FIRST CROCUS
This morning, flowers cracked open
the earth’s brown shell. Spring
leaves spilled everywhere
though winter’s stern hand
could come down again at any moment
to break the delicate yolk
of a new bloom.
The crocus don’t see this as they chatter
beneath a cheerful petal of spring sky.
They ignore the air’s brisk arm
as they peer at their fresh stems, step
on the leftover fragments
of old leaves.
When the night wind twists them to pieces,
they will die like this: laughing,
tossing their brilliant heads
in the bitter air."
- Christine Klocek-Lim
Note : Christine is the Editor of Autumn Sky Poetry and won the 2009 Ellen LaForge memorial Prize in Poetry. She has generously allowed permission to use her poem here for our Muse Day.
Written by Carolyngail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago
All rights reserved
Perfect poem for the first crocus sightings! My muse day is here: http://gardeningasylum.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/a-little-house-in-the-woods/
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect poem for April's arrival, Carolyn. Absolutely fantastic. A keeper, for sure.
ReplyDeleteOh, if only I had a first crocus. You give me hope. My GBMD post is up - a different view.
ReplyDeleteHappy April! I love this poem...it so beautifully describes spring and the crocus...Isn't the last line brilliant!
ReplyDeleteHere's my post http://clayandlimestone.blogspot.com/2010/04/muse-daythe-sun.html
Gail
Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely poem! As my crocus came up this year I was thinking that I needed to plant more of them and that I didn't have nearly enough (not that you can ever have enough). Lovely poem for Muse Day--and thanks for the Meme!
Karla
Your crocus are beautiful, Carolyn! And I came across that poem recently, while looking for poems about spring, and think it's lovely. Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteMy GBMD post is here: http://wp.me/p2bM3-1fm
I love the ending of this poem--"laughing, tossing their brilliant heads in the bitter air." A perfect way to describe the crocus! I always think what brave little plants they are, daring to peek out when winter winds are still whipping around. Of course, as warm as it is today, they don't need to be very brave:)
ReplyDeleteMy Muse Day post is up, too. Happy Easter to you, Carolyn!
A new to me poem which describes crocuses oh so well. Sadly here they are more or less over but there are other flowers to take their place. My post is up now Carolyn - happy Muse Day :)
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful crocus, Carolyn! The poem is perfect, too. I love this meme. I've just posted my contribution. Happy Easter to you and your family. (Sweet Pea is beautiful!)
ReplyDeleteI am delighted to see how much everyone enjoyed my spring poem. Thank you for reading and thank you Carolyn for posting it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI can believe this of crocus. Great poem and wonderful photo of crocus in the lawn. My muse day post is up at
ReplyDeletehttp://greenbowgardens.blogspot.com/
Cheers, and Happy Spring Carolyn.
Lovely poem Carolyn. If I could choose, that would be the way I'd want to go out - laughing and tossing my head. (Well, maybe not twisted to pieces. :)
ReplyDelete