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Spring Has Sprung
Spring has sprung. It has begun—
_Birds nesting in the tree.
It’s warm again. The cackling hen
_Can go outside to pee.
Spring has sprung. It’s time for fun.
_New flowers bloom each day.
The cow awaits by the barn gates
_Where I can make her spray.
Spring has spung. The cat is hung
_Up in the tree and cries.
He went to test the birdie nest
_To see what in it lies.
Spring has sprung. I fill my lung
_With freshness from the breezes.
Then I recoil in my turmoil.
_My allergies cause sneezes.
.
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LTC Roy E. Peterson, US Army Military Intelligence and Russian Foreign Area Officer (Retired) has published more than 6,200 poems in 88 of his 112 books. He has been an Army Attaché in Moscow, Commander of INF Portal Monitoring in Votkinsk, first US Foreign Commercial Officer in Vladivostok, Russia and Regional Manager in the Russian Far East for IBM. He holds a BA, Hardin-Simmons University (Political Science); MA, University of Arizona (Political Science); MA, University of Southern California (Int. Relations) and MBA University of Phoenix. He taught at the University of Arizona, Western New Mexico University, University of Maryland, Travel University and the University of Phoenix.
Dear Roy,
Naturally, the stanza about the cat is my favorite. Of course the last line resonates as well. Thank you for this fun poem.
Gigi
Gigi, I just knew you would love the cat verse! Thank you!
Me too, Roy – I am with Gigi – the cat gets it!!!
Thank you, James, for the endorsement of the cat verse.
This poem is both very funny and very charming, Roy. I especially like the internal rhymes in lines 1 and 3 of each stanza. With those internal rhymes, if set to music this would make a fun comedy song.
Thank you for the kind comments. I will think about the music.
Brought a smile to my face, Mr. Peterson! A lovely little poem!
Thank you, Shamik!
Finally — a seasonal-change poem that’s funny instead of sappy and sentimental!
That is a fantastic endorsement! I greatly appreciate the comment!
Fun stuff, Roy. That last line is so good!
Thank you, Russel, for your supportive comments!
This up lifted the mood on a dreary, supposedly spring day in Chicago. Thanks for posting
Thank you, Warren, for “uplifted” comment!
Roy, it’s time for fun, but you’ve reminded me to finish the spring cleaning as well. My cat caught a young squirrel, and brought it in, where it escaped. Later found in a corner behind furniture that had to be moved, to return the creature to fresh spring breezes. The dust could have provoked violent sneezes!
Mercy, Margaret! Quite a story. Sorry for the reminder, but it seems like you are having a special spring. Thank you for the story complete with moving furniture. I am reminded also of the National Lampoon Christmas story with the squirrel brought inside with the Christmas tree.
I love that rhyming pattern! Can anybody tell me about it? Mr. Peterson?
Frank, thank you for your question. I will depend on someone else to provide a name for it. For some reason, I just wrote what I felt. I think it was the third verse that made me realize what I was doing.
Okay then, well let me just say that I enjoy a poem that makes me smile, and yours did. I thank you for your service to our nation. And what complicated service it was! I read all that you’ve done and I cannot absorb it all. Are there more than one of you? Yet you are able to come down from that, and write a poem that anyone could enjoy.
Am I spreading it on too thick? Nope. There’s too much bread to cover.
Frank, I really appreciate your comments. You must be referring to, “American Espionage and the Soviet Target” from Dec. 4, 2024 in addition to my limited bio above. My extended bio is in my books. I may try to submit for posting some of my additional career poems. Thank you so much.
Spring has sprung, can be sung
while travelling on the train.
Internal rhyme is so sublime
like drops of April rain.
Forgive the ‘sappiness’ – and the pun!
Thanks for the read, Roy.
I appreciate the comment, Paul.
Very pleasant alterations of internal and end rhyme, Roy.
Thank you, Daniel.
This cheerful poem made me feel all happy, especially when I spotted the “hung” cat all up the tree, nearly identical to our Tom called Peter. Here is your twin, I told him…..
The rhyme “ then I recoil in my turmoil” made me giggle….it’s just brilliant! Thank you Roy for that joy!
And that rhymes too….
Sharlie, we seem to be forming a mutual admiration society, since I loved your poem so much. I also had a Chinchilla Persian I bought in a pet market in Moscow, when I was on duty in Russia, that I had to get out of similar predicaments. I love comments that have a rhyme.