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Nature’s War
From far beneath the frozen soil the iris pushes high,
Extending wide it reaches up to touch the sun and sky.
Yet in the greening of the grass, the snows of winter stay
as northern winds descend again to keep the spring away.
The winds remain and daily howl but spring will have her day
she’ll yet appear with sweeter breezes driving cold away.
The daffodil will blossom forth and join the bitter fray
Of sleeting crystals frozen quick whose razors flowers splay.
Again the sun consorts with spring to bring the birds to nest
Mesquite trees bloom and signal all that winter’s now at rest.
And all abide these rules of war, old winter takes his bed
And spring consorts with Mother Sun till summer rears her head.
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Pat Tyrer holds the Jenny Lind Porter Professorship in English at West Texas A&M University and has been on the faculty of English, Philosophy, and Modern Languages since 2002. Her creative work has appeared in Readers’ Digest, Quiet Mountain Essays, Front Porch Review, and Plum Tree Tavern and includes two books of poetry, Creative Hearts and Western Spaces, Western Places.
Lovely, as is the painting.
Thank you. The photo is indeed quite lovely. Best,
Almost. The contrasts could be sharper and the confluences more mellow in this paean to the changing of the season. The iris fades too quickly and blooms later than the daffodil in most climates, but you are on the right track.
Thank you C.B. I appreciate your generous and constructive comments–very helpful to me.