Hi everyone ! In my part of the world it is springtime. But it has been a cold early spring that cherry trees are expected to fully bloom by first week of May. On some nights, it feels like winter still with temperatures at 0 C. So we wait and watch the rain soak the garden & bare fields. We wait until the colors return to the flowers & trees.
Spring is one of my favorite season and here’s one poem that I love reading about the season:
Today
BY BILLY COLLINS
If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze
that it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house
and unlatch the door to the canary’s cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,
a day when the cool brick paths
and the garden bursting with peonies
seemed so etched in sunlight
that you felt like taking
a hammer to the glass paperweight
on the living room end table,
releasing the inhabitants
from their snow-covered cottage
so they could walk out,
holding hands and squinting
into this larger dome of blue and white,
well, today is just that kind of day.
Do you have a favorite spring poem to share with us? Let me know in the comments below.
If you are new here, let me tell you how it works; for the regulars, here’s a handy reminder:
- Write 1 poem and post it to your webpage.
- Click on the Mr. Linky button below and enter your name and direct url/web address to your poem. There you will also find the list of those participating this week. You might want to refresh this occasionally or check back in as there are people joining over the next 36 hours.
- If it’s your first time here, please leave a comment to say so. That makes it much easier for us to find you and encourage you by visiting your site.
- Read other poets that have linked. Let them know what you thought, how the poem moved you, what you think of their style, what caught your attention. Please don’t forget to return the favour of those who have visited and commented on your work.
- Encourage others to participate through social media, promote your own piece and others.
- Have fun meeting and engaging with your fellow poets.
Wishing you all happy week ~ Grace
Grace said:
Welcome to OLN everyone ~ I am still in the office but looking forward to reading your poems in a bit ~
Happy Thursday, Happy spring day ~
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Good evening everyone I’m still not home.. I will be back a little later..
Glenn Buttkus said:
OK, alternate Thursday is here! My Cinemagenic saga rolls on with scene 37 of BLACKTHORNE. It is a lot of work to create a whole movie one poetic episode at a time. My 1967 novel manuscript is over 300 pages; so far we have dealt with about 40+ pages of it. As a screenplay it would be more a ten hour mini-series, a kind of poetic version of LONESOME DOVE country; truly a labor of love for me. So if I do not exhaust or bore the bunch of you, the series will continue.
Grace said:
Looking forward to another chapter Glenn ~
kanzensakura said:
Glad to hear! I loved Lonesome Dove.
kanzensakura said:
And based on that wonderful poem, Grace, I’m looking for my nice heavy engineer’s hammer to that awful snow globe given to us by my mother-in-law this past Christmas. I think I’ll take it for a walk around and let the folk inside know what is waiting for them, and then I’m going to crack it open and set them free!
Grace said:
We had a bit of snow last night so it’s a bit cold today ~ I am with you looking for that hammer, smiles ~ Can’t wait for the full blossoming to come in my part of the world ~
Linda Kruschke said:
Oops, I linked before I read the post. I didn’t see you wanted a spring poem so I linked a second short elfje about spring that I wrote last week. 🙂 I don’t usually link twice for OLN, but wanted to answer the call for spring! I’ll be back a little later to see what everyone shares. Peace, Linda
Grace said:
Hi Linda,
Please link only 1 poem, any poem will do. I took out the second poem but if you want us to read the 2nd poem, please let me know. Thanks ~
kanzensakura said:
Mine is about a spring critter! I hope the link works. I think Mr. Linky hates me. Oh well, we shall see. I read about that snow. My sympathies went out to folk still getting some snow. But I am so glad that phase has moved on for us down here.
Grace said:
It’s a bummer considering I have put away all my winter clothes ~ Your link works & I will be by shortly ~
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
It’s open link – any poem is welcome.
Bryan Ens said:
Just by coincidence, the poem I wrote to share today is an “Ode to Spring”…well, that’s the title anyway… 🙂
Grace said:
Looking forward to reading it Bryan ~
claudia said:
smiles…. happy spring… happy oln
my fav spring poem is by eduard mörike – and i started writing poetry in spring because spring is just…. it makes me wanna breath deeper…smiles
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I like spring.. but sometimes winter inspire me more 🙂 maybe I like the dark words.
Glenn Buttkus said:
Thanks for hosting, Grace, & thanks for the administrative eye that Bjorn keeps on the PUB. I still marvel at the international scale of the membership for this group. Lovely to see Claudia jumping right in. Like the minions who hung out at CHEERS, it is always with great enthusiasm & expectation that I seek the thrice-weekly fellowship here at the dVerse Pub, “where everybody knows your name.”
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Indeed .. and I always look forward to read about the wild-west 🙂
The Course of Our Seasons said:
I have been reading the spring poems of EE Cummings – a new favorite – ‘in time of daffodils who knows’ so love his poetry! Will be back later to link and read!
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Thank you I will try to get around reading some of that 🙂
hypercryptical said:
Love this alternate Thursday too and many thanks for hosting Grace.
Spring is indeed sprung, hot and sunny day in my little part of England. Lovely!
Kind regards
Anna :o]
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Spring is sprung… like a song 🙂
Grace said:
I am envious of that sunny days ~ Thanks for linking up ~
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
We have had a few days of spring here too. The cherry trees are blooming and the birches have that tender green color.. My favourite spring poem is “Of course it hurts” by Karin Boye..
Grace said:
I love that spring poem too Bjorn ~
Madeleine Begun Kane said:
I linked to a non-spring poem. So as penance here’s a spring poem, which isn’t even a limerick. 🙂
Yet Another Anti-Winter Poem
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Oh damn you winter! Go away!
Why can’t you take a hint today?
Intruding on our spring delights
With snow is NOT within your rights.
The calendar has made it clear
It’s spring. So why are YOU still here?
I’ve foolishly already stored
Our boots and shovels, long abhorred.
I’m forced to fetch them one more time
For duties not at all sublime.
Your crime of trespass? No mere gaffe!
I just might sue on spring’s behalf.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Suing winter.. the sly bastard wonder what he will pay with, hale?
mishunderstood said:
Bjorn, I already fired him in one of my poems. He rebelled this morning with a nice coating of snow on my car……in April?!! Yep, a seasonal law suit is in order.
Grace said:
I am definitely suing on spring’s behalf too ~
billgncs said:
I’ve heard this one attributed to many, some times Ogden Nash… but this reminds me of spring…. and fits my quirky sense of humor….
Spring has sprung the grass is riz
I wonder where the birdies is..
The birdies they is on the wing
Oh how absurd, the wing is on the bird.
Winter’s come, the snow has fell
Wee Josie’s nose has froze as well
Wee Josie’s frozen nose is skintet
Winter’s diabolic – In’tit !
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
Wonderful.. humor is so very much needed.
billgncs said:
poets get so serious… that humor certainly raises an eyebrow 🙂
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) said:
I have made one or two humorous ones… remind me I should do it… I promise.
billgncs said:
will do, but of course we poets burn with passion 🙂
claudia said:
humor is very much needed indeed.. and it’s healthy to smile – ha
bedtime for me – will be back in the morning to catch up
good nite
billgncs said:
do you laugh in your dreams ? I don’t recall.
billgncs said:
I mean I don’t recall my dreams… oops 🙂
kanzensakura said:
I like the Spring is sprung poem very much. I remember it being read to us one time by a substitute teacher who endeared himself to us by acting out the poem and doing much shouting and guffawing.
Grace said:
That performance must have been interesting to listen to ~
mishunderstood said:
I’m linking up a poem I wrote for Gabriella’s prompt a little while ago, that I didn’t get a chance to share.
Hope everyone is having a good week, despite wintery or springy weather. 🙂
Grace said:
That’s what OLN is for – to link up to challenges or prompts we missed ~ Have a good week too 🙂
Gabriella said:
This is great! I will go and read.
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com said:
My poem is a Spring poem written last night, after a trip to see nearby friends, when every inch of the route travelled seemed to be bursting with blossom and loveliness.
Grace said:
That must have been quite a sight ~ Be over in a bit Viv ~
anmol(alias HA) said:
Hey,
I have changed the visibility of the post. I have turned it private. Would someone please remove my link from the linking widget? Thank you. 🙂
Grace said:
Done HA 🙂
Raivenne said:
Hello All! And Oopsie!
Knowing it was OLN I had a poem ready to go. I’m going to have to come back with something more spring related as well. If my temperamental, but mostly just mental muse decides to cooperate that is.
Happy OLN
Grace said:
Happy OLN to you too ~
Mary said:
Hi Grace! Thanks for hosting open link. I will be sharing a poem probably a bit later this evening. Our spring here is still a bit tenuous! Too much wind and not enough budding and flowers!
Grace said:
Same here Mary ~ We continue to have temps below zero, brrr ~ Good to see you 🙂
Gabriella said:
Hi everyone, I was away for a few days therefore visiting for Poetics and writing have been a bit complicated. I hope to post something tomorrow.
Grace said:
Lovely to see you Gabriella ~ Have been busy myself but managed to write & post before the linky opened ~ Looking forward to your poem 🙂
Gabriella said:
I still do not know how to drive and write at the same time. Otherwise i would certainly have written something. Smiles.
Grace said:
I write during my lunch break, ha ~ Well you can always write about your trip or drive ~
rosross said:
This is my first chance to catch up in a while. Things are always busy when I am in Australia with lots of babysitting and farm jobs and not much time for poetry. Glad to see dverse is still going strong and doing well.
Grace said:
We have OLN every other Thursday so its a good time to catch up with everyone ~ Thanks for joining us, smiles ~
Grace said:
I will be back tomorrow for more reading ~ Wishing you good night ~
katiemiafrederick said:
A busy day with more dance to come tonight.. but i will be back to celebrate April Sunshine tomorrow with reading and commenting here..:)
Good night.. as well.. for now..:)
Anthony Desmond said:
Hey Grace + everyone… I’m a day late and few dollars short to the party
L Weaves Words said:
Hi Grace 🙂 and thank you for this poem!
Having always been taught only local writers, I can’t say how happy I am to have found dVerse and learn so much I’ve been deprived of.
I don’t know if I’ll link anything though. It’s been a rough week and I have no words yet.
Good night/morning 🙂
Grace said:
Thanks for dropping by ~ You have enough time to link up if the words come ~ Have a good day ~
Grace said:
Good morning ~ I will be around to check back for poems ~ Enjoy your Friday ~
NInot said:
Here in Malaysia it’s either the hot and dry months or the rainy season.The last spring I experienced was in 1989 in Ottawa, Canada. After months of winter, I couldn’t wait to walk downtown in a light jacket and a short skirt. Or cycle along Bank Street to the Parliament House.
That was spring, browsing in bookstores and buying cantaloupe and raspberries at Byward Market.
Making my rounds now….can’t wait to see the spring on offer.
Grace said:
Good to see you Ninot ~ I imagine it is very hot right now in your part of the world ~
Wishing you a good day or night 🙂
MarinaSofia said:
Sorry for my delayed appearance, everyone, I was travelling on business and had little opportunity for internet access.
But I did have nice spring weather, although you don’t get to feel it much from inside a training room. Still, it’s nice not to be walking in pouring rain, to feel the warm rays of sunshine on your face on your way back to the hotel room. Am setting off to see your contributions now, looking forward to being back in the land of poetry!
kelly said:
Happy Poetry Month to everyone, it’s been a crazy one! I am glad to finally have time to link up and read, and yes, Spring is slowly making an appearance here in New York, teasing us with warm days followed by bits of snow. But green exists once again.
Tulips by Sylvia Plath is an old favorite Spring poem of mine, and I love the Collins one you shared, Grace. Thank you!
Victoria C. Slotto said:
I think I just made it…it said widget expiration 14 seconds. My poem is not a spring poem–rather grim, actually. We went from cool to summer drought overnight, and so it is. Thanks for hosting, Grace.
tamekamullins said:
I had a busy work week and missed the cut off. Here is my link. I look forward to reading your poems! – http://tamekamullins.com/2015/04/entrepreneur-in-spring-time/