–line from David Budwill

 

Here, too, David, the daffodils finally bloomed,

but those crocuses were only two, flashing

purple through the snow that fell, and fell,

and covered them–and then we waited for

the melt, and ice, and melt again as winter

reclaimed the land from every tentative stroke

of green and froze all our hopes, pebbled

our walkways with treachery–Wisconsin

spring offers a crash course in vigilance

for every growing thing: be ready for

what comes, carry a walking stick and seize

the sunny day whenever it comes.