Aki Ya Kesa Poem by Douglas Scotney

The wry humour of the Japanese
Appears around August the sixth,
The day the poets say
Autumn begins.

If it's still hot that morning,
As it usually is,
People take their fans
down to the Paulownia.

Behind that tree will be an optimist,
Otherwise known as poet,
Who has been waiting there for days
For the first sign of autumn.

Each goes up to the poet
And, fanning furiously,
Whispers,
'Any sign of the cool breeze yet, dear one? '

Haru Tatsu,
Around February the fourth,
The first day of spring,
And usually still freezing,
People go to the Bunraku,
And whenever there's a cough on the stage
Someone in the audience whispers,
Loud enough for the puppeteer to hear,
'Was that the first blossom I just heard, dear? '