Colorado Song of Songs
We were convinced the winter had won.
Our dreams had grown brittle, and the
birds in the yard couldn’t carry a tune.
But then the iris bloomed, its resurrection
purple suddenly thawing our discontent,
daring us to put off the old wool and wrap
our mortal flesh in linen for a change.
So lift up your heads, o ye hibernators.
Throw prudence to the wind and let the
burning sun pinken your chapped cheeks.
Kick off your Sorels and come dance with
us bare-soled in the perking-up grass.
For lo, the winter is over and gone, the iris
has bloomed. The birds are back on key.
(fingers crossed, knock on wood)
Welcome to warmth, John. This is delightful – a song of spring and new life and COLOR. Thank you.
Thanks, Diana. Its overdue here in CO.
Did I ever tell you my husband is from Leadville and I lived there for a while before heading to Virginia? The winter my boys and I spent at 10,000 feet was the very best ever, but man, we were ready to dance in the sunshine by May.
Ashleigh, I didn’t know that. Wait, maybe I did. Anyway, I think that’s very cool.
Have you ever read Wallace Stegner’s Angle of Repose? Its a big door-stopper of a book, but a portion in set in Leadville…way up on top of the world.
[…] John D. Blase, Colorado Song of Songs […]
And yes, the iris are budding — even here in Maine. Hallelujah and Finally!
[…] Posted on October 21, 2014 | Leave a comment We were convinced the winter had won. Our dreams had grown brittle, and the birds in the yard couldn’t carry a tune. But then the iris bloomed, its resurrection purple suddenly thawing our discontent, daring us to put off the old wool and wrap our mortal flesh in linen for a change. So lift up your heads, o ye hibernators. Throw prudence to the wind and let the burning sun pinken your chapped cheeks. Kick off your Sorels and come dance with us bare-soled in the perking-up grass. For lo, the winter is over and gone, the iris has bloomed. The birds are back on key. (fingers crossed, knock on wood) Colorado Song of Songs – John D. Blase […]