March has come in like a lion!
The arrival of spring after winter’s hardness and biting cold seems truly magical. Everything in nature is waking up around us, and something seems to wake up inside of the human heart and soul, too. The coming of Easter happens at this time, melding perfectly with the annual theme of renewal.
Over the centuries, many gift poets have captured that invigorating feeling that spring brings each year. Here are some of my favorites for you to enjoy and share.
Heading Outdoors Again
I love Robert Frost’s friendly tone in this poem (“To The Thawing Wind”), as he coaxes the warm breezes to come and melt winter away.
Come with rain, O loud Southwester!
Bring the singer, bring the nester;
Give the buried flower a dream;
Make the settled snowbank steam;
Find the brown beneath the white;
But whate’er you do tonight,
Bathe my window, make it flow,
Melt it as the ice will go;
Melt the glass and leave the sticks
Like a hermit’s crucifix;
Burst into my narrow stall;
Swing the picture on the wall;
Run the rattling pages o’er;
Scatter poems on the floor;
Turn the poet out of door.
As I watch my children head outdoors to ride and play in the sunshine, these lines from Ellen Field’s ode to the month of April (“A Child of Spring”) come to mind:
I know a little maiden,
She is very fair and sweet,
As she trips among the grasses
That kiss her dainty feet;
Her arms are full of flowers,
The snow-drops, pure and white,
Timid blue-eyed violets,
And daffodillies bright.
Camille is enjoying the retro-inspired Step2 Ride-a-Long Scooter
We were sent a review copy of this beautiful new book from TAN, Poems Every Child Should Know. It’s a definitive introduction to the marvelous world of poetry and prose, compiled by author and literature scholar, Joseph Pearce. I love that he includes “things to think about,” which will guide children to look deeply into each poem, bringing out its depth and beauty. The typeface is clear and easy to read, and the deluxe leatherette binding makes it an ideal gift for this spring.
These gems of the English language are part of our shared inheritance and will enrich the life of any child, opening his eyes to Truth, Beauty and Goodness.
Nature comes alive
Nearly everyone gets the itch to be a gardener when spring rolls around, even if that means just a few pretty flowers in a front porch planter.
Marjorie Pickthall penned these delightful lines about her favorite flower, the humble daisy:
See, the grass is full of stars,
Fallen in their brightness;
Hearts they have of shining gold,
Rays of shining whiteness.
Buttercups have honeyed hearts,
Bees they love the clover,
But I love the daisies’ dance
All the meadow over.
William Wordsworth (“Lines Written in Early Spring”) was able to make flowers seem almost human-like:
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
Poet and Jesuit priest Gerard Manley Hopkins used exquisite, exuberant language in his poem “Spring) to describe the antics of the animals:
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling…
Louis Untermeyer compares the eruption of growth to gold and fire (“Feuerzauber”):
And how can you head out with your spade and seed packets without recalling these words from what is probably the most famous British poem about gardening? From Tennyson:
Come into the garden, Maud
For the black bat – night – has flown,
Come into the garden Maud,
I am here at the gate along;
And the woodbine spices are wafted abroad,
And the must of the rose is blown.
While gardening is certainly rewarding and therapeutic, it can bring its fair share of aches and pains. Sometimes I’ll completely lose track of time while digging and planting, only to stand up and realize that my back is complaining quite loudly! A natural pain relief cream is always my first choice. A good pain relief cream can help not just with inflammation but also any scrapes or bruises you sustain while working outdoors.
While she was alive, did you know that Emily Dickinson was known more for her gardening than her poetry? This is from “New Feet Within my Garden Go.”
New feet within my garden go –
New fingers stir the sod –
A Troubadour upon the Elm
Betrays the solitude.
Not into full-time gardening? No problem! Just set up a pretty porch planter like this.
The fickle spring weather
“March comes in a like a lion and goes out like a lamb.” We know of the truth of this old adage, living in Tornado Alley and witnessing the dramatic storms that roll in at spring time.
Bliss Carmen (“Summer Storm”) uses military language to present the coming of a strong thunderstorm:
The hilltop trees are bowing
Under the coming of storm.
The low, gray clouds are trailing
Like squadrons that sweep and form,
With their ammunition of rain.
Then the trumpeter wind gives signal
To unlimber the viewless guns;
The cattle huddle together;
Indoors the farmer runs;
And the first shot lashes the pane.
From the Harlem Renaissance comes this vibrant description by Jean Toomer (“Storm Ending”):
Poet William Carlos Williams describes the relentless flow of April showers in “Spring Storm.”
Water, water, from a thousand runnels!
It collects swiftly, dappled with black
Cuts a way for itself
Through green ice in the gutters
Activities for a rainy day…
And if you’re stuck inside on one of these rainy spring days, combat stress and boredom with some relaxing and interactive online games. They range from educational math games to perplexing puzzles, at all levels for everyone in the family to enjoy.
I use Birdline Math to reinforce addition concepts with my younger children. Fill the nest with the right numbers to reach your goal:
If you like logic and puzzles, try Robot Builder, where you make a path for your bot to escape through. You can also browse my site for activities and coloring pages.
And here’s another inspiration for spring: baking with Wilton! They are all about making memories in the kitchen, and their new spring baking kits are just the ticket. Featuring soft pastels and Easter-themed elements, making beautiful baked goods with your family will be both tasty and enjoyable. Their seasonal collection includes bakeware, tools and all the decorating supplies you’ll need. Use hashtag #WiltonCakes on social media for ideas and inspiration.
