re:Virals 493

Welcome to re:Virals, The Haiku Foundation’s weekly commentary feature on some of your favorites among the best contemporary haiku and senryu written in English, hosted by Keith Evetts (managing editor) and Melissa Dennison.  In the seat today is Melissa.  This week’s poem, chosen by Dan Campbell was:

   
white violets
a sudden spill 
of tears
—  Francine Banwarth
  The Heron's Nest, September 2024

Introducing this poem, Dan Campbell writes:

The poem’s brilliance lies in the way these two images interact. The whiteness of the violets may parallel the transparency of tears, both delicate and easily lost. At the same time, the juxtaposition raises questions: Are the violets the cause of the tears? Do they serve as a reminder of something sorrowful? The poem leaves this ambiguity open, inviting the reader’s own interpretation.

Opening comment (Melissa):

White violets suggest spring, fragility and vulnerability. This may seem contradictory, as spring indicates new life, however this is often delicate and helpless. It’s the use of the word ‘white’, in particular, that enhance this image for me. The sense of fragility is reinforced by the image of a sudden spill of tears. The more I read the more this haiku seems to be painting a picture of sadness and mourning. Violets are associated with death in several cultures, for instance, Ophelia says “I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died”, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Interestingly, they appear in Greek myths associated with the Underworld, and were used to decorate the graves of children in Ancient Rome.

Sitarama Seshu Maringanti:

Such innocence as becomes a small baby’s smile and again, in white violets! Overwhelming. Can tears of joy be far behind on meeting them? Beautiful poem.

Harrison Lightwater:

This haiku is very open to the reader. I assume the tears are from a person, and not a metaphor for raindrops or dew, and not necessarily the poet’s tears. I prefer to read this as though the poet is observing someone’s tears in response to the sight of white violets and is as mystified and intrigued as the reader. “White violets” are not a kigo, as far as I know, but violets flower in mid spring. They are small and not long lasting when cut, but a check of florists’ websites suggest they are used. Taken as symbols of purity and innocence, they can be linked with shyness, modesty (the shrinking violet), and loyalty, love and affection. The reader is set to think of a lost young love, or the death of someone, where the violets, for the weeper, have triggered a sudden and uncontrollable memory in her. A conscious tear-jerker.

Sudha Devi Nayak :

What trigger but sheer loveliness for tears? All beauty without a hint of artifice brings one close to tears . The innocence and vulnerability of incredible beauty in a mixture of surprise, awe, reverence and joy bringing us a step closer to that divinity that shapes us. A casual visitor on a lawn chanced on a burst of flowers in gay profusion. Violets are generally blue or purple but a sudden encounter of white violets is enough to evoke an overwhelming response, emotional and soulful.

Amoolya Kamalnath:

The colour white would signify purity and innocence. So I think white violets here are indicative of children. White could also indicate death or funeral. L2 and L3 suggest sorrow, mourning and grief, a sudden outburst of sadness on seeing the white violet flowers.

However, could it also be tears of joy on spotting white violet flowers or even on spotting children returning home from school or elsewhere?

Whatever the verse means, the alliteration and the space and the many layers it holds, make it one which could be pondered upon for a long time.

Linda Powers O’Dell and a loss of innocence:

There is a mystery at the heart of this lovely haiku. We may never know the memory triggered by seeing the violets that causes the poet to cry. We are certainly familiar, however, with something seemingly unrelated suddenly and unexpectedly causing a strong emotional reaction. Violets are traditionally symbols of faithfulness, and white violets are symbols of purity and modesty. Reading into the poem, I feel the white flowers, blooming close to the ground as violets do, evoke the loss, perhaps even the death and funeral, of someone who was loved dearly, deeply. The simple violets suggest perhaps an innocent child has been lost, but in death loved ones of any age may seem innocent and worthy of our faithfulness.
I find admirable here the shortened form of haiku as it perfectly represents the poet’s spontaneous reaction. It captures an instant. Also impressive is the description of crying as a sudden spill. This emphasizes how feelings overtake, wash over the poet. It also connects the tears to rain and makes the crying supremely natural and beautiful. Like rain, these tears shed in sadness may nuture hope for renewal and the blessings of memory.

Thanks to all who sent commentaries. As the contributor of the commentary reckoned best this week, Linda Powers O’Dell has chosen next week’s poem, which you’ll find below. We invite you to write a commentary to it. It may be short, or of moderate length, academic, your personal response, spontaneous, or idiosyncratic.  As long as it focuses on the verse presented, and with respect for the poet, all genuine reader reaction, criticism, and pertinent discussion is of value.   Out-takes are kept in the THF Archives.  Best of all, the chosen commentary’s author gets to pick the next poem.

Anyone can participate. Simply use the re:Virals commentary form below to enter your commentary on the new week’s poem (“Your text”) by the following Tuesday midnight, Eastern US Time Zone, and then press Submit to send your entry. The Submit button will not be available until Name, Email, and Place of Residence fields are filled in. We look forward to seeing your commentary and finding out about your favourite poems.

Poem for commentary:

     
magnolia buds...
birds plumping feathers 
against the chill
— Ingrid Baluchi
                 Ohrid, North Macedonia 
  The Acorn
Issue #48, Spring 2022

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Footnote:

Francine Banwarth:

Francine Banwarth has been writing haiku since 1989. Her poems feature in several anthologies and her writing has been honoured in various competitions. Francine was named The Heron’s Nest Poet of the Year in 2015, and served as editor of Frogpond. She is also a member of the Red Moon Anthology editorial staff.