Winter was wearing her final lace gown
Look close, spring’s earliest blooms
were sprouting like fresh news
February promises an end to bitter winter
honoring history and presidents
even making a sweet case
for chocolate hearts
Then, so far, we were relatively safe
from space lasers
giant lizard people
and corrupt narcissists who would be king
We were still on this side of chill in the air
blue northers lurking out there somewhere
The movement on foot to defeat
the worst germs that we had ever seen
We owed ten ounces of humor
to a man in mittens
and six ounces of spite
to a woman who hated Christmas
It was February
early in the year
early in the chapter
of a new year
of a new book
Into the library, we went
laying our hands open
waiting to embrace the pages
waiting for answers
waiting to fold all the bad chapters
and tuck them away into the crisp air
Love this poem, Lana. Captures the essence of February, so short and yet so looooong. The man in mittens, is that Bernie? I hadn’t thought of that in a while and it made me smile, Bernie on a folding chair in his sensible coat and giant mittens. I love the library part, too, as if getting lost in a book could solve all the world’s problems. Maybe it does, letting us escape for an afternoon. Glad to see you back!
Hi Joan, it’s nice to see you here too! I actually wrote this last February, took it out the other day, and thought it was an interesting reflection of one year ago. Seems like yesterday. And yes, February is so short, yet so long. We are just digging out from a snow and ice storm which we don’t handle that well in these parts, ha ha! Yes, Bernie is the man in mittens, I loved those wonderful, big mittens! Then there was that certain woman who hated Xmas, lol, and now, in a time of massive book banning, more people might try solving their problems in the library. Thanks for stopping by and reading, always glad to chat with you!
This poem feels so heartbroken to me, Lana. I feel like we’re still waiting on so many levels. It was wonderful to see your post pop up today and to know I was going to be gifted with your words. I hope you’re doing well and that there’s a spark of hope inside you for better days to come. Hugs
Oh Diana, it is still sad, I agree. Winter is always a tough time for me as it is. The bright spot in this one was the man in the big mittens, but the rest, sigh…. Seems to even be compounded more with what’s going on in the world. Hope is so important, and I think the better days will follow. Hope you are also doing well, it is always good to hear from you! Hugs 🙂