“April’s Breath”

April’s Breath

She sought to wake me subtle, a nudge against winter remnants,
bleak rain, light too short, dark cut my cadence. Purple phlox
lined the windy drive like soldiers greet wounded fresh from battle.
March frogs orchestrated praise hymns from the barn bog, escorted
me up the weary steps. I first noticed late light when bats dove
near my head scavenging for supper gnats. I paused, ready to shed
my soaked coat at the door. Whippoorwills and blackberry white
walked in together while trillium teased and may apples blanketed
our holler. But it was the lady slippers, their bulging bellies
the backdrop for courting dances of my three toms with puffed
chests and draped brown capes that wrapped me.

Tagged: Book Excerpt, Poetry