I have never seen such a merry shrub like my lone hibiscus. Always blowing saffron trumpets in mirth. Only a couple of days ago my tree winked at me with a radiant, crimson hibiscus, looking like the rising sun among all its saffron siblings. Come sunshine or rain she is never without her natural glee. At night she crowns herself with swarms of fireflies. In monsoon she is a citadel to the garrison of snails. May be they visit to make a meal of leaves which she provides with her leafy levity. She is a home to a chameleon couple too who often give me angry looks with their rotating, protruding eyes probably because unable to manage my size with their long, extensible tongue.
A few years back, when my home was not as empty as it is now my tree surprised me with a bird’s happy nest with fledglings and their busy parents.
My summer room
Has clammy days, fragrant nights
And sporadic storms
Posted for my prompt ~ A Tribute Poem @ Poets United Midweek Motif
sumanar/lekha 
Gosh this is absolutely exquisite, Sumana!💞 I love how you describe the hibiscus tree as ‘looking like the rising sun among all its saffron siblings.’ 💞
The earth and all ten thousand living and other things are here for us. You have noticed. Nicely done.
I love hibiscus. A lot of my sarongs and home decoration have hibiscus design For me they have wonderful associations. We call those chameleons geckos. They make a clicking sound. Sigh… I want to be in the tropics.
You know, one of my bougainvilled did that. Its white creamy delicate pink dependeng on the sunlight and one year i got bright bright torrid scarlet bracts on one bunch
HERE
Nice haibun Sumana
much love…
I will never look at my hibiscus the same way again–I am happy to meet yours in all of its “leafy levity.” (I’m sure the chameleon didn’t go hungry!) Wonderful!
I loved reading about your merry tree and the grumpy chameleons. It must have been wonderful to have a nest full of babies in the tree.
Hibiscus is my favorite plant/flower. Yours seems to give you some joy. I felt sad though when you mention your now emptier house. I hope that hibiscus fills your heart and makes up for the emptiness, at least a little.
How I loved this personalizing of your hibiscus bush. We can easily do this with the plants in our gardens as we nod to them each morning and talk about the weather.
Oh my goodness.. I think this is among the best you’ve written Sumana… fabulous.. the prose and the haiku… I really hope this haibun finds a wider audience…
Hibiscus is a wonderful plant that unfortunately wouldn’t survive our climate or the dampness of our garden, Sumana. You’re so lucky to have not only a beautiful plant but also a chameleon living in it! I love that you call it ‘a merry shrub’ and that it blows ‘saffron trumpets in mirth’. A colourful haibun, with a beautiful senryu to crown it.
kaykuala
The beauty of sprays of saffron all year round Sumana, makes the tribute even more lasting!
Hank
Oh wow, Sumana! This is certainly one of your best. Love the personification and imagery in your piece. Wonderful!
A lovely ode to your tree. Those chameleons are probably just jealous of you 😊
I hope the birds surprise you again with a nest or two among the branches of the hibiscus!