Abigail's Spring - POTW

Abigail’s Spring Beneath the shelter of winter’s barren arbor My winter abused heart Watches the day’s light linger in the sky resisting darkness - Begging to play a little longer every day – Pushing twilight away at arm’s length with pink and brilliant orange Leaving wispy trails of color in the sky; Urging empty branches and shivering wheat Lift up their eyes from bruising rains And crushing chill of wilderness storms; Seeing here howling tirades of blizzards Trade places with long sunbeams stretching slowly Across my sun starved shadow, warming the winter’s wildness - Coaxing pale green shoots to peek timidly at meadows Covered with patchwork quilts of blue and yellow - Orange scattered across arching hills – Welcoming the face of spring with arms spread wide; Listening for the bleating of black faced sheep When they shed their fleecy coats; Not looking back into the breath of moaning winds, Longing sighs transformed into shouts of laughter Chase themselves across the plains in children’s games; My spirit, once wrapped in hibernation, feels the changing of the wind Running up the road – knocking on the gate - With a moveable feast born of abundance; Stone cold frozen heart beats again in rhythm with gracious blessings As the simple sparrow teaches Her young to fly with the morning light Rejoicing on warm nights filled with songs of mourning doves – My face turns - embracing this greening valley - As spring sprints breathlessly up the path. April, 2020 Contest: Personal Favorite No. 2 Sponsor: L. Milton Hankins 5/16/20 Contest: Poetry Marathon Mile 13 Sponsor: Mark Toney 30 Lines First place - Brian Strand Your Choice B - 5/17/20 Number 1 Best New Poem - 6/13-20 Poem of the Week - 6/20/20 First place - Brian's Choice G 6-21-20 - Brian Strand First place Your Best Poem of 2020 - John Hamilton Top Ten, #10, Poet Destroyer 11/7/20 Chosen for publication in PS It's Poetry