Monday Morning Musings:
“Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.”
–from Langston Hughes, “April Rain Song”
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
—John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn
She sings from an ache,
raw winds blow, shake
the bare-branched trees,
and the seas weep
till they are silenced by ice–
but on her daughter’s return
the snow melts,
and the sun burns
brightly, birds flitter and coo
and flowers wake with smiles
–and you?
You, smile, too–because
too soon we bid Spring adieu.
***
In the last days of March,
we walk through woods
find shadows and light
breathe air fresh and bright,
with a hint of chill–still
then comes the rain–again
In the last days of March
birds twitter and tweet
at the mornings sweet
with promise of days fair
then the air turns again
and we learn that spring
is here. . . then there
In the last days of March,
we walk down city streets
see a show
and have our treats
of wine, beer, cheese
(yes, a bit more please)
and come home at night
to find daffodils have bloomed
shining golden beacons of light
In the last days of March,
we make candles
sitting in a room full of scent
invent clever names–
imagine a small burning flame
bringing light,
a small delight,
and we drink wine and talk
then walk
and talk some more
of stories and poetry
Langston Hughes, Keats,
Shelley, and Persephone, too.
We talk of teachers we knew
of stories completed in dreams
of how the world seems
sometimes horrid, and
sometimes reborn,
fresh and new.
On the last day of March
it rains—
again—
we gather to eat—
bagels and cream cheese
my mother is pleased
to be out and about in another place,
but it’s a dog who steals the show—
of course, you know
how it is, and so,
we talk about this and that
then we go home to feed our cats. . .
and wake upon a cold April first
(isn’t that the worst?)
Well, I suppose it could be snow,
and so. . .we go forward to the spring
(let the rain kiss you)
and that’s how it’s done, we bring
our past to the future
spring forward, looking back,
we stop, step lightly—
breathe
here, this moment of
yellow flowers, pink blooms
and birdsong–
now, spring looms
and I pause
to listen
to its tune.
Today is the first day of April, and the first day of National/Global Poetry Writing Month! Today’s prompt is “how to do something.” I’ve played on it a bit for today’s Monday Morning Musings.
My younger daughter and I went to Wax and Wine in Philadelphia. (It was her belated birthday present.) And because we’re both nerds, we were actually discussing writing and poetry while drinking wine and eating gorgonzola-fig bruschetta at Vintage Wine Bar.
NaPoWriMo
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
What a wonderful opening! This one blusters in fits and starts just like spring weather 🙂
Thank you so much, Jane.
I couldn’t figure out how exactly to write this week’s musing, and the between the prompt and the Oracle giving me a whisper, it came together. So pleased you like it. 🙂
I did like it very much. I hung together beautifully (the wine helped probably) and came over more as a poem than it sometimes does. That intro!
Thank you!
I guess I’ll have to thank my daughter, too, since she brought up Persephone. 🙂
It’s a good story for spring, even if it’s yet another of those stories when the woman gets to pay for sins she didn’t commit. I like the dog too. He looks like a character.
Yes. . .
The dog is very sweet. My niece just adopted him.
He looks grateful 🙂
🙂
I was wonderful, Merril! I always enjoy seeing all the smiling faces in your photos. 🙂
This! Not I…sorry…it’s Monday. 😦
🙂
I’m sure you were wonderful, too. 😉
LOL! Thanks, Merril. 🙂
🙂
Thank you, Jill!
how to do something? ask Merril, she’ll do it brilliantly with prose and photos – thanks Merril, a fresh breeze this way came …
Thank you, Susan. Your kind words touched me and made me smile. 🙂
What splendid conversations you have and how well you write about them
Awww–thank you, Derrick. That’s lovely.
Oh, you had me there at each turn. It left me rejuvenated. A lovely start to this months journey. A nice slice of life Merrill.
Pat
Thank you so much, Pat!
You’ve caught the contradicitons of this easing into April…with warmth and affection, as always. (K)
Thank you very much, Kerfe!
Oh, I would love to eavesdrop on your nerdy conversations! This poem had me skipping along in my heart. Although it’s not as cold here in north FL as elsewhere in the state, it’s a dreary day. Your poem made me smile and reminded me that soon enough I’ll be complaining about the heat 😉
Thank you very much, Marie.
We did have such a fun mother-daughter afternoon/evening.
And it did get cold here, today!
Enjoyed Spring on your side of the world😊.
Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
“how the world seems
sometimes horrid, and
sometimes reborn,
fresh and new.”
Isn’t it so? I love reading this, Merril! Lucky you to have a daughter who likes to talk poetry. 😊
Thanks, Charlotte!
I am lucky! 🙂
My take: your food, family, and weekend excursions sustain your creativity all week long. No April Foolin’!
Thank you, Marian. 🙂
Love, love, love the opening to this. It just feels so much like the on-again, off-again spring. I’ve always been fascinated with the story of Persephone.
It sounds like another lovely weekend of family, food, and good conversations.
Thank you so much, Robin.
It was a lovely weekend, just as you said.
A wonderful Monday post! Here the sun shone brightly, fooling us into believing it was not merely 27°F out there! Oh yes, it went *all* the way up to 35°F…
Still, even with all the snow and a cold dat here and there, we feel it coming…
Thank you, Dale.
There’s frost on the car windshields this morning! But yes, that sunshine–it’s still spring. 🙂
Moat welcome.
No frost for us – today – we have sun and slightly warmer today!
The frost was early, but it was all gone by about 8 AM. Slightly warmer here, too, today.
Slowly but surely, we make our way to warmer temps…and in my case, melting snow…
Happy National Poetry Writing Month! Let the words fall from the sky so that we can dive into them.
Thank you so much! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Great post 😁
Thank you!
Merril! Oh, that first line is gorgeous, and it sets such a tone for the rest of the poem. I love your cat! (Since Google went bust, here’s mine, even though I am taking it slow and easy this round due to a lot of Writerly and Health Issues:
https://shukuen.blogspot.com/2019/04/glopowrimo-2019-day-1-life-changing.html
Thank you so much, Shuku Li! I was wondering if you be around. It’s hard to keep up with everyone and all the prompts! Sorry to hear about health issues, but I hope the writing problems are good ones.
I’ll go over to your site now. 🙂
It took a while to decide if I was going to be around or not, but I think that I would regret it if I didn’t. There would be no more, say, tom-catting chairs!
Of course, you know that’s what I thought of. 🙂
❤ We have more chairs in the common area downstairs than tomcats, but the tomcats are mobile, and the chairs…are less so, which means, success! They have not tomcatted!
Hahaha.
The chairs, they are placid like broody hens. The tomcats on the other hand make such a racket. I think yours are better behaved.
I just live that final reflection on spring. It’s a great piece.
Thanks so much, Sarah!