APRIL SHOWERS

April Second

Today it is raining, and I am delighted.

The old adage April showers bring May flowers?

I am all for that.

I am ready for May, though we’ve twenty eight days to go.

I am ready for sunshine and warmth; freshness and growth.

Forgotten treasures stretching up through the leaves

Living again despite winter’s freezes and frosty kills and plagues.

I am ready to prove unbelievers wrong again.

Those who tell me nothing will grow here; they have tried it all before.

Those who shoot each other knowing looks, and give me weak encouragement

Just to be polite before they shake their heads and yammer about me beneath my balcony,

Thinking I do not hear, or perhaps hoping that I do.

Go about your business, ye of little faith.

You will be surprised, even thrilled, when the Dutch iris bloom,

And nasturtiums fill in between Stella D’Oro day lilies and peonies, pink and red, burst forth.

Bachelor button seeds are waiting to be randomly tossed, and coreopsis, and daisies.

No Vinca, it spreads like kudzu, choking out the competition.

Winter pansies are already blooming in the pot by the stairs.  They have been noticed.

Rhubarb leaves are unfurling, though someone pinches each new leaf as it stretches out.

They do not remove the leaves, they just pinch the stems, leave the head gasping –

A pox on the murderers  of  rhubarb.

Upstairs, looking out over the walk, are miniature roses in pots, already blooming pink and white;

More pansies, parsley, thyme, oregano – no rosemary, as yet, or sage.

I have plans for a large pot of tomatoes in the corner,

And onions and peppers (and then we’ll have some more fried ham, da da da da da da da da – sorry I don’t know what came over me – silly old song)

I even planted some bird seed which is growing like weeds.  The chickadees and finches will like that, and my downstairs neighbor should hopefully not complain.

***and now I see have gone from potential poetry to actual rambling, so I shall cease for now, promising to edit later.

Nonetheless, it is a lovely, rainy April day full of promise and potential.

May we all be well enough to notice.