Tug-of-war Time

 The duel twixt sunshine-sweetness and surly storm-cloud begins...

Sun-whisper softly grins

Where winds mutter, blue-cold  

And so this tug-of- war begins

Twixt gray and azure-gold

Subtle, its overtures

Of ruby-jeweled limb

Of rivers trickling through the snow

In muted meadow-hymn

The chill of winter-boast

Wavers, sensing the thrill

Of zephyrs tumbling from yon cloud

And rolling down the hill

But then in brutish scowl

He hails his motley fleet

Employing them to spill their worth

On woods and field and street

Across earth’s frigid cusp

His snowy squadrons seethe

But they cannot deter the touch

Of spring nudging beneath

…and soon the blustering

Of shiver-laden jeers

Uncurls its lip; a drop, a drip

And winter disappears

© Janet Martin