by Kathryn Flynn
Member since:
January 15, 2006

The cusp of April's cruelness

April 25, 2007 11:07 AM UTC (Updated: May 19, 2007 10:21 PM UTC)
views: 0 | comments: 42

Looking out my kitchen window,
I see the forsythia, fiery buds that greet me, give my morning a smile;

the magnolia, magnificent blossoms reigning over the yard like an antebellum gown, waiting for a garden party;

my favorite maples, buds furled like tiny baby fingers, clutched while sleeping, still; these will give way to a zillion helicopter wings, toys for children who clatter down the street, running for the ice cream truck;

I see the spruce, stately in her blue gown; standing tall and shading her brood, protectively;

the rhododendron, too, I see, not yet developed;  she will come of age next month;

out my kitchen window, the cusp of April's cruelness begins to be washed away by promises of May, when winter's death and spring blood baths, though never erased, shall enter in a new hue, ushering new life, new hope, necessary for our emotional survival.

 

 

Copyright ©  2007, Kathryn Esplin-Oleski

 

Comments: 42

Larry H. Apr 25, 2007, 11:09am UTC
Sounds like a nice veiw..thanks for sharing..
Elaine A. Apr 25, 2007, 11:16am UTC
nice article. Thanks for sharing. May will bring many flowers for you to enjoy!

Remember April's showers bring May flowers. Well except here were there was almost no rain.
Mario A. Apr 25, 2007, 11:21am UTC
Never thought the kitchen would be a portal to inspiration, but you've certainly made it sound so! Great article.
Anne B. Grote Apr 25, 2007, 11:35am UTC
isn't it great to dwell in these great gifts of spring?
Kathryn Flynn Apr 25, 2007, 11:51am UTC
I get a lot of inspiration from my kitchen window - or while cooking or cleaning. thanks for enjoying.
samantha b. Apr 25, 2007, 12:09pm UTC
I like the visualization that I am able through your descriptive words. It is almost like I am actually looking out your kitchen window with you. Thanks for sharing!! It is lovely!
Laurie J. Apr 25, 2007, 12:24pm UTC
Beautiful! What a wonderful view. I especially enjoy the description of the magnolia.
Cheryl W. Apr 25, 2007, 12:42pm UTC
Beautiful, Kathryn. I also love the view from my kitchen window...
Kathryn Flynn Apr 25, 2007, 12:49pm UTC
The maple metaphor is my favorite; the magnolia is actually down the street. I'd not seen magnolias before coming to Boston; they are not in SLC or Montreal, but Boston is 'southern' enough.
Wilma M. Apr 25, 2007, 1:35pm UTC
Wonderful descriptions of spring arriving!
Gerry Wass Apr 25, 2007, 1:39pm UTC
I enjoyed your descriptions of spring, so appropriate as we come up to Arbor Day. It has been a long, long winter and we sure do need the renewal of spring. I had no idea that magnolias grew and bloomed that far north!
Sue * Apr 25, 2007, 1:44pm UTC
I love spring...the newness of everything.
Nana to Seven Cutiepies Apr 25, 2007, 1:53pm UTC
Beautiful and I look forward to May.
Dawn Matley Maselli Apr 25, 2007, 3:29pm UTC
I love that you direct your observations with such care, not enough of us take time to smell the flowers, never mind yearn foir them and animate them "buds curled like baby fingers" lovely!
Dawn
Excellent! Love the magnolia line!
Kathryn Flynn Apr 25, 2007, 5:22pm UTC
It must have happened last night; it happens at night, the leafing - the buds popping out suddenly.
Ronald M. Apr 25, 2007, 5:34pm UTC
I need a view like that here at home.
Kathryn Flynn Apr 25, 2007, 5:47pm UTC
Hi Ronald! Wishing you sunny days. We had sun, but it left.
Kathryn Flynn Apr 25, 2007, 5:49pm UTC
There is a dark message in this poem, too. See if you can find it.
Patrick M. Apr 25, 2007, 6:29pm UTC
Ah well. Too bad it works in reverse for us on the bottom half...
donna h. Apr 25, 2007, 7:44pm UTC
are you talking about the tornadoes in spring? is that the April Blood Bath?
Barney JP Apr 25, 2007, 7:47pm UTC
The cups of springs? I like bouncy things.

Nice imagery.
Kathryn, this is a lovely account of the coming of spring. Here, it is gentle autumn.
Kathryn Flynn Apr 25, 2007, 10:09pm UTC
donna, I meant the April blood bath as referring to VT. .....

Barney - thanks muchly for the great laugh, I say, bouncing along bouncingly.

Gentle autumn, dear Magi, I remember Brisbane in April. Hot and steamy, like our summer.

Pat M. I imagine the Autumn is very nice.
Kimberly Ripley Apr 25, 2007, 10:57pm UTC
What a beautiful view, and how I long for the start of May!
Robb F. Apr 25, 2007, 11:04pm UTC
Thanks for letting me see the beautiful spring view from your window.
Quinn (aka Entwife) Blackburn Apr 25, 2007, 11:23pm UTC
Sharp imagery
Kathryn Flynn Apr 26, 2007, 12:39am UTC
Hello Robb! Kim! Quinn! Renda! Krissy! Dawn Matley Maselli, !!! ( i remember you from more than a year ago, Dawn !!) Larry, Elaine, Mario, Anne B. Grote, samantha, Laurie J., Cheryl, Matt O., Christi B.,

Wilma M. !!! Gerry!! Sue S. Nana!! Charles G. !! Love that block, Charles!!! Slugs!!! Ronald M !!!
Karen D. Apr 26, 2007, 10:32am UTC
I can't wait for the pictures!
Karolyn Q. Apr 26, 2007, 3:45pm UTC
Sounds like a nice view.
Cecile V. Apr 26, 2007, 10:10pm UTC
Sounds like Spring Fever! I went outside to clip some catnip from my herb garden for my three inside cats. I got so caught up in the glory of the flowers, and greenery, the bees, the butterflies, grasshopper, hummingbird, finches, and I don't know what all I completely forgot to get the catnip, and just sat down and took it all in for about a half hour. I was so still nature just went about it's business ignoring the fact I was a part of it too. It was amazing!
Kathryn Flynn Apr 27, 2007, 9:11am UTC
Cecile, you have a very very lovely garden...Nature does go about it's business.

Maywood, thank you for the very lovely poem!!!

KD - oh yes, in this rain, I cannot wait, either!!

Karolyn, isn't spring lovely when it does spring?
Diana Raabe Apr 28, 2007, 1:52pm UTC
What an excellent slice of life! I love the phrases you've used like "garden party" and the "cusp of April's cruelness" in this context.

Very nice.
Pauline G. Apr 29, 2007, 12:44am UTC
Very beautiful. Spring is, birth, beauty. You paint a beautiful picture
Kathryn Flynn Apr 29, 2007, 2:10am UTC
Diana, thank you...They just seemed to be personified to me...

Pauline, Spring is beautiful - the flowering trees are so lovely.
Mariana T. Apr 29, 2007, 11:45pm UTC
Thank you Miz Kathryn - yes, May is a lovely month of renewals. I do love late spring very much! We have lots to look forward to. Salud.
Kathryn Flynn Apr 30, 2007, 12:00am UTC
Salud, Miz Mariana, la bebe de los mayos de nuevos!

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