WHISPERS' APRIL ACTIVITY--SPRING COUPLETS

Dear Whispers’ Family,

The April writing activity has featured a two-pronged emphasis: writing about a specific theme: Springtime, as we sharpened our skills in the art of Rhyming Couplets. I expected a robust response to this fun activity and this was truly the case. Thank you to all who sent in poems. Let’s enjoy the happiness of the season wrapped in ribbons of poetry. Please join in the fun by clicking the “reply” button and commenting.

Michael Escoubas, Whispers’ Features Editor

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On the Eve of Palm Sunday

Shoppers pause by the garden store –           

green-fingered incentives galore

By the plants, one woman gazes

then chooses white saxifrages

“The fragrance will evade his smell,

They’re for my husband’s grave, she tells.”     

Mary Gunn, Ireland

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Spring Warning

All birdfeeders must now come down

Now that the bears have come around

They’re hungry, looking for a feed

They’ll flip the feeders, spill out seed

And make a mess of your new garden

And never ask you for a pardon.

  

Kelley J. White, United States

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Walking Through Woods in Spring

Cool rainy Spring, firm harbinger for days

of heat and humidity ahead, stays

third place on my chart of pleasing seasons.

Hopelessness quickly sprouts two more reasons:

Ticks, sand fleas come out leaping and hopping.

Of their itchy bites, there be no stopping.

Barbara Robinette--United States

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Absurd

Little Bird!  Little Bird!

Have you heard not a word

It’s Absurd, Little Bird

Tom Cat stirred, Tom Cat purred

Not a word have you heard

Silly Bird!  Silly Bird! 

Elizabeth Howard, United States

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How?

Snow is on the crocus now.

It will not last. I wonder how

The flowers know it’s time to grow

And then to splash a splendid show

Of springtime beauty all around

while firmly anchored in the ground.

Mary O. Monical, United States

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Spring Hunt

Vacant chair at the table, empty swing out back

no light at the windows everything's all black.

The house is locked and shuttered closed tighter than a drum

nothing but the mountain breeze, summer's yet to come.

Lantern by the kitchen door no longer can be found

Grandpa's gone a huntin' the echo of the hounds.

Barbara Tate, United States

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Spring Invigorates

Compared to other seasons Spring is the king

Most adored; remains above all rating.   

Colorful in sky sweet smelling on earth

Caressing the body with subtle touch

Spring brings short changes in our lives

What is lost through other seasons it revives. 

Aju Mukhopadhyay, India

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Spirals of Energy

Witch hazel you free spirit
shining yellow you're twilit.

Curving and curling
your branches whirling.

Bending your pliant limbs
divine me a dowse when the moon dims.

Pat Geyer, United States

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Spring Fever

The scent of flowers as they come to bloom

Retreat the snow, the grey and gloom

Rays of sun, beam bright and warm

Bringing to life the buzz and swarm

With spirits now free, we sing a new tune

As we are thankful for this, this sunny afternoon

Langley Shazor, United States

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Wild Roses of Spring

The wild roses bloom in the April sun,

But droop and fade when the spring is done.

When the spring is gone, they fade and die,

And no one knows the reason why,

Or why beauty's gone while it's still so young,

And why spring's song is so quickly sung.

Kathleen Murphy, United States

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The Sweetness of Spring

Honey bees carefully carried in their home
beckoned by batons of wind they roam,

new spring flowers to see and savour
hair bells and bluebells, laden with nectar,

creatively combined in a busy hive
impatiently I wait for honey to arrive.

Annie Jenkin, England

_________

Falling into Season

The sky above is the brightest blue

Mountains shine through with a sunlit hue

I feel the ripples of soft sweet air

My fingers touch grass naked and bare

Feeling the body not on the ground

I want to dance around and around

Isha Wagner, New Zealand

_________

Spring

The many-hued flowers of spring, 

What delight to my soul they bring!

Flowers of the Kachnar* trees, 

Gift their fragrance to the breeze.

A time for rebirth and release -

Sing the butterflies and the bees.

Neena Singh, India

*Kachnar - Bauhinia Blakeana is an evergreen tree,  with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers. The fragrant, orchid-like flowers are usually 10-15 cm across, and bloom from early November to the end of March.

_________

Birth of a Season

We all welcome the longer days

of Spring and her blossoming ways.

But her storms are filled with wonder,

lightning and abundant thunder.

These labor pains of creation

wreak havoc across the nation.

Candace Armstrong, United States

_________

Spring Time

Wearing emerald skirts, here comes stunning spring.

Hark! You can almost hear the lovely bluebells ring!

Pretty pink blossom dresses the Sakura trees.

It will fall like confetti on the zephyr breeze.

Daffodils raise their sleepy heads in a blaze of gold.

Colourful crocuses and irises are a joy to behold.

Jan Allison, Isle of Man

_________

Spring's Return

I've waited for this since the last autumn color

fled from our tree to become ground cover.

I longed for this through all the gray days

of short winter sun, feeling cold always.

Now green beginnings, warmth, colors abound,

birds fill my garden with bright chirping sounds.

Joan Leotta, United States

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Seasonal Splendour

Amid a misty new day dawning
dewdrops settle on petals forming

Birdsong echoes in fields of green
newborn arrivals herald the scene

Colourful hues of seasonal splendour
filling my heart so graceful and tender.

Allan Ball, England

_________

Joys of Springtime

The flowers that grow, the birds that sing,

I enjoy all that Springtime brings!

David Fox, United States

_________

Spring

The daffs abundant in the ground

and lambs are gamboling around

to show that Spring is here at last—

hard winter days are in the past!

Jack Horne, England

_________

Hello Beautiful World

The world is filled with flowers and trees

with green grass and honey bees.

Oh how I like the beautiful sky

when all the birds come flying by.

With tall trees and little squirrels;

Oh how I like this beautiful world.   

                                                            

Glenda B. Frazier, United States

_________

Evening Fade

The scent of lilacs wafts across the air
like rainbows fading to pastel flair.

With cloudy background splotched in darkest gray
the weeping willow brightens green to stay.

And frogs begin their moonlight serenade
as breezes ripple shadows to fade.

Diane Webster, United States

_________

Le printemps

Before we see the burgeoned bloom,

it preens in Nature’s own Green Room.

Richard Carl Subber, United States

_________

Spring Sprung

Warm sunny days, but a distant memory.

Like a prisoner held captive, I just want to be free.

Blossoming flowers, and budding trees.

Soft gentle rain, the birds and the bees.

These are the things, I’d love to see.

If Spring would only come, and rescue me.

David LaRue Alexander, United States 

_________

First Signs of Spring

I woke to the tinkling of melting snow,

flowing from my roof to the ground below.

And a robin's chirp, in a nearby tree,

sounded like he was serenading me.

I opened my window to sniff the air,

and sure enough it smelled like spring out there.

Emile Pinet, Canada

_________

Blossom

People wearing calico short-sleeved shirts

The streets are embellished by bare-legged skirts

The amiable April sun does its ultimate best

And even my thoughts are airily dressed

Inge Wesdijk (Daginne Aignend) the Netherlands

_________

A Calming Connection

An untouchable soul mate

A friend spiritual and intimate

A renewal and a release of stress

When the day`s discordance`s senseless

The body`s bushed and the mind`s whizzing

It takes the magic of a melody to get life soaring   

Ndaba Sibanda, Kuwait

_________

Spring Flowers

At last the tiny buds have shown their heads

And catch the sun that warms the flower beds

The snow is gone, the grass is growing green.

A sense of new life permeates the scene.

They dance in wild abandon in the breeze

That teases them with random melodies.

Pam H. Murray, Canada

_________

Odiferous Omen

My first clue we’re done with winter’s ravage

The yellow blossoms of the Skunk Cabbage

My heart sings when I see their beauty swell

Their golden hues emerge before their smell

Yes, their putrid odor makes my heart sing

The irony of their stink brings us spring

Jim Teeters, United States

_________

Spring Springing

  

Sweet smell in the air shows springs sprung

Birds sing through spring air with bird tongue

Feel of happiness is everywhere

Could it be, spring is what we share?

Spring time comes only once a year

Yes springs sprung for our joyous tear

  

Yancy Lee Dalton, United States

_________

Springtime (English)

And after cold days now the sun

Delights the heart with graceful fun

Now fresh grass in the spring breeze swing

Birds somewhere in the distance sing

The sky before yet gray not new

Changed now to vivid royal blue

****

Frühlingszeit  (German)

Nach kalten Tagen jetzt die Sonne

erfreut die Herzen voller Wonne

Und frisches Gras im Frühlingswind

sprießt überall und recht geschwind

Der Himmel kürzlich trist und grau

erstrahlt erneut in Königsblau

Gert Knop, Germany

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spring lane

as I drive the river road at dawn

I catch the scent of freshly- cut lawn

from the bank daffodils wave their greeting

true sweetness of our words on meeting

pink cherry blossoms ripen branches

as you and I decide to take our chances

Anne Curran, New Zealand

_________

Spring Seeds…

planted with vision

not indecision

each step with the Lord…

mutual accord

Karen O'Leary, United States

_________

April’s Music

Here I stand listening as you sing

and dance with lilacs in the spring.

Petunias and bluebells clap their hands

as the rose and red bud join the band.

Your yellow hair shifts in the soft breeze

as lilacs tinkle like piano keys.

Michael Escoubas, United States

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