The Apsley Bard

What Melting Snow Reveals

When spring comes and the snow retreats,
we find that we must labor
Pick up the duff of leaves and twigs,
the spade lent by the neighbor
Where we had thought when snow first fell,
that the yard was neat and clean
We find that winter’s cloak was used to hide a ‘Sanford Junkyard’ scene
 The pruning pliers, a rake and shovel
we used to hill the roses
 The serpentine indentings
where we left the garden hoses
We curse ourselves for laziness
for not putting things in place
But when snow did fall,
we left it all ‘neath winter’s veil of grace.
We vow each spring,
as backs we bend to undo last Fall’s sin
We’ll be prepared to put each thing
in proper box and bin
By gosh, we swear this year I’ll care
and be ready for next spring
But in Fall we know,
there’s the rusty hoe,
Oh leave the blasted thing.

© 2006 Barrie P. Richardson