Tuesday, January 27, 2015

A promise of things to come

I suspect the local snow lovers won't appreciate this, but I'd rather have two to three feet of snow fall where I used to live rather than where I live now. On the other hand, if global warming means Minnesota Winters will be milder but noticeably less sunny and more icy, that's not what I consider an improvement.

Earlier today I cheered myself by taking a look at some of last year's photos of wildflowers and flowing water. In case you need some cheering and portents of Spring 2015 might help, please enjoy these.

open water with ice floe, St. Croix River
Photo by J. Harrington

trees in flower, Wild River State Park
Photo by J. Harrington

Hairy Rock Cress (Arabis pycnocarpa?)
Photo by J. Harrington

I'm not a person who will ever hope for a "better" Winter, but a new Spring, even if it's not improved, gives me hope. This poem reminds me of my urban boyhood. It's nice to remember Spring but not wise to spend too much time either remembering or anticipating.

spring again

By Jesús Papoleto Meléndez 

spring came /
the same way winter left
& summer will come
& summer will leave;        slowly
          / when no one's expecting it
             when people are tired of waiting


like waiting for welfare checks /
          a long wait/             a slow wait


the windows are open
but butterflies don't fly in
to display a sense of love

           / only housefly enter
              to sit on food       & eat crumbs


& dreams escape /
& become stolen      & lost      & used
& wasted        & thrown away

& dreamed anew

the junkies sit on the stoop
& nod themselves into dreams
            / maybe into the ones which escaped
& stinkball is played
& on warm nights        the ghetto musicians play
our ghetto song

on garbage can tops         & bang on empty coke bottles
& sound real chévere


:tomorrow
the junkies will sit on the stoop
& nod themselves into dreams /
stickball will be played /
                                             the streets will become chalked
                                             with 1st and 2nd & 3rd bases

hop scotch will become a game
& tops will spin on sidewalks /

& everyone will anticipate summer.


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