This year, I’ve been visiting Hiroshima Castle every two weeks,
hoping to catch the eucalyptus in bloom.
The buds have begun to split, their outer shells dry and brown, but still no flowers.
Perhaps even the next visit will be too soon.

Though the tree stands in plain sight, few seem to notice it.
There’s little online, as if its bloom goes unseen or unshared.
Maybe it doesn’t flower every year. Its origin, too, is unknown?a quiet mystery.

High in the branches, more buds wait.
Will they bloom all at once, or in turn? If they do, it must be a stunning sight.

It may be Eucalyptus globulus (subspecies bicostata), once widely planted in Japan.
Yet the sign reads “MERIODORA,” adding another layer to its quiet enigma.