Happy Nowruz (new day) to all my Persian, Kurdish, and Turkish friends, and Happy New Year to colleagues throughout the Indian sub-continent! Best wishes on this first day of Spring (astronomical vernal equinox) to all others in the northern hemisphere…

Did you hear that winter’s over? The basil

and the carnations cannot control their

laughter. The nightingale, back from his

wandering, has been made singing master

over the birds. The trees reach out their

congratulations. The soul goes dancing

through the king’s doorway. Anemones blush

because they have seen the rose naked.

Spring, the only fair judge, walks in the

courtroom, and several December thieves steal

away, Last year’s miracles will soon be

forgotten. New creatures whirl in from non-

existence, galaxies scattered around their

feet. Have you met them? Do you hear the

bud of Jesus crooning in the cradle? A single

narcissus flower has been appointed Inspector

of Kingdoms. A feast is set. Listen: the

wind is pouring wine! Love used to hide

inside images: no more! The orchard hangs

out its lanterns. The dead come stumbling by

in shrouds. Nothing can stay bound or be

imprisoned. You say, “End this poem here,

and wait for what’s next.” I will. Poems

are rough notations for the music we are.

—Rumi (The Music We Are)

Previous posts about Nowruz (aka Norooz, Norouz, Newroz, Newrooz) here.

(now everywhere on planet earth)

Best wishes on this astronomical vernal equinox, recognized for the first time this year by the United Nations General Assembly (as decided during the meeting of The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage of the United Nations held last September in Abu Dhabi) as the “International Day of Nowruz.” Nowruz (literally “new day”) marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the new year in the Iranian calendar. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday and having significance amongst those of Persian descent, this day is celebrated throughout the Indian sub-continent as the new year.

Today, the sun can be observed to be directly over the equator, and the north and south poles of earth lie along the solar terminator—as a result, sunlight is divided exactly between the north and south hemispheres (with daylight and nighttime of equal length everywhere). Some great diagrams showing equinox day arcs at various latitudes are shown here.

I’ve posted about Nowruz in previous years here and here.

Spring is sprung (in the northern hemisphere, that is)…

Happy Nowruz (new year) to my Persian, Kurdish, and Turkish friends (and those of the Iranian diaspora everywhere)… and best wishes on this equinox to all—may you find balance and enjoy the axial tilt.

Frühling blühender Kirschenbaum (Switzerland).

Winnipeg, Canada

We saw our first migratory Canada Goose here this week… the sun is growing in strength, puddles of water are emerging… spring appears to have once again sprung… today is the Spring Equinox. In Turkey (and all other Persian cultures), today is the Iranian new year, or Nowruz (also spelled Norooz, Norouz, Newroz, Newrooz…). Nowruz is said to have been celebrated for some 15,000 years—even before the end of the last ice age.

Image by Bertil Videt: Kurds in Istanbul celebrate Nowruz by jumping over fire (looks like fun—perhaps we’ll try that on the weekend).

Manitoba, Canada

Spring arrived here with an uncharacteristic “bang” and “chirping” during the night, with the first rains and (freakishly-early) first thunderstorm—accompanied by the first frog songs of the year.

Best wishes to colleagues near and far on this vernal equinox (a day earlier than usual on the calendar, by dent of 2012 being a leap-year)… in particular to all my Persian, Kurdish, Turkish, and Zoroastrian friends; and Happy New Year to colleagues and acquaintances throughout the Indian sub-continent!

Eid-eh Shoma Mobarak!  نوروزتون مبارک

Painting: Return of Spring by William Adolphe Bouguereau, 1886.