Taking Basho in search of wild flowers

Recently, motivated by tales of beautiful wild flowers growing on the eastern side of Mount Ruby, I went hiking. I took my camera and set out, packing water, sturdy boots, determination and a copy of Basho’s Haikus. The trek was going to be long so I started early in the morning. The gravel path I was to take wound through some thick forests and steep slopes but the rewards are incredible. The aim was to go to the slopes of Mount Ruby where there are masses of wild flowers and some rare beauties. I am currently reading Madame Bovary but I decided for today I would take my book of Haikus by Basho, this book having the better claim on a journey into nature.

I awoke early, I had packed my bag the night before and i headed out, seeing this great sunrise.

Fields, Moutains

of Hubaku, in

nine days – spring.

The air was soft and cool, the breeze was light and I made good time, walking briskly without much pain from the bag on my back. I made it along Sleightspraine Ridge and caught a view of the distant Mount Ruby where I was heading. I had been given a detailed but crudely drawn map that showed the location of the flowers and I stopped to examine it.

Spring- Through

morning mist,

what mountain’s there?

A large bug, (in the picture) sprang out of a bush before me and buzzed away angrily. The sun was ascending. I had a wet patch of sweat on my back and I needed to drink some of my water. Animals and insects sang in hidden spots around me and I took a quick break in the shade to read some Haikus.

An excited voice within me called me on and I began to walk again. In my head ran the small song:

Come, see real

flowers

of this painful world.

The path became very steep and a few times I slipped. I had to maneuver the soft soils and loose rocks, helped only by the nearby trees that I could reach out and grabbed, sometimes tearing a dry dead branch down and and hurting my hands. Still I pressed on, keen to see the field of flowers. i was close, the air became more fragrant and large orange and green birds laughed at me from the trees.

Such Fragrance-

from where,

which tree?

I cleared a forest and came into a strange open field. The sun was heavy and directly above me and the soft grasses bent gently in the wind. The green grass moved to reveal a yellow color that reminded me of a Van Gogh. I stepped carefully, trying not to damage any flowers, certain that they were nearby by and after crossing a rocky ridge I came across them. Some are poppies, some are bulbs.

Then I found the flowers I had been looking for, rare flowers that only bloom for three or four days in the year. Here they are below. It was an amazing hike. (and a long way home).