it's coming up on Easter

it’s coming up on Easter and 

earth sits in pandemic posture 

tawny grass 

naked trees 

march wind blowing is dry 

and we wait for vaccine rain injected 

an IV of goodness pumped 

into waiting world 

like a baroque motet 

all sincerity uncompromised un-ironic 

to resurrect this patient in ICU 

lulled by beeps and breaths faces covered by ppe

its coming up on Easter 

but first the death must be complete

ides of March

all coloured jackets walk to school 

under daylight saving sky 

wispy blue 

to soundtrack of waltzes 

killing brutal winter (et tu?)

lilting us into 

spring 

    frueling 

        printemps 

            primavera

        ver 

anniversary (10 years)

world stops 

in a hospital 

and you are hooked up to an iv pole 

beside the bed 

waking up to a new reality 

as cancer survivor 

your body altered 

rearranged 

set on a new path 

of pin-like 

                turns 

and steep inclines 

and gentle lovely woodsy walks 

always attended by 

warm rearward breeze 

    fresh and inspiring 

        honest and true 

            committed and full of grace 

                unflinching and brave 

this love above all

 

last of the snow

patches here and there 

or on the side of the ditch 

no longer pure white 

but dirty crystalled fragile 

ground already drying 

left to fend 

it’s the last song of winter 

flattening away into trickles 

of water filling ditch 

and we say farewell 

to hard unforgiving cold 

and look to uncertain hope 

that green will spring freely again

the dance

candle flame dancing 

on wick 

to the music of Satie 

        stately unsettled 

eating air 

wicking wax 

giving sacred light to the dim 

room adorned with reminders of familiars 

fading in and out in wavering lumens 

and we can stare 

into orange heat and hear 

the faint heartbeat of life 

        so precious

 

can spring be on the way

can spring be on the way 

voicing an echoed hello 

from far away lift 

yourself out of winter’s trap 

and listen 

can spring be on the way 

light splashes colour in the east 

our way out of darkness 

just look 

can spring be on the way 

tender hand brushing cheek 

just for a moment 

feel     receptors aware

can spring be on the way 

unwrap the last valentine chocolate

and taste it on your moistened lips 

for spring is on the way