farewell ...
the tulips in my vase
keep on growing
A poem that, despite the initial parting (the farewell or wakare 別れ in line 1), expands on a sense of relentless progression and emancipation (the growing tulips in the second line). The ellipsis (i.e., the kireji 切れ字) placed at the end of the first ku 句 helps to make the transition ‘softer’, allowing the reader to perceive the emotional impact of a broken relationship and its aftermaths (the ‘restraints’ of the vase in line 2).
(Luca Cenisi)