early rain waking
reluctant cherry blossoms
forgetting winter

early rain waking
new buds waiting to open
in spite of the cold

reluctant cherry blossoms
wishing for warmer weather
welcome chance to drink

forgetting winter
surrounded by fresh blossoms
gay robin singing

A troiku is three haiku, with each of the three lines from a suggested haiku as the first line of each haiku in the troiku. It’s not always possible to have a 5-7-5 format in the second haiku, due to the limitations of the suggested haiku. The name of the form is derived from “troika,” a sled or carriage drawn by three horses harnessed side-by-side, an iconic symbol of Imperial Russia.

Image sources:
wallcoo.net – Robin and Cherry Blossoms, by Susan Bourdet
wikimedia.org (troika)