We who with songs beguile your pilgrimage / And swear that Beauty lives though lilies die, / We Poets of the proud old lineage / Who sing to find your hearts, we know not why ... (James Elroy Flecker)

1.4.21

Warming Up

 Warming Up


It’s Spring in the northern half of the world.

I imagine all nature warming now.

As petals and leaves are slowly unfurled,

as baby animals are born and grow,

I picture the increasing sun, the glow.


I’m in the southern half; it’s Autumn here,

always my favourite time of the year

with its gradually withdrawing sun

leisurely, reluctant to disappear.

But not this year – it comes in thick with rain.

We could use some warming up around here!



 

I'm participating in April Poetry Month aka NaPoWriMo again this year (2021) using Robert Lee Brewer's prompts at Poetic Asides though not posting there, which has become difficult. I'm sharing them instead in the small group of people who were early responders to the PA prompts some years back when they began, "the originals" as we call ourselves (and posting here too, of course).


In Australia it's already April 1st, but as most people in the group are in the Northern Hemisphere, I'll abide by the order given – in which the prompt 'Warming Up' is meant as an immediate precursor to the April poems.

 

PS Will share some of the poems on Instagram as well, as I'll also be using Kerry O'Connor's April words list @skyloverpoetry – though in this poem I didn't.


And I'm linking this one to Writer's Pantry #64 at Poets and Storytellers United.

 


28 comments:

  1. I hope the rain moves off soon so you can enjoy your favorite season. <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the good wishes, but I'm afraid it is increasing!

      Delete
  2. I love how you describe spring and autumn, their beauty comes bright and lovely through your words. I also love that although things are hard now--all that rain--your poem makes sure that we don't forget that it isn't always like that. Just that it could be better. I hope, hope, hope... you get the autumn your heart is longing for very soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes indeed, and thank you. I hope so too. At present we have a warning of severe weather and some flooding! Areas south of here already had serious floods at the end of March. Climate change seems to mean a wide variety of conditions! At least the drought has broken – though not in very helpful ways. Who'd be a farmer?

      Delete
    2. When it comes to bad weather, farmers always suffer the most. I was just talking with my Piano Man yesterday about how worried I am about the approaching storm season in the Caribbean. Not only because they tend to destroy farmland, but also because they affect the availability of clean water--something that is really needed in these days of COVID. We shall keep our fingers crossed.

      Delete
  3. It was warming up over here in the UK, Rosemary, but the temperature has dropped, and we’ve had warnings of Easter snow – not for the first time. I just hope it doesn’t affect our cherry blossom! That said, I’m with you – autumn is my favourite time of the year too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope we both soon get more salubriously seasonal weather!

      Delete
  4. Yes the east coast of Australia has endured a few weather problems recently. However we just have to grin and bear it and hope all gets back to normal soon. Our winters are usually mild but hopefully it will all settle back satisfactorily.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, all we can really do is keep hoping for the best – and deal as best we can with whatever else happens.

      Delete
  5. Happy Easter. We here in Trinidad and Tobago are getting quite a number of rainy days in our Dry Season


    (✿◠‿◠)

    much love...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope it stays within bounds, there, and that you've had a lovely Easter too.

      Delete
  6. Contrasting seasons well captured. Wishing you a wonderful autumn in the southern part!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Spring AND fall are the best bookends to mark the days!

    ReplyDelete
  8. it has been quite wet over here for the past few days too..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always think you're so close you're practically in the same region.

      Delete
  9. Everything's warming and unfurling now but we had a few freezing-cold nights last week. Happy autumn to you...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Fall is my favorite season too. Not just for the colors of the leaves, but I love the tilt of the sun, the shadows falling differently. Spring is exciting, the plants come alive, planting vegetables begins. Fall is the relaxing time too, I don't plant in winter, so fall means a rest is near!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm hoping we get some days without rain so I may remove my jungle of flourishing weeds in the back yard! (We don't call it 'fall' here; most of our trees are evergreen.)

      Delete
  11. Beautiful autumn sunshine in the outback...along with the wasps. red back spider. .mouse plague, giant jack in the beanstalk weeds and termites....Plus a wombat that has a personal vendetta against me and in cahoots with the termites is trying to tear down my house.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right! Have fun! (Here we have proliferating weeds, a lot of small-eyed sakes seen around the district, giant pot-holes, threatened floods ... I think preferable to what you're contending with, however.)

      Delete
  12. Strange weather world round as of late. We had a hard freeze, late too for the South here. I must read up on the poles flipping, they may do that some time. But probably in my soon to close lifetime. I would love to experience that.
    Best wishes for your NaPoWriMo, you are doing great. I haven't decided, at first I was going to do hit and miss but so far I've made the days. At NaPoWriMo we have a fourteen or 28 line poem, our pick, to strip all the writing except the first letter of each line. Then we fill back in the lines with a poem of our own. I may decide to write something easier but if my time permits I'd like to finish the skeleton that I now have.
    We could do that another day, I may do that.
    Today I should go to our orthopedic to get my foot Xrayed as it still is in terrible shape and pain around my toes, especially the big one. It was Friday that I fell.
    ..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck with the foot!

      That poetic exercise you describe sounds very interesting.

      Delete
  13. It must be difficult to look to winter when so many of us are pontificating on Spring! I lost my dear friend in Perth last year, and I miss her sassy notes reminding me of the seasons Down Under. You tolerate us all quite welL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So sorry about your friend. I know she was very dear to you.

      I don't really mind winter too much where I am, in the sub-tropics. I don't hanker for the sort of Spring which requires a great contrast with the previous season!

      Delete
  14. We desert dweller in the U.S. Southwest would love to have some of your rain!

    ReplyDelete

DON'T PANIC IF YOUR COMMENTS DON'T POST IMMEDIATELY. They are awaiting moderation. Please allow for possible time difference; I am in Australia. ALSO, IF YOU ARE FORCED TO COMMENT ANONYMOUSLY – do add your name at the end, so I know it's you!