spread, but nature will renew, 
We will renew too, when all this passes, 

In the meantime, we will appreciate the cerulean blues of the skies, the vanilla sunrises, the insects, birds and energy buzzing all around us. 

We are energy too. 
Keep feeding your soul in the world around you.