Primavera

It is Spring and the young
Are all falling in love.
It is Spring and the tongue
Of the poet is free.
Now Winter is shut
Like a snake in a box
With the shriek of the owl
And the yelp of the fox.
Now Winter withdraws
To his palace of bones,
With a clanging of doors
And a grinding of stones.
And Spring is the kiss
That awakes us again,
In the softness of leaves
And the promise of rain.
So I sing like a bird
At the top of the tree,
The book of the word
And the turn of the key.
I sing like a bird
In the womb of the wood,
The flight of the dark
And the triumph of good.
I sing like a bird,
As the tongue finds its groove
The book of the word
And the power of love.

We're glad you're enjoying First Things

Create an account below to continue reading.

Or, subscribe for full unlimited access

Already a subscriber? Sign In