See those early buds coming out there–
On the hedge bordering your garden?
Those rabbits and deer sculpted in stone nearby
And such welcome friends for you all winter
Suddenly seem “over” – past their prime,
Mere background foils for nature’s real beauty.
I’m amazed, aren’t you, at that deep rich green
Just showing at the tip of each black, rain shining branch!
I saw early forsythia, too, on my way here,
All yellow and chartreuse coated sprays
Shooting up on each side of my neighbor’s front door.
Spring has come back! And with such graciousness!
In spite of our wars-the news just fresh from TV–
And such dismal degradation of her home and children,
Our ancient and ever-present mother returns and renews, relentlessly birthing,
Showing up in annually unimaginable forms and colors,
Displaying for our viewing pleasure her ever irrepressible LIFE!
Dear friend, let us welcome her!
Let us open up so she can fill us-
Like the stand of maples behind the hedge–
With the sweet sap of her sacred energy
Rising and spilling out into every new creation.
Let us start here, with our own greening.
Let us learn from her “yes” to life in all of its guises.
Let us allow this cleansing rain, spiraling down the ages,
To wash our fears away and bring us back to our life-giving selves
And to her – to home at last!
