Spring just makes me want to grab hold of life with both hands. To sit in the sun and absorb the warmth with all my being and, yet, to say a lingering goodbye to the waves of icy air that are still flowing from the patches of ice marooned in the woods. I am restless, not least of all because I am in the process of leaving my lay ministry job and embarking before long on my paddling trip.
Poetry is new for me, but today’s just seemed to write itself:
It Doesn’t Take Much
It doesn’t take much, this time of year, to lift a tired heart.
Just a quiet hour to roam the woods, to wander with springtime dreams.
Rubber-clad feet sink deep in the mud, but at least it isn’t ice.
No slippery, sliding, breath-taking suspense to see if you’ll stay upright.
Just a cushion, a carpet of softest duff, welcoming, moist and brown.
It doesn’t take much this time of year, to feel the throb of life.
A barred owl calls in the height of day…”Who cooks for you?” he asks.
Then comes a sound to drown out them all, a chorus of horrid croaks.
“What species is this?” you want to know, so stealthily you sneak near.
Quietly perch near a murky black pool that gradually comes to life,
With tens or hundreds of busy gray frogs in a noisy springtime dance.
It doesn’t take much, this time of year, to find beauty at every turn.
No need for a violet, a lupine, or rose… a humble skunk cabbage will do.
Squat down to look closely as the new plant unfurls,
And you’ll be amazed what you’ll see.
Bright shiny purples and pale mottled greens have a beauty all their own.
No, it doesn’t take much this time of year, for hope to spring anew.
Laurie Apgar Chandler 
Nicely said. I’m glad that you had such an enjoyable day outside and shared it with us!
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