certainty of spring

a slow chain of greening begins beneath –
unseen, sneaking through damp earths

a stealthy pushing aside of rocks
and winter for worm-paths and pale roots
sending tentative inquiries further afield

spring seeks surfaces in the same way
the yellow-beaked robins break the dirt –
in the same manner leaf-buds seek an April sun –

an abiding search for choicer feasts
and a respite from waiting, bare-branched,
until we can say with certainty spring has begun

© Sarah Whiteley

I hope you’ll forgive my absence lately – I’m smack dab in the middle of the spring tax deadlines and it doesn’t leave much space for reading or writing or cloud gathering. Of course the head cold isn’t helping any of that either.

But be well, and I’ll catch up when I can!

January sparrows

upside-down sparrows
clown their delight
in bright berries –
all thronging songs
and fluffed-up browns –
bending stems in
ravenous affection
to the ground

© Sarah Whiteley

I’ve been watching the sparrows and robins attack the red berries across the street – no idea what the bush is, but it seems to bear their weight with good humor at least, always bouncing back and never breaking. I get a kick out of the sparrows especially, as they seem to have no concept of right-side up in the midst of their feasting frenzy – completely comical!

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! And I’ll be swinging by shortly to catch up on some reading!

Cheers!