Hope Springs Copyright © 2009 Julie Sea-Borne

Do I dare hope? Whatʼs that I see?
A fat sticky bud, there on that tree.
And what do you think? Can it be right?
Has the wind finally lost its Arctic bite?
But steady on, weʼve been fooled before.
Put away our coats, and then felt winterʼs roar.
But as I drive down lanes dappled with light,
Where snowdrops clump in flashes of white.
It feels like it could be, Spring in waiting.
That faint haze of green, the birds busy mating.
But heed my warning, donʼt be too hasty,
To expose winter flesh, still flabby and pasty.
Remember; shed not a clout, and all that lore.
Though exactly what is a clout, Iʼve never been sure.
So proceed with caution, in case natureʼs having a laugh.
A step at a time, maybe just lose the scarf.