B E B E R E

Time to bring this old chestnut out.

Er ist's

Frühling lässt sein blaues Band
Wieder flattern durch die Lüfte;
Süße wohlbekannte Düfte
Streifen ahnungsvoll das Land.
Veilchen träumen schon
Wollen balde kommen.
- Horch, von fern ein leiser Harfenton!
Frühling, ja du bist's!
Dich hab ich vernommen!

-Eduard Möricke (1832)

***
It Is Here

Spring lets loose its blue banner
to flutter on the wind again;
A soft, well-known scent foretellingly caresses the land.

Dreamy violets will soon rouse themselves.
-Hark, from yonder a light harp's tone!
Spring, yes, you are here; I have sensed your arrival.

***

Overwrought? Maybe? Antiquated? Perhaps. I can't not love this poem, however. The blue standard let loose upon the softly scented wind describes perfectly the subtle but powerful changes taking place in the atmosphere here. We may have snow still on the ground, we may have a couple more storms queued up yet, but my dreamy grape hyacinths and snowdrops are already starting to peek out around snowpiles. The chives and thyme have already made a strong showing over in the kitchen garden section.

***

This seems like a good time to mention that National Poetry Month is just around the corner. I'd love to hear from you about a favorite poem if you have one (and come on, admit it...you do have one.)