Spring rain is playing timpani on salal
along the fence. It taps the skylight
with insistent fingers, looking for
a way in, as I listen to its ancient melody.
The Japanese cherry and forsythia
just recently shed
their frothy spring dresses.
their frothy spring dresses.
Their time to shine goes by so fast,
like weeks, like years, like life,
here and gone before we tie up
all the ends. (Some ends don't ever
want to tie. We leave them lie.)
On Rhodo Hill,
deep magenta and purple blooms
deep magenta and purple blooms
look like the ball gowns
of antebellum debutantes
of antebellum debutantes
swishing downhill
on their way to a soiree.
on their way to a soiree.
Spring rain, gentle, to nourish
and not break
and not break
the buds so close to opening.
Let my heart
Let my heart
stay tender, when the world lets me down
and everything feels wrong.
Let me listen to the rain's one note
and hear a beginner's song.
Inspired by "Rain, New Year's Eve" by Maggie Smith. The italicized lines are hers.
Some ends don't ever
ReplyDeletewant to tie. We leave them lie. - yes and it all is easier when soft rain reminds us of regeneration and plenty... but now everything does feel so wrong.. you said it absolutely right, Sherry... what a world.
"Let my heart
ReplyDeletestay tender, when the world lets me down
and everything feels wrong." You are speaking my mind Sherry. The tender rains awakens the blooms, the past as well as the soul. I didn't know about "antebellum debutantes", so I had to google. I also like the personification here.
Beautiful imagery and a beautiful wish to end - Jae
ReplyDeleteI love the way you appealed to the senses in this poem, Sherry, starting with the sound of spring rain and the personification with the rain’s ‘insistent fingers, looking for a way in’, and I love the image of the ‘deep magenta and purple blooms’ that ‘look like the ball gowns’. The final couplet is stunning.
ReplyDeleteYes, those lines are by Maggie Smith, borrowed for this poem, from her poem about rain.
Deletethis is excellent and that line - Let my heart stay tender - and this really flows so well. Lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteLovely poem....Rall
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful, uplifting poem, Sherry. I can really picture the setting. These are my favorite lines:
ReplyDelete"Their time to shine goes by so fast,
like weeks, like years, like life,
here and gone before we tie up
all the ends." So true, so true!
Absolutely vividly imaged and I love the way you paid homage and intertwined these linesLet my heart
ReplyDeletestay tender, when the world lets me down
and everything feels wrong.
Let me listen to the rain's one note
and hear a beginner's song.
MAY IT BE SO!
"It taps the skylight
ReplyDeletewith insistent fingers, looking for
a way in, as I listen to its ancient melody." I think you have it right, the fingers are also mere beginners, they never grow old. We've got to hear that before we mistake all this presage of doom for doom itself. Beautiful gentle poem.
Beautiful.
ReplyDelete