Sunday, March 19, 2017

Spring Flyers

Two Writing Teachers brings us the Slice of Life Challenge for March.  This is #19.  Thank you for all the inspiration and opportunities!

(My post a few days ago - the jealousy post - kept nagging at me.  I had good thoughts for that at one time; they had to do with the signs of spring that I can see.  I think this was it:)

Signs of spring?
In Maine, there are none to be seen outside except maybe the longer days.  We are still deep in snow.  It is still cold.  I need boots, winter coat, etc.  I still keep extra warm stuff in the backseat in case the car breaks down on the side of the road.  It will be a cold wait for help, or a cold walk to anywhere, so we still have emergency stuff in our cars.

But our mailbox has delivered signs of spring!

We got our hardware store flyer in the mail, and there are rakes on sale (and NOT roof rakes for the snow).  These would be the ones for raking up those dead leaves you missed in the fall.  They would be for the clumps of grass and rock that the plow has deposited on your yard.   They have lawn mowers and garden hoses.  They have bags of grass seed and lime, and seed packets.  You can even get leaf blowers, grills, coolers, and wheelbarrows.

The farm store has chicks ready for ordering.   It has wagons for pulling loads of mulch and other stuff around your estate. I didn't see a single snow shovel, generator, roof ice pucks, sled or bag of ice melt.

The fabric store is blossoming, too - all the floral fabrics are out, plastered on the cover and throughout the flyer.  There are lightweight fabrics, gardening tools, birdhouses, garden gloves, watering cans, pastel floral arrangements, pastel ribbons and butterfly wind chimes.  There is not a snowman, snowflake, star, or white flecked tree to be found.

The clothing catalog is sporting flip flops, tank tops and tee shirts.  There are rain boots, shorts and caps.  Stored away until mid-summer flyers are the boots, sweatshirts, snow boots,snow pants, mittens, and hats with fur lined ear flaps!

So there are definitely signs of spring that surround me, but none of them quite work for me yet.  When I see less white than brown, less ice than mud, more sun; when I see the only the tall black-brown covered pile of snow the plow placed skyhigh in the grocery store parking lot - then, and only then, will I declare it spring.  Everything else is just forced - like forcing a bulb to bloom on your counter in the dead of winter.  It does not make it spring.  I don't care what the calendar says.

It is not spring here yet.  Thanks for trying.
I remember the blizzard we got on April Fools Day, I remember the snow in June once... When I see all the pictures of blossoms and green happening elsewhere, I wonder about my choice of habitat.
I like snow, but really?
That green is starting to make me a tad jealous....or is that yearning I'm feeling?

Spring Timer

the earth is covered in white frozen shiny snow
where are those small bits that come up
through the dead brown wet mushy 
grass that is not dead either but 
only acts like it is and how 
can it not be dead in all
this cold deep freeze
oh it looks dead
it acts dead
until
it
isn't
anymore and
it starts to shimmer
and glimmer in a green
sequined vest and glorious
purple, pink, yellow, red hats
and they begin their dance in the
breezes sometimes colder than we think
they should get but they just wink and smile
and keep dancing to the stunning concert of birds

by Donna JT Smith


23 comments:

  1. What a great post! I love your timer and all your false signs of spring. This is quite a piece of writing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good morning! Had to retype that... I'd typed "God morning!" And it IS. Off to church. Just had to quickly link up before leaving the house. Have a great day and thanks for dropping in!

      Delete
  2. The timer poem was the icing on the cupcake of your slice today! I yearned for a real winter this year, with our warmer-than-average temperatures that swung back and forth too many times to count. The grass is always greener, goes the saying...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Living here in Maine I SOOOOO love this post. Your poem nailed it! I try not to feel the jealousy of those green and budding pictures being posted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't believe really how soon it is spring some places.

      Delete
  4. Love, love your post. I have the same exact thoughts and feelings here in northern NH. No spring here yet! Thank you for putting my envy in words.(terierrol)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NORTHERN NH... Oooh, you may have snow even longer than we will! Sorry about that!

      Delete
  5. Looks like spring but I know it won't feel like it yet. Love your timer poem Donna.
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  6. I went to college in Maine, and I remember that after long winters with snow piled to my shoulders along the walkways, it was "spring" as soon as it hit 40 degrees. In spite of the still sloppy ground we were out in shorts and t-shirts soaking in the sunshine. But I understand your longing. We're nowhere near 40 yet in Connecticut either right now and the ground is blanketed in white.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yeah! We used to start sunning ourselves on the dorm roof about mid April. It wasn't warm enough, but we were sun-deprived enough not to care! 40 is balmy!

      Delete
  7. I so enjoyed reading about what a person in Maine's mailbox is like as springtime comes. Who knew so many catalogs remind you of warmer weather when the actual weather is not. Then you added the amazing timer shape poem - WOW!! I'm adding that to my list to share with my students during our poetry unit in April. Thanks for sharing so much today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The flyers and magazines are really teases! I won't be able to use flip flops for a loooong time!

      Delete
  8. Your timer poem is amazing! It's not only visually great, but it also has terrific images and combinations of words.

    I really appreciate the reminders that we can find hints of spring in other places besides the ground and the trees because we still have a lot of snow too! I'll have a greater appreciation for the mail tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love your timer poem! someday I will get to Maine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, you must come to Maine. I'd suggest in the summer...

      Delete
  10. Signs of spring, that's a step in the right direction! And, your concrete poem...WOW! It's wonderful. I keep reading it again and again. I'm glad I stopped by for a visit. ~Amy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that's so nice! I like that you want to read it more than once. So happy you stopped by! I've been very busy today, but will look you up tomorrow!

      Delete
  11. When you become desperate enough, you could tape a few of those catalogs to your windows. That way you'd see the rakes, garden hoses and grass seed instead of the snow.

    Your poem today was even more fun to read than usual because of the image you created. Loved it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha! You made me laugh at the image I got! Very creative! I should tape those to my windows. A little spring decoupage collage - oh, there's a rhyme to remember. Where's my notebook?

      Delete
  12. The poem is fabulous and the shape is so clever. Your descriptions of all the flyers reminded me of the girl looking at seed catalogs in Sarah Stewart's book called "The Gardener." She too was longing for warmer days!

    ReplyDelete

Drop some breadcrumbs! Let me know you were here!

October

Poetry Friday... Go enjoy some great poetry by clicking links on Poetry Friday's host Matt Forrest Esenwine's page : My poem for Oct...