Saturday 24 January 2015

Reach In, Spring

Snowdrops in dresses
affirm with their nodding
that nature's excesses
are about to come knocking.
It can't hit fast enough:
I've weathered the darkness
and found it tough,
welcome blackbirdness and larkness.
In a glimpse yesterday
the sun shone. The birds sang
that spring is on the way.
Where leaves will hang
there are bare, spindly branches
save for holly, griselinia, laurel,
the evergreen enhancers
that offer a moral:
Not all of my green is native
or obviously not,
but is a part of the team
of my plot's melting pot.
The time's here at last,
get me out of this house
throw me onto the grass
reach in, Spring, pull me out.

Wrap me in roots searching for light,
trap me by shoots striving for height,
dizzy my eyes with lambs in the fields,
busy my ears with the buzzing of bees.

Make me a part of the seasons of rays
'til the glimpse of the start of the dark and damp days.
Then I will retreat at the same time as you,
and wait for the call of the macho cuckoo.

Thursday 1 January 2015

A Full Circle

Quarterhouse to the right,
a new year from twelve midnight.
Again we'll dance our steps in place
then move into the next space.
Ladies' chain from month to month,
opposite gents at elbows turn.
Any side step through the seasons,
crossed-hand hold for no real reason.
Waltz around, then back to start,
another year near to depart.
A full circle, all hold hands,
house around to beat the band.

(Explanation: Moving into 2015 had me thinking about how often each year is like the last, I take basically the same steps. That put the idea of a céilí set into my mind. Happy New Year!)