ALMOST SPRING

Photo by S. Auberle

Something Keeps Calling 

all morning, it whispers in my ear--

go to the river--as I wash clothes,

make the bed, clean the garage,           

            go, go now to the river… 

By noon the voice is insistent

so I start down the path

kicking up last autumn’s leaves 

and no one sees the child in me

except a black dog I meet

who smiles, as some dogs do so well  

and just because it's spring, I guess

and then I am here at this river of light

where I sit on moist grass 

and don’t even notice the wet seat

of my jeans as a small green frog

wanders by, and red-winged

blackbirds serenade me in the cattails.

Sun glints off the feathers

of grumbling cormorants 

passing over in their somber black

and a busy kinglet--regal

in his golden crown scolds--           

            now honey, tell me--

            whatever in the world
            was more important than this?           

                          ~  mimi

yes, the river and poem landscape don't match, but it is a river of light, and it is May Day, so let's not worrry about troubling details and celebrate Spring at last!