FREE VERSE FRIDAY #3 MARCH GREEN

I've decided to join Beverly A Baird, Linda Schueler and others in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joins, will be writing a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.

You can find out more about this here.

Last time, I didn't quite get the photo part right, so I sent a half decent draft of my poem to my partner, Randy Rotheisler, and a friend, Ron Peace, both gifted photographers, asking for images to accompany it. It was fun and they are ready to continue, so I've decided to continue this process. 

While drinking my coffee, I stare out the picture window across the valley at the hills. Here in this semi dessert, they are brown almost all year round. The exceptions are when winter snow covers them, and for a brief spate of time, in spring, when fields of bunch grass, balsamroot, and a host of other wildflowers erupt out of the soil. 

As I gaze out at this grey brown landscape, I've been musing on this theme of green. This time of year, it's still illusive, more like a dream, or a memory of a dream. I had a poem almost all figured out, and then woke up twice last week to fresh dumps of snow. Enough with the white stuff already!

Anyway, here is today's poem with two images to bookend it. 

by Randy Rotheisler

not yet green

in the between of winter and spring

these,
stoic brown hills,

            oh landscape
        

                        of my heart

wait,
wait oh so,
wait oh so patient

for the just waking up spring goddess

still that old man winter
he just
he just has to have
one last temper tantrum

now, the brooding brown hills
hide, disguised in white

old man,
you’ve overstayed your welcome

step aside

she’s stirring

soon now,

 
        it won’t be long

she will rise

shoots and stalks sprouting
from the soles of her feet
as she strides 

across her dominion,

decorating these drab slopes
                                    in an exaltation
                                                          of resurrection green

by Ron Peace