Sunday, March 31, 2013

Eggs

Grandma used to dye eggs. 
Before we arrived, they were done.
She sent the uncles out to hide them
In tufts of spring grass where tulips and daffodils
Rivaled the ovals with swirls and speckles of blue,
Green, yellow, red, orange, and purple.
She didn't like the mess kids made.
Dip and dunk, drip and dribble,
Making rainbows of white eggshells,
But I love the stirring, splashing,
Oh and Ah-inspiring, special, splendid
Child-art of coloring Easter eggs.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Spring Peepers


Fancy-faced flowers
Peeping shyly out
At the new world
Spring peepers!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Excitement

Change is in the air;
Winter is putting on spring.
Decking itself in green
With accents of brightest
Pinks, reds, purples and yellows.
Spring comes and welcome!


Thursday, March 28, 2013

Purples

Of all the first
Flowers of spring
Nothing surprises me 
As much as these
Grape hyacinths.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Pajama Time

Pajama time, Pajama time!
Don't you love Pajama time?
Wash those faces;
Make them shine
Put on your pj's, 
Get in line. 
For hugs and kisses,
Goodnight wishes and
Grandma's storytime, 
Prayers and lullabies that rhyme.
Pajama, Pajama time! 

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Canada Geese

Cold day for a swim;
You'd never know it!
Swim across the pond and back,
Sunning feathers white and black.




Monday, March 25, 2013

Redbud

Springing from red buds,
Bustling along last winter's
Bare gray branches,
Splashing first spring mornings with
Amazing pink petals!
Here they are:
Competition for the cardinal's red.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Discovery

A ship to distant foreign shores
To great adventure, to explore.
Sail off with pirates and parrots,
Inside a young boy's dreams.


Saturday, March 23, 2013

Gate

Daffodils
Greet me at the gate
Waving bright trumpets 
Like flags
Come out, come out,
Or you'll be late 
For spring.


Friday, March 22, 2013

Dandelion

Only a week ago you sprouted
A shock of yellow hair
Now with a company of elderly
Men you trudge gray-headed
Up the slope of the hill.
Beware of children 
With pursed lips, cheeks puffed!
 Wear a hat lest the spring wind
Send your toupee a-flying. 



Thursday, March 21, 2013

Busy Birds

Cold day and birds are busy,
Busy at the feeders
Brown-headed cowbirds.
Goldfinches, sparrows,
Redwinged blackbirds
Cold day and birds are busy.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Rainy Day


Rain on my 
Window 
Not here inside
Where pink roses
Catch sunlight
And overflowing
Offer it back
To me

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Stretch

Stretch your heart
Toward spring
Stretch with all the cheer
You can muster
Hold your face toward 
The sunshine 
Find the sky
Smiling back at you.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Blue Bottle

Winter clings on
White and cold 
Spring looms close
Trying to turn sunlight
And blue sky
Into summer.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Apple Blossoms

Herald of spring,
Apple blossoms remind
Of summer.
Fragrant as honeysuckle 
Along the pasture fence.
Come early,
Precursors of yellow apples
Full of sweet juice
I can taste sunshine 
And applesauce.



Saturday, March 16, 2013

Dandelion Wishes

Dandelion wishes
Dandelion dreams
Are there just for the taking,

Peeping from the grasses,
Poking from the streams
Of clover on the hillside

Near the ocean of new greens
Like a miracle it seems
A dandelion in the spring.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Spring Lightly

Come softly, Spring
Spring quickly from the soil
Sprout, bud, spring up
Spring open, Daffodils,
Spring full of light
Spring!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Trapped

I'm stuck indoors
I need fresh air,
So please be fair,
I want to run and play.

Come help me out.
The view is great,
But I can't wait
To get outside today.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Sport

Arrows for sport,
Not war, no war
Children and teens
Compete for points 
On target shapes
Not war, nor training for war
All fun.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Spring is here— lambs greet the world
Hop, skip, and dribble 
Joyful babies finding life.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Mystery

What can it be?You tell me;
I've never seen the like
It clicks and clacks like old railroad tracks
Letters on buttons in rows 
Like the school's front steps
Metal sticks that fly, 
Black ribbon and a sliding lid. 
I asked Grandma and she says
The roller holds paper
I like this thing, don't you?
But what is it?
Oh me, oh my
I couldn't try to guess
Some sort of new computer?

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Friday, March 8, 2013

Red Leaves

Bright as strawberries,
Fire engines, candy apples
Red leaves greet our starved spirits
And bring us gifts of cheer.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Greening

The green bursts
From the earth
While I am still inside
By the fire
Waiting for spring
Doubting that she
Will come.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Clover

Purple clover
Sweet to see as
Sweet to smell
Children gather your stems
For their mother's vases;
Your patches like amethyst 
Circles of paint
On the palette of Monet.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Old cat

Old cat rests 
In a bed of  iris sprouts
Watching
Waiting for night
Time to prowl
Time to hunt
Old cat, so gentle,
Still wild? No

Monday, March 4, 2013

Tangerine

Swirls of tangerine,
Orange marmalade on toast,
Coral from the ocean,
Salmon smoked by the greenwood fire,
Orange sherbet pushups
On an August afternoon.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Heart

My heart is in the garden
All  year I keep it there
Even in the wintertime
There's no time for despair
For under the ground's coolness
Wait for warming air
A summer's rose, and irises,
And hyacinths to share.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Friday, March 1, 2013

Fallen Tree

Blue gray wood 
Smoothed by sand
Bleached by sun
Shrunken by heat
Split by cold
Hardened by time
Washed by waves