Spring comes again, another year,
the ghosts stand here,
but still the flowers bloom and rise.
Part of our field of daffodils 
The world is ever broken
and lies are widespread and spoken–
but there is light in the skies,
where geese honk and crows call,
they find their mates, and above all,
the songs of robin and mockingbird fly
Coming in for a landing 
Close Encounter
ever as March winds wail and gust—
ashes to ashes, dust to dust—
the moon hums, so wise
is she, she sees beyond
what has been spawned,
duplicity and disease, the whys
of our existence. Yet hope
comes on those wings, that trope
clichéd, but all the same it cries
the truth—light in flight—
longer days, golden bright
flowers–each day a surprise
in bloom. And now, we vaccinate,
for some, it’s come too late,
and there’s no way to minimize
the loss and despair. Another year,
the ghosts stand here,
but still the flowers bloom and rise.
The wind is gusting this morning! Last year, Passover was at the beginning of April. We did a Zoom Passover with our daughters, and then near the end of Passover on a Monday, our Mickey cat died. The following Saturday, my mom died of Covid. This year, no one really was up for doing a Zoom Passover. I cooked some of the usual foods though, and my husband and I did our own Seder on the second night, as I was recovering from getting my second vaccine on the first night. Our daughters made the matzah covers when they were very little, and I cherish them. There is definitely hope in the air with spring and vaccines. And we are looking forward to getting together with other vaccinated family members soon.
Vegetarian Matzah Ball Soug 
Passover 2021 
Seder Plate 
Matzah Cover 
Matzah Cover 
Flourless Chocolate Cake 
Charoset 
Dessert! I made the cake, younger daughter made the macaroons.
No movies this week, but we’re on the second season of Shtisel (Netflix), and I really am so caught up with this family! I also listened to a radio play—a play we had seen in production at the Arden Theater that was reworked as a radio play, 74 Seconds to Judgement. It was very well done, and I enjoyed hearing it. I also read Klara and the Sun I highly recommend it. The book has been reviewed all over the place.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Aww…I love the matzah covers. So sweet. Thank you for sharing your lovely musing and beautiful photos, Merril. I’m happy you enjoyed a peaceful Passover. As for the winds, this morning is our first calm day in over a week. All of the bradford pear blooms are long gone. 😦
Thank you so much, Jill! Sorry your pear blossoms are gone. The wind is really gusting, but it’s sunny here today. When I looked back, the day in April that Mickey died, we had a tornado warning. Crazy!
I really love the way you combined hope and mourning here Merril. I’m really sorry to hear about your mom. This must be a challenging time for you but like you say not without hope 🙏
Thank you very much, Ingrid. I’m a bit anxious that there may be some disaster this April, but for right now, at least the sun is shining–even if the wind is gusting!
Thank you for your poem and photographs and update. I have not participated in a seder this year; so I was particularly happy to have a glimpse of your intimate event. I recently learned about the deaths of several friends — and my stepfather is teetering on the edge of life and death in a hospital right now – so your shared words about LOSS found an empathetic eye/ear. And then there is your field of daffodils, blessedly doing their thing and blooming brightly… A very human and poignant and nature-filled blog post!
Thank you for your kind words, Will. I’m so sorry to hear about your stepfather and friends. Yes, that week last year in April was very difficult, and I remember I went on long walks through the neighborhood–the parks were closed.
I’m so sorry to hear about the deaths of your friends and the illness of your stepdad, so tough to deal with.
You point out the constancy of seasons, which reminds me of the line “If winter comes can spring be far behind.”
Thank you for posting also the Seder plate and more. Passover greetings to you!
Thank you, Marian! 😀
Beautiful poetry ❤🌺
Thank you!
It’s a pleasure
Nicely reflective sorrow and hope combined in the repeated couplets in first and last verses
Thank you very much for your comment and close reading, Derrick.
This reads like a birth poem, a whole year gone by that started so sadly. I hope the new one will be brighter.
Thank you! I hope so, too! 😀
🙂
Beyond ghosts and dust, this is full of life.
Thank you, Ken. 😀
Gorgeous photos, Merril. Nature is such a solace, isn’t it? Chag Sameach!
I know how much you must miss your mother and Mickey the cat. XO
Thank you very much, Luanne. I do miss them both. 💙
These are the lines that have resonated with me:
Another year,
the ghosts stand here,
but still the flowers bloom and rise.
They can stand on their own as a poem.
Thank you so much, Liz! Yes, you’re right!
You’re welcome, Merril! I’ve saved the lines to create an image to go with them. (Who knows when I’ll get to it. Too many ideas, too much day job.)
You can’t rush the muse!
Very true. If you please, when you have time, but only if it’s convenient for you, no pressure, I can wait . . .
🤣
So much emotional association–and yet, quietly, spring gives us hope once again. Your meal looks delicious! And the birds–they are everywhere, bursting with song. I saw a sparrow gathering nest material on the street today and it made me smile. (K)
Thank you, Kerfe. That would make me smile, too. The birds start singing so early now. I love waking to it!
I do too!
All around lovely post. And you know what kept popping into my head as I read? No, of course you don’t! 😉 I kept hearing Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” as this post felt like that kind of positive, can’t keep me down feel to it.
I can’t wait until you feel you can spend proper time with your daughters and their familiies!
Thank you so much, Dale. Your comment gave me both a smile and warm, fuzzy feeling feeling. ❤️
Oooh! I love that 🙂 💞
😀
What a lovely post with beautiful photos, Merril. Your Passover sounds very blessed. 💗
Thank you very much, Gwen. It was certainly quieter, and we didn’t have to clean the house for guests. 😏
I love how you worked your photographs in with your poem, or was it the other way around, or just all at once 😉 I agree with what others have already noted, the combining of sorrow and hope. Hope is definitely in the season, the blooms and even the pollen since that really heralds Spring around here 😉 But the sorrow. That will always be there too, especially knowing as we do that so many COVID deaths could have been prevented. oxox
Thank you, Marie. It’s kind of a combination of words that come to me as I think over the past week and any images I might have.
Yes, you are so right about the hope and sorrow and even some anger at what could have been avoided.
I’m not sure if the anger will ever go away. Sometimes it seems that the progressive common sense of the Biden Administration throws the corruption and gaslighting of the past four years in high relief, that sense that there’s still so much that needs to be done and yet still so much resistance by the GOP. It’s as if the GOP don’t want us to recover and rebuild, to mourn and find hope.
Yes, I think you’re right. I do hope that some of these court cases resolve in guilty verdicts. According to things I’ve seen, Biden’s policies have mostly been seen favorably by people across party lines. It’s only the GOP leadership and the extreme right-wing that are opposing things.
A most interesting post Merril. So sorry you lost your mother to covid a year ago.
Your poem and photo combo worked really well. I loved seeing your Passover photos.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Dwight. I appreciate your kind words.
You are welcome!
It’s been a long, hard year. Your poem covers it well. Mourning, life, hope. Your spring images are so beautiful. ❤
Thank you very much, Robin! 💙
Well, I’m late to your post Merril – lovely musings and photographs to accompany your moving words, thank you. May your mother’s memory remain a blessing … (now to pop over to others of your I’ve missed – I know I’m in for a treat)
Thank you for reading and commenting, Susan! And also for your kind words. 💙