Spring is Struggling to Break Through

Yes! Spring is struggling to break

through here

in the mountains –

northern part of lake still iced

over, shores snow-covered, no

Canadas or loons, handful of

mallards – yet but soon.

Further in

mud, lots of it

sink to your ankles,

signs up

no trucks on roads until the

rain ceases or slows — mid-May? But

the robins are back, looking for

dry niches in eaves or nooks of

trees, renewal and new chicks

gnawing at them to

Pick ours you

lovelies as you have in past

Springs — we want to see your

babies fledge grow leave

return

like the re-birth you unerringly

bring.

Rites of Summer Late in Coming

Here in Long Lake

Summer usually late might be getting here sooner.

Lake iced out mid-April, loons

and mallards nested soon after

and the Canadas just got here.

We’re waiting on the babies, the

chicks, ducklings and goslings.

We know the robins are nesting

In our eaves

remnants of winter hay scattered

beneath clear evidence and we see

just after dawn

a horde of sparrows covering our leach field

devouring

grass seeds that have popped

to the surface. Deer are always

about and we’re on the lookout

for the bears

who’ve been out of their dens

foraging

working their way through the woods

down to our small town and other

mountain towns scattered about

where they’re most endangered

by us.

And then there’s May, summer’s threshold,

with its black flies and native flowers

blossoming

the winter melt and spring rains steadily diminishing

mud drying

hemlocks blasting out bursts of green pollen

hardwoods pushing out leaves, nature

exposing itself, vulnerable, shameless, trusting,

summer’s peculiar gift to us all

finally arrived.

Almanack file photo