In the cold North, Spring comes in gradually. Maybe it is because Winter is overstaying its time, and I watch more carefully to spot Spring’s coming, but every year I notice the small things that tell me that we are moving ever so slowly to the pleasant and fruitful days of the year.
Very Early Spring, Katherine MansfieldThe fields are snowbound no longer;
There are little blue lakes and flags of tenderest green.
The snow has been caught up into the sky–
So many white clouds–and the blue of the sky is cold.
Now the sun walks in the forest,
He touches the bows and stems with his golden fingers;
They shiver, and wake from slumber.
Over the barren branches he shakes his yellow curls.
Yet is the forest full of the sound of tears….
A wind dances over the fields.
Shrill and clear the sound of her waking laughter,
Yet the little blue lakes tremble
And the flags of tenderest green bend and quiver.
Perhaps the first thing I notice is sound. The birds know that Spring is coming.
now winging selves sing sweetly
now winging selves sing sweetly,while ghosts(there
and here)of snow cringe;dazed an earth shakes sleep
out of her brightening mind:now everywhere
space tastes of the amazement which is hopegone are those hugest hours of dark and cold
when blood and flesh to inexistence bow
(all that was doubtful’s certain,timid’s bold;
old’s youthful and reluctant’s eager now)anywhere upward somethings yearn and stir
piercing a tangled wrack of wishless known;
nothing is like this keen(who breathes us)air
immortal with the fragrance of beginwinter is over–now(for me and you,
darling!)life’s star prances the blinding blue
In my garden, forsythia is the promise of days to come.
Haiku Forsythia
Forsythia a
Burst of sunshine in barren
Wood announcing spring
The bulbs plants begin to bloom soon after, first the snowdrops, crocus and grape hyacinth, then the daffodils, and the tulips. My mother once gave me a wonderful gift; she planted a spring bulb garden for me near my front door, so that I would see it each time I stepped outside. I looked forward to that each morning as I left for work.
“Crocus”
When winter’s winds are on the wane
And sunshine warms young April days,
When snow gives way to slushy rain
The crocus springs anew.While crouching ‘neath the frosty crust,
On tender bended stem it prays
To fend off one more crushing gust
And melt the frozen dew.– © 2013 Matt Forrest Esenwine
Have you ever noticed that one sunny day when you are driving or walking down your street there seems to be a green haze in the air, as the leaves unfurl? Even though you have been waiting and watching for it, all of a sudden that day arrives!
[in Just-]
in Just-spring when the world is mud-luscious the littlelame balloonmanwhistles far and weeand eddieandbill comerunning from marbles andpiracies and it’sspringwhen the world is puddle-wonderfulthe queerold balloonman whistlesfar and weeand bettyandisbel come dancingfrom hop-scotch and jump-rope andit’sspringandthegoat-footedballoonMan whistlesfarandwee
Stella's Place 
Oh, that was beautiful, so moving.
Dh and I were at the beach today, a wonderful spring day!
The springtime ocean whispers,
Of summer days to come,
Of playful waves,
A lover’s gaze,
And dreaming in the sun.
That was just it, soft and playful, with a slight breeze. And we will be heading up to our cabin soon.
The sprintime mountains tremble,
With joy as days grow long.
I am blessed,
With happiness,
To hear their ancient song.
That’s all I got. 🙂
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No beach nearby anymore–But have fun..
Great poems love it.
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I really liked [In Just], although I wondered about that balloon man.
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That is such an awesome post Stella. Love the Pictures.
Had just shared this on my FB & Twitter..
Looks like you made a good place for it here too!
https://twitter.com/kinthenorthwest/status/846083505872363522.
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From my favorite poet. Should have been in this post!
Spring
By Gerard Manley Hopkins
Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.
What is all this juice and all this joy?
A strain of the earth’s sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden. – Have, get, before it cloy,
Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,
Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,
Most, O maid’s child, thy choice and worthy the winning.
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Fun!
Today
By Billy Collins
If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze
that it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house
and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,
a day when the cool brick paths
and the garden bursting with peonies
seemed so etched in sunlight
that you felt like taking
a hammer to the glass paperweight
on the living room end table,
releasing the inhabitants
from their snow-covered cottage
so they could walk out,
holding hands and squinting
into this larger dome of blue and white,
well, today is just that kind of day.
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I really didn’t know what Spring was until I moved to Upstate NY and lived through two winters. To see grass and flowers push up through the melting snow was a real surprise. And, the contrast with the Winter was, too.
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Here we had a very mild winter, but still the grass turns brown and basically sleeps. It is just starting to green up, just barely. Of course, we have the newly hatched ducklings, more every day.
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The grass is always green here. Truly, the only sign of Winter is when the needles fall off of some of the Leyland Cypress trees (in January). LOL
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That’s why I called this post “My Spring” (the way it is here). This year we have had a remarkably mild winter. My forsythia is blooming!
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Hello auscitizenmom 🙂 I always wondered about your name – I get citizen and mom, but if you don’t mind me asking, what does the aus mean? Cute doggie picture too! 🙂
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“A” “US” blah blah whatever
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🙂 Big Smile Thanks nyet. Sometimes I can’t see the nose on my face!
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LOL I get that a lot. A US Citizen Mom
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Seen on Facebook:
“This is the only place on Earth bluebonnets grow, and once a year they come an’ go at this old house here by the road. And when we die, we say we’ll catch some blackbird’s wing, and we will fly away to Heaven come some sweet bluebonnet spring.”
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LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLove that song… 🙂
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This is just around the corner from us. It is absolutely stunning. If you ever take a trip to Texas, come in the spring time, and come to the Hill Country. Just hope we had a soggy winter. You won’t be disappointed. But……….if the flowers are few, you’re almost to Luckenbach, TX. With Willie and Waylon, and the boys. 😉
http://www.fredericksburgtexas-online.com/WillowCityLoop
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Beautiful Stella 🙂 I cannot wait for the flowers to bloom. I feel this way more than I have any year before. Going through pictures that I have never seen before of my dad when he was just a boy has made me feel the passing of time with a bitter sweet sorrow.
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When you are young, you can see the years stretch far into the future. When you are old, the times passes so much faster, the time draws short, the future cloudy.
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So true. Seeing my dad and two of my uncles as young boys so small and full of life is very sobering for me. I wonder what the old men would tell those young boys. My two uncles have passed, my dad won’t talk about his childhood.
Life is to be embraced.
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I really never had the chance to ask my dad about his childhood… pretty sure it was good though…I hope so.
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