Pink, or: Ultraviolet

Posted on by ben Alexander

A haibun

Nearly twenty years ago when I was in my mid-twenties, I drove to the District of Columbia from my parents’ home in New Jersey to meet an online friend of mine in person. This was during the famed National Cherry Blossom Festival, and we walked about together, chatting outside under the hot spring sun, enjoying the fantastic flowers in bloom.

The following day, back at home in New Jersey, I gingerly patted the top of my head and, with much surprise, discovered a painful sunburn. That was when I came to realize that I was balding.

crystal-like pink gleam
majestic sakura sun
ultraviolet

d’Verse

Haibun: Cherry Blossoms

Today at d’Verse, poets were prompted to write haibuns about cherry blossoms. This particular memory of my youth that I’ve shared with you came to my mind immediately.

81 thoughts on “Pink, or: Ultraviolet”

    1. Well, I don’t often think about it, and now I’m used to being mostly bald so it doesn’t occupy my thoughts much. Plus I have a beard these days so that’s some compensation 😉

      Thanks, Ron!

      -David

  7. can’t help thinking about that conversation, obliterated first by the feast of the flowers and then again by the sunburn – what might it have been about, that was worth driving all the way… the scene is very vivid, David.

  9. That’s why God made hats, David. I like imagining you as a young man, strolling along with a friend under blooming cherry blossoms. Nice haibun.

  11. I was amused that you will always associate that very pleasant time with discovery of your thinning hair. Odd how our memories are structured, is it not?

      1. Me too. My father tried a. combover for a long time, but looked much better when he just gave in to it. And I know far too many men my age who insist on wearing baseball caps to cover their baldness.

  15. Well, this piece took an unexpected turn or should I write, a painful burn. Ouch! I thought you were going to write that you found blossoms on your head. That would be a no, to cherry blossoms found on your head and a no to hairy blossoms from your head. 😂

  17. nice Halibun David. The cherry trees and your balding remind me of my BF from grammar school and I sitting in my hot tub when I was pregnant with my 4 th child. She had never had children. I said well, “it’s awesome I didn’t get stretch marks” and she looked at the bottom of my stomach which I couldn’t see and pointed and said “well what are those”? 🤣Sure enough we got a hand mirror out to see and I have the road map to prove it. 🤣🤣 We had a lot of laughs over that. 🤣🤣🤣💖

      1. Thanks for writing so I could remember. 🤣🤣🤣
        Now when I look at my belly I laugh when I see a hot tub and I’ll laugh and think of you as my cherry blossoms bloom. 💖🤣🤣
        xo. what a beautiful memory C

  20. Sakura, one of my favourite trees

    Sorry about that naked bun forming around your head David.

    Shoo life😂

    Lovely meeting under the cherry blossom tree. Stories that movies are made of.

  23. What a treat, David, to experience the National Cherry Blossom Festival, but I’m sorry about the sunburn. My husband started losing his hair in his twenties and has to wear a hat outside even when it is mildly sunny. And yes, he too has a beard!

  25. What a way to find out such a discovery! I still remember my friend handing me my first grey hair with glee. I was 16. Love the haiku!

  27. Wow, I was born and raised in Jersey and I remember my middle school had a cherry blossom planted in the garden. I remember thinking it was snowing but when I looked closer, the petals were falling everywhere. Thanks for bring back that beautiful memory.

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