The Eve of May

Bring forth the garlands and the ribbons bright
tie the bells around, pick flowers before the dawn
Feel the greenness forcing its way past winter
feel the warmth which inflames the hearts of peepers
Go out in the cool dark morning, wet with dew
hear the first birds, stirring in the quiet trees
a quiet whisper between a pair of hearts beating
the shadowed world keeping time with their notes.
Each year the world waits, through snow and pain
the long frozen nights, building up the fires
holding on against the life-draining cold.
But this morning, early morning, in the still dark
the world is waiting. we’ll go to greet it
dancing and singing and welcoming the May.

To be truthful, I almost wimped out. I was so pleased with my lunchtime haiku that I was willing to call it a day, this last day of April. Then I remembered the poem I wrote a few years ago waiting for April to begin and decided I could wait for May to begin too.