I escaped the last shades
Of February gray
That brooded over Birmingham
Left town unemployed
Headed down south on I-59
And found shelter amongst
The tender closed buds
Of dogwood and azaleas scattered
Around the little secluded lake
Of my parents’ country place
Nestled in Poplarville, Mississippi
I watched
The green tendrils
Heralding March’s spring
Entwine around those virgin buds
Like the gentle arms of a lover
Dancing to the soft melody
Of the breeze
Until one by one
The petals burst forth
In orgasmic blooms
Of white, pink, red and purple
I smiled at the frequent flashes
Of cardinals and jays
Scarlet and blue splashes
Against pine tree backdrops
Greedily feasting on sunflower seeds
Ignoring
The nearby cacophony
Of squabbling squirrels
While tiny hummingbirds
delightfully zig-zagged to and fro
I enjoyed
The gradual lengthening
Of golden daylight
As March blended into April
Laying outside on earth’s breast
Gazing up at blue skies
In quiet contemplation
Of where do I go from here
Uncanny
How time stands suspended
When you don’t have to answer the call
Of eight to five days
But all good things must
Eventually come to an end
A return to the workday reality
Of gainfully employed status
Has now finally materialized
I am renewed and healed
And am thankful I had this idyllic period
A different kind of spring break
© L. Kupfer
all rights reserved
Originally written 04/21/2000
