.
The First Spring Rain
a rhupunt
The first spring rain
ends winter’s pain;
new growth again,
the earth revived.
Soft melting snow
will quickly go,
small brooks will flow;
life has survived.
Frost leaves the ground,
joy does abound,
feelings profound
from hope derived.
Grass turning green
so fresh and clean
a new routine;
nature contrived.
Sweet breath of spring
birds on the wing
fly north to sing;
spring has arrived.
.
.
Phil S. Rogers is a sixth generation Vermonter, age 72, now retired, and living in Texas. He served in the United States Air Force and had a career in real estate and banking. He previously published Everlasting Glory, a historical work that tells the story of each of the men from Vermont that was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Civil War.
Phil, This is the sort of poem that sneaks up on you and then gives you a wallop .. Its rhyme scheme seems to echo a soft spring rain, as also does the subtle stanzaic pattern of a soft spring rain.
I have some Welsh blood in me, too. Do you know if Dylan Thomas used this form?
Sally; I cannot think of a rhupunt by Thomas off the top of my head, but I would guess at some point he would have, as his father was a teacher of English literature so he was certainly exposed to the form. When Thomas is mentioned, most everyone thinks of “Do Not Go Gentle.”
Many people believe that Robert Zimmerman liked Thomas’ poetry so much he took his last name as a stage name: Bob Dylan.
The intrigue of the title, the soft flow of the imagery, and the sing-song rhyme scheme makes we want to write a rhupunt. I’d never heard of the form until today… I love it! Thank you for the inspiration, Phil.
I learned about a new form by reading your piece, Phil. I will read up on a rhupunt some more now. There’s an ebb and flow quality to reading this piece which I find beautiful. And the nature imagery is charming always. Thank you for the read.