Twelve Hokku on a Canadian Theme 11 — Summary

A speaker watches a woman whose strength is obvious—“puissant” means powerful—and is struck by how she uses that strength to protect delicate things. The image is small and specific: she shelters “tiny things” the way someone might cup their hands around English primroses, flowers that seem fragile and out of place in a Canadian setting. The exclamation and the pause after “Puissant woman!” suggest genuine admiration, even wonder. There is a tender, watchful mood here. The woman is not weakened or softened by her gentleness; instead, her power feels all the more admirable because it is turned toward nurturing something fragile. The poem leaves a quiet snapshot of protection—strong and soft at once.