Monday, March 22, 2010

Slower and Lazier




Sleeplessly 
I watch over
the spring night--
but no amount of guarding 
is enough to make it stay.
 by Izumi Shikibu

----------------------------------

march sun
i dream of the farm
even during the day
as it was
as it became since
trees growing thick in fields
even the blackberries
once rampant
succumbing to their shade
i remember the call
the chill sun of that day
your hands
wet birds
your eyes cloudy clay
i miss the chestnut walls
sheltering hills
the trees dressing
for spring
softness of worn stones
found in
abandoned roads


by @ten_ten_ten on twitter.  Here is his poetry blog.  As far as I know he wants to be anonymous beyond this... (Just in case you weren't aware, twitter is a great place to meet poets.)

Late March Moonday. Its just after the Spring equinox, with a waxing crescent.   Today on the south side of Tompkins Square park I noticed that the daffodils were in full bloom.  I find it almost painful to look at daffodils because it makes me sad to see them crisp in the hot sun and fade.  It seems to happen so soon after they bloom. Spring is ruled by all of these gorgeous, short-lived blossoms.  We all deserve a holiday from our lives just to appreciate them properly.
As that hasn't been declared yet,  my antidote is to go into Pooh bear mode whenever I can.

Be slower and lazier.  I want to feel my spring.

Even in my 'leisure time' as a gardener I can get overwhelmed by the amount of work there is to do now-- all the pruning, readying the soil for planting, clearing away the dead brush-- but the plants grow without me.  The mint grows around its long dead stalks, the un-pruned apple tree bore fruit for years without anyone's help but the sun and the rain.

So today I'm just taking it in.   

In the comments, I'd love it if you'd share something of your experience of the spring-- this one or any other.  Do you have a picture in your head that says 'spring' to you from yesterday, last year, or twenty years ago?

I'd also be thrilled if you shared poetry or art, yours or someone's who inspires you.

4 comments:

TS said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TS said...

I love the idea of a holiday to enjoy Spring! An official week off to drink tea and sit around watching flowers grow - it would change the pace of our world in a drastically good way. I love Spring, longer days, life emerging, smells, birds, cool night air, bike rides... I declared Spring early this year with an early season bike commute challenge. Haven't had many takers yet, just happy to be able to get out and ride.

Kate T.W. said...

Great challenge Sandi. I think I will take you up on it... in my slow, lazy way ;-) I work from home and do so many errands on foot with my dogs... but would like to ride my bike more, instead of taking the subway or cab places. And of course I LOVE the fact that the bonus prize is a haiku from you!

ann said...

I also love the idea of a holiday to enjoy spring and watch the flowers go...the early blooms do seem to pass so quickly. I have had that same feeling about seeing daffodils, almost painful for me to see them come, knowing they are so delicate and pass so quickly. such vulnerable harbingers of momentous changes...I celebrated the beginning of spring with yard cleanup, bush pruning and walking along the cliffs, among other things. I also am inspired to ride my bike more Sandi, will definitely take you up on that!