
See flower lanterns
flickering above Tokyo
hearts beating within
See flower lanterns
flickering above Tokyo
hearts beating within
Chrysanthemum fields
blooming in summer shadow
tell stories of kings
Compassion is wind
flowing across the seasons
forgiveness creates
At the end of the day
Humanity can be summed up in the language of flowers
You are shy as an amaryllis
Sincere as a white anemone
Pious like ambrosia
Remembrance is the colour of aster tataricus
Always be patient like azaleas
Grateful like a bluebell
Lust is formed in cactus
Love as deeply as the red camellia
But never regret longing for something like a yellow camellia
Or waiting for the right person to come along like a white camellia
Cursed love comes in bouquets of fritillaria camschatcensis
While fascination grows in carnations
Kindness lives in cherry blossoms
Imperialness is the aroma of yellow chrysanthemum
Yet always look for the truth in white chrysanthemum
Appreciate luck when it comes to you like a four-leaf clover
Be respectful as the daffodil
Have good taste like dahlia
Don’t be afraid to show faith like a daisy
Or be as courageous as edelweiss
Search for solitude in erica
And hope for true love in forget-me-nots
Refrain from being childish like freesia
Develop a secret love with gardenia
Pick habernaria radiata and dream beautifully
Never forget to be gentle like hibiscus
As generous as honeysuckle
Pride blooms on the leaves of hydrangea
Await good tidings on the petals of iris
Live as gracefully as jasmine
Stay faithful as lavender
Be pure as white lilies
Don’t succumb to the hatred of orange lilies
There’s nothing wrong with being as sweet as the lily of the valley
Or as wealthy as the tiger lily
Red spider lilies tend to be forgetful
While sunflowers shine with radiance
Remember the ones you love with lotus
Be natural as magnolias
As adventurous as mistletoe
Make willful promises like morning glory
Take lessons in self-esteem from narcissus
Be caring as pansies
Brave like peony
Fun-loving as red poppies
Rejoice in your accomplishments under white poppies
Celebrate success in the presence of yellow poppies
And never show desperation in a patch of primroses
Announce your love with a red rose
Protect innocence with a white rose
Avoid the jealousy of yellow roses
Show your confidence with pink roses instead
Say a meaningful goodbye with sweet pea
Seek fame and charity with a red tulip in hand
Guard against the one-sided love of yellow tulips
Strive to be as cooperative as verbena
As honest as violets
As loyal as zinnia
Such is the language of hanakotoba
From the moment of first bloom
lost love is ignited
in bursts of pink and magenta
flower of contemplation
falling in a gossamer stream
each petal tinged with a memory
for those who came before
hold a five-sided promise
while Maiko wave branches
tipped with fleeting glory
it is the time of Hanami
where temporal beauty grows
thin as paper
song and companionship
are the colours of spring
honour takes root beneath trees
that echo the old proverb
whoever finds a three-sided cherry blossom will always have love in their lives