Thursday, April 05, 2007

Plea for Mercy

Sunshine. Then, no shine.
Cloudy, gray, then hot.
Just when I think spring has stuck
Evidence proves it has not.
Flip-flops and t-shirts,
Then back to coat and sweater.
No matter how hard I try,
I can't control this weather.

70 and breezy,
Then rain for days on end.
An umbrella, instead of a rake,
Becomes my new best friend.
Now, clear skies. Green shoots of grass.
Barefoot in the yard.
The ever-changing temperature
Keeps catching me off guard.

Windows down. Windows up.
Rain comes pouring in.
The clouds part suddenly.
Will the sun finally win?
The warmth of spring is here again.
It's when I feel my best.
But, sadly, the cold gray is coming back,
Taunting me from the west.

So back to coats and scarves,
Tissues and sneezes galore.
The changes all too frequent,
I've given up keeping score.
Please no more boots and jackets!
Please make the wind gusts cease!
I'm begging for sunny days once more.
Peace, be still. Please, peace.

Take away this sore throat and aches.
Relieve me of this zombie look.
I just want to settle into spring
In my hammock with a good book.
85 just a few days past,
Couldn't guess what'd come in its place.
25 degrees out, oh my!
I continue to plead my case.

Please bring back the bright sun rays,
And the gentle breezes that blow!
Please let us have a long break
From the rain, hail, sleet and snow!
I'm trying to remain patient,
I'm trying with all of my might,
In waiting for the calm after this storm
Of spring's long weather fight.


I never thought it would be in the low twenties and I'd be enjoying my very own lilacs, but it's true. And, the faint scent fills the house. (Thankfully, despite my bad cold, I can tell!) Because of the hard freeze, I covered as many plants as possible, but it's difficult to cover a lilac bush or all of the beautiful white blossoms on a huge apple tree. So, I decided to cut most of the lilacs and just hope the apple and the rest of the trees will be OK. As you can tell, these changes back and forth have been trying, but I am thankful we've been blessed with a couple of sunny days scattered among the others. Just makes me much more anxious for the beautiful days I trust are on the horizon, and my prayers have been full of pleas for those to arrive. Hope this recent "cold snap" isn't causing too many problems those reading this blog. It might not even be affecting your area, but I know this is a huge concern for the two greenhouses near my home and for the local orchard owners. They are doing everything they can to fight the cold when the blossoms are so new and fragile, and they fear losing their entire crop.

5 comments:

Rebekah Sacran said...

Did you write that poem? That's great! Widh you could be here this weekend!

Elizabeth said...

I too am ready for constant warmth, even the sultry, humid days have more appeal now than those with highs in the fifties or sixties. I am sure y'all have it much worse - being farther north - but once you get used to the eighties again, a temperature drop near freezes you. I am thankful for the sun today, but I would not mind a little more heat!

strem said...

Yes, somehow through the fog of my cold, I was able to write a poem. I'll have to read it in a few days when I'm thinking more clearly. (Guess I shouldn't make posts when I am in this state.) I'm not sure if the fog is due to the cold medicine or the actual cold.

Wish I could be there with all of you. I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful meeting. Hope to visit again soon.

strem said...

Yes, the temperature drops are the worst. I don't think the lingering cold would seem so bad if we hadn't experience the warmth in between. The 30, 40 and 50 degree drops within one day are extremely difficult.

Dani said...

I know what you mean. We had tornadoes spin off from the cold front, and it dropped almost thirty degrees in less than an hour.

We already had corn shoots coming up here, and they are worried that it has killed some of the crops.

Worst of all, the crazy weather has my asthma all out of wack, and I'm still trying to finish that nasty paper. Just a few more days of trucking and the paper should be out of the way, and warm weather here to stay.

GREAT poem!