Reprise: Two Poems for Late Winter/Early Spring

I wrote these in Kentucky 39 years ago. In Northern Ohio "February's Dream" probably becomes March's Dream or April's Dream--ha ha.

February’s Dream

the snow lies thick upon the earth

the groundhog saw his shadow

the nights are long and bitter cold

but I have watched closely

and have seen some signs:

the morning concert of chirping birds

tree twigs turned a shade of red

silver maples’ pregnant buds

I have felt the quickening

first hope in this hard winter

I look for the crocus

and remember the birth

of a love

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky

February 1979)

Song of the Turtle

“and the song of the turtle is heard throughout the land.” Song of Songs 2:12

winterwaiting

our spirits hibernating

like our brothers the bear

our sap slow and deep

our thoughts turned in

but what’s this?

a turtle coos victory over death

the earth quickens

sends out magic crocus

forsythia explode

ecstatic mirror of the sun

redbud promise

dogwood dance under the April moon

our sap is running

our love is blooming

our spirits dancing

to the turtle’s magic song

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky

February 1979)

Reindeer/Epiphany poem--for my Grandson Robby

(Rein) Deer Epiphany

                                                (a poem for Robby Kleppel)

In the little remnant woods behind my daughter’s house,

A buck deer appears in the deep snow, eating the brambles or small trees

In this hungry winter.

Twenty feet behind, a doe reclines in the snow,

Munching on twigs.

I say, “Look at the deer, Robby!”

My grandson Robby, just turned four, sees them.

He says, “They’re reindeer. They’re Santa’s.”

Then he adds, as simply and straightforwardly as

One plus one equals two—

“They can fly.”

I don’t know what to say next.

Then something startles the deer,

And they’re up, just like that, and

Flying over the neighbor’s five-feet tall fence.

                                    Bob Coughlin

                                    Feast of the Epiphany, 2018

Note: The word “epiphany” can mean “manifestation; sudden appearance; sudden insight.”

Two Poems: One for February; One for Early Early Spring

I wrote these in Kentucky 36 years ago. In Northern Ohio "February's Dream" probably becomes March's Dream or April's Dream--ha ha.

February’s Dream

the snow lies thick upon the earth

the groundhog saw his shadow

the nights are long and bitter cold

but I have watched closely

and have seen some signs:

the morning concert of chirping birds

tree twigs turned a shade of red

silver maples’ pregnant buds

I have felt the quickening

first hope in this hard winter

I look for the crocus

and remember the birth

of a love

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky

February 1979)

Song of the Turtle

“and the song of the turtle is heard throughout the land.” Song of Songs 2:12

winterwaiting

our spirits hibernating

like our brothers the bear

our sap slow and deep

our thoughts turned in

but what’s this?

a turtle coos victory over death

the earth quickens

sends out magic crocus

forsythia explode

ecstatic mirror of the sun

redbud promise

dogwood dance under the April moon

our sap is running

our love is blooming

our spirits dancing

to the turtle’s magic song

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky

February 1979)