Spring Haiku and a Touch of History

Welcome to Poetry Friday, hosted today at Jama’s Alphabet Soup. Thank you, Jama for hosting! Stop by and see what she has in store for us!

Spring is coming to Central New York and below are two haiku inspired by this amazing season. I love the magic of early spring, who doesn’t? I love when trees come to life, before they are even full enough to cast shade. I think we can use all the beauty we can find, and these images are small bits.

And Another:

© Janice Scully 2021

I rarely have enough flowers outside to cut and bring indoors, but this spring the daffodils seemed to explode. So I picked some. I love how they arrange themselves as they lean together in a glass.

Now for some history in the midst of National Poetry Month. As you might know, I live just outside of Syracuse, New York and have always been fascinated by “Salt City” history. During the 19th Century, Syracuse was the main suppler of salt for much of the United States. It supplied the Union Army during the Civil War. Commerce was aided, of course by the Erie Canal, which was funded, to a large extent by Syracuse Salt.

The Erie Canal in Syracuse, late 1800’s

Though parts of the canal still exists outside the city, the canal seen here has been filled in to become Erie Boulevard. Many think it would have been amazing if that part of the canal still existed. 

SALT CITY ON THE ERIE CANAL 
 
 A boat bumps up to a dock
 with the thud of ropes 
 

 and gritty canal water
 slaps the wooden sides and shakes
 

 sleeping passengers.
 They’ve arrived in Syracuse,
 

 at the bustling era 
 of Syracuse Salt,
 

 before the railroads took over,
 before midwest mines
 

 stole all their business,
 before the canal was filled in with dirt
 

 and Model T Fords replaced 
 canal boats. 

© Janice Scully 2021

   

Be sure to check out what Jama has for us and may spring bring at least a few peaceful moments to us all. Thank you, Jama.

18 thoughts on “Spring Haiku and a Touch of History”

  1. Such lovely spring Haiku! The seasons gift us with a bevy of poetry inspiration.

  2. Love your Haiku, Janice. Yesterday as if by magic, a tree blossomed in full and lovely pink plus forsythia arrived in just a few hours on my street. Left before 9 am and back around 1pm to the treat. I have to look now to see if it is happy enough today with our cold rain and potential bits of snow. Your ruffled cluster of happy daffodils make me happy. I need to plant some more! I saw spring last week in Penn and it was a stunner. I always want our spring to last longer. Your photo of downtown Syracuse and the Erie Canal is wonderful. Not to mention your poem. Progress? Both good and bad …. And yes to clinging to something good when there is so much sadness and tragedy and it sits heavy.

  3. Such lovely haiku — love those ruffled daffodils. 🙂 And thanks for the bit of Salt City history. Fascinating!

  4. I love your haiku, especially those daffodils leaning, Janice, and the poem is so interesting. Like many say about our streetcars all gone, it would be great to still have that canal.

  7. Thank you, Janice! The haiku paint such vivid images. Love “delicate as sprigs of thyme,” and even without the photo I could picture those daffoldils. And a history lesson as a bonus!

  8. Janice, spring in Syracuse is always a welcoming, especially after winter. Your daffodils are delightful and I enjoyed the last line especially. As for the Erie Canal, I have always been fascinated by the history and love the Salt Museum. Thanks for sharing some more back matter on the canal’s history.

  10. Great haikus–love the sprigs of thyme and ruffled companions. And such interesting history–will have to share with my spouse who grew up in central NY.

  11. You had me at, “a little history.” Love the Salt City Canal poem. More, please? I grew up near the salt mines in Retsof. It must have been a very, very, very big ancient sea over NYS. Hooray for daffodils! They are so sunny in the cool spring.

  12. Love your “ERIE CANAL” poem and pic Janice! I can feel the passengers surprise as they’re bumped into the dock. I also like all the history of the before your poem offers us.
    Your daffodils and haiku are lovely “ruffled companions,” thanks!

  13. I really enjoyed your historical poem, Janice, and all of the little details you worked into it! “Ruffled companions” is a perfect phrase for daffodils.

  14. Such cool history! One of my favorite excursions ever was to a salt mine in Hallstatt, Austria. Your post brought back memories :>) Love the ruffled companions, too!

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