Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Florence


By the window,
lapping up the sun,
I read Rossetti’s, “The First Spring Day,”
and leaned my head against the pane

as if to become one
with blush blossoms
sprouting from the tree
and our neighbor’s sign
in bright yellow, pink and green:  hello spring.

Spring:  Florence Nightingale’s
cool kiss on the fevered brow of humanity.
Oh blow, swing your lamp—
your breath, meadowsweet,
your step, light, in our cimmerian war.


© 2020 Jennifer Wagner


dverse poetics:  in the time of the plague

Hope you all are well.  ~Love, Jen

The First Spring Day” by Christina Rossetti

11 comments:

Frank Hubeny said...

Spring is a cool kiss on our fevered brow.

Merril D. Smith said...

This is lovely--a gentle sigh of a poem full of wonderful imagery. Swing your lamp indeed.

Kim M. Russell said...

Such a gentle poem, Jennifer. I can imagine you sitting by the window, reading Rossetti’s ‘The First Spring Day’ – perfect for a morning of ‘blush blossoms / sprouting from the tree’. I love the thought of spring as ‘Florence Nightingale’s cool kiss on the fevered brow of humanity’.

Alexandra said...

Two poems for one (I didn't know the Rosetti, so thank you).

Tank said...

It's so nice to read something uplifting and encouraging! Thank you for such a beautiful poem, it brightened my day.

indybev said...

It is timely that Spring arrives as a glimmer of hope in the midst of darkness. Beautiful poem!

Sherry Blue Sky said...

This is such a beautiful poem. I especially love "your breath meadowsweet".

brudberg said...

I love the way you describe spring still coming and how we can still enjoy it from inside... a cool kiss is what we all need (and i don't mind getting it from spring)

Grace said...

Stunning lines specially the ending:

Oh blow, swing your lamp—
your breath, meadowsweet,
your step, light, in our cimmerian war.

Hope you are well Jennifer.

ayala said...

Gentle and beautiful. I hope you and your family are well and safe.

Audrey Howitt aka Divalounger said...

Such grace and serenity in this! It's beautiful--be safe and well!