I'm joining Beverly A Baird & Linda Schueler in another year long poetry practice. On the first Friday of each month we, and anyone else who joins, writes a poem and shares it.
This year, Bev and Linda have organized themes for each month. This month's theme is Spring has Sprung.
I knew I would be at a quilting retreat the first Friday in March, so I started thinking early on about my poem. Of course I dashed out this morning without posting it.
One of my favourite spring poems is e.e. cummings' in Just.
I tried using it as mentor text and rewriting it to reflect our modern multicultural world, but after messing around with it for a while I abandoned it.
One day, while puttering around the house, this chant began to pulse in my head. It was as if the dormant seeds and bulbs were letting me know what this renewal of life feels like for them.
still we rise
out of the dark
out of the dark
out of the dark
we rise
into the light
into the light
into the light
we thrive
out of the dark
into the light
oh what a glorious
glorious sight
unfurl the banners
beat the drums
waiting is over
spring has sprung
in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman
whistles far and wee
and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring
when the world is puddle-wonderful
the queer
old balloonman whistles
far and wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing
from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it's
spring
and
the
goat-footed
balloonMan whistles
far
and
wee
One day, while puttering around the house, this chant began to pulse in my head. It was as if the dormant seeds and bulbs were letting me know what this renewal of life feels like for them.
still we rise
out of the dark
out of the dark
out of the dark
we rise
into the light
into the light
into the light
we thrive
out of the dark
into the light
oh what a glorious
glorious sight
unfurl the banners
beat the drums
waiting is over
spring has sprung