Of Middle-May

I'm ever amazed at the resilience of nature...a month ago we were recovering from this.

After the voracious villains of winter

Slumber like pirates, weary of the fight

And after the plundering of mistral-fury

And rain-song rehearsing from morning till night

Then comes the aftermath laughing like maidens

Dressed in their best for a spring Sunday-stroll

Then comes the apple-tree gloriously laden

With pink-petal pleasure delighting the soul

After the moody blue bluster of breezes

Subdues the growl in austere winter’s groan

See how they slip through feathered willow-tresses

With buoyant appeasing and frolicsome tone

The village, stark gray in December’s dusk shadow

Revels in bronze middle-May afterglow

While sweet on the vesper that drifts ‘cross the meadow

Lingers the fragrance of pink-petal snow

After the brook, sealed in icy restriction

Rambles, renewed in its blue liberty

Below the bluff where a green benediction

Ravishes dull fallow-dormancy
There we pause; humbled by spring's surging carols

Where apple-tree belles in a still-life ballet

Of pink-petal pleasure in joyful praise spirals

With welcoming whispers of fair middle-May

© Janet Martin

 “Listen to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.
Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning flash? 
 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge? Job 37: 14-16