Comrades and skeptics:
two months (February)
a lifetime ago of weather
preceded a tease of muddy melt
as wagging tails and charming chirps
renew our annual trust
that crocuses will bravely rise
daring her to stay Winter
while mud puppies muzzle deep
shovels sleep and ice melt hardens
breathers sneeze, rakes awake
New England spring
rewards our trust
golden forsythia asking
why we doubted
the sound of snow plows
faintly echoed by red wings come home
cold winds, now welcomed breeze
our call to cultivate
aerate, sow and sing aloud
are lilacs far behind?